gary allen
New member
Just curious--how many of you keep your boat in the water all or most of the year? What made you decide to do so? Or change your mind after having done so?
To keep your C-Dory in the water or not
- Thread starter gary allen
- Start date
Alyssa Jean
New member
I have kept my 22 and my 25 on a trailer all the time. The longest the 25 has been in the water was 30 days on a RT to Ketchikan, AK last June. When we got back it had green trim tabs.
I keep my Tom Cat in a slip a block or so from my house. There is a self-launch hoist at the marina but the marina operators told me the TC255 is too heavy for it and in any case I am assured it would be a hairy exercise to hoist it by myself. So, I pay the $230 a month and am able to hop on my boat and go anytime I want. The San Juans are a major reason why I moved here, so I felt it would be foolish not to maximize my ability to take advantage of it. I am probably going to buy a slip (think condo model) as soon as a good one becomes available. They have been appreciating rapidly.
My previous boat was stored in a dry storage facility here (think boats on forklifts) but they were not able to accommodate the two hulls of the TC255 or I might have gone that route.
There is a rather rundown city-owned ramp on the other side of the hill from the marina which I could have used if I kept my boat at my house, but I wanted to be able to go boating by myself with a minimum of hassle, and it was worth it to me to have the convenience of the slip.
Warren
My previous boat was stored in a dry storage facility here (think boats on forklifts) but they were not able to accommodate the two hulls of the TC255 or I might have gone that route.
There is a rather rundown city-owned ramp on the other side of the hill from the marina which I could have used if I kept my boat at my house, but I wanted to be able to go boating by myself with a minimum of hassle, and it was worth it to me to have the convenience of the slip.
Warren
Pat Anderson
New member
Warren - I know your Tomcat is fairly new, how are you planning on dealing with the stuff that grows on boats in the water all the time? I assume you have bottom paint?
I have kept Minnie in the water (fresh) for the last 4 seasons and probably use it 50 times more than I would if she was on a trailer. One thing I would do differently now is not pressure clean the hull to remove the scum and algae growth. I think maybe this contributes to the little pimple blisters some of us are getting. These have only occurred where I have pressure washed in the past. I don't know if the stream can penetrate gell coat but it seems possible. Now I just scrub to remove with hull cleaners to get the most of it. I know that even if I get it 100% clean it will last only a month or so.
patrick and linda
New member
hi gary,
congratulations on your 22' cruiser. i would encourage you, if you haven't already, to have the hull, from the waterline down, epoxy barrier coated in addition to antifouling paint, prior to placing the boat in the water for any prolonged period of time. for some reason, the gelcoat on some models and years have not held up as well as other models and years.
many of the seasoned posters to this site have extensive knowledge regarding this subject and are willing to contribute to same. i've been told by others that salt water is less likely to damage this gelcoat area as apposed to fresh water. good luck and safe boating.
pat
congratulations on your 22' cruiser. i would encourage you, if you haven't already, to have the hull, from the waterline down, epoxy barrier coated in addition to antifouling paint, prior to placing the boat in the water for any prolonged period of time. for some reason, the gelcoat on some models and years have not held up as well as other models and years.
many of the seasoned posters to this site have extensive knowledge regarding this subject and are willing to contribute to same. i've been told by others that salt water is less likely to damage this gelcoat area as apposed to fresh water. good luck and safe boating.
pat
I keep Sunfish in a slip at the Boat Haven in Port Townsend from April through October at a monthly cost of $130. From November thru March it's on the trailer. The bottom is painted. This is the best of both worlds for me. I can putter around on the boat during the season in the marina at a moments notice. It's no problem to pull it out and onto to the trailer like I did last summer for a trip on the Snake river. With a weather window during off season, it's easy to drop it back in the water.for a few days or just one day. I think this arrangement gives me the most use of the boat.
Lane
Lane
Fairbro":f8e26uuq said:
I've never heard anyone make this observation before, but if it's accurate, it could be a watershead moment in understanding at least one source of blisters, if only the small ones. (It also seems difficult to understand how such a direct relationship has eluded detection for so long if true!)
Countless hulls have been pressure washed, albeit usually in preparation for re-painting, but if it could be demonstrated that pressure washing contributes to pimple and/or blister formation in either gel coats and/or bottom paint, the world of bottom cleaning is due for a real revolution!!!
Has anyone else noticed this, or do your experiences validate it?
