www.iFourWinns.com

I have always left our boat in a covered slip. This coming season, we will be in an uncovered slip. I had a couple questions. How do you leave your boat while away? Do you leave the bimini up? or do you put the morring cover on it? Also, do you leave your AC running? I never did in the past but that was because I had to pay the electric. Next year, electric is included.

I know I am going to need to wax the boat at least on a monthly basis since it will be fully exposed to the elements. Last year I did it to start the season and then again about half way through the season.

Anything else I am missing about storing our boat in an uncovered slip?

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"Where Da Go"
2002 248 Vista
Lafayette, IN
http://blueoceanlife.worldventures.biz

While we only slip for weekends or long weekend.. everyone at our marina leaves the camper canvas up, the ones that have air leave them on (we dont) and alot of people cover the dash with a towel. Not exacly sure on that, but maybe for fading issues?

Uh oh yeah, dont forget to turn the water off......

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Jeff

'14 Cruisers 380 Express "Simon Sez"
Merc 8.2 Mag MPI 380
DTS B3X, (x2) Axius Premier


(SOLD)
'08 V318
Merc 350 Mag MPI 300
DTS Seacore, B3 (x2)

We normally use our mooring cover. There is a lot of construction near our marina so the dust/dirt is very high. I also think that if bad weather comes through, I would rather fix the mooring cover that have to fix the bimini and repair the camper canvas.

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Jnizi

2007 Vista 338 "Better Yet"
Previously:
2007 Vista 258 " Just Right"
2005 Horizon 230

The dash gets covered not only for "fading" but the real issue is that the compass can explode/crack if it gets too hot from he sun. A ball cap works well to protect it.

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Jvalich
http://www.badcock.com

'04 FW 288 Vista "Mental Floss"

Use a cockpit/mooring cover at the very least... Camper canvas otherwise.

Don't want your seats to get UV destroyed or when birds fly overhead and leave you little treats when you come back to your boat.

definitely cover your dash and/or compass.

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2008 318 Vista -SOLD, but I am still around!
All Night Long, Seattle WA

We keep our camper canvas up all the time. Its nice when we get there on Fri night. We can just walk in. We have a cover made for our dash that we put on when we are not there. As for the AC we leave it on around 80 during the week. We wax our boat twice before we put her in. Then I will touch it up mid way though the season once.

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348 Vista ( Last Call )
Raystown PA

We leave the camper canvas up most often. When the weather is good for a week or more (forecasted) , we only use the cockpit cover. If you use the cockpit cover, no need to cover anything , it's already covered. In your new marina, and with the color of your dash, you will never need to cover the dash or compass. It just does not get hot enough in the midwest to worry about compass implosion. Most of the people in our marina do not leave the A/C on when they are gone. Waxing the boat once while the boat is in the water, should be sufficient.

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One of 4 Previous (Sold) Boats:
2000 Four Winns 268 Vista

Current Boat: 2004 Chaparral 235 ssi cuddy

Always took our camper canvas down and used the cockpit cover. Kept the sun off the interior of the boat but also kept the isling (sp) glass looking essentially brand new when we sold it. Our AC had a "humidity" setting. We would leave that on all week. AC comes on every 4 hours for 10 minutes just to take all the humidity out of the air. Check into it...worked great. Never had one issue with mold or mildew.

Wet Dogg has a great point... Cockpit cover might be the way to go...

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2008 318 Vista -SOLD, but I am still around!
All Night Long, Seattle WA

I leave my camper canvas up. If I am going away for a few weeks, then I put the mooring cover on. Turn off the water and I leave my ac off. If the strainer gets plugged or worse yet, a line comes off, you could have a problem. It is also a waste of electricity. Even if you do not pay a monthly fee for the electric, you are still going to pay somehow.

Points well taken. I was plannign on leaving my camper top up, which is probably what I will do. Like someone said, it's nice to show up and have the boat ready to walk on to. Bird droppings can't be half as bad as spider pooh which we had a TON of in our covered slip. That stuff would stain the gelcoat, isenglass, canvas. I probably will keep the dash covered to prevent fading. I don't think temperature affects UV light which fades things, so the more UV light I can keep off of my colored surfaces, the better. I have found the best stuff in the world at protecting the isenglass from UV damage and it makes it crystal clear. DON"T USE PLEDGE!!!!!!!!! Over time, it will ruin your isenglass. 305 UV protectant is great for seats and isenglass.

My AC unit does have a humidity control which I could use. Although we have never had a huge humidity problem. That may change when the boat is exposed to rain/wind.

I apprecaite everyone's advice.

52 days till launch. 38 days till she comes out of storage for preseason prep.

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"Where Da Go"
2002 248 Vista
Lafayette, IN
http://blueoceanlife.worldventures.biz

Hey Woggy - what did you use to help clean up the Spider poo?

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2008 318 Vista -SOLD, but I am still around!
All Night Long, Seattle WA

Elbow grease and a lot of it. It actually took a gelcoat compounding agent, similar to what you use to remove oxidation, and then repolishing and rewaxing the spots. That is so nasty crap, pun intended

51 days till launch, 37 days till she comes out of storage for spring comissioning

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"Where Da Go"
2002 248 Vista
Lafayette, IN
http://blueoceanlife.worldventures.biz

I use the mooring cover 90% of the time in the summer to protect the interior and don't want to beat up the camper canvas. In the winter I have been keeping the camper up. Ours came with the dash cover to protect the instruments. If I was leaving mine all week I would use the mooring cover. It doesn't take long to throw the other canvas up when you get to your spot.

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2008 318 Vista "Ka-wai-ola"
350 MPI/BravoIII DTS Seacore
2006 1500 Key West -70 Yamaha
Previous Boats
Key West 2300CC
Pacemaker 270 Sport Fish
290 Sea Ray