Slipping without bottom paint

[Lt.Mike]

I'm on the Jersey Shore and though the Manasquan is closer I trailer and dump my boat all up and down the state, but not so much lately.
It used to be easy for me to handle the ramp chores by myself but I must admit I'm feeling it these days. There is a marina near me high up the river and its a little muddy there which leaves stains on the clean hull , the chanel can be too shallow for passage on a moon low tide and the ramp is a little shallower too but its still $20 a day.
Heres the thing that interests me, the ramp manager told me awhile back that they run a 3 day special for $40 and you tie up your boat at the dock for the duration.
Doesn't seem like a bad deal. I can launch and get a few trips out on that one launch. A 3 day boat binge!
I have always trailered my boats which is why the hull of an '87 remains unpainted.
The big question is how long is it safe for an unpainted hull sit in a slip before marine growth becomes a problem?
How many days can I get away with?

 

[leeccoll]

I used to keep a boat in a saltwater slip without bottom paint. After months of non use, barnacles and growth took hold, but for a few days to a week, I can't imagine anything will happen.

You would likely be using it daily, which would also remove anything on your clean hull.

Curious what others will say about this too.

 

[Lt.Mike]

I used to keep a boat in a saltwater slip without bottom paint. After months of non use, barnacles and growth took hold, but for a few days to a week, I can't imagine anything will happen.

You would likely be using it daily, which would also remove anything on your clean hull.

Curious what others will say about this too.

Oh If I do this I intend to use the hell out of it !
Thanks! And yes if others want to chime in it'll be appreciated.

 

[magicalbill]

Not apples-to-apples, but here goes.

I slipped for a little over a month in Northern Michigan last summer. When I climbed down into the water from the swim ladder to check the hull, I found that a "film" would start to form after 4 days. I could feel it on my fingertips and was easy to remove with a sponge.

I have a ceramic coating on my hull to help repel the growth, but even so, after the 4 days, the green slime was grabbing hold, and that was in clean freshwater.

In your situation, "high upriver" means brackish water? All salt? Totally fresh?

I'll bet after 3 days, it'll start going downhill sitting still, but I'm with leecoil; if you use it daily you may get 5 days to a week max.

 

[SkunkBoat]

Nothing bad is going to grow that won't come off when you wash it on the trailer in a few days.
Are you at Manasquan River Club Marina? Never had problems there with depth as long as you hug the poles to get to their marked channel.
Never had bad barnacle problems there either. Yes brown brackish water.

 

[Cregan13]

I would have no fear about leaving it in for three days. Down here in NC, some of the local dry stack marinas shut down for 10 days at Christmas, and members (including me when my old 273 Chase was in a stack) have their boats left in the entire time so they can use them over the holidays. I know several guys who have taken their un-bottom painted boats on week-long summer trips with no ill effects. Bottom line, after three days you shouldn't have anything on there that you can't spray off at the do-it-yourself carwash.

 

[Lt.Mike]

Nothing bad is going to grow that won't come off when you wash it on the trailer in a few days.
Are you at Manasquan River Club Marina? Never had problems there with depth as long as you hug the poles to get to their marked channel.
Never had bad barnacle problems there either. Yes brown brackish water.

I usually launch out of the manasquan river club because they have deep water there. Brian is a decent guy but it’s expensive there. The ramp fee is $22 while lighting Jacks further upriver is $20. That’s nothing but MRC has a gate you need a card for and you can’t get through until someone comes in so you can miss the daybreak bite. The season ramp pass is $400+ and even then you don’t get a card because he said people were sharing it so no cards are given out without a slip. I’d have to use his marina more than 20 times to just a ramp pass, not happening. The money docks here.
Lightening Jacks ) formally Eagle Point, before that Cove Haven when Howard owned it) Is still salt, has a narrow channel which can be impassable at dead low tide, 2’ or less. This is where the average guy boats out of. I talked to the manager Elizabeth yesterday. She is a very down to earth nice person who isn’t afraid to get her hands dirty. Not just a pretty face she can and does do anything anyone else does at the marina. When I got there she was motoring up to the dock in an old tender having just removed debris from under a dock.
Elizabeth confirmed they are still running the 3 day special, launch early day one retrieve late day three, and it’s now $50.
I didn’t ask Brian but I’d suspect a three day two overnight at MRC would probably exceed $100 more likely be around $200.
While I was at LJ a fellow returned his 23’ Parker onto a bunk trailer like mine. He was my age a little heavier yet he loaded by himself quite efficiently going over the rail to the trailer with some grace. I was impressed. He also used a “stirrup” which was a loop of rope hanging from the front cleat to step into. Don’t know how that idea escaped me ?
I used to launch out of this marina with my tin boat and my Bayliner.
Maybe I’ll have to try it again with the Grady to see how it goes.
For cleanup afterward I hose it off in my backyard and have a gas power washer if needed. Then it get tucked away.

