DF800 Winter Storage

For all those DF800 issues which do not fit into any of the categories below.
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MJF
Posts: 19
Joined: Wed 07 Apr 10, 20:51
Your Country: UK, Macclesfield / Cheshire

DF800 Winter Storage

Post by MJF »

I take my boat out every winter and store it on the trailer with the mast down and the amas removed. This usually takes a few hours to do but I know is safe.

Reading the forum I noticed johp apprear to store his on the trailer with the amas on and the mast up

http://www.dragonfly-trimarans.org/phpB ... c.php?t=85

I was concerned that the windage or mast relative to the weight (or lack of would not be stable enough.

How do you store yours? What is your view?
Ken
Posts: 36
Joined: Tue 23 Sep 08, 13:08
Your Country: Australia, Bunbury WA

Storing a DF800 fully rigged

Post by Ken »

Hello MJF

I usually de-rig my fixed wing DF800 each winter and tow it home but I have stored it fully rigged on the hard on 4 * 44 gallon drums and it has survived 45 knot winds. For extra security a drum on each side could be filled with water and the amas tied down to them using ratchet straps around the drums to to hold the tie down ropes.

I know that you would have to contend with much higher winds than we do here.

Regards
Ken
DF800 MkII Vamos
johp
Posts: 6
Joined: Mon 08 Oct 07, 19:18
Your Country: Netherlands, Friesland and waddenzee

Post by johp »

Hi MJF,

I never had problems with storage with the mast up. We have had winds up to 11 Bft. But I have to say that the harber at the parkinglot is protected with some trees, depending of the directions. You can fixate the boat with some lines to the trailer and I always used 4 poles at the edges. The trailer weight and boat weight should prevent for capsize.
In my opinion the stability in the water is much less then at the trailer.
I kept it some years also in the water with high wind loads. It survived high windloads of 11Bft from the front and say 9-10 from the side. I have never been there with that high windload, never deared to look because at with force 7 I know it already is a scarry how the boat heals when folded (in the water). Off coarse I rotate the mast 90 degree as required during storage.

Regards,
Johan
Johan Pragt
DF920#32
Flabbergast
NL
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