Winter hauling out - how long?

[kilkerr1]

Read recently that wooden boats shouldn't be out of the water for long 'cos the wood dries out too much, 'the boards do shrink' etc., while GRP boats need at least 3 months drying out to keep from getting osmotic. We were planning to keep Santa Teresa (GRP hull) sailing over most of the winter and just bring her out for a couple of weeks to do a few bits and bobs. Were looking forward to wrapping up extra warm and taking advantage of quieter/less busy waters over winter. So should we keep her out for 3 months to make sure she doesn't get a blistery, soggy bottom? What do you other folk do?

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[Mirelle]

My wooden boat usually stays in, going into a mud berth from December to March, and coming ashore for a couple of weeks for a lick and a promise in May or June, but I have twice had her out for over a year, admittedly inside a yard shed, with no ill effects at all (she is teak planked, which certainly makes a difference)

A friend with whom we often sail in company takes his GRP hull out from October to April, on anti- osmosis grounds. This means that he usually sails with me in November (we have a coal stove!) and this is turning into an annual fixture.

I have noticed that the wooden boats are usually on their moorings before the glass ones, in the Spring.

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[Evadne]

After forking out what was then a small fortune in anti-osmosis treatment on my elderly grp boat I have had her out of the water each winter since 1987. Usually from end of October until it's warm enough to dry the varnish, usually by May. SWMBO refuses to have a heater fitted, as we don't go sailing if its cold enough to need one, she tells me.

I believe it is generally regarded that modern grp boats are better laid up and less prone to osmosis so can be left in for years with little ill effect. Only time will tell, in my opinion, and once you can go and look at a 40-year old AWB and see she hasn't needed osmosis treatment you'll know this to be true. If there are any out there, I'm sure you'll hear shortly.

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[MainlySteam]

I don't know anyone out here in NZ who takes their fibreglass yacht out of the water in winter for any reason other than for maintenance if required. All the ones I know come out for antifouling every now and again and that is all, apart from that they live in the water. The water temperatures here will be a little higher than in the UK so I suspect worse for any osmosis problem if it was going to occur.

John

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[AndrewB]

I think you are right.

I once had a GRP Kingfisher that was regularly hauled out in the winter for about 3 months, no problems. Then, when she was about 12 years old I started sailing in winter and left her in for three years. At that time the theory was if they were going to get osmosis it would have happened by 10 years. But when I hauled - osmosis. Not that serious, but still not cheap to fix and the drying out cost me half the next season.

If your yacht has been epoxy treated then in theory it should be protected from osmosis. Believe that at your own risk.

 

[poter]

Hang On,

With respect to all the knowledgeable replys you have received.....Why would you purchase, what is probably the second most expesive capital item & then not use it for 3 to 6 months????? where is the sense.
Ok those lazy hazy days of summer are nice but some of the most wonderful days sailing are on a glassy sea in the winter all to yourself.

poter



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[tome]

Agree. My boat stays afloat except when I need to haul it for servicing. Winter sailing is wonderful provided you have heating.

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[kilkerr1]

My thoughts exactly! I want to be sailing all year round, and still intend to, but an RYA CD-ROM suggested that GRP boats should be taken out for 3 months a year. Just wanted to see if they can be trusted /forums/images/icons/wink.gif and what others think/do about it.

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[kilkerr1]

Ahh, now heating, there's the rub...I'm thinking 3 layers of thermals, fleece, jumper and me oilies will have to do the trick.

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[Plan_B]

The pros and cons of winter haul outs have been fairly well covered within the last 18 months in YM, and I seem to remember either PBO or ST did a bit as well. Maybe you could get back issue if you don't hear what you want to hear on this board.

There are experts around on this subject, but I think generally with regard to GRP, newer vessels can stay in the water longer, but as they get older then they need time out.

A friend of mine bought a vessel with 'oz' let it dry out for a year, and now puts it in the water in Jun/Jul lives/cruises on it for 4 months, then takes it out again. He probably spends more time sailing it than most people and never had the 'treatment'.

My vessel - in all year, wash and brush-up in spring - then splash - back in again.
If it gets the oz I'll think again.

