Can a boat such as a Nacra 20, be stored outside?.....

.....that is, outside in the north, like Wisconsin? Where the winters get to 20 below F?

Can the carbon mast withstand that kind of temp extremes?

I think it probably can, just would like to hear the thoughts of people actually doing it. TIA

Not a problem for the fibres/resin
The problem comes when there is any amount of water trapped that will expand when frozen.
Somehow you have to get every drop of moisture out of it before the freeze.

My friennd works in a spar shop and has told me about seing several boats / spars that have exploded from expanding water in them

If that has ever happened, the real issue is having the the hull/spar completely sealed. If a hatch is open or a vent hole made, then there should be no reason for small amounts of waterto cause a pressure build up.

We've stored tornado hulls outdoors for decades in Canada. Never had any issues.

Are you suggesting my friend (or me) is not telling the truth about this?

I only lie, cheat, murder and rob for money... (and women)..... (and power)...... and......

"We've stored tornado hulls outdoors for decades in Canada. Never had any issues."

Were those carbon Tornado hulls?

Mike

Carbon's not allowed in the hull construction of a T. The Marstrom boats are epoxy / glass / Nomex core.

Duly noted, and that was basically my point...

Mike

I don't like storing my boat outside period. In the summer I don't have anywhere to put it indoors though. Sun is hard on stuff, I hate tree goo, bird poo. If I had the money it would sit in air conditioning. Freezing water as TEAMVMG says is the major issue. Getting all of the water out of everywhere is borderline impossible. All it takes is a few drops in the wrong spot expanding when frozen and blowing stuff apart to create issues. Last winter I knocked my boat apart and slid it though a window into the basement. The year before I stuffed it into a unheated shed at the in-laws and the cats pissed all over it.

I don't know where you are in Wisconsin, but winter is F-ing long up here.

The in-laws pissed all over the shed? Don't you have indoor plumbing up there?

Thanks for all the replies. Yes, I was very serious about the year after year storage of mainly a newer, non CF boat, and possibly a CF mast though, like the Inter 20 has.

I also realized that ANY water trapped in the hull/glass lasyers would expand when frozen, ever so slightly. That's whay I asked about this.

Karl, I had seen the pics of your boat in the basement, and remember you had put in thru the window piece by piece. Believe it or not, I'm now in the market for a house, and have been also trying to get a basement in which I could do the very same thing over the winter! I'm now in a suburb of Milwaukee.

I keep my F17 outside during the sailing season in MI, but then put it in the unheated garage for the winter. I have mast cover to keep it out of the sun and I have a plug I remove in the mast base to vent it for the winter. I have a 9 year old carbon mast and the freeze thaw cycles haven't created any problems yet. I try to make sure the boat is tipped so that water can't collect in the bows and freeze, that would definitely create issues.