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Boat lift vs. bottom paint
JoeStang
Member Posts: 1,121 ✭✭✭✭
So I'm at a cross-roads (or more appropriately a fork in the river I guess).
I've got a 2013 28' cuddy that has never had bottom paint. I get in the water about once a month and scrub the bottom, and then have to power wash/acid wash the bottom in the fall. Its not THAT bad, but it gets tiresome about this time of the season. I know eventually I'll probably get some blisters doing it this way, so I'd rather prevent that.
I have fought bottom paint because its still technically trailer-able, and I just don't like how it looks. I HOPE to be able to buy a lakefront house in the next 3-5 years, but as we all know how the best laid plans sometimes work.
I keep it at a marina with floating docks, so I could probably get some sort of non-view obstructing lift for it. I plan on keeping it there until when/if I get lakefront property. I have no desire to trailer it.
Cost is obviously a concern, and I'm guessing a professional sandblast/barrier/paint job will be $2500-$4k. Lift costs seem to be all over the place, from $3k used all the way to to $10k+.
I just wonder if there's anyone on here that's had to make this same decision, and what route they went.
I've got a 2013 28' cuddy that has never had bottom paint. I get in the water about once a month and scrub the bottom, and then have to power wash/acid wash the bottom in the fall. Its not THAT bad, but it gets tiresome about this time of the season. I know eventually I'll probably get some blisters doing it this way, so I'd rather prevent that.
I have fought bottom paint because its still technically trailer-able, and I just don't like how it looks. I HOPE to be able to buy a lakefront house in the next 3-5 years, but as we all know how the best laid plans sometimes work.
I keep it at a marina with floating docks, so I could probably get some sort of non-view obstructing lift for it. I plan on keeping it there until when/if I get lakefront property. I have no desire to trailer it.
Cost is obviously a concern, and I'm guessing a professional sandblast/barrier/paint job will be $2500-$4k. Lift costs seem to be all over the place, from $3k used all the way to to $10k+.
I just wonder if there's anyone on here that's had to make this same decision, and what route they went.
2013 276 Cuddy ~ 350 MAG / B3
Comments
My bottom literally looks like the day I put the paint system on - it's brand new. I don't expect to have to ever redo my bottom, as long as it's maintained each year, which is a minimal cost.
Joe, the only the about a lift, is you can get your drive out of the water as well. This helps corrosion (although I have read the bellows can get dried out when out of water, but I have no experience with this). Also if you ever need to do some work on the stern, you have access to the boat.
I'm not sure if you get a lift at your marina you will be able to transfer it to your waterfront home (dimensions, accessibility).
If your going to eventually get rid of the boat, maybe just keep doing what you're doing for the next 2 or 3 years. If you're going to take your boat to your new waterfront home, then I would probably bottom paint it and skip the lift.
Boat Name: King Kong
"Boat + Water = Fun"
It limits the type of lift I can buy right now, but I guess I can always sell the lift later and get something that works better at the house.
I need to speak with the marina, but its MAYBE possible that I could leave the lift in the water through the winter, as the marina is bubbled to prevent any theft issues in the winter.
Boat Name: King Kong
"Boat + Water = Fun"
Dream 'Inn III -- 2008 400 Express