Wet slip tips

Chrisvr6

About to get a slip for the first time here in chicago. Can not wait. I'll be a nervous wreck I'm assuming? My boat bottom is in pristine condition but I'm willing to give that up.

LaRea

You'll love it. So much less work than trailering. Some things to consider if you haven't already signed up for a particular slip:

* Floating piers are much, much easier to use than fixed piers.

* Covered slips are more expensive, but they protect the boat better (and make it easier to hang out at the dock in hot or rainy weather).

* If the marina has a lot of tide variations, and you need to tie dock lines to any fixed pilings, consider using TideMinders:

http://www.westmarine.com/buy/dr-shrink--tideminders-self-adjusting-chafe-protection--8420671

* You'll  need to start replacing your anodes every spring.

Good luck!

Stodge

We went from trailering to a marina 7 years ago.  Part of the fun is making the slip "yours".  Getting lines pre-tied on the dock so you can easily tie up when you come in without using the mooring lines on the boat.  Having a fender or cushion in the spot where the boat touches or rubs the dock.  Some old fire hose on the pilings  where you are likely to bump.  Maybe a sign with the name of your boat.  Our marina provides dock boxes, and even though we rent we're allowed to put the boat name on them provided it's something removable.  

We are fortunate to have good dock neighbors too.  We have each other cell numbers and call if we see something amiss with a neighbor's boat.  Gone aboard to turn stuff off or re-secure a canvas snap a time or two. 

Good luck with your boat's new "home".

bluto

 " My boat bottom is in pristine condition but I'm willing to give that up. " 

 I wouldn't slip my boat without bottom paint, although a few people in my

marina do. Those with no bottom paint will pull their boat every few weeks to clean the bottom.

BTW.  there are no tides in the Great Lakes.

bluto

 I almost forgot..... HAVE FUN

You'll never trailer again.

jhofmann

Having a trailerable boat and keeping it in the water is the best of both worlds. When needed you can trailer it to another body of water, or trailer it to bring it home to clean or repair, not to mention preventing storm damage. No wait or fees for haul out!

Handymans342

My only issue is when the redneck next to me decides to power wash his boat and dirt flies all over mine. I actually caught him doing this and he rinsed it off although it was covered thank god. 

Babyboomer

I know a guy in my Marina that had a white bottom paint been about 4 years and still looks good Interlux Shark White

Cableguy Greg

Once you are in a wet slip, you won't look back at trailering. The worst thing is cleaning the bottom at the end of the season. Bottom paint helps with that.

The convenience of being able to use the boat whenever you want is worth it's weight in gold. I know that if I trailered my boat, I would probably use it 3-4 times a season. Since it is in a wet slip, I put 75-100 hours on her a season.

Chrisvr6

Thanks guys. Looking into setting up a wifi camera or maybe a bilge monitor or something. Makes me so nervous not being able to know whats going on with it. Anybody use anything for monitoring their boat? 

Cableguy Greg

The place where I dock at has security cameras, so I am not too concerned. They had a break in last summer and found the kids within 48 hours. It helped that one of the dockers is a county detective.

Chrisvr6

Looking at adding another bilge pump also. 

Lifes Good

Bottom paint is not enough to protect the gel coat from blistering in freshwater. I would consider doing a barrier coat then boat paint.

You'll never trailer again!

Chrisvr6

So bottom paint and then a barrier coat on top of that? Recommend any brands Lifes Good? 

Cableguy Greg

The barrier coat is first.

Chrisvr6

Wish i had a crane now. Lol

Cableguy Greg

Crane would be nice, but you can do it on your trailer. Block the tires and raise the tongue as high as possible, then crib towards the front of the boat, then lower the tongue. Boat is off the front of the trailer and bunks. For the back, lower the tongue all the way, crib the back, then raise the tongue. The boat will be off the bunks in the rear.

Chrisvr6

Great tip cableguy greg! 

MarkB

Barrier first, then anti fouling paint.

MarkB

And make sure you prep your bottom properly before you apply barrier, or it will all just peel off.

Chrisvr6

The prep is what I'm wondering how you do with it on a trailer. Even if you get blocks under it, not sure you'd have room to get a grinder in there.

rasbury

I have no idea how to prep the bottom but I'm pretty sure a grinder is not the way to go! Perhaps a palm sander is what's needed to ruff it up a little but I'm guessing that cleaning with a particular cleaner is all you need but I'm sure others will chime in. I wish I could afford to slip mine as I'm sure we also would use it more. The ramp is right where I store it and once I get it all buffed out, finish my repairs I'm sure we will get to use it a bunch more...plus it's Florida so we boat all year and like to travel around. I would either have to slip on the St. Johns River and if I was stuck with just that life would get boring- I would not want to slip is salt water which is not real far but the expense would  be to much for me anyway....good luck and hope it all works out!

Chrisvr6

I meant a grinder tool with sanding disc on it of course.

MarkB

My gelcoat was cleaned to remove the mould release wax, then it was sandblasted, and cleaned again to remove any residual and wax. The gelcoat WAS NOT completely removed, just roughened up. I have heard many people saying to remove the gelcoat, but Interlux themselves told us not to remove the gelcoat. I don't think Rinker likes that idea as well.

Anyhow, I have had my undercoat for 3 seasons now, and we've barely had to touch it up, and only where we scraped it a little with the straps from the crane slings during haul out.

We applied 4 coats of barrier paint (Interlux) and then 2 coats of Micron CSC. Cost me a bit of money, but I can tell you first hand if done correctly it works (boat is always clean and stays permanently slipped during summer, and it lasts - no real maintenance to do after many years.

Lifes Good

Bravo Mark!

cvmamarty

Slip  is the way to go I have my boats bottom cleaned by a diver that cleans the bottom of the boat while its in the slip. After watching the mess on the ramp and waiting up to an hour and half to get on the trailer slip is the way to go park it and forget about it. My marina has cameras set up that you can view them from your computer 24/7

seguir

What about VC17 on power boat?

frenchship

Highly recommended. I am very pleased with the result I used that on my sailboat and cruiser 

MarkB

VC17 is good, but it was made for sail boats. Some concern over it wearing out faster on power boats due to higher speed, but I know lots of guys that have used vc17 on their power boat.

Chrisvr6

So, the harbor i applied for here in chicago has this new floating pool on a barge. Really neat. The whole reason i proposed this slip idea to the wife. Now i find out its open to the public! $3k for a slip here and the pool is public?!

Cableguy Greg

It may be open to the public, but they are probably going to charge a premium for the public to use it. I wouldn't be too concerned about that. Do you get free access to the pool with you slip fee?