Page 1 of 1

In the water 24/7

Posted: Fri Mar 30, 2018 12:04 pm
by Capt. Bondo
Since I bought Happy Place, I have had it at on the trailer at a dry dock marina. I liked the fact it was stored dry with the mast up and rigged ready to go. The first mate or kids and I could hook it to the truck and splash it in minutes. Now the kids are done and our work schedules have made going for the afternoon and weekend sail harder, since it takes 2 to launch and retrieve Happy Place. Then we got a RV too....Last year we only got out sailing once, and since I was paying for the whole year, that was an very expensive day sail!
In the fall we brought Happy Place home and stored her in the yard for free.
Hudson WI has a morning field off the dike on the St. Croix River. I had always wondered what the ware and tear would be having the boat in the water 24/7 tied to a buoy? How bad would the bottom get with crud? How hard was it to get a buoy, there is a drawing for the buoys every spring? How much would it cost?
As it works out, I was able to get a buoy the first year I tried, and it's half the price that I was paying for the dry dock.
I'm looking forward to the opportunity to stop off on the way home from work, on a weekday afternoon, and go for a nice little solo sail.
The hope is that the arraignment will give us the opportunity to use Happy Place more.
After all a sailboat is not happy unless it's getting used.

...can't wait for the ice to go out!

Re: In the water 24/7

Posted: Mon Apr 02, 2018 10:37 am
by CaptainScott
Sounds like a good plan!
I've always found that the easier it is for me to get on the water the more often I would do it!!


Scott

Re: In the water 24/7

Posted: Mon Apr 02, 2018 1:13 pm
by Reality
I'd think you'll need bottom paint or the crud will get pretty heavy. Mine is slipped 24/7 in Green Bay for 4-5 months. It has bottom paint but still get some heavy growth in spots I can't get bottom pain on.

Re: In the water 24/7

Posted: Tue Apr 03, 2018 9:13 am
by Guster
I kept mine on Lake Pepin for a season a few years back. It went in with fresh bottom paint and came out with and impressive green crud. Do to the time constraints when I pulled it out I wasn't able to wash it off. In the spring it was like concrete. I think with a quick pressure washing of the bottom right when I pulled it out it all would have come off.

But I found it was easier to keep the rest of the boat clean and maintained when it was in the water. When on the trailer I have to park it too close to trees.

Making it easy to get sailing is the key. That was my best summer sailing! But $$$...

How will you get back and fourth to the boat when it's on the mooring?

Cheers,
Dan

Re: In the water 24/7

Posted: Wed Apr 04, 2018 7:22 am
by Reality
If you sail regularly/often that will help keep down growth. When it sits for a couple weeks growth goes crazy. And yes, power wash ASAP when you pull it out. I've also seen people use a long handled brush to clean the waterline regularly which is where growth happens 1st.