Winter afloat on a swinging mooring Portsmouth Harbour

[bedouin]

Should a GRP hull be allowed to 'dry out' for a few months ideally?
.

I think anyone who expects a GRP to dry out while standing outside in a british winter has never experienced one

 

[Scotty_Tradewind]

I think anyone who expects a GRP to dry out while standing outside in a british winter has never experienced one

then why do boats with 'O' problems often get left stripped for a winter, b4 going into drying sheds with a hot air tent?

'Wet' is relative.
IMHO the deep seated wet within a GRP hull makes it worthwhile.
Although I considered my last boat in excellent condition with next to no water content in the hull, I was always able to get a whole dehumidifier of water out of her every week through the winter with her totally sealed up.... including sink waste, loo, vents, chainpipe and companionway etc.

 

[Bosun Higgs]

Had the boat for twenty years and have always wintered ashore however this winter I have decided to leave it afloat.
There seem to be mostly advantages rather than disadvantages: should get some sailing,no packing up and unpacking the dinghy to take home, sails stay on, no need to winterise the engine etc. I am confident the mooring is OK as it has held fast during plenty of equinoctial storms.
The engine has done about 70 hrs since the last oil change. A diesel in commission in a road vehicle usually does say 25000 miles between oil changes which at 45mph average makes 555 hrs running.
Insurance is no problem only an increase in the excess
What are the disadvantages ?

After doing this for several years, the only disadvantage |I can think of is that you wont get the maintenance done. Mind you a boat in commission needs less maintenance, but I found that afloat I didnt do any.

 

[bedouin]

then why do boats with 'O' problems often get left stripped for a winter, b4 going into drying sheds with a hot air tent?

The converse is if they dry out over winter why bother with the drying sheds and hot air tent? Often with massive IR heaters pointed at them 24hrs a day for a week.

 

[Seajet]

The converse is if they dry out over winter why bother with the drying sheds and hot air tent? Often with massive IR heaters pointed at them 24hrs a day for a week.

Maybe they were left in the previous winter/s !

 

[Neeeil]

I leave my boat in over the winter on Loch Linnhe, I double up the mooring line and I do take the sails and the canvas off but everything else stays on, I turn one deck vent forward and one aft to circulate the air, all doors are left open and I use ping dehumidifier bags in any confined places.
I have a problem with a few drips from a couple of the windows, so I place a tea towel at each window to catch any drips, I change the tea towels and swap over the Ping bags when I visit, the only other trick I use, is I take the kitchen vacuum sealer out to the boat and seal up my PBO's and favourite books, the other books don't seem to suffer though.
The boat stays bone dry unless I have a night onboard, and if she's covered in snow I don't go below.
I pull her out for a couple of weeks in the summer

 

[Scotty_Tradewind]

Maybe they were left in the previous winter/s !

Bedouin
The boat next to me in the yard has been stripped of all her antifoul and is being left for the winter to 'dry'.

I'll ask those involved and get back to you.

 

[Seajet]

I'm quite certain a boat dries out ashore, even in a British winter; come the Spring, it may well be the owners' plan to gelshield her, it would certainly be worth considering.