Getting To OLD for Launching & Retrieving?

[veritas honus]

Re: Getting To OLD for Launching & Retrieving?

Boatings greatest gift to us is happiness. If something's belittling that happiness, then alter, eliminate, or change whatever it is to keep your boating experience a happy one.

"Whatever floats your boat."

 

[Bob's Garage]

Re: Getting To OLD for Launching & Retrieving?

It would seem you have a couple options available w/o giving up boating entirely.

One would be to dry stack your boat at a location that provides availability to meet your needs. No bottom paint, no additional corrosion, no loading/unloading stress, etc. Keep your trailer in storage, supervise or inspect the cleaning process of the employees, unlimber the wallet, and enjoy the freedom of action but limited boating scenery.

The other would be to take your boat, the money it would be expected to cost for a "deluxe dry stack" and shop for a trailerable boat with the amenities that would improve your trailering experience. These might include a step thru transom, a longer ladder (custom made) to enable you easier access from the ground (or water) , a flatter foredeck with wide gunnels and taller rails for safety.

We are also in our mid 60's and enjoy trailering. Our boat now allows us the freedom to enjoy it the way we like by going wherever we like, when we like. But I had to make some adaptations in the way the boat is set up to permit us to use it. The best was a custom 4 step ladder that enables us to board from the ground or the water without strain or pain.

Good luck on your final decision and remember "all it takes is money".

 

[CaptOchs]

Re: Getting To OLD for Launching & Retrieving?

I can think of a couple things:
1) Get a power winch. Something like http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=440792&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&storeId=11151&storeNum=10116&subdeptNum=10759&classNum=10761.

2) Install a pair of trailer guides. Your boat will line right up on the trailer on the first shot. http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=444407&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&storeId=11151&storeNum=10116&subdeptNum=10768&classNum=10770

 

[jmarty10]

Re: Getting To OLD for Launching & Retrieving?

You have earned it! Pay for the convenience it will be well worth it. If I saw this correctly, you are already paying about $1500 per year for storage. How much more is a slip or dry stack? I have dry stack, used the boat last night, it was on the water after work and right back on the slip after I was done. I'm also two minutes from my marina. My wife will never trailer the boat so I guess i'm lucky in that regard

 

[smallboatlover]

Re: Getting To OLD for Launching & Retrieving?

go for a mooring. there way cheaper than a slip. they don't have every thing a slip does but your boat will be in the water when you want if and only for a fraction what you pay for a slip. also if you want another small boat you get to get it with a mooring. need a boat to get out to it.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Getting To OLD for Launching & Retrieving?

go for a mooring. there way cheaper than a slip. they don't have every thing a slip does but your boat will be in the water when you want if and only for a fraction what you pay for a slip. also if you want another small boat you get to get it with a mooring. need a boat to get out to it.

<bangs head on desk>

 

[JoLin]

Re: Getting To OLD for Launching & Retrieving?

<bangs head on desk>

ROFLMAO - it's okay, HC- the OP can trailer the boat he uses to get to the mooring. It's 'the circle of life'....

 

[Robbabob]

Re: Getting To OLD for Launching & Retrieving?

Okay, Just feel like I need to comment on this as well. A ton of great information being given. Use a mooring if you like to swim before and after boating.

Think about that Cuddy. Do you use it to store items of desire or need, or do you sleep in it? There are much smaller boats with similar storage that may be much easier to trailer. Also, do you have a special tow vehicle because of the size of your boat?

I'm spoiled on the dry-stack. We pay around $150 per month for it. It's true, we can't use it whenever we want, but they're open 7 days a week and a quick call gets it in the water before they close if we want a midnight cruise. We also can't work on it easily. We have to make a special trip the marina and hope we bring all the right tools. This means, we usually have the marina repair shop do all the work. tha's also expensive.

As with everything in life, there is a trade off for comfort. Bigger boat, wet slip = pay someone to clean and maintain it. Smaller boat = dry-stack or trailer. As some have reminded, "you're boating to enjoy, not to feel like you've just worked."

Good luck!
have fun!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[smallboatlover]

Re: Getting To OLD for Launching & Retrieving?

ok you don't have to swim to get to the mooring. if there's a local beach or a privet spot or some place you can keep an zodiac, or small boat. people around were i live do it all the time. there's a few dinghy's near the boat launch and on the beach, also in the water tied to a rock

 

[mnewb1]

Re: Getting To OLD for Launching & Retrieving?

