Looking to rent a well for my boat, is it a good idea?

[joeycamaro]

I have a 1967 Starcraft aluminum deep v (18 ft). It has a wood floor, 90 hp outboard. I have had this boat on the water for 16 hrs straight, and it has NEVER taken on water. Bilge is bone dry every trip. I'm just tired of launching, and I live minutes from St. Claire. I don't mind spending the $700 to slip it at Blossom Heath, but this boat is old school. Driving through most slips I never see older aluminum boats in the wells and I'm curious if it's a good idea to slip this boat. IF I do slip it, I will install an auto bilge, and work up a cover to keep the rain out (I'm not sure how well this will work). Any advice will help..

 

[Sylvan 19.5]

I'm in the same situation, I store boat on trailer in Marina, and I launch using the marinas ramp. I'm the only one that uses it, all the other boats are in slips. $300 cdn for the season, so a pretty good deal. I can cover the boat with a trailering cover and secure it from the rain. All in all maybe 20 minutes for me to launch boat solo.I don't see the advantage of a slip costing $500 and up for my tinny..

 

[JimS123]

Been there, done that. Believe me, the effort to launch and load is IMMENSELY easier than putting on the cover and taking it off, disconnecting all the electronics and putting it back on, and running down there every time it rains to see if the battery is still alive and the cover hasn't blown off.

If launching is a problem, buy a "launching trailer", or upgrade the one you have. Mine glides on and off the trailer effortlessly.

If slipped, you also have to contend with the need to paint the bottom, or take it out of the water every few weeks to clean it. And don't forget a boat slipped will age quickly.

Nothing better than having the boat home in the garage where it can be polished at your every whim, and the paint stays shiny because its not in the sun.

 

[airshot]

Well after more than 50 yrs of boating and having used a trailer and having moored my boat......I will have to second JimS123's reply... he hit the nail on the head!!
I like having my boat home in the barn where I know it is in good hands. I launch and retrieve a 22' and I am 65 yrs old. prefer the trailer..

 

[ondarvr]

^^^ X3

The only time I kept my boat at the dock in front of my house was when I was fishing everyday, even then it was a hassle. I like it parked in the shop, things don't disappear and it can't sink.

 

[Bonus Check]

^^^ X3

The only time I kept my boat at the dock in front of my house was when I was fishing everyday, even then it was a hassle. I like it parked in the shop, things don't disappear and it can't sink.

X4. Less likely to have anything stolen when it's looked in your garage or sits in your yard.

 

[littlerayray]

I like it in my driveway it's peace of mind and It doesn't get scummy and less chance of things getting stolen or it sinking

 

[Chris1956]

Gee, you have some strange ideas. Slipping a boat is soooo much better than trailering it. Clearly you need to make sure rain doesn't fill it, and the storms don't damage it, but those are problems than can be solved rather easily.

Would it be nice to pull up to the slip, load the cooler and motor off?

 

[Alumarine]

I've done both. I prefer the hopping in and go.

 

[ondarvr]

It all depends on the size of the boat, big boats yes, 18' aluminum outboards, not really.

 

[MTboatguy]

I find it a lot less expensive just to trailer the boat, easy to launch load the cooler and go, paying a few hundred a month to jump in and go, not so good.

 

[littlerayray]

I find it a lot less expensive just to trailer the boat, easy to launch load the cooler and go, paying a few hundred a month to jump in and go, not so good.

Plus one I like only handling my gear twice everything goes in the boat at home and comes out of the boat at home it's great

 

[oldboat1]

Think you've got a couple of issues going on: On slipping the boat vs. trailering, I would give the slip a try. There is the thing about moving gear in and out, but will probably get pretty efficient at that. I have a 26' cruiser in a slip, and an aluminum on a trailer in my yard. Over the last couple of years, I've used the cruiser much more often -- like to get on and go. On your other point, we lived in a waterfront community with boat slips, and I used to rotate my project boats in and out of my slip -- surrounded by finery. I had fun with my hobbies, and they got used to it.

 

[Bonus Check]

If the boat is slipped you ride the water your sitting in, you buy the fuel at the marina price and you load and unload all gear then cover and sweat the rain storms.
If you trailer the boat you buy fuel at the Station price for non-ethanol, load your cooler at the house into the boat and the gear is already there, plus you can go to whatever body of water you want to trailer the boat to.

This can go on all day if we let it. Everyone has their preference. You must decide what is best for you as only you have to live with the decision. Trailering is not for everyone and slipping is not for everyone.

 

[oldboat1]

Well, two each then Bonus. If those are St. Claire Shores slips, like what I remember at Grosse Pte. Pk, you probably have security and maybe a dock box. And it ain't exactly an underpopulated area if trailering. I recall that a lot of small runabouts were slipped. Nice to have easy access to Lake St. Claire. Still thinking a slip would be worth trying -- probably gets you on the list for next year too, if you like it. [or is that for next yr? If so, maybe can get a rate for a month or two yet this year, and try it out.]