Can I get by WITHOUT trailering a bowrider

[marksin]

Hi all, I'm new to boating & boating forum. My question is, can I treat a bowrider's hull & just leave it in water at the docks for the season, without the need of trailering it back & forth to the waterbode -- LI Sound in this case. Is it at all a possibility, and if so are there any drawbacks, for example, is it costly to treat the hull?

 

[62 ROYAL SCOTT]

Re: Can I get by WITHOUT trailering a bowrider

HELL-O and WELCOME,First - saltwater or fresh ?

 

[marksin]

Re: Can I get by WITHOUT trailering a bowrider

HELL-O and WELCOME,First - saltwater or fresh ?

I'll be in Long island Sound (b/w CT & NY) so it will be saltwater. Appreciate your advice.

 

[Mi duckdown]

Re: Can I get by WITHOUT trailering a bowrider

I would talk to the people in that area for there advice.

 

[tpenfield]

Re: Can I get by WITHOUT trailering a bowrider

Hi all, I'm new to boating & boating forum. My question is, can I treat a bowrider's hull & just leave it in water at the docks for the season, without the need of trailering it back & forth to the waterbode -- LI Sound in this case. Is it at all a possibility, and if so are there any drawbacks, for example, is it costly to treat the hull?

Yes, no different than any other boat going in for the season. New anodes and fresh coat of anti-fouling paint for both hull and outdrive.

 

[dave11]

Re: Can I get by WITHOUT trailering a bowrider

Down here you would have to get the bottom cleaned pretty often if you leave it in the water. Maybe up there the problem isnt as bad.

 

[roscoe]

Re: Can I get by WITHOUT trailering a bowrider

i/o or outboard?

freshwater cooled?

Will you be able to flush the engine after use?

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Can I get by WITHOUT trailering a bowrider

Is this a boat you already own?

Initial bottom paint is more expensive than repeat applications due to prep and priming. a lot depends on present condition. They charge by the foot. Rates vary wildly from place to place. Paint is ungodly expensive per gallon.

Any boat can be bottom-painted to deal with marine growth and you need it if you leave it in more than a couple of weeks; some places and times are worse than others. And if you can leave it in, you will use it a whole lot more.

If this is an I/O and you can't get the motor up out of the water, you have to paint the drive, which isn't a big problem except that most bottom paints just don't stick or work well on metals, so you may be pulling it often for maintenance cleaning.

Outboards don't have to be flushed for saltwater use but I hear that I/O's are right fragile in that regard.

Here's my concern: when you say "bowrider" and pardon my assumption, but I picture the typical lake boat with lots of carpet and padding. So it's not the hull bottom to be concerned about; it's the top. Keeping a boat that's in the water covered and dry is a lot of work, and they don't hold up if you don't. If the deck isn't self-bailing there's more risk of rain build-up and possible sinking if the bilge pump/battery fails. Bellows fail. If you are going to get a boat to keep in the water, get one made for the outdoors.

PS I've always kept boats in the water (salt) for three seasons out of the year and now keep one in year round.

 

[Lou C]

Re: Can I get by WITHOUT trailering a bowrider

I've done it for about 10 years worth. Yes LI Sound is mostly all salt water, it gets salter the farther out from NYC you get. You need to have good fitting and water proofed bow and cockpit covers, an auto bilge switch, properly sized bilge pump and good battery capacity. Not a cheap starting battery, but a gp 27 dual purpose battery at a minimum. Why, because some water will always get in during storms, the battery has to have enough capacity to run the bilge pump as needed. You will need anti fouling paint on the hull and drive. On the hull, normal paints work OK but for the drive, you have to use anti fouling for aluminum and I have not found one so far that actually work the whole season. An I/O bowrider is not the best salt water boat but can be made to work. A walk around, dual console or center console with a self bailing deck and outboard power is much more suited to what you want to do, but many people make do with I/Os and it's not that bad. BUT, you have to keep an eye on it. That means doing ALL the drive maintenance every year (pulling the drive each year, check the bellows for the ujoints for water, grease ujoints, gimble and driveshaft splines). If you don't do this it WILL cost you dearly sooner or later.

 

[marksin]

Re: Can I get by WITHOUT trailering a bowrider

@Home Cookin' and Lou C. thanks a ton, this is a great help & a learning. I don't have the boat yet, but I'm looking for an outboard, preferably a bow-rider for family recreation. As I understand from your advice, I need to get the hul stripped/painted, get good fitting waterproof covers & a bilge pump with good strong battery -- and/or a self-bailing deck. Great advice!!!

 

[BatDaddy1887]

Re: Can I get by WITHOUT trailering a bowrider

I would make sure that the marina or dock owner uses some type of anti-freezing around the dock such as a bubbler to keep ice from damaging your hull.

 

[Lou C]

Re: Can I get by WITHOUT trailering a bowrider

If the boat is self bailing, then you don't need to cover it to keep water out, unless you want to keep the seating from getting faded by the sun. I re-did all the vinyl in my boat about 8 years ago and I keep it covered and it still looks new, if I left it out in the elements I'd be doing it again already.
If you want an outboard powered bowrider, they do make smaller ones now, but a dual console boat (kind of like a salt water fishing/sport boat) is a very good compromise in the salt. Key West makes a nice one.

 

[Philster]

Re: Can I get by WITHOUT trailering a bowrider

The 'bow riders' that are most ubiquitous don't have self-bailing decks, but some boats billed as 'dual consoles' (a vanilla but tougher bow rider) and based on center console fishing platforms, or built by a builder who makes fishing rigs, tend to have self-bailing decks (Grady, Whaler, Wellcraft). Some others do, too.

Generally, the family bow rider will be wet slipped wearing a bow cover and cockpit cover and the appropriate pump and battery setup. Wet slipping an outboard is generally a much better experience than wet slipping an I/O.

.

 

[Silver Eagle]

Re: Can I get by WITHOUT trailering a bowrider

There are places that will store your boat for you out of the water. Then when you want to go out in it you just call them up They will top off your gas tank start it up and your boat will be ready for a day in the water. When your done for the day just tie it up to the dock , They will also store it for you in the winter. No mess no fuss.