Aluminum boat docked in freshwater

[Marshall69]

My family has a cottage in Northern Ontario, and I am currently in the market to buy an aluminum fishing boat for my father and I to fish in. My dad is retired and spends the majority of his summer at the cottage. My question is really around keeping an aluminum boat in the water (fresh) all summer. Like our other boats, I will probably have to turn the bilge into an auto if it doesn't come like that. Will there be a problem with the boat being docked in the water for the summer - other than the use that it will get?

Thanks again

 

[5150abf]

Re: Aluminum boat docked in freshwater

An aluminum boat should be able to sit in fresh water forever with no problems at all, rain water would be the only thing and you have already though of that.

You will also need a way to charge the battery, we had a massive rain storm here once, the one time I didn't cover the boat of coarse, and it drained my battery and flooded the boat pretty good.

 

[Jeep Man]

Re: Aluminum boat docked in freshwater

Ours sits all season without a problem. I would suggest a snap down cover to keep the rain out and protect the interior from UV.

 

[Marshall69]

Re: Aluminum boat docked in freshwater

Thanks everyone for the advice and assurance. We have an old Tempest that has the auto bilge, and my dad typically checks during/after a storm with that boat so I would assume the same will go for a new one.