docking in salt water?

[flyslinger]

after giving it some thought, it may be more cost effective to keep my boat in the water than spend the money on a truck to pull it. i've always been told to flush an outboard after use in the salt, is this done if your docked in the salt? if so how?
my other alternative is to dock up river a ways (ct river) the motor will get flushed on the way back in. the downside it will take about a 1/2 hr or so to get to long island sound.



thanks



dan

[Bob Parsons]

Don't boats kept in the water need the bottom painted with antifouling paint? Will you end up leaving the boat in water fresh enough to avoid this?

[AlderBrookFarm]

I would think a hose on the dock attached to a pair of ear muffs. That's how ours get rinsed when we get home after a day in the salt. Bob is right..you will need to paint the bottom of the boat if it's living in salt water.

[flyslinger]

i was under the impression if the boat was staying in the water,it needed bottom paint. if that only applies to salt, i may be even better off than i thought keeping it up river. i'll ask the guy at the marina.
i know him, but apparently that doesn't help the price any!



thanks,


dan

[Little Luke]

Flyslinger,

Keep your boat in the water...it makes it so much easier to get out and not deal with trailering.

And NO you don't need to rinse or run fresh water through everytime you take it out.

Enjoy...don't pay too much attention to all the anal responses and go FISH!!!!

You're dead a LONG TIME!!

[flyslinger]

it's been decided, for convenience sake if nothing else. the marina i have decided on is about 5 min. from where i work.
the wife & kids can meet me there after work & we're off.
i think the fact that it's freshwater is certainly a plus & will be painting the bottom on the recommendation of a few people.
(including the dealer) now all the boat needs is a name.



thanks for the input



dan:cool:

[AlderBrookFarm]

Name it "Quality Time" after all, that's what you'll be doing in it..spending quality time with family and fishing. Be careful though...the girls will probably out fish you. :D

[Ron]

I thought I would never have a boat on a mooring or at a dock until last year I always brought my boat home, washed it in soap and water, flushed the motor, covered it, and stored it in a barn. Looking back I realize that I spent more time polishing my boat than using it. I bought a house on a saltwater river, installed a 400 lb mushroom anchor for a mooring, and obtained permits to build a dock. My boat was "in the water" from May-Nov last year and I used it 4 times the amount I ever used it before. Does the saltwater take it's toll on boats? Yes, but life is short and time on the water is important. I would highly recommend a mooring or dock for anyone that has this as an option. I still pull my boat once in a while to clean it or do work but it normally is available, in the water, 200 ft from my back door, whenever I want to jump aboard.

Flushing a motor with the boat in the water is a pain in the a--. And yes, bottom paint is required if your boat is in the water more than 1 week.


Good luck.
Ron