DD


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[poter]

Can't agree with that - my really old... (27 yrs) Moody is out of the water at present for some work. The Gelcoat looked really bad after a couple of years of neglet when it was hauled out, I was even considering painting, but a local company looked at it and said that all it required was a tcut and polish......& low and behold it now looks like a new boat, does 'don't build em like they used to' come to mind?


poter


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[Mirelle]

January and February

Are your REALLY SURE that you will really, really, be going sailing in these months?

Several navaids used only by yachtsmen are removed, bars shift and the shifts are not charted till spring, the hours of daylight are short and it is often foggy, when it is not being overly windy, and really, really, cold.

I often sail up to Christmas, but the next two months are miserable!

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[Spyro]

Does a hull dry out significantly during 3 months in winter? given that air temps are lower daylight hours very short and lots of damp air around over the winter months would it be just as beneficial to a GRP boat to have it out for say 1 month in April/may as opposed to 3 months in Dec/Jan/Feb?
Another question....After a boat is put back in the water how long does it take for moisture levels to get back to what they were before it was lifted out?


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[kilkerr1]

Re: January and February

I hear you, and Jan and Feb are definitely the worst. Idea was to take advantage of those crisp, clear days we get during winter, as Poter says, and the fact that there will be less boats out on the water. We're not planning to go out no matter what the weather's doing!

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[Cornishman]

I used to look after a pair of plastic Moody 33s for the old Plymouth School of Maritime Studies. Each November they were hauled out and spent the next 4 months in cradles ashore. When they were re-launched towards the end of March they both needed a month or so afloat to regain their original shape!
How did I know they were out of shape? Doors wouldn't shut properly, floorboards seemed out of shape, drawers jammed shut or so loose they wouldn't stay shut, etc. I hope that this doesn't happen these days, but it is easy to see how it could when they are supported on the tiny surface area afforded by a fin keel and four posts when in a cradle.
Never had any trouble with 'soggy bottoms', though.

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[Samphire]

We have a 1982 GRP boat and for the last few years have only been lifting out for 5 months every second year,no osmosis problems.In addition the boat is safer in the water on a marina berth than out with the mast up and subject to the often mentioned stresses .
Samphire.

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[Evadne]

A boat may be safer on a marina berth than ashore with the mast up, but not with the mast down, IMHO.
Have you ever stood and watched the boats in a marina when it is blowing F8+? It is not an inspiring sight. I remember SWMBO getting seasick on the visitor's pontoon at Brixham in a summer blow, the night we chafed through a 16mm warp; and in another year watching the boats doing bucking bronco impressions on their pontoons at Dunstaffnage in a spring gale. One broke loose and blew across the bay, another broke loose and sank on the rocks, if I recall correctly.
There's probably nothing to beat a mud berth with the tide out in those conditions, but having had my gelcoat soften and come off when I left her in for 2 successive winters I maintain a certain sceptisism about the ability of my grp to keep the water out. Drying out a grp boat doesn't do her any harm, but may well prolong her life in the months when you are less likely to go sailing anyway.

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[poter]

Exactly...nm

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[Samphire]

Agree with everything you say,but we have a pretty sheltered marina here and the whole idea of leaving her in is to get a bit of off season sailing.
Regarding safety ,out of the water is better than in but only if mast is down,assuming of course boat next door dosen't fall on you! But seriously,agree with mud berth being like a feather bed.Mind you never heard of gel coat wearing through,unless of course fenders came off.
Samphire

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[Jools_of_Top_Cat]

It has been known in storms for pontoons to lift out of the water and come down upon the boats in a good blow.

The safest winter mooring in my opinion is a sheltered fore and aft mud berth. Erm, just like mine as it happens /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

Don't forget to remove your roller genoa though, in November I saw nearly 1 in 5 boats lose their genoas in a quickly moving storm, the one that delayed the clippers leaving Liverpool if you remember. Some sails tore above and below the wrapped sheets, some just unwound their drums, and others just seemed to disintigrate.

It was sad to see, but taught me a lesson, I was lucky that time, now I hank on my sails through the winter season, my new sail will not come back out until spring, too damn expensive to replace until 2012 /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

<hr width=100% size=1>Julian

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