Peter Parker
Well-known member
How many of you guys keep your boat in the water full time? If you pull it out rather than keeping it in is it because of slip cost or maintenance? Just wondering.
In or out of the water
- Thread starter Peter Parker
- Start date
Help Support Classic Parker Boat Forum:
greatcir
Well-known member
I keep mine in the water in a covered slip with a boat lift year round. Saved me cost of having to put on bottom paint (still looks new) and I leave my trailer on blocks stored behind the house. I use the boat in the same area out of the marina so no need to trailer.
The covered slip helps stop UV damage, snow, etc. so no need for a boat cover. Only downside to the covered slip is summer spider droppings.
The lift is super. I go to the boat and let it down to water level if I want to work on the boat as it is still in the cradle. Can fire up the engine in this position too to change oil. All the way down and I'm out. When I come back in I put it on the lift and lift it part way up then hose down the topside. Finally lift it all the way up with my motor all the way out of the water & hose down the bottom & go home. I use the boat a lot more now that I can twist the air knob on the lift and launch and go alone in a matter of minutes.
I trailered for years and now am spoiled with no trailer hook up, backing down the ramp & needing a second person to help & my driveway is a bear to back in alone too. .........................Lazy Pete
The covered slip helps stop UV damage, snow, etc. so no need for a boat cover. Only downside to the covered slip is summer spider droppings.
The lift is super. I go to the boat and let it down to water level if I want to work on the boat as it is still in the cradle. Can fire up the engine in this position too to change oil. All the way down and I'm out. When I come back in I put it on the lift and lift it part way up then hose down the topside. Finally lift it all the way up with my motor all the way out of the water & hose down the bottom & go home. I use the boat a lot more now that I can twist the air knob on the lift and launch and go alone in a matter of minutes.
I trailered for years and now am spoiled with no trailer hook up, backing down the ramp & needing a second person to help & my driveway is a bear to back in alone too. .........................Lazy Pete
I like trailering my boat. Because I fish Cape Cod it's nice to launch on the bayside one day and ocean side the next. Which saves $ driving rather than motoring. It also makes for easier repairs and cleaning tuna blood of the decks when needed.
When I bought my 2520 it did not have any bottom paint on it and came with a trailer.
I had trailered my previous boat with my Jeep Cherokee, but there was no way the Cherokee would tow old Porky, so I had a dilemma... wet slip, or buy a tow vehicle in addition to buying the boat.
Buying a tow vehicle in addition to the boat just wasn't possible for me, and my neighborhood does not allow boats to be parked in the yard. So even if I did decide to tow, I would still need to find a place to store the boat.
Lucky for me there was a marina close to my home that had an opening, so I secured a slip, prepped the boat with bottom paint, and sold the trailer. Turns out that the decision was the right one for me.
My slip is all of 1 mile from my home and on a creek that is only 10 minutes to the open Bay from the time I slip my lines at the dock. I have some of the best fishing this part of the Bay offers and only have to travel 5 miles north or south to get there.
Keeping the boat clean while in the water can be done with a little thought and preparation, so that isn't a big deal for me, and I'm a little particular about how I keep my boat.
One of the biggest advantages I've found to being wet slipped is how little time it takes to actually get on the water from the time I leave home. That fact alone means that I get to use the boat more than I ever did when I was trailering.
In my case, finding the right slip close to home made all the difference.
I had trailered my previous boat with my Jeep Cherokee, but there was no way the Cherokee would tow old Porky, so I had a dilemma... wet slip, or buy a tow vehicle in addition to buying the boat.
Buying a tow vehicle in addition to the boat just wasn't possible for me, and my neighborhood does not allow boats to be parked in the yard. So even if I did decide to tow, I would still need to find a place to store the boat.
Lucky for me there was a marina close to my home that had an opening, so I secured a slip, prepped the boat with bottom paint, and sold the trailer. Turns out that the decision was the right one for me.
My slip is all of 1 mile from my home and on a creek that is only 10 minutes to the open Bay from the time I slip my lines at the dock. I have some of the best fishing this part of the Bay offers and only have to travel 5 miles north or south to get there.
Keeping the boat clean while in the water can be done with a little thought and preparation, so that isn't a big deal for me, and I'm a little particular about how I keep my boat.
One of the biggest advantages I've found to being wet slipped is how little time it takes to actually get on the water from the time I leave home. That fact alone means that I get to use the boat more than I ever did when I was trailering.
In my case, finding the right slip close to home made all the difference.
B-Faithful
Well-known member
I wet slip and trailer depending upon my mood. Sometimes it is nice to just go turn the key and untie without all the hooking up taking to the ramp etc,. Other times it is nice to trailer the boat to where the fish are or be able to wash the boat in driveway. I will say that it is easier to keep the boat clean in the water. When I trailer I get a lot of tree crap in the boat.
I trailered all spring but may be wet slipping the boat through out the summer as most our trips are family trips locally.
I trailered all spring but may be wet slipping the boat through out the summer as most our trips are family trips locally.
Peter Parker
Well-known member
I decided to slip my boat mainly because the boat ramps where I fish most of the time are so crowded I end up losing a lot of time in the water. Plus with the crowds I get very anxious.
The slip I'm in costs 270.00 a month. I think that's a good deal. They only charge me for the documented length, which is 28'. Some of the others charge tip to tip. Bathrooms, showers all the standard stuff.
The slip I'm in costs 270.00 a month. I think that's a good deal. They only charge me for the documented length, which is 28'. Some of the others charge tip to tip. Bathrooms, showers all the standard stuff.
Dan Duda
Well-known member
I keep my 2520 on a trailer at the marina where I rent a "dry slip". Being on the Gulf coast over the past many years, I value quick mobility incase of hurricanes. The marina rules here are that all boats have to be removed from the site if a big storm is imminent ("Opal", in '95 inundated the whole area ). The dry slip is just 100 yds from the marina ramp, so trailing is minimum; I also can avoid the bottom paint requirement using this set up and routine engine maintenance on the 2 Yammie 150s is a super easy, "stand-up" exercise. If I intend to use the boat for an extended number of days, I simply rent a marina "courtesy slip"; bottom growth is a never a problem if I leave it in only a week.
...hope this gives another perspective
...hope this gives another perspective
Dave
Active member
Peter,
Where in San Diego did you end up? Currently we are running out of Oceanside but the wait for a slip there is many years. It's only a 15 minute longer drive to SD and there is better fishing so we are thinking of slipping there.
Where in San Diego did you end up? Currently we are running out of Oceanside but the wait for a slip there is many years. It's only a 15 minute longer drive to SD and there is better fishing so we are thinking of slipping there.
Peter Parker
Well-known member
I'm at Sea World marina. I launched out of Oceanside a lot before I got the slip. The bait barge isn't open very often. Thats the biggest problem.
Dan, I like the dry slip idea but there arn't very many here. The waiting list is longer than a wet slip. Sounds like the safe way for you to go though.
Dan, I like the dry slip idea but there arn't very many here. The waiting list is longer than a wet slip. Sounds like the safe way for you to go though.
