Mooring question

[flapbreaker]

I'm considering mooring my boat for maybe 6 months out of the year in fresh water. Is this hard on the hull? What if anything do I need to do to keep it in good shape? It would be a covered slip if that makes a difference. Anyway's any tips would be appreciated.

[lloyds]

The only complaint I ever had with covered slips was the birds that nest in the rafters. Some boats really get hit.

[flapbreaker]

So there should be no need for anti fouling paint? Not sure if that's just an issue in saltwater.

[MOOSE]

We have our boat in the lake in a covered slip at our dock for about that long every year and have never noticed a problem. The worst is that you might grow a little algae depending on the conditions of your moorage. Pulling it occasionally and giving it a pressure washer blast and a little scrubbing will keep it fairly clean.
Al

[Sea Wolf]

flapabreaker-

I've been in the water first in the California Delta and more recently in Shasta Lake for the last five years. As with anything else, there are pros and cons, but I highly recommend it.

The big advantage is that you don't have to launch the boat everytime you use it, so you will use it much more often. This works for those who usually frequent the same lake, bay, etc.

The covered slip has so many advantages it's hard to be sure one mentions them all.

First of all, the roof provides shelter from rain and sunlight and their deletrious effects on the boat. In fact, I wouldn't leave my boat uncovered for any length of time in an open berth any more than I'd leave it out in the weather in the yard uncovered. One year in an open berth will make your boat look really abused unless you add a canvas cover.

While the roof provides shelter to the above water part of the boat, the underwater parts must be protected with anti-fouling paint. How much protection you need depends on what kind of water you're in. Salt is worse than fresh, and warmer worse than colder. Sometimes in very cold freshwater an occasional scrub for those w/o bottom paint will be ok, but for extended periods bottom paint is usually preferred. Th exact type of bottom paint depends on the types of water and organisms in which you're moored.

To bottom paint a boat, one has to first sand the gel coat for adhension, then apply epoxy barrier coats to prevent water penetration and blister developmnent. Then one to several coats of bottom paint are applied. I had estimates of from $1200 to $1800 for this first time procedure 5 years ago for my CD-22. Subsequent recoating with the bottom paint runs $400-$600 every 1-2 years. I do it myself on my roller trailer now.

Unless you're in freezing temperatures where water in the lower unit could freeze and crack the gear casing, the motor shaft can be raised out of the water when storing to prevent growth on the lower unit.

A berthed boat also provides an on the water cabin or condominium to retreat to and spend some time during the day or overnight. A short trip out of the marina and you've changed your venue and can anchor for the day or overnight.

Shore power in the marina can make the boat much more liveable when power is needed for heating, air conditioning, cooking, battery charging, using the stereo, mixer, hair dryer, TV / video, computer, ...you name it!

Some marinas also provide pressure water, dock boxes, and even cable TV, telephone, and computer connections. Some folks may be repelled by such ammenities, but they are very useful to those who feel they need them.

Along this same line, the marina is much more liveable if it has nice clean bathrooms, showers, laundry facilities, gas and propane facility, a store, restraunt, etc. A SMALL BOAT CAN BE SEEM MUCH LARGER IF YOU HAVE ALL THESE THINGS AROUND YOU THAT YOU DON'T HAVE ON YOUR BOAT IN FULL SIZED DIMENSIONS.

One thing I learned very quickly was to pick out the slip very carefully, although you may at first have to take the first slot available, and some marinas have years long waiting lists!

In Northern California, storms come in from the south and west, so you want to be on the north and east side of the marina so that the wind won't blow rain into your boat. I had to build large weather screens to keep out the rain and afternoon sun when berthing on the SW side in the Delta.

Another consideration is the security. A fine marina with great security is a real plus, one with poor security is a worry source and one not worth being there.

Covered berths are not cheap. My 10' x 26' berth at Bridge Bay on Shasta Lake is $200/ month. That's both expensive and cheap. Expensive if you don't use it, cheap if you do. $7 a day is a easy addition to your hobby if you really enjoy it.

About the only real drawbacks I can think of besides the bottom paint issue and cost are these two:

First it's harder to work on the boat in the slip compared to having it home where you have so much greater access to tools, supplies, hardware and marine stores, and simply have the boat where you can work on it at your leisure. Small jobs in the slip are easy, but major ones are not, and sometimes require a lot of planning, or even bringing the boat home.

The second disadvantage is that trips to other boating venues from the marina involve another hauling out and returning of the boat to the water. How much of an issue this is depends on you and how many such trips you make.

If you choose to moor in a berth, get good dock lines, snubbers, fenders and set up the berth to your custom needs as much as the marina will allow for your own enjoyment and convenience.

Overall, I'd go with the covered slip as long as it's to my advantage, but there will be those in circumstances and situations where it just doesn't work. Got to go now, hope this helps!

Joe.

[flapbreaker]

Wow Joe, Thanks for all the effort in your post. It would seem that the number one reason to moore a boat is using your boat becomes less of a chore. Normally I wouldn't consider going fishing for just 3 hours since the effort to fun ratio doesn't pencil out. Maybe I'll just try it and see what grows on the bottom, then decide if I need the paint.

[Sea Wolf]

flapbreaker-

You're welcome!

