Wooden boats in or out for the winter?

[Tranona]

I have done both in the thick end of 30 years I have owned a wooden boat. Out of the water was when I had a swinging mooring so was unsafe to leave in all year. Now in a very sheltered marina berth so in all year except for 2-3 weeks early summer when it is more pleasant to do the painting etc. Have a custom cover to keep the rainwater at bay. Only negative is the mast as the boat faces the prevailing wind. However a switch to Sikkens Novatech for all "brightwork" has partly resolved this. Mast coming out this year after 4 years for recoating. Positive is that we have had some lovely winter sails over the years before the cover goes on over the new year holiday.

 

[chrishelen]

Doesnt salt water preserve wood,and fresh water rot it?so if your boat is in the sea leave it in,if its in a fresh water lake,get it out,easy init.

 

[LittleShip]

That as a general rule is OK but it is the fresh (rain) water above the water line that causes most damage to wood boats.

If I could find a marina that had an open shed, similar to a farmers hay barn I think that would be my first choice. But then again the wind would dry her out............ ooohh decisions decisions!

In the USA and Canada they have floating sheds which would be the very best of both worlds!

Tom /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[falman]

I own a 23ft clinker sloop very similar to the finesse/ sea king types on the fal estuary and she has been on her mooring continuously for the last ten years. I get many, many great days sailing int the winter and would reccomend it to anyone with suitable boat. The only snag is just when you are feeling hard and part of sailings elite on a sunday morning in january a little fleet of optimists comes out of mylor and not a skipper over 12 among them. falman

 

[Seanick]

Out or in but not half and half. Er let me explain a bit better by example. When I worked at Combes there was a clinker Dauntless which lived on a mud berth, a bit bows up. One winter, about '89, the small creek froze on a neap tide, and the effect on the back half of the Dauntless was, we think, to freeze the water in the seams and push the lands apart. She started leaking badly on the back end and we had to hook her out and harden up the fastenings in that area. We came to the conclusion that clinker boats should be either out or in, but not in between, in winter.
Mind you, this was before global warming, when winters were winters !

 

[Shuggy]

We're staying in this winter. She was out last winter and suffered from bad condensation (which can't be any worse in the water, at least that's the theory), and also changed shape enough for the internal doors not to be fully aligned. I'll tell you in March whether we made the right decision!

 

[LittleShip]

"and also changed shape enough for the internal doors not to be fully aligned"

It is very important that any wooden boat is correctly chocked, leaving one over an extended period incorrectly chocked can and will alter its shape.

I have to say I am a pain to the boat yard when they lift mine about this.

Tom

 

[Shuggy]

True. That was year 1. You live and learn!

 

[ccscott49]

I have a wooden boat and it stays in all year, only out for a couple of weeks every two years for antifoul and checking.

 

[ADLS]

I's trying aving my boat put ina shed for the winter, it used 2b sheeted over and left to defend erself on the Mudway. Butt as i've found a yard in Yerseke Holland that lifts out, jet washes off, store in a climate controlled shed for 8 months and lifts back in for EU1200 I jumped at the offer. Ownres are allowed to carry out maintenance over the winter as long as the the work does not interfer with other boats, so no welding or heavy sanding. They do have a seperate work shed for this type of work. For an additional charge they will anti-foul b4 dropping the boat back in.