We rack our boat for about 1500 a year which includes winter storage in a heated building. I have no room for the boat and trailer at home and the marina has the boat in the water ready to go when we call.

I can squish spiders...

 

[Beefer]

Re: Getting To OLD for Launching & Retrieving?

Didn't read every post, but here's what we did... We had our 16' racked at first, found a place that was running a special - under 18' $79/month. Couldn't beat that. Then new owners came and raised it to about $200/mo. Wife wouldn't go for it (can't blame her). We looked on craigslist, and found a private residence renting the dock for $100/mo with davits. We took it, and the davits worked well for the 16'er. I got 2-foot-itis, and moved up 6' to a 22'. No go on the davits. Wet slipped it there, but then had to have the bottom cleaned (it was bottom painted, but still needs a scrubbing). Found a guy (again on craigslist) that did that for $2/ft. We then got a house on the ICW with a lift, and life is good.

Without a doubt, get the trailer monkey off your back. You;ll end up not using the boat over time. We knew we would use the boat 1/2 as much if we had to trailer it every time. Now that it's on a lift in the backyard, I go out about 3-5 times per week. Never would come close to that if it was trailered.

Your in FL... there are docks and lifts everywhere! Find one not being used, and knock on the door if you need to. It's found money for the homeowner, and a boating blessing for you!

 

[Joshua Nichols]

Re: Getting To OLD for Launching & Retrieving?

I saw this thing on a fishing show last week.. http://www.qualitymarkinc.com/Rope-A-Boat.html..
I have been eyeballing the product cause I have to pretty much do it alone.. My wife is there, but is only good at holding the rope.. KINDA:facepalm:

Use to have the boat in a slip..I enjoyed having the boat ready to roll out in a slip when ever I wanted.. I use to go boating AFTER WORK.. It was wonderful.. Boat would have a water line and was a bit more dirty than it would be if I brought her home every time.. Still I used it a ton more and was great for the end of the day..
Now I launch every time.. I am half your age and less your boat size and it still isn't fun.. Add a storm blowing in and it flat out gets crappy.. I am wore out when I get home..

wwsbld? What Would Small Boat Lover Do? Swim for shore in this case..

 

[emilsr]

Re: Getting To OLD for Launching & Retrieving?

go for a mooring. there way cheaper than a slip. they don't have every thing a slip does but your boat will be in the water when you want if and only for a fraction what you pay for a slip. also if you want another small boat you get to get it with a mooring. need a boat to get out to it.

Should he keep the other small boat on a trailer or moor that one too and get ANOTHER boat to get to them both? :facepalm:

 

[LuvBoating]

Re: Getting To OLD for Launching & Retrieving?

Now, if the time ever does come that we could afford a slip or dry storage, we'd have to figure out where we'd want to put the boat.......on the river (St John's River) or on the Intercoastal. Have already checked into it and dry storage on the Intercoastal definitely costs more than the river does. We did find a cheaper (1/2 the cost) storage place for our boat, but its 30 some miles south and near the Intercoastal of St Augustine. We sure couldn't check on it or do anything to it nearly as much as we do now (with it only be a few miles away).
There are pros to having it on a trailer, though:
Take it to either the Intercoastal or to the river (ramp for the river is 6 miles from storage).
Take it down the street from the storage to put gas in it.......cheaper gas than what would be at marina.
A lot of times, we think the physical aspect of launching/retrieval is just too much for us, but, like a lot of things in life, finances RULE! However, we truely do believe that the boat would be used more if it was in a slip or dry storage, but..........

 

[Andy'sDelight]

Re: Getting To OLD for Launching & Retrieving?

I trailered all of last season, this year I have a bigger boat in a slip. Biggest difference for me is my willingness/ability to get down and go after work. Last year I would have to rush home, hook up trailer, possibly stop for fuel, get down, get boat off trailer, get boat on trailer, get home, wash down boat, start boat next day and flush outboard, and do it all again if I plan to go again the next night. Suffice it to say I didn't go out much on a weeknight. Now I go down, start boat, and go. When I come back I give a good washdown and flush the engine and off I go. I have been out more during a weeknight this season already than I have all of last year. You will use your boat far more, I can assure it. You will also enjoy it more. You will also pay more for that enjoyment.

I will also add, last year going on the boat was an all day thing just due to the fact I felt I needed to get my time in for the effort. I wasn't about to put in all that work for a 1 hour trip. Now I can go out for an hour or 2 if I want.