 

[Lt.Mike]

I’ll add to this I will let this serve as a test case. I will take photographs the hill and bronze through hull pickup before and after when I do the three day dockage.

 

[SmokyMtnGrady]

just wrapped up 2 weeks in the Keys. kept the boat in the water the entire time. I had one kraken egg , two mermaid tails and a homeless guy named Rico all hiding out in the bottom.
actually, we had no issues. I put on a new trim tab annode and it was pitted some. I tillted the motor every day after running in the brine daily.

you should be fine.

 

[SkunkBoat]

The money docks here.

No, the money docks at Hoffman's.

I docked my 20fter at MRC for a few seasons...the usual pattern of..it starts off cheap, next year goes up, by fourth year they chase me out with ridiculous increase
They changed hands while I was there. MRC does give you a pool and bathhouse...I think I used it twice....A lot of people use their boat as a "camper", they have a patio & grill...its worth their price if you are using it for weekends and vacations...compare it to renting a house at the beach.....Its the best ramp in the river though...
I was at Brielle Marine Basin..real cheap until Hoffman's bought it and doubled the fee, changed the dock and built a pool...chased me out...
I tend to find the "oh we have this slip cheap but there is a crazy current".
I was at Garden State cheap dock but they chased me out after a few years and put in lifts.
Then I got the cheap slip at Will's Hole. Moved up to the 265 and dockage doubled of course but it is still the most reasonable slip fee in the river.
But this year they are full so I'm sure prices are going up....

 

[Fishtales]

2 weeks up here.

 

[Lt.Mike]

No, the money docks at Hoffman's.

I docked my 20fter at MRC for a few seasons...the usual pattern of..it starts off cheap, next year goes up, by fourth year they chase me out with ridiculous increase
They changed hands while I was there. MRC does give you a pool and bathhouse...I think I used it twice....A lot of people use their boat as a "camper", they have a patio & grill...its worth their price if you are using it for weekends and vacations...compare it to renting a house at the beach.....Its the best ramp in the river though...
I was at Brielle Marine Basin..real cheap until Hoffman's bought it and doubled the fee, changed the dock and built a pool...chased me out...
I tend to find the "oh we have this slip cheap but there is a crazy current".
I was at Garden State cheap dock but they chased me out after a few years and put in lifts.
Then I got the cheap slip at Will's Hole. Moved up to the 265 and dockage doubled of course but it is still the most reasonable slip fee in the river.
But this year they are full so I'm sure prices are going up....

Hoffman’s is for the rich guy that has a truly disposable income.
Horrible currant there though.
The draw is there’s no bridge for the tuna tower boats to worry about between them and the ocean.
MRC does have the best ramp, No currant, good parking and plenty of water at Low tide.
Can’t get out before dawn in the fall is bad. I launch in Shark river Belmar boat basin but that ramp has a 50’ gap between the floating dock and the ramp. If your by yourself you have to climb over the rail down to the trailer. Better have extra tokens for when the gate machine eats your last one and leaves you trapped on the wet side.
That’ll make you popular with the long line of guys waiting that you can never move fast enough for.
The absolute best ramp I’ve ever used was at Curtins marina on the Delaware River in Burlington NJ.
The ramp is solid, no side currant and the finger dock wraps around and goes all the way up the ramp. That’s a huge plus when your by yourself or with people that don’t know how to help ( by yourself )
Their only flaw is the bathroom is locked unless you have a season ramp pass.

 

[Flot]

3 days is just right where you don't have to worry about it at all. Go for it!

 

[Lt.Mike]

Thanks, now I wish my motivation to get out would coincide with decent weather. Going to be near 100 degrees for the next couple days