leaving your boat in a slip

[numbered01]

Hello I am a new member and have a question about boat slips. I recently put my 1987 Sea Ray in a boat slip last week. I plan to leave it in the water until September. So total time in the water is aprroxiatemly 3 months. It is on a fresh water river near my house in Illinois. I know it does not have bottom paint on it and was wondering if it will be O.K.

I was wondering if the hull will be fine when I pull it out at the end of the season?

Please give me some good feedback!

Scott

 

[Philster]

Re: leaving your boat in a slip

Each body of water is different.

What do other boat owners with experience with wet slips in those waters do, and what is their experience?

In my opinion, that's the only way to get a real answer. Again, because each body of water is very unique. In one area, it might be an utter freakin' mess, while in another, it might be a non-issue.

The locals are the ones who know. If they are bottom-painting their rigs, then guess what you should probably be doing....

.

 

[tpenfield]

Re: leaving your boat in a slip

Three primary things to be concerned with. . .

Marine growth on the hull, which won't be too bad in fresh water

Anodes for the outdrive, if it is an I/O

Barrier coat for the hull to avoid the possibility of blisters

 

[shrew]

Re: leaving your boat in a slip

Anodes for the outdrive, if it is an I/O

Sacrificail anodes aren't exclusive to outdrives. Any underwater metal should have them. On inbourds, prop shafts and rudders. On trim tabs for any boat as well. I'd barrier coat and bottom paint any fiberglass hull sitting in water for extended periods of time. However, that is just my .02.

 

[jmarty10]

Re: leaving your boat in a slip

"on an Illinois River" Acid was the bottom at the end of the season. Pump sprayer and 50/50 muriatic acid to water. Cost about 5 bucks to take care of the algae. Have fun.

 

[sublauxation]

Re: leaving your boat in a slip

Are there people at the marina keeping an eye on things? Don't solely relay on an auto bilge switch!

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: leaving your boat in a slip

. So total time in the water is aprroxiatemly 3 months. It is on a fresh water river near my house in Illinois. I know it does not have bottom paint on it and was wondering if it will be O.K.

I was wondering if the hull will be fine when I pull it out at the end of the season?

No it will be extremely fouled. You will notice a loss in top speed in just a couple of weeks. You either need to be prepared to pull it out once every two weeks to acid wash the bottom, or you NEED bottom paint.

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: leaving your boat in a slip

Marine growth on the hull, which won't be too bad in fresh water
...

You don't live in Illinois or have a boat on any river in this state. Marine growth on the Illinois River is HORRENDOUS! (Did I spell that right.)

Here's proof:

This is after two weeks, not int he heat of summer yet:

 

[r.j.dawg]

Re: leaving your boat in a slip

Our boat (the one in my sig) has never had bottom paint or blisters and she's a 1990. Mind you our water up here stays cool. Over the summer, while we are anchored, I'll go around the hull and give her a light scrub.

 

[Philster]

Re: leaving your boat in a slip

Even the algae feels Canada is too cold for bothering with boats.

 

[greenbush future]

Re: leaving your boat in a slip

I have docked boats every summer here in Michigan and the alge will grow on your boat below the water line. If you have a really slick bottom, like good gelcoat, I would give it a couple of good coats of wax to reduce the effort cleaning her. It will still grow, but it will come off easy. Bottom paint IMO will only provide a better surface to let alge adhere to. I bought a alum. Lund and it was docked all summer and not cleaned. It left permanant stains on my painted hull.
What ever you do, when you pull the boat, dont let that alge dry out, it will be 100 times harder to clean. Sno-bowl toilet cleanter will really help you clean her up. When we hit the sand bar the first thing I always did was scub that crap off, and you cant get it all while it's floating. Your outdrive will get cruddy too, wax it well, then throw her in!!
Make darn sure you cover your boat, and have a auto bilge in case you get a water intrusion.

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: leaving your boat in a slip

Bottom paint IMO will only provide a better surface to let alge adhere to...

Really? Really.

 

[H20Rat]

Re: leaving your boat in a slip

Three primary things to be concerned with. . .

Marine growth on the hull, which won't be too bad in fresh water

Define 'too bad'... Freshwater growth can be just bad or worse than some salt areas... I've seen pontoon logs that had a 3 inch 'furry' covering on them after a season docked in a freshwater lake. And lots of freshwater lakes also have invasive invertabrates that will attach to a boat.

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: leaving your boat in a slip

Exactly smoking, see my photos above of two weeks growth in the Illinois River. Which has a chance to be very similiar to the original poster's conditions.

 

[MH Hawker]

Re: leaving your boat in a slip

LOLO their some toons with at least a foot of stuff hanging off of them at my marina, a sure sign some one needs to do some running.