Joe
patrick and linda
New member
hi joe,
you might have followed my dilemma several months ago, regarding blisters from the waterline down. well, the boat was only in the water for seven months, however, around the fourth or fifth month, i had the boat pulled for some engine maintenance work, while it was out i did have the bottom pressure washed. i do not recall any blisters at that time. it seems to me that i would have noticed this, as they became immediately apparent when i pulled the boat for the winter season.
can't believe pressure washing could facilitate blistering, but nothing in boating is for sure, other than the, Break Out Another Thousand, standard. sure is an interesting theory though!
as always,
best regards
pat
you might have followed my dilemma several months ago, regarding blisters from the waterline down. well, the boat was only in the water for seven months, however, around the fourth or fifth month, i had the boat pulled for some engine maintenance work, while it was out i did have the bottom pressure washed. i do not recall any blisters at that time. it seems to me that i would have noticed this, as they became immediately apparent when i pulled the boat for the winter season.
can't believe pressure washing could facilitate blistering, but nothing in boating is for sure, other than the, Break Out Another Thousand, standard. sure is an interesting theory though!
as always,
best regards
pat
Personally I don't think pressure washing has anything to do with it. There are other pressures exerted on our hulls from time to time which are pretty intense as well. I just don't think the pressure is the answer. Some gel coats are just a little more porous than others, and sometimes it is the application and conditions that contribute.
I have done both, kept boats in the water, and on trailers. With most of our boats being easy to trailer keeping the larger ones in the water for the season then hauling them home really appeals to me. There is a lot to be said for driving down to the marina, jumping onto the boat, and taking off. You will use your boat a lot more. For me it would probably double the time I would use a boat.
Just my opinion, worth about as much as the electrons to make this post.
I have done both, kept boats in the water, and on trailers. With most of our boats being easy to trailer keeping the larger ones in the water for the season then hauling them home really appeals to me. There is a lot to be said for driving down to the marina, jumping onto the boat, and taking off. You will use your boat a lot more. For me it would probably double the time I would use a boat.
Just my opinion, worth about as much as the electrons to make this post.
patrick and linda
New member
hi lloyds,
your point is well taken. i don't believe a simple pressure washing was a direct and proximate caused of my misfortune. just recollecting as to what i did or did not see. i also keep a 2001 2352 trophy, in the water year round, until i pulled it this past winter, it was in the water for three years, no epoxy, no bottom paint and no blisters, and never pressure washed either,, both boats docked in fresh water, both areas had simular water temperatures. maybe, luck of the draw!
it's behind me now, and "misty seas" looks as good as new.
best regards
pat
your point is well taken. i don't believe a simple pressure washing was a direct and proximate caused of my misfortune. just recollecting as to what i did or did not see. i also keep a 2001 2352 trophy, in the water year round, until i pulled it this past winter, it was in the water for three years, no epoxy, no bottom paint and no blisters, and never pressure washed either,, both boats docked in fresh water, both areas had simular water temperatures. maybe, luck of the draw!
it's behind me now, and "misty seas" looks as good as new.
best regards
pat
Pat Anderson":d2eznswt said:
Yes, based on what I learned here, I had LaConner Maritime apply two coats of epoxy barrier paint and two coats of bottom paint. Additionally, I am "beta testing" a ceramic coating they put on my two Yamaha outboards.
Incidentally, in the future, I am planning to take the boat out of the water during December and January.
Warren
We keep the Cosmic C in the water typically from May until October on the St Lawrence River. For the first two or three years we had no bottom paint and the bottom was pressure-washed each fall. No blisters. We then had bottom paint applied (no epoxy barrier). This year, because we're on the Loop, the boat will stay in the water for 18 months. Had a good look at the bottom in Crystal River, FL in December (boat went into the water the previous April) when we had 200 hr maintenance done - no growth and no blisters.
Wayne McCown
New member
We have no summer moorage. And, during the winter in western NY, the boat sits on the trailer in storage(may she RIP)!
Most of the time we keep the CD-22 at our cottage on L. Ontario. Two miles away is a commerical grade double ramp with dock at Golden Hill State Park. (This ramp receives very little use.)
It is not uncommon for me, when we are at our cottage, to launch and retrieve the boat twice in a day (early morning with breakfast on-board, often by myself; and then again later in the afternoon or evening, usually with my wife and/or guests). The CD floats on and off the trailer easily; at this ramp, I can manage the process single-handedly with no strain.
From our cottage, it's 12-14 miles to the two nearest launches into the Erie Canal. These ramps (also little used) are not so accomodating; although I have launched and retrieved the CD all alone, it's nice to have a second person along.
