Keeping the boat in the water for a month

[SmokyMtnGrady]

Hi Guys:
I am contemplating renting a slip for a month on Fontana Lake here in the SMoky Mountains. My boat is currently on trailer and kept under cover. She is not painted with any anti-fouling paint. I will be taking her to the Keys for 2 weeks in June and then returning home here at the end of June. My kids go back to school the first part of August. It is about a 40 minute tow to the nearest ramp to this fantastic lake, but it also is in the mountains. Towing the boat to the ramp consumes about 4-5 gallons of fuel per trip.

I do not have the costs on the slip fees yet, but the question to you guys here is do I need to paint her bottom to keep the freshwater growth from harming the hull? Or can I jump in the lake and simply scrub the bottom once a a week and we are good? There is some charm for me to be able to just go to the lake after work or cut out a little early and spend some time there, simply at the slip and clean her up or take the kids for a ride and swim or tow some toys.

I have never kept a boat in the water for more than 2 weeks. Any upsides to having it in a slip? down sides? Our boating season is ok but shortened by school schedules. Thanks for your input.

 

[JiminGA]

You should be ok - that water at Fontana is COLD!. You may have that "tea-colored" stain on the hull that will likely need some MaryKate On/Off to remove completely, followed by waxing the hull. Be careful in the Keys staying on the water for too long though.

 

[SmokyMtnGrady]

Actually, Fontana in July is awesome water! Surface temp according to my temp gauge is around 83 most summers down to about 10-15 feet. The cold water coming out of the creeks in the park sinks to the bottom which is often 150 feet or deeper. The only real draw back to Fontana is you have to watch out for floating debris mainly logs, but by the middle of the summer those are few and far in between, but ihe n the spring it is an issue. We had over 12 inches rain last week and I was down by the lake yesterday and the flotsam/jetsam log debris pile was huge on the Little TN River.

I just do not want to paint her if I can get away with it.

 

[Parthery]

Sent you a PM.

 

[BCLII]

I have a 2009 GW 205 and my boat sits in a wet slip from 5/15 to 9/15. I do pull it out every 3-4 weeks to refuel and clean the hull and topside. I do have a full custom made cover I use when i'm not at the lake, i'm retired so i'm there about 11 of those wks, to keep it some what sheltered. I have tought about the botton paint but cleaning gives me something to do. I don't see a problem with them sitting in the water, they are boats! like above stated, some elbow grease required to clean. Good luck and enjoy the walk to the slip and get in and go!

 

[Grady_Crazy]

Back in the early 90's I had a Welcraft V-20, good boat. I lived on Lake Murray SC and I heard that Desitin daiper rash creme would protect the boat bottom and would not be permanent like paint. On this lake you get a lot of algae growth and dirt on the bottom. I thought why not, this stuff is for baby's bottoms and has Zinc Oxide so it was good enough for my baby. I bought several tubes of the stuff and crawled under the boat and rubbed this stuff all over the bottom.

I will say that it made a mess on the trailer but it worked until it wore off. Also when you jumped in the lake you always got some bottom ointment on you. Think about it.

 

[Bob's Cay]

Keeping them in the water is great. Don't be surprised if you end up using your boat much more and considering making it a more permanent situation. I keep mine in the water year round. Mine is painted now but I keep her in the water for a couple of summers unpainted. A couple of things I found -

Just as you said I would jump in the lake every week or two and clean the slime off. If you keep up with it, it is easy and quick to do. i used either a soft brush or a fine or medium scotch brite type pad.

If you can get a slip in the shade. Either covered or next to covered. Not only is it better for the topsides it always seemed that the algae grew slower in the shade.

Check to see if the marina has a wash rack for dry stored boats you can use for an occasional pressure wash. If not try and keep you trailer close by for occasional trips to the high pressure car wash.

The only problem I ever had was an experience with some electrolysis around docks. Something about steel framework, electrical current, aluminum pontoon boat, etc that would go through zincs quickly. I ended up with some blisters that I had repaired in the hull that a couple of sources told me the electrolysis caused.

There is nothing in the world better than jumping in the boat at a moments notice and taking out for a quick spin. Enjoy.

Bob

 

[SmokyMtnGrady]

Thanks a bunch Guys!!!! They do offered covered and uncovered. I really want a covered slip if we end up doing this. I have kept her under cover at our house since day 1 of ownership. other than boating and travel days to Florida et al, she has always been kept under cover. That Desitan thing at first sounded odd, but the zinc is an antifungal agent and it is used in shingles too, zinc, not desitan (lol) to keep algae and fungus from growing on roof tops.

My real concern is about not painting the bottom which has been answered and I will admit the anodes where not on my radar as in freshwater it often does not have the same magnitude of electrolysis going on as in saltwater. Good tips/points.

 

[Bob's Cay]

Smokey,

On the subject of anodes, you may want to look into the ones for fresh water. I believe they are made of magnesium raqther than zinc. I have used both on my boat and will say the magnesium ones seem to work better in fresh.

Bob

 

[Doc Stressor]

The best anodes for both fresh and saltwater are the aluminum alloy ones that came on your boat from Yamaha.

Magnesium anodes will be ruined by even a week in saltwater.