Dinghy storage??

D

Dene

New member
Normally I put our 10 foot Livingston Dinghy on the finger dock for winter storage but this year, the marina is enforcing a revenue-creating no-no. They said I must either put it in the water, behind my boat, or they'll happily store it for $25/mo.

Question...if I leave it in the water and it snows (we're in Puget Sound), is there any chance it could capsize? Any other downsides??

-Greg
 
If it was my boat I would take it home and put it in my garage or side yard or just pay the $ for few months by april you could put it behind your boat .that way if you had to retrieve it it would only be a cold swim instead of hypothermia. If your garage is high enough hang it from the ceiling. Find the roof rafters or beams and use that to support it .A friend had the 10 ft sorrenson similar boat hung from ceiling . you might have to take off the eng and whatever else is in the boat.
 
Greg,

I think I would be more worried about filling with water and sinking, than capsizing from snow accumulation. Maybe a cover with a bow under it to provide rain runoff, but that will not keep the snow from accumulating on it. Guess it would depend on how often you can get to the boat.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon
 
I'm blessed to know almost nothing about how snow and boats interact. ;)

But I did come across a cool solution for tying off your dink yesterday. Insert your mooring lines through PVC pipe (another guy suggested pool noodles) to make them sorta rigid. Holds the boat away without need for fenders.

PVCStandoffoverlinew.jpg
 
Dene":1qauufki said:
Normally I put our 10 foot Livingston Dinghy on the finger dock for winter storage but this year, the marina is enforcing a revenue-creating no-no. They said I must either put it in the water, behind my boat, or they'll happily store it for $25/mo.

Question...if I leave it in the water and it snows (we're in Puget Sound), is there any chance it could capsize? Any other downsides??

-Greg
Click to expand...

Greg,

Unless it is a self bailer or has an electric pump, I would be more concerned about it filling with rain water and sinking than I ever would of the rare snowfall doing it in Puget Sound.

If you planning to just leave it until July without ever coming to check on it, I think that there is a very good chance that it will be on the bottom. If you check it every now and then, much less so.

I am surprised that they actually want to store it as then they are liable for it. But, for 25 dollars a month, I'd put her in the pickup and take it home with me. That adds up pretty fast. Maybe it is time for a new marina? Have a great week!
 
Dene-

I can't tell from your Signature, Profile, or non-existent Photo Album what brand or model your two boats are, but I assume they're not big enough to put a 10 foot fiberglass dinghy on either of their roofs. (?)

How about putting the dinghy upside down on the foredeck of your largest boat, just behind the bow pulpit with the stern/transom resting on the front of the cabin top (and appropriately padded and tied down)?

It's a long shot, depending on the fit, but perhaps worth considering if you can remove it easily with two reasonably strong folks, or don't plan on using the boat much during the winter storage months except in the slip, such as just staying on board and/or overnight there.

Joe. :teeth :thup
 
Sea Wolf":2weonq32 said:
Dene-

I can't tell from your Signature, Profile, or non-existent Photo Album what brand or model your two boats are, but I assume they're not big enough to put a 10 foot fiberglass dinghy on either of their roofs. (?)

How about putting the dinghy upside down on the foredeck of your largest boat, just behind the bow pulpit with the stern/transom resting on the front of the cabin top (and appropriately padded and tied down)?

It's a long shot, depending on the fit, but perhaps worth considering if you can remove it easily with two reasonably strong folks, or don't plan on using the boat much during the winter storage months except in the slip, such as just staying on board and/or overnight there.

Joe. :teeth :thup
Click to expand...

It's a 27' Devlin pilothouse and the foredeck or roof would fit the dinghy. I could even mount it on the swim platform. However, we use the boat at least twice a month in the winter and the hassle of unloading and loading doesn't seem worth it. It is a self bailer but at the end of the season, I'd have a lot of residual water and growth on the bottom if I left it in the slip, next to my boat.

So it appears storage is my best option.

Grrrrrrr......

-Greg
 
JamesTXSD":1367xwbu said:
If it would fit on the roof or the swim platform, why would you need to unload it?
Click to expand...

I never use a dink in the winter. Rarely in the summer and when I do, I tow it. Putting on the boat just adds weight, limits visibility (foredeck), and windage.

-Greg
 
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