boathouses?
 

I am thinking about ditching the boat lift and floating my boat w a u-shaped dock and boathouse. We are having all types of water depth issues so this solution might be better in the long run. I clearly would need to have the bottom of the boat professionally cleaned each fall but other than what negatives are there?

Is there one brand that is better/best? Probably looking at a 30'er for the G21.

Thanks!

Should also state that it would be a boathouse that has to be taken in/out each season due to ice.

Thanks.

Despite what appears to make sense, boats are not really designed to be left in the water, not without some prep. Boats that are left in the water usually have two extra layers of "stuff" applied to the hull up to the water line. Typically we will see a barrier coat applied first, to seal the fiberglass from the water to prevent osmotic blistering. Then on top of that a coating of bottom paint is applied. Bottom paint is specifically formulated to be used on boats left in the water and there are two different types. The fist type, often called a hard bottom paint is designed to prevent marine growth from attaching to the hull by means of some type of biocide, (copper is a common biocide that has historically been added to bottom paints). The other type of bottom paint is called ablative paint. Ablative means the paint slowly wears away with use, and any marine growth that does attach slides off with a tiny amount of paint during use of the boat. Bottom paints will have a max life of around five years, and some are to be applied annually.

If you are going to wet slip for the season look into getting a bottom job. Your boat will thank you.


Phil
Kicker

Hope you have a nice level lot to winch it up on. In any event, you could probably hang the boat in such a boathouse, either from the lift rings or with slings underneath. Depending on boathouse design and weight of boat it could get pricey or complex, but no extra depth needed.

Or just let it float but good heavy coat of wax on the bottom to start and pull it out maybe once a month for a thorough drying and cleaning. Better to stay ahead of it than have a nasty mess to clean at the end of the season. Trailering once a month beats trailering every weekend.

I left my boat on lake Travis here in Austin for 5 weeks and it pretty much ruined the bottom. Never go without bottom paint.

Define ruined the bottom? Just scum line and staining or blisters and other damage? It sucks, but compound and polish the bottom just like you do the rest of the boat. Then wax it and it'll be easier to wash and maintain. I keep mine in the water for 3-4 weeks each summer and there is no damage. Minor scum line and such that washes off without too much trouble. I wipe it down a around the waterline and just below while it's in the water to keep the staining at bay. That is in a fairly clear lake though, so a more muddy lake may be different. A few hours at a time in the local river is more work to keep the bottom clean than weeks in the lake. I wouldn't bottom paint unless you're leaving it in salt all season, in addition to being unappealing it will kill the value if you care about resale.

It was permanently stained. Couldn't get it out. Probably depends on what grows in your lake.

Salt has nothing to do with it. You can ruin a hull in fresh water if you don't prep for wet-slipping. Osmotic blisters are expensive to fix. Those come from water, not salt.

The best solution is to use slings or lifting eyes to get the boat out of the water. The bottom of your hull will thank you.

Like some I leave my xstar in the water from May to October. Going on 8 seasons now and no blisters or osmosis.

I give a good coat of wax to the hull every spring and wipe down the boat every two weeks with a rag underwater preventing algee acum line to build up.

In Discovery Bay, CA all the boat lifts are floating HydroHoist type lifts due to the constant tidal changes...surprised they are not more common in other parts of the country.