Yes, the #1 reason is not having to launch it, at least at first. Short fishing trips become easy and relaxing, not rushed and difficult.

But after you have it set up really right, it's like a second home, cabin, condo, some place you belong and enjoy!

Kind of like becoming a live-aboard without all the restrictions and still having the ability to go home and enjoy the real home, wife, kids, dog, etc.

It also serves as a great dog house for errant husbands and an escape hatch during difficulties!

Ain't nobody taking this refuge away from me!!!

Joe.

[Sneaks]

[Sea Wolf]

Don-

Thanks for the comments and additions! I agree totally.

I had a gal crew for me in the sailboat once whose dad had a special cabin in the house at home even though he had a sailboat in a slip in San Francisco Bay.

This place was beautifully decorated with tons of nautical artifacts, wood paneling, and contained his office and desk, a bed, small refrigerator, etc.

It was a complete home/cabin/refuge.

HE HAD THE ONLY KEY TO IT THAT THERE WAS!

When things got a little to busy or the Admiral a little too talkative, he simply retreated into "The Cabin".

A boat in a marina can be the same, probably better since it's at another location and on the water!

Joe.

[rcwass]

Keeping your boat at a marina and undercover is great. Dealing with the clowns at local boat ramps can be a comedy if your just watching or dangerous if your in their with them. I've seen boaters launch with no lines, no plugs and the boat floating with the bow still locked to the trailer.

The one thing you must watch at any marina is power. Make sure your zincs are always in good shape. A poor ground on the electrical in a marina can quickly do major damage to any metal parts in the water. I saw an aluminum hull 38' cruiser sink at the dock. The hull was full of holes from electrolysis.

I know I'd surely us my boat a lot more if I could keep it in a covered marina. Your lucky you can do that so enjoy.

Dick

[Sea Wolf]

One more tip I can add is this:

If you have power at your slip that can be left on, you then have the ability to keep a refrigerator running, either on your boat, or on the dock itself.

I had a dock box at Ox Bow marina that was 2 x 2 x 4ft tall, the perfect size to set one of those refrigerators on that's just about the same dimensions.

Worked great to keep drinks cold, save ice between boat trips, store frozen bait, keep condiments, etc.

Added a hasp and padlock to keep folks honest, etc.

Saved a lot of time by not having to lug so much stuff down to the boat every trip.

*****************************************************

Some marinas have individual electric meters to regulate electric usage, which they usually read monthly and include in your moorage bill.

Others just let you tap into the service outlets, providing you don't use to much power. My current one has "NO SHORE POWER ALLOWED" signs next to the outlets. but does allow battery charging. In practice, everybody just ties in to the power as needed and nothing is ever said or turned off.

Joe.

[james]

I currently have a 26 carver (which is for sale) at a marina.
I cannot wait to never have to deal with a marina again,at least this one!

#1. boats anchored near by, one just drug anchor and ran into me, busting my swim laddder up.

#2. Rats this winter got into the marina causing untold damage, my carver had to be gutted, also, hoses and wiring had to be replaced.

#3. I LOVE being able to load my C-dory at the house,no more lugging supplys.

#4. parking at times is non-existent.

#5. other than the drive (which is the same) I can launch my dory as bout as fast as to launch from a marina.

#6. BIRDS. bird droppings are a constant agravation. and unhealthy.

#7. Spiders , webs eveywhere, constant agravation.

#8. fuel. love getting the best price on it.

#9. not me, but a fellow in another slip has been hit twice with people trying to bring there boat into their slip(and missing)

everything has pros and cons, for me, no more marinas in the near future.

James

[Sea Wolf]

James-

Thanks for showing us what can be the down side of marina storage!

Good luck with the sale of your Carver!

Glad to hear your C-Dory trailer use works for you!

Joe.

[flapbreaker]

Well, I found a "marina" that is actually a dry storage facility. They put the boat up on racks. You just call an hour before you want her and they put it in the water for you. When your done they put the boat back. It's all indoors and secure. We will see how this works. For me it's kind of between a wet moorage and just a plain old rv storage facility.

[Knotty C]

We got our slip at Steamboat Landing on the Columbia four months before we got our boat. We had done our research and knew where we wanted to be and the slips were going fast in February. We originally thought we would just have it there through the summer, but we ended up leaving it there all winter. Having it moored made a huge difference in how much we used the boat and we used it all winter.

We do not have bottom paint on the boat and we started out by hauling it out every three weeks and cleaning it at home. However, it was in the water for about four months over the winter and still cleaned up just fine when we did get it home.

Our slip is not covered and have heard from others who have had covered slips that you get spider poop on your boat. They got tired of trying to keep the little brown dots off their boat. Although I have thought about getting a cover for the boat.

The people we have met at the marina primarily have large boats that can't be trailered, so every time we say, "We're going up to the San Juans for the week." or someplace else, we can tell they are jealous because they are stuck in the river. We don't see them out in their boats anywhere near as much as we are. We feel like we have the best of both worlds.

One other thing, our marina is very secure as it is in a gated community and the marina is also gated. The harbor master lives aboard right by the entrance from the river into the marina, so nobody is coming in without him seeing them. We highly recommend mooring the boat at least during the summer because it is so easy to just go down and go for a quick dinner cruise after work without worrying about pulling the boat out at the end. Good luck!

Don and Dee