In Water Storage-What do I need to watch for

[Harritwo]

I have recently retired and moved back home to God's Country where I can boat 11 months out of the year. (West Texas). I have my boat in the water and no lift. Besides having a hot battery and a bilge pump on a float switch, I intend to pull the boat out of the water prior to winter and winterize, clean, and inspect.

It is covered with SeaRay snap on cover unless in use.

I leave the drive trimmed down when in the slip.

What do I need to watch, inspect, and be wary of while she is in the water.

2006 SeaRay 195 Sport with Mercruiser 4.3L Alpha 1 Gen II

 

[Rick Stephens]

Sinking is about it. A leak can overwhelm a battery powered bilge pump. Everything else is just proper maintenance.

 

[Bondo]

Ayuh,...... An '06 huh,..?? How old are the bellows,..??..??

Is the cover fairly water tight,..??

 

[GA_Boater]

Also support the cover so water doesn't pool and rip the cover. Is the slip covered? W. Texas sun is brutal on covers and everything else.

 

[Harritwo]

Bondo, Bellow were replaced in January, along with waterpump, lower shift cable. Cover is fairly tight with no sag. Water runs off during the rain when it was on the trailer.

The West Texas Sun is why I have the cover on it. It is in a protected harbor on a fresh water lake but no indoor covers available unless you own your home.

 

[Lou C]

Also get in habit of checking it weekly if you don't live right where its stored in the water. I've done this for 15+ years in salt water on a rotating mooring in Long Island NY. Overall I have not had big problems, in salt water obviously you have to maintain your zincs (although mine always last through the whole season because there is no dock with plugged in boats nearby) and when storms come be ready to pull it out. A boat on a rotating mooring is safer actually than one in a slip because the boat can move with the tides and the wind. If we get a tropical storm or greater I will pull it out but it's been out there in winds up to 50 mph with a few sudden squalls. We have issues with birds and bird poop on those mooring covers, the only way I've been able to keep them off is to use pennant flags strung from the front cleat, to a loop I made up for the VHF antenna, to 2 flag poles on the stern rails. These move in the breeze and discourage birds from using your mooring covers as a toilet.
I would use a gp 27 DP battery to power your pump, just in case you get hit with heavy rains you don't want that bilge pump to quit. All covers leak no matter what you do.

 

[Scott Danforth]

you also want to have some sort of crawly critter deterrent.

scented soaps and dyer sheets keep spiders away

everyone covered you on the sinking.

wax the bottom or bottom paint it

make sure to water-proof the boat covers

may want to have some sort of pennant flags like Lou has above. bird pooh is a detriment to canvas.