Most of the time we keep the CD-22 at our cottage on L. Ontario. Two miles away is a commerical grade double ramp with dock at Golden Hill State Park. (This ramp receives very little use.)
It is not uncommon for me, when we are at our cottage, to launch and retrieve the boat twice in a day (early morning with breakfast on-board, often by myself; and then again later in the afternoon or evening, usually with my wife and/or guests). The CD floats on and off the trailer easily; at this ramp, I can manage the process single-handedly with no strain.
From our cottage, it's 12-14 miles to the two nearest launches into the Erie Canal. These ramps (also little used) are not so accomodating; although I have launched and retrieved the CD all alone, it's nice to have a second person along.
I think Pat may have a point with pressure washing and blistering. At a very high “pounds per square inch”, it would be much higher than the boat would ever experience, in even extreme use.
Pressure washing can be done anywhere from 700 psi to several thousand psi. Comparing one pressure wash to another may be comparing apples to oranges.
I can see how pressure washing at a high psi could be possible to drive water through the gel coat and into the fiberglass.
_________
Dave
Pressure washing can be done anywhere from 700 psi to several thousand psi. Comparing one pressure wash to another may be comparing apples to oranges.
I can see how pressure washing at a high psi could be possible to drive water through the gel coat and into the fiberglass.
_________
Dave
Chuckpacific
New member
I have a slip on the south side of Tomahawk Island on the Columbia. I keep my CD-22 in the water year round. It has bottom paint but I find that I need to anchor it in shallow water every August and dive underneath to clean off the scum which accumulates. I have nowhere to store a trailer although I may eventually buy one to help me get it up to the Gulf Islands and Vancouver Island where I have chartered sailboats. Wineman has indicated I could store it at his vineyard (1 hr 15 min away).
My CD-22 is a 2003 and I have had it out 203 times since I bought it new. Last year there were two deaths in my family that curtailed my use the last six months or I would have been out more. The slip is 25 minutes from my house. In the summer I take it to Cathlamet where I leave it for the summer and use it frequently on the waters of the lower Columbia.
I don't think I would have used my boat more than 56-60 times if I had to trailer it. Every so often I get tired of the sameness of starting from Tomahawk Island but 7 days a week, 52 weeks a year and for almost 4 years now I never fail to get a 'rush' when I wheel out into the water. My only regret is missing the association with my favorite people: the kind considerate, meek and sober folks who are pulling their 17 foot boats out of the water at the various boat ramps between 6-8:00 PM on Sunday nights in the summer.
Chuck
My CD-22 is a 2003 and I have had it out 203 times since I bought it new. Last year there were two deaths in my family that curtailed my use the last six months or I would have been out more. The slip is 25 minutes from my house. In the summer I take it to Cathlamet where I leave it for the summer and use it frequently on the waters of the lower Columbia.
I don't think I would have used my boat more than 56-60 times if I had to trailer it. Every so often I get tired of the sameness of starting from Tomahawk Island but 7 days a week, 52 weeks a year and for almost 4 years now I never fail to get a 'rush' when I wheel out into the water. My only regret is missing the association with my favorite people: the kind considerate, meek and sober folks who are pulling their 17 foot boats out of the water at the various boat ramps between 6-8:00 PM on Sunday nights in the summer.
Chuck
We had a slip in Kodiak...$600 per year. When we moved down here, we were floored at the cost of a slip on Lake Martin...pushing 2000 bucks a year...too rich for us. It would be nice to be able to go jump in the boat after work sometime without the launch/recovery time...but when we figure that we'll be here 4 years and then move again...$8000 is a lot of "boat bucks" that could be better spent elsewehere...at least for us. Shoot, I'd rather put 8 grand on the loan.
So for us, she rests on the trailer on the pad next to our home. It's nice to have her here for tinkering. Besides, we had a boat sink at the slip in Kodiak and it was not exactly a good phone call. "This is the Harbormaster's Office...your boat sank." I'll never forget that one. Never did determine the cause.
Rick
So for us, she rests on the trailer on the pad next to our home. It's nice to have her here for tinkering. Besides, we had a boat sink at the slip in Kodiak and it was not exactly a good phone call. "This is the Harbormaster's Office...your boat sank." I'll never forget that one. Never did determine the cause.
