looking for information on berthing a boat in a marina

[melontable]

Hello everyone,

I am about to buy my first boat, but I have some questions about storing it. Where I live, dry storage is much more expensive than keeping a boat docked in the marina. However, I'm a little worried about actually keeping the boat in the water. So, I have a few questions.

1) My big worry is that it will just like get a small leak and then sink. I'm looking at old, riveted starcrafts, so the worry is that if a rivet corrodes out or something, it will just fill up with water. How do you combat this? I assume you'd have an automatic bilge pump of some kind, but then how do you assure yourself that the pump stays running?

2) what about theft? how do you prevent people from just walking up and stealing your equipment or even your boat?

3) anything else one might want to know about storing a boat in a marina rather than on a trailer?

thanks!!

 

[alldodge]

Hello everyone,

I am about to buy my first boat, but I have some questions about storing it. Where I live, dry storage is much more expensive than keeping a boat docked in the marina. However, I'm a little worried about actually keeping the boat in the water. So, I have a few questions.

1) My big worry is that it will just like get a small leak and then sink. I'm looking at old, riveted starcrafts, so the worry is that if a rivet corrodes out or something, it will just fill up with water. How do you combat this? I assume you'd have an automatic bilge pump of some kind, but then how do you assure yourself that the pump stays running?

Add a secondary bilge pump and make sure your insurance is paid up. The more expensive the toys the more folks look at them. then with less expensive boats there is always batteries and other things.

2) what about theft? how do you prevent people from just walking up and stealing your equipment or even your boat?

This again is an insurance issue and also by finding a marina which has cameras in areas that can do you some good. If the camera only records the entrance and exits of someone walking, that's not good enough. Folks come in/out by boat. The next thing is don't leave anything on the boat you don't want to loose

3) anything else one might want to know about storing a boat in a marina rather than on a trailer?

Get to know your folks at the dock, and keep in mind folks you know may be the ones which may help them selves. The basic thing I would say is what my Dad told me about gambling. Never bet more then you can afford to loose. So if you cannot afford to loose your boat or items, don't bet

 

[lineman09]

you could also look into a boat lift ..a lot of owners use them where I boat .. sometimes you can find them fairly cheap ..

 

[melontable]

thanks. I was doing some research and found drive-on dry docks (and other alternatives: http://www.boatingmag.com/gear/five-alternative-boat-docks#page-4).

anyone have any experience with any of these, especially the drive-on dry docks, as they seem like the one i'd be most comfortable leaving alone for long periods of time?