What is Best time to pull boat out of water

[Jon D]

Hello i live in Virginia beach, on Chesapeake Bay and keep my boat in water. not on lift just against a dock. Was curious when was best time or latest i could keep boat in water. its on small canal that gets ice on top layer but only during really bad winters. Not sure if it will be cold winter here yet. But i am thinking til mid or late december then keep it out(except on nice days and fishing) til mid feb or late feb. is that about right. Thanks

 

[oops!]

Re: What is Best time to pull boat out of water

are you i/o or ob ?...ob is no big deal....the i/o ..(or inboard) is.....im not at all framilliar with the weather there....but as soon as it got down to around 35 deg at night....(plus 2 in canada) my baby would be outta there.....

if you are running i/o or inboard...id drain the manifolds ....block...and powersteering cooler before i left sight of my boat in the fall or winter.

 

[dingbat]

Re: What is Best time to pull boat out of water

If it's an outboard I'd leave it in until Bay Striper season is over at the end of December. The temps don't get cold enough to do any damage until after that.

If it's an I/O you can do the same except put a heater under the motor cover on nights that it gets real cold.

Good luck with Striper season. My boat goes back in the water next weekend. MAybe I'll see you out there along with the 1000 of other boats out there on any given day.

 

[cranksbait]

Re: What is Best time to pull boat out of water

Way up here in the great white north (Canada, EH!). I pulled my boat out the day before the St. Lawrence river froze over. Even then I didn't pull it out. Just left it on the hoist and put a blanket on it for the winter. Powered by a 50 Evinrude so not much to be done for winterization.

My new boat this year will be pulled around early to mid december because I am too lazy to deal with the snow and cold this year. Although I am sure I'll want it for the Christmas break when it is gorgeous weather.

 

[Bondo]

Re: What is Best time to pull boat out of water

I pulled my boat out the day before the St. Lawrence river froze over.

Ayuh,...

I'm on the other side of that creek,.. Spicer Bay, Ny.

There's been a few years we've had to break out a path thru the Ice to get to the ramp from the docks,....
For the smaller Outboard powered boats,...

My fishing boat is settng on it's trailer in the driveway, with the drainplugs pulled...
Just waiting for those last couple of days, before the Ice is strong enough so I Can't launch...

So Far,... My personal Latest Last of the season boat ride was 01-06-06.....
It was 60? that day...
We ran from Collins Landing, up the Canadian side of Grindstone,+ back around the US. side...
'course the mighty St.Lawrence was frozen Solid a week later,+ We were driving Trucks on it a week after that...

 

[cranksbait]

Re: What is Best time to pull boat out of water

Ayuh,...

I'm on the other side of that creek,.. Spicer Bay, Ny.

There's been a few years we've had to break out a path thru the Ice to get to the ramp from the docks,....
For the smaller Outboard powered boats,...

My fishing boat is settng on it's trailer in the driveway, with the drainplugs pulled...
Just waiting for those last couple of days, before the Ice is strong enough so I Can't launch...

So Far,... My personal Latest Last of the season boat ride was 01-06-06.....
It was 60? that day...
We ran from Collins Landing, up the Canadian side of Grindstone,+ back around the US. side...
'course the mighty St.Lawrence was frozen Solid a week later,+ We were driving Trucks on it a week after that...

It's amazing how fast it can freeze over. It was mid January when I went out. Not a bad day. My graph was showing water temps of 30 deg. far. I knew the freeze wasn't far behind. I just didn't think it would happen that fast over night. By leaving my boat on the hoist it also meant I was able to get out before most people because there was still thick ice about 100 feet out from the ramps. My first day back on the water, I was fishing from my boat while 50 feet aways there was a guy ice fighing in the harbour.

 

[Bondo]

Re: What is Best time to pull boat out of water

My first day back on the water, I was fishing from my boat while 50 feet aways there was a guy ice fighing in the harbour.

Ayuh,....

I've gone Ice Fishing,+ ended up Casting with spinning gear off the edge of a tailrace, off an island......
Gotta few Northerns that way....

 

[tmcalavy]

Re: What is Best time to pull boat out of water

Pull it out just before the man-eating Yeti's emerge to wreak havoc.