In/out?

[david_e]

Have booked to take my boat (Beneteau 31.7, 2 years old) over winter November - March but am having second thoughts. Mainly because we go down alot over winter, but am also wondering whether it does the boat any harm being left in. Put fresh antifoul and anodes on in May this year.

Supposed pros of lifting out are;

Dries the hull out and prevents (slows onset of osmosis) - not sure about this.
When storms arrive, boat at risk of damage

Disadvantages appear to be;

- additional cost in addition to annual berthing charge
- perched high up on cradle with mast up - accentuates vibration through the hull when windy
- have to completely winterise it. Engine, Heads, Hot water system, fresh water system
- can't use it!

Any thoughts please?

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[mikewilkes]

<- can't use it! >

Would have thought that was the main drawback. Dont know where you are located but there must be days over winter where you can go to your boat and enjoy your investment. Afterall they ain't cheap toys.


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[Althorne]

I think there's a lot to be said for both idea's depending on what your aims are and whether the boat needs any serious maintainance or not. I took mine out after owner her for 2 years to do substantial work to her that is easily done ashore but the main reason was that she had spent the previous 20 years constantly in the water in a sandy bay and was cleaned and antifouled when required between tides. A surveyer advised that although she had been looked after well below the waterline an extended time ashore would help her dry out and that could only help extent her life. In the end we decided to leave her out for 18 months and totally restore her in 1 go instead of bit by bit over 3 years. As it turns out SWMBO got promoted and now gets 8 weeks holidays + bank holidays per year so can cruise a lot more and I retired and can use it in winter to go fishing with me mates. Bloody brilliant.

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[mikewilkes]

Like that - the boss goes out to work and you go out to play. Some people have all the luck - or are they just very well organised!!!



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[Mudplugger]

David, no details on your bio, as to where you are etc, but if you are going to take her out, its worth the extra dosh for the peace of mind to have the mast unstepped as well....mind you if the one next door hasn't...... regards Tony W

<hr width=100% size=1>Tony W.

 

[ShipsWoofy]

I am quite comfortable leaving mine in over winter, but I am on a mooring, boats can take quite a hammering on the pontoons in a good winter storm.

Also being a multi I do not get that wind roll that many mono's get in the gusts, the bit that does the damage on the pontoons, where she rolls under the pontoon or pushes the fenders out etc. Two weeks ago I was by the harbour masters watching a first 27 (I think, blue hull, you might know it) almost touching her deck to the water in the gusts, had she been on a pontoon it might have been a problem. I presume she had her keel lifted to be behaving like this.

I have read many conflicting reports about drying out every few years to prevent Osmosis, it is not conclusive.

I would suggest as you have checked your hull this year then leave her in. I am hoping to get as much winter sailing as possible in this year, it can't be worse than the summer we have apparently just had.

Only thing I will do is to remove the sails, or put my old genny back on. In the November storms in 2002 I saw tens of flapping torn sails in Pwhelli, especially badly packed roller genoa's.

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.topcatsail.co.uk>Woof</A>

 

[david_e]

Aha, this woofy sounds like a Top Cat to me! She was launched on the Friday before the Sunday morning storm of 2002, remember it well. 94mph at PW, had mine been on the hard then they reckon it would have gone over. Pontoon damage was avoided by placing all the fenders in a line, one up, one down. Ta.

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[longjohnsilver]

Much prefer to be in to take advantage of some of those glorious winter days when you have the sea almost all to yourself. Turn on the heater, put the kettle on, bliss.

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[Clive_Rigden]

I wholeheartedly agree !

<hr width=100% size=1>Khyber

 

[dralex]

Definately staying in this winter having had good advice from the forum. Can't wait for some winter sailing, and as has been said already, it can't be much worse than the summer we've had.