Rick
Hi:
New guy here. We have a 2000 22 cruiser and are keeping her in Lake Washington (fresh water) year round. We had CSR Marine add an epoxy bottom coat (6 coats) and bottom paint (2 coats). The boat has only been in the water since last fall so I don't have a lot of data on how it will work out, but I am hopefull that the epoxy and the bottom paint willl do the trick.
Jan and Stacy
New guy here. We have a 2000 22 cruiser and are keeping her in Lake Washington (fresh water) year round. We had CSR Marine add an epoxy bottom coat (6 coats) and bottom paint (2 coats). The boat has only been in the water since last fall so I don't have a lot of data on how it will work out, but I am hopefull that the epoxy and the bottom paint willl do the trick.
Jan and Stacy
The ill effects of high pressure washing have been known for some time. By high pressure I mean 3500 psi. For example I washed down our Cal 46's bottom (epoxyed with multiple layers of bottom paint) prior to painting with a 3500 PSI system, I was warned against letting the water jet hit the gel coat. Gel coat is relitatively porous and soft. A high pressure water jet can actually cut into the outer gel coat and cause damage.
We have two boats at the house on the water. (brackish to fresh water) The Tom Cat sits on a lift and is out of the water unless we are using it. We have a 18 foot Centruy "Bay boat" center console. It stays in the water. It has four coats of epoxy and 3 coats of bottom paint. We put it on the lift and use a low pressure to remove any scum etc peroidically. (our pressure washer goes up to 2500 PSI, we run it at about 1200 PSI on the boat).
The down side of keeping in the water is that you should epoxy the bottom and then put on bottom paint. This will cause a little drag and perhaps slightly reduce your top speed or fuel effeciency. (When we were racing boats, we would scrub the entire bottom with the green scotch pads or 600 grit sandpaper each week to keep the bottom super smooth and "fast".
We have two boats at the house on the water. (brackish to fresh water) The Tom Cat sits on a lift and is out of the water unless we are using it. We have a 18 foot Centruy "Bay boat" center console. It stays in the water. It has four coats of epoxy and 3 coats of bottom paint. We put it on the lift and use a low pressure to remove any scum etc peroidically. (our pressure washer goes up to 2500 PSI, we run it at about 1200 PSI on the boat).
The down side of keeping in the water is that you should epoxy the bottom and then put on bottom paint. This will cause a little drag and perhaps slightly reduce your top speed or fuel effeciency. (When we were racing boats, we would scrub the entire bottom with the green scotch pads or 600 grit sandpaper each week to keep the bottom super smooth and "fast".
I keep the Jenny B in a slip at the marine base in San Diego. Expensive, yes, but half the cost of a commercial slip in this area and only twice the cost of an outdoor RV parking slot. I don't paint the bottom, instead we use the Armored Hullsystem as shown in the photo below.
Cons: Yes, it uses Chlorine. I use about six 3" tablets a month Yes, some marinas ban their use due mostly to owners overchlorinating or abandoning the device when they leave. Yes it needs to be pressure washed by a diver about once every 18 months.
On the other hand, it's simple to use and does not require bottom paint. In colder waters the chorine lasts longer and Armorhull has a new system in development (being tested in the slip right across from my boat) that does not use chlorine, rather it circulates the water through some sort of a passive deionizing(?) device that keeps the critters away but does not kill fish. When we're able to go back to traditional trailer boating the Jenny B will look like it did when new.
We can only "grab" a few hours at a time for boating and the marina gives us a welcome break, being so convenient to the San Diego bay, Mission Bay, Coronado Islands and Oceanside. We get far more boat time with a slip and for us the extra expense is well worth it. I look forward to the time when we can go on something longer than the traditional "3 hour tour." :roll:
Don
Cons: Yes, it uses Chlorine. I use about six 3" tablets a month Yes, some marinas ban their use due mostly to owners overchlorinating or abandoning the device when they leave. Yes it needs to be pressure washed by a diver about once every 18 months.
On the other hand, it's simple to use and does not require bottom paint. In colder waters the chorine lasts longer and Armorhull has a new system in development (being tested in the slip right across from my boat) that does not use chlorine, rather it circulates the water through some sort of a passive deionizing(?) device that keeps the critters away but does not kill fish. When we're able to go back to traditional trailer boating the Jenny B will look like it did when new.
We can only "grab" a few hours at a time for boating and the marina gives us a welcome break, being so convenient to the San Diego bay, Mission Bay, Coronado Islands and Oceanside. We get far more boat time with a slip and for us the extra expense is well worth it. I look forward to the time when we can go on something longer than the traditional "3 hour tour." :roll:
Don