keeping the boat in the water
 

does anyone have any thoughts on keeping your boat tied up at the dock and in the water all summer long ?
my boat currently stays in valet storage all year long. i have just bought a cottage that comes with a 24' boat dock
i am concerned about the effects of having it in the water all summer or just keep paying the 3 grand for valet.
i worry about the water line on the boat, pine needles on the mooring cover, storms, etc.
any advice would be appreciated.
thanks

Most people keep their boats tied up to their docks all summer. If you are "green" get advice from a friend or someone who knows to help you out making make sure it is secure, won't get waves over the back in a storm, won't rub against the dock, and is covered so it won't get wet inside and sink, and you should be fine. I'm sure you'll get lots of good suggestions here.

You will get much more use if it is tied to dock instead of vallet.
It just like parking your car in a pklt something could always happen this is why we pay insurance. make sure your bilge pump is on automatic and enjoy the season

If you have a dock, why spend the money for valet???? If you get a bit of slime on the water line scrub it off. No big deal. Pine needles on the cover? You sound a bit too picky. Shake it off and stow it. There are a lot more boats kept in the water compared to in valet around the lake. Cleaning your boat is simply part of ownership.

whips
 

If your dock is in a high traffic area look into whips. They will hold your boat away from the dock and stop bumping. If your use them also make sure you have an addition cross tie so you will not lose the boat if the wips release.

At The Dock
 

I keep one of our boats at our dock all spring, summer and fall and we are in a very windy area. Good dock lines to cradle the boat, a set of snubbers to reduce shock. No issues yet in three years.

Dan

Anti Bacteria Product
 

With regard to a water line, I spray a product called Slide on the bottom of my boat before putting it in the water in the spring and again if it comes out for any reason. This helps in preventing the bacteria from adhering to the bottom of your boat. I get the product from Lakeport Ladning.

Hope this helps,
Bill

Mine stays at the dock all season. For waterline build up, I just brush it with a hand brush whenever we are at the sand bar (20 minutes each time). At the end of the season I had the guy that shrinks the boat bottom wash it before he wrapped it. Cost about $40-$50, took about 10 minutes, clean as a whistle.

Good luck,
HCG

As other have commented, why would you want to keep the boat in Valet storage if you have a dock space. Snubbers, mooring whips, etc, can aid in keeping your boat perfectly safe if you are in a higher traffic area. As for pineneedles, well they are a fact of life so is bird poop. These things shake or rinse off canvas with ease. Like Hancoveguy, I take a handbrush a few times a season to the boat, to help with the slime. Additionaly when need my canvas gets rinsed off in the lake, to clean it up. I personally have sunbrella, and every few years, I stick the canvas in a washing machine, it it comes out lookin almost new.

If you are nervous about leaving the boat, talk to some neighbors, some one is probably going to be around when your not, and will keep tabs on you boat, and call you if something appears amiss. Finally, and most importantly, ask for help, if you don't think you are doing a good job succuring your boat, ask. Nieghbors, someone from your Marina of choice, even here on the forum, boater love to help boaters out...

Easy to clean
 

Just to agree with what others have said: Why pay for valet when you can have it in front of your house?

About keeping it clean: I put a coat of wax on my boat every spring and it lasts all summer. It helps with fading and also helps to keep the slime and brown waterline to a minimum.

In the fall I use a product called "Slimey Grimey". There are other similar acid based products but I know this one is sold at Irwin's. All you have to do is put it in a pump can (like a pesticide sprayer) with hot water and spray your hull. The yellowing just runs off. No scrubbing is necessary.

If it ocasionally gets rough at your house and the water is deep (and the dock is long enough) you can tie your boat with the bow facing the lake. It will ride the rough water better.

And, I am not sure where you are paying $3,000 for valet. That is about twice what it is worth. Maybe you are including the cost of winterizing and storage too?

Good luck!

Check your boats zinc anodes. These are the sacraficial metal peices that will corrode instead of your outdrive being damaged.

The snubbers with a few spring lines or whip system should be a must as well.

Actually I believe you should use magnesium anodes in fresh water....

I just don't like the scum line,I know you can clean it with each use however MHO it never comes completely clean. Again JMHO

It depends where you are. We were at Quayside for a season and had no problems with a scum line remaining after cleaning.

There are many things to worry about life but this isn't one of them! Congratulations on your home purchase.

We and hundreds of other boaters leave our boat in a marina all season. When on the Broads we didn't have as much issues with scum lines but we had seagulls. Now in the relatively stagnant Smith Cove we have a brown bottom and scum line every fall, but no seagulls.

It takes about 2 hours for me and my wife using Slimy Grimy to clean our 35' boat. There no trace when done.

The good about in-water is obvious, you will use the boat a lot more, you can clean the boat any time, you can go out before and after the valet hours. You have a cottage with a dock, you need your boat out there!

The bad is that is more exposed to the elements, rain will find any canvas or caulking leaks, if the hull is prone to blister this will bring it out, the sun will eat your cover faster and your gelcost finish, you will need to wax more, seagulls, fishing lures and of course pine needles. We have those damn little oak propellor things that stain the vinyl.

But you will have $3000 more every year to keep things in shape.

ITD is correct, magnesium is the way to go. Zinc tends to scale over and loses its ability to dissolve effectively. This does not happen with magnesium.

Enjoy your boat. That's what it's for. Our season is too short. Dock it and use it!

scum line
 

My boat Is docked all year at wam . and every time I go out on the lake I stop at the sandbar and scrub the hull clean. It get scummy really fast In there.

:D

You can also get a boatlift with a Sunbrella canopy.

thanks
 

thanks for all the good info. sounds like leaving it in is the best solution and just clean it after.

thanks again.

For a lot less than $3000, you can hire a detailing company to clean it, wax it, and keep it looking nice anytime you want...even a few times a season at that price.