From Marina to Trot Mooring Maintenance

[Boheme]

Hello, i invested in the sailing dream 2010 without previous knowledge of boats just a Day Skipper course under my belt - so its been a learning curve since!!! I had the luxury of a Marina for the past three years, but now as i want to invest more into the boat (trying to get to Greece) have decided on the much cheaper option of a trot mooring for the following year April 2015, i will not be spending much time on her this year apart from overseeing work (busy working to save for trip), i would really welcome advice, tips etc., on how to keep her fresh and in good conditn without the luxury of heating on tap, fresh water, electricity to charge batteries (auto bilge and all that) anyway ive chucked it out there and look forward to a reply, thankyou.

 

[jac]

Heating, electricity etc is only really an issue in the winter or if doing work. Many boatyards/ Marinas will do winter deals for several months over the winter where you can lay up with power and keep her sweet as you are used to.

If not, then remove anything that may suffer from damp, drain all systems to protect from cold and follow manufacturers instructions. Anything else will mean hand tools or using a portable suitcase type generator for the times when main power is really needed.

For the in commission time.

Lots of threads on here re solar or wind to keep batteries topped up. Then should only need somewhere to top up water. Local quay or marina short stay usually suffices.

Leave boat in t he summer well ventilated and with solar/ wind and she'll be fine.

 

[Boheme]

Thank you, that doesn't sound too painful, now to source solar/wind. Thanks again

 

[prv]

now to source solar/wind

Might be worth seeing if you really need it first. Our home berth is a marina of sorts, but without power to most of the pontoons. Our normal engine use keeps the batteries topped up ok.

Pete

 

[Heckler]

Hello, i invested in the sailing dream 2010 without previous knowledge of boats just a Day Skipper course under my belt - so its been a learning curve since!!! I had the luxury of a Marina for the past three years, but now as i want to invest more into the boat (trying to get to Greece) have decided on the much cheaper option of a trot mooring for the following year April 2015, i will not be spending much time on her this year apart from overseeing work (busy working to save for trip), i would really welcome advice, tips etc., on how to keep her fresh and in good conditn without the luxury of heating on tap, fresh water, electricity to charge batteries (auto bilge and all that) anyway ive chucked it out there and look forward to a reply, thankyou.

I was on a pile mooring for years. I fitted a 56 watt solar panel and had 4 110amp hr batteries. They would last for the weekend and the solar panel would charge up during the week. I would go in to the marina occasionally for the weekend, fill up with water and give her a scrub. The fridge was on 24/7 whilst on board, I have a small 350 watt invertor that ran the tel for mams coronation st etc. There is also a D3 Eber fitted to keep us cosy as and when. It was never damp. We used it every weekend and used to leave two aft cabin skylights cracked under the spray hood.
I did have a 1.2kva genny on board, used occasionally to make toast for mam!
Stu

 

[npf1]

I've been on a mid river mooring for many years. Few things I've learnt during that time

1/ solar panel to keep the batteries topped up, which works a treat.
2/ good ventilation is necessary to stop the boat smelling of damp. I've got dorades which work well.
3/ extra fenders - I'm amazed by the number of time other boats have hit mine (and those are just the incidents I know about, prob many more!)
4/ cost of parking the dinghy at a convenient marina is almost as much as parking the boat at its mooring
5/ decent lines and chafe gear to secure the boat. Simply tying a rope around a pile or to a buoy doesn't last very long
6/ I still take the boat to a marina for washing it down etc

Hope that helps

 

[Boheme]

Hi, my problem, i will have little opportunity to spend time on her this year, so running engine would probably not suffice, i think i really need to look at solar panels, i have noted your comments npf1, thank you.