<hr width=100% size=1>Life's too short- do it now./forums/images/icons/wink.gif

 

[billmacfarlane]

David it's a fairly new boat so it's built with isophthalic reins so there is less of a risk of osmosis. I think your boat is safer in the water rather than out during the winter. I reckon your boat is safer afloat with doubled up lines rather than shored up with your mast up during high winds. Another disadvantage of lifting out is of course that you can't use it either for a winter sail or socially for a sleep over. I keep mine in and sleep over for yacht club functions. My preferred method of lay up is to keep the boat afloat running a dehumidifier on a time switch. I check on her every three weeks or so and run the engine under load for about 30 minutes. Seems to do the trick.

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[jonjo]

Re: In for me

Having the same debate as you. After reading lots of opinions on this subject I have concluded:

An elevated hull moisture level is not reversible through storage ashore unless the gel coat is stripped.

If a hull is going to develop osmotic blisters then storage ashore will delay the onset.

The rate of osmosis is proportional to water temperature, so a winter month afloat counts for less than a summer month in the long-term osmosis equation.

Yard accidents are a measurable risk but probably equivalent to winter water born threats.

A marina in a naturally sheltered location would be preferable to a winter on a swinging mooring, (ever spent a night on a swinging mooring during a gale, its torture?).

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[alanporter]

If you decide to haul your boat for the winter, do not leave the mast up. I saw a fellow club members boat, left with the mast up, that had the bolt hole in the windward chain plate pulled into an oval shape. As the wind pushes against the mast, the hauled boat cannot heel so all the force pulls on the chainplates and, presumably, the mast tangs.


<hr width=100% size=1>Alan Porter

 

[Sea Devil]

Re: In for me

I am not quite certain its true that hull moisture will not decrease unless you strip the gelcoat.
Really do not understand the science of it but when ever I left Bambola in some place for 6 months or so I hauled her. Using meters the damp level in the hull always decreased. Not sure why and could be to do with climate but thats what happened.

<hr width=100% size=1>http://www.michaelbriant.com/sailing

 

[jonjo]

Err, do not agree with this.

Certainly there is an issue of snatch loads during a gust when a boat is sitting in a cradle but can this be greater than rigging stress encountered during a broach under full sail? The example cited sounds more like a material or design fault.

I would also lay odds that if all masts were routinely taken down, then insurers would have to pay up on more overboard rigs. My reason is that the inherent cavalier approach of the low-wage yard hands who do most of the grunt work, would lead to frequent mast or rigging damage that would go unnoticed until a stressful offshore sailing event.

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[david_e]

Hi Bill

My thoughts are the same as yours, newish boat, leave a dehumidifier on together with a tube heater. SWMBO prefers the sheep approach, do what everyone else does! One thing that concerns me is the de-stepping the mast. Mine is keel stepped and needs extra care when being dismantled and I would like to be there, which, because they only work weekdays, is not possible.

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[jonjo]

Re: In for me

I would be happier if some scientific research proved that you were correct on this matter, then I could take my new boat out on an annual basis knowing I was definitely doing some good.

Maybe in the tropical climates you frequent some useful drying is achieved after 6 months under baking sun. Effective drying midwinter in a packed South Coast yard is another matter.

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[andy_wilson]

Drying rates....

... are significant in the UK in winter months.

Cold continental airflows will dry anything quicker than warm maritime air.

When do you get most chapped lips / dry skin?

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[BigLes]

Our boat (Beneteau) was alway left in the water in a marina by the previous owner (15 years), needless to say she developed osmosis. She has since been professionally skinned and epoxied. As it's our first year in the marina we are going to leave her and try some winter sailing. She will come out for a week after the Easter rush for anti-fouling. My inclination is to have her wintered ashore every other year, and I will certainly have the mast down as she is a fin keel.

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[jonjo]

Re: Drying rates....

> continental airflows

I wish. We experience a predominantly moist maritime climate.

> When do you get most chapped lips / dry skin?

When I move between a centrally heated environment and outdoors.

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