Leave it in or pull it out?

[TargaLout]

I like to leave it in right up until the very last moment in order to maximise its use. Although on the other hand one should perhaps aire on the side of caution and perhaps pull it out a lot earlier? We do get some wonderful winter and Autumn days, rap up warm and could use it all year round.
My concern is water retention and perhaps letting it dry out over the winter months like a lot of people do. How long should it perhaps be left out each season or every other. I leave a heater/dehumidifier combo unit on it, a couple of thermo-tubes in the engine compartment on a frost stat. I do pull it out for a couple of weeks each year to polish, re-antifoul, re-anode and service stern-drives. How does it get this water to retain? It is GRP, antifouled, planing hull, 5 years old comming up to its 6th Winter. Concerned and curios?

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[hlb]

Wel, mines been in since I bought it five years ago. Never understood the hell bent rush to take them out for the winter. Might as well put your self in jail.

<hr width=100% size=1> <font color=blue>No one can force me to come here.<font color=red> I'm a volunteer!!.<font color=blue>

Haydn

 

[Artie]

I had a seaward 23 for some 9 years and it stayed in every winter Like you I only brought it out for its anual antifoul, clean, service etc. On selling a surveyors report was required and the hull passed all the tests for dryness. There was no sign of any problems with the fibreglass and the price I got for the boat was only £1000 less than I paid for it new. Still continuing to do the same with my current boat. If its in the water then I can use it anytime and fully enjoy the finantial outlay.

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[Doffy]

If your in salt water the likelyhood of Osmosis is less, but if you get the frozen water chipping away during the winter it does mess up th water line.

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[poter]

Leave it in.........you spend all that dosh on a boat and only use it for 6 months! where's the sense?
As long as you have decent fenders that have sox on (stop them marking the gel coat) & good decent sized mooring rope (I have seen thousands of pounds worth of yacht tied up with B&Q string) you will be fine. Quite a lot of the owners put in a de-humidifier and a warm air heater.

Take it out once a year for anti-foul and a visual check.

there are some trully great boating days during the winter.


poter.

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[BarryH]

I'm with Poter, you wouldn't dream of using a 20K car for only six months of the year. Use it year round. Days in the winter can be better than days in the summer.

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[oldgit]

Any chance of you using the old tub for day or two then leave her in...she might get bit scruffy over winter but no one else will be around to see and you can give her a mighty polish up with early spring lift out for anti-foul and mech fettle.

<hr width=100% size=1>If it aint broke fix it till it is.

 

[powerskipper]

You want to leave it in as long as possable, why waiste some of the best times on the water, can be very cold but lots of fun!!

<hr width=100% size=1>Julie ,
IMOSHO of course,

 

[tcm]

the water retention is a micrscopic effect, and won't be an issue for what is a fairly modern boat, unless it's been whammed hardish to break the glass/resin bomnds and allow water in.

Yep, the dehum is excelent idea. Consider also wandering around with wd40 and tissuefor extra damp/rust protection - the very-slightly-chromed fairline switch surrounds can rust badly and (like most of the inside of boats) ain't marine quality. Careful if you do take it out late for a couple of months - cos all the power sockets can be taken and so yerd have been better to stay in.

IMHO the pulling out thing was essential in olden days when woodeny boats leaked or rotted and filled with water over winter, when shorepower didn't exist or failed, and batteries were rubbish and so were bilge pumps. Not needed on a modern boat. Anyway, however dry you get it, it'll be wet agin when you puttit back in, so bit pointless, except of course for antifoul etc.



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