Going on vacation for 2 weeks want to take the boat - but no mooring available...

[Beefer]

Re: Going on vacation for 2 weeks want to take the boat - but no mooring available...

I have got to be missing something here. Why don't you tie off to the dock? Put 2 fenders out, and you're done. Right?

 

[Thajeffski]

Re: Going on vacation for 2 weeks want to take the boat - but no mooring available...

I have got to be missing something here. Why don't you tie off to the dock? Put 2 fenders out, and you're done. Right?

I own 4 fenders, you can't really see it in the picture but when 3-5 foot waves are rolling out of the south I don't think it's a good idea to have it close to the dock at all!

 

[Beefer]

Re: Going on vacation for 2 weeks want to take the boat - but no mooring available...

Ok, that's what I was missing.

I'd love to see a video of you "docking" and "undocking" from that set up. My next question is, how do you access the ramp once you're on the dock? You don't type like you're that tall, but with the clown get-up, you may be on stilts.

 

[Thajeffski]

Re: Going on vacation for 2 weeks want to take the boat - but no mooring available...

Ok, that's what I was missing.

I'd love to see a video of you "docking" and "undocking" from that set up. My next question is, how do you access the ramp once you're on the dock? You don't type like you're that tall, but with the clown get-up, you may be on stilts.

haha, well I am tall. However what you do is put the ramp down and just let it rest on the dock, in the pics it's not 100% done yet. Either way, right now you just dont go out very long

Today I decided that I MUST have an ability to view the boat at all times from anywhere..... so I hooked up a cheap radio shack camera and plugged it into the house security system!

Looks pretty good for 100 dollar camera!

http://i25.tinypic.com/27zhyrm.jpg

It's actually super easy to get on and off the boat using the anchor buddy. just pull it closer, get on, tie the anchor buddy to a fender and let it float, untie from the dock and yer good to go!

 

[Beefer]

Re: Going on vacation for 2 weeks want to take the boat - but no mooring available...

Was hoping that was a live feed.

So in that pic, is it set up the same as it was in the previous pic, and it's just drifted over to the right of the dock?

So when you leave, you just let the line, which is tied to a fender float loose? Then when you get back, you hunt down the fender? And my friends can't figure out why I moved from NY. LOL. j/k

 

[Thajeffski]

Re: Going on vacation for 2 weeks want to take the boat - but no mooring available...

Was hoping that was a live feed.

So in that pic, is it set up the same as it was in the previous pic, and it's just drifted over to the right of the dock?

So when you leave, you just let the line, which is tied to a fender float loose? Then when you get back, you hunt down the fender? And my friends can't figure out why I moved from NY. LOL. j/k

haha, no I wrap it up right above the anchor so that most of the rope (95%) is floating right under the fender.

 

[scoutabout]

Re: Going on vacation for 2 weeks want to take the boat - but no mooring available...

I like that camera setup!

 

[Thajeffski]

Re: Going on vacation for 2 weeks want to take the boat - but no mooring available...

I like that camera setup!

It cost 150 total for the wiring and stuff, but I'm such an uptight person that I could never just "let it go" - if there's a storm coming and I'm at work, I want to have that video up on my screen watching the whole time.......just in case there's a chance I could run down and avoid disaster.

 

[Lou C]

Re: Going on vacation for 2 weeks want to take the boat - but no mooring available...

This is a bowrider, right? Is it self bailing? because if not I'd advise keeping both the bow and cockpit covers on when it's moored...you can get heavy rains in the summer and that can cause a lot of water to accumulate in the bilge and ski locker...I keep my '88 on a mooring in a local harbor right behind our house...I can keep an eye on it but it is always covered...I have had it out there in bad storms and I get hardly any water in the bilge at all and that helps with avoiding dead batteries...

About 5 years ago we had a week an a half of steady heavy rain...I saw 4 boats sink in our harbor because most likely water accumulated in the bilge and the battteries eventually failed...some with drains (scuppers) that may have gotten clogged...I went out to the old 88...switched the batt switch to BOTH..and she started right up...there was some water in the bilge but not even enough to turn on the auto bilge switch...

