Cover Up!
For those of us in seasonal climates who haul our RIBs for the winter months, it’s important to be sure to cover it if stored outdoors. The main reason for doing so is to keep the rain and snow out of the boat which prevents any damage that may occur as a result of freezing water. Covering the boat also provides critical sun protection to electronics, cushions, and the tubes. Though UV stable, there’s no need to needlessly prolong the tube’s exposure to the sun which can lead to additional wear and fading in some colors.
RIBs can be easily covered using a simple blue tarp, a custom canvas cover, or shrink wrap. If using a blue tarp, be sure that it is secured down over the tubes and won’t be easily blown off in a winter storm. In my opinion, the best method is to have the boat shrink wrapped. And yes, you can shrink wrap a RIB! What’s great about shrink wrap is that it can snuggly wrap around the tubes effectively sealing off the boat for the winter and the chances of blowing off are slim.
