Taking boat out of Storage
 

Not going to name the Marina, out of, well, Just because

My Dad called said Marina 3 weeks ago and asked if they could have our boat out of the racks and ready to go this weekend. They told us they were "fully booked"...Ok, I get that...it's a busy weekend.

If I were to show up first thing in the morning when this marina opens, and tell them "Im here, I have the keys, drop it in and I will be out of your way" do you think they would?

What are some of your experiences with this?

They might if your bill is current, but what happens if it doesn't start?

they might, but it is a 50/50 shot long time customer maybe, newbie probably not

Every year with the folks at Paugua Bay Marina they have been very responsive and have had the boat ready and waiting in the water with just 48 hours notice with no issues or delays...

Yeah, everything's current....customers since 1984

Boat launch
 

Reminds me of the Seinfeld episode where George was told, "That's going to be a problem" when he asked for his car at a parking lot in NYC.:rolleye1:

Boat Launch
 

If they can't get to it and you decide to launch it yourself, go for it!

Make sure you use the bilge blowers for a few minutes! Better yet open the hatch and leave it open so you can observe.

First of all is the battery(ies). Chances are if left in the boat all winter probably need to be charged. If the boat turns over then maybe you can get the boat stated.

If EFI, try to start the boat. If carbed, you may want to prime the carburetor by pumping the throttle a few times. Bring the throttle to neutral and while cranking slowly open the throttle and back. It should take a minute or two. After a couple of minutes turn off completely and allow the starter motor to cool. The top of the positive terminal on the battery may also be worm.

Once started, while the engine is idling check for leaks around the motor, once the engine is up to operating temperature, you may want to shut it off and check to see if there is no water in the oil. (Dipstick will show a brownish slug.)

If all is not well, immediately notify the marina. Normally they guarantee their winter lay away, but don't give them a chance for an excuse by notifying them later.

If all is well then take a ride. Just do the above checks after a short trip.

Let me know if I miss anything. :rolleye2:

If I was a 30+ year customer who couldn't get his boat launched with three weeks' notice, I'd go nuts.

I was at one of the local marina's yesterday getting my boat. During that time I watched an unending series of phone calls and visits from people who had decided they "needed" their boats in immediately and had forgotten to send in their paperwork. I watched one guy brashly pull out a wad of hundreds and ask "How much do I have to pay to get my boat in today? 3 times the going rate? 4 times? 5 times? I will pay it in cash now just get it done..."

It seems like for every pleasant and reasonable person like you there are half a dozen jerks and those are the people you are going to have to compete with to get your boat.

The good news for you is that the marinas generally treat the nice people better than the jerks no matter how much $$$ the have in their pockets!

True
 

I have a former client tell me, "why does everyone bust my balls up here?" Quite possibly because your wads of cash don't mean I always need to drop my other clients or my own personal needs. It was fine the first few times, but when it's a habit . . . I decided that this person was not worth working for.

It would be better if you could pick up your boat earlier in May. Memorial Day weekend is a crazy time for the marina's. Even a couple days before the big weekend would probably be easier. You might have to take a few vacation days to get it sooner, but it may allow for a more relaxing Memorial Day weekend.

It's all about paperwork and planning. A couple of years ago I forgot to fill out my paperwork and get a place in line to get my boat. It was my mistake so I simply scheduled for the firstavailable spot a week or two after I wanted my boat. You can't blame the marinas it gets crazy all at once and it isn't as simple as them dropping your boat in the water since as alluded to above it takes time to make sure boats are operational after a six month rest.

Please do tell us what you did about trying to get your boat and how it turned out.

Our son works at a marina. This time of year, and particularly this weekend is nuts! Everyone wants their boat NOW! and no one wants to hear that it would have helped if they had called to schedule it a few weeks ago.

The good news...based on the weather/wind today (and predicted tomorrow), probably good that many of these boats were not yet in the water.

We say when we want our boat in the fall so they have plenty of time. But for the third year in a row it hasn't been ready.

Memorial Day is when?
 

Remember when Memorial Day was May 30? Sometimes a mid-week holiday? This year, Memorial Day weekend started May 22. Sometimes, I think I liked it better when holidays were on "the" day instead of Monday. From ice-out (April 24+/- ) to May 22 is a huge difference compared to May 30, and maybe later when it was mid-week. So I'm sympathetic to the marinas.

However, I also understand the frustration of calling several weeks ahead, and not being launched.

A group of friends on the island cancelled and rescheduled some events this year because boats weren't in the water, so this was reflective of several marinas. We also did some ride-sharing.

Next year, call ahead, as you did, then call a few days ahead to ask for a progress report. If no progress, get on the forum. I'm sure some of us will give you a ride.