I think any boat that is not self bailing if moored in a rainy location needs to be covered...

The other thing for long term mooring that can be a pain in our areas is birds...they will crap all over those nice cockpit covers..I solved this problem by stringing pennant flags from the front cleat...to the VHF antenna...back over the cockpit cover to a flag pole on the rear rail...the flags are in the way of their landing path and they stay away...I have not had to clean up bird crap in 5 years doing this....

 

[Thajeffski]

Re: Going on vacation for 2 weeks want to take the boat - but no mooring available...

yea, if a storm kicks up I'll be headed down to the dock to get the cover on......I'm running dual batteries with an auto bilge pump

 

[marktwainsonic]

Re: Going on vacation for 2 weeks want to take the boat - but no mooring available...

Well, I don't know much about this anchoring topic, but those are beautiful pictures!

 

[Thajeffski]

Re: Going on vacation for 2 weeks want to take the boat - but no mooring available...

Well, I don't know much about this anchoring topic, but those are beautiful pictures!

gotta love homes right on the water someday I hope I win the lotto or marry a rich sugar mama...

it's just so neat because the scenery is always changing!

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Going on vacation for 2 weeks want to take the boat - but no mooring available...

I think it's cool that some rich guy built that lighthouse out there to complete the scenery. Right next to the moon.

 

[Lou C]

Re: Going on vacation for 2 weeks want to take the boat - but no mooring available...

Nice pix....here are some from my backyard....

 

[marktwainsonic]

Re: Going on vacation for 2 weeks want to take the boat - but no mooring available...

Re. pic on left: Is this heaven??

 

[Lou C]

Re: Going on vacation for 2 weeks want to take the boat - but no mooring available...

Both of those pix were taken from my back porch....our boat is moored down there but the summer this was taken it was out of the water getting the deck repaird (2007) now back in and doing ok for a 22 year old....
The little beach in the distance is a local town beach...there is also a private beach you can't see below the trees in the foreground...
In the winter pic...in the distance you can see Conn across Long Island Sound.....

here's a little bigger one....

 

[Thajeffski]

Re: Going on vacation for 2 weeks want to take the boat - but no mooring available...

Well.

I had a few friends out today, the waves were easily 2-4 feet, only went on the boat for an hour or so. Seems like my big *** anchor has been holding fine since Wed. I hope the rope I bought is good enough.

When there is calm water it's fine to tie it to the dock, but man, with the waves today I abonded that plan. As I type I'm sitting on the boat, everyone has gone home, we were drinking since 1 or so - so I guess the DD's got tired and wanted to go home. I'm still sipping some wine.

I really have to tell you that I would not be able to get away with this setup without that "anchor buddy" product.

It's great. It's what makes this possible!

 

[Thajeffski]

Re: Going on vacation for 2 weeks want to take the boat - but no mooring available...

.

Just don't stern anchor it! If you use two anchors, put them both on the bow.

You'll be fine, but you won't sleep well the first two nights!

This guy was right! haha.

To report back. It's been 5 days since I brought the boat here. 3 out of those days at about 3pm waves kick up to 2-3 feet and it stays like that till 1 or 2am.

I have been watching my boat take a BEATING on the security camera. However I have my big 25 or 30 lb danforth anchor with 160 feet of line tied to it thrown way out. And then I have another 160 foot line tied to the dock. So far the boat has been ok. The only casualty has been a fender that went missing in the night.

Either way, I slept like CRAP the first two nights!! And last night as well! Tonight I'm just gonna say "it is what it is"

I have the cover on the front half of the boat, just incase it does take a wave over the front. As I've been watching it on camera, it DOES COME VERY CLOSE to taking a wave over the front, but the water doesn't actually enter the bow.

Either way I have two batteries and an auto bilge switch just waiting.

I'll be done here on Sunday, and I have to admit while it is REALLY NICE having a boat a 1.5 min walk from the kitchen to the START key is awesome. I'm kind of looking forward to it being back home safe in the slip.

There have been times when the waves are rolling and and the dock is going down 2 ft and the bow is going up 2 feet where if I was in the wrong place it would knock me up and over into the water. Not good for a guy who just had a hernia operation!!