Leaving Boat at Dock

aguyindallas · **Posted:** Wed Jul 27, 2011 8:48 am

I know at Lowes they have rubber bung plugs in the section where the loose bolts/nuts/washers are.

ric · **Posted:** Wed Jul 27, 2011 9:04 am

You have shore power?
If there's one thing to leave on, that's the A/C. You don't need it set at 65*, but more like 75-78. Why you might ask?

To dry out the interior and keep it from getting "musky". If you leave it off, within a few months time the inside will start smelling like a camp ground from the heat and humidity of the day/night cycle on the water (also known as... mold).

Oh, and turn the water off. Just disconnect it to be safe. I've seen a boat almost sink cause of a leaky valve. Also verify that all automatic bilge pumps are in working order.

What do you keep on/off on the breakers? Who cares. You're paying for power, use it. Treat the boat like it's your second house. Keep it clean and ready to "live in" at any moment. If you start letting it go and it becomes a chore every time you want to take it out, you'll start using it less and less. As they say in the military: Keep it on standby. There better be drinks and ice in the fridge, food to eat, cold air inside, gas in the tanks, water in the tanks, and clean towels/sheets. Work on the boat during the week on the way home from work. Make it seamless so when you bring your family out, just load em up, untie the boat, and go. They will loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee you for it. If you gotta lug crap out with them and spend 20 minutes to prep the boat before you leave... the fun of the boat will escape them and you'll end up just selling it.

wkearney99 · **Posted:** Wed Jul 27, 2011 9:09 am

298VISTA2000 wrote:

Good idea. Does anyone know where you can get these w/o going to a marine store or is that about it? I don't imagine you can make them yourself. Thanks.

Local boat store or an online retailer. Defender seems to have decent prices most of the time, but there are plenty of others.

taz42169 · **Posted:** Wed Jul 27, 2011 9:54 am

I do much of what has already been mentioned. Being in NJ, we have a little hotter weather than you Boston Boys and I don't leave my A/C on. I use this http://www.drizair.com/products.html (placed in a container in case of overflow) and it does a nice job keeping my cabin dry and must free. You may need a couple more for your size boat.

Charger/refrigerato on, everything else off! Water (two valves) off in case some knuckle head wants to pay games. We have a marina "guy" who basically lives on his boat. He knows most of us on our dock and will call if someone even looks at your boat. He's better than a watch dog!

Good luck..

taz42169 · **Posted:** Wed Jul 27, 2011 9:55 am

...and welcome to the forum!

summarays · **Posted:** Wed Jul 27, 2011 10:01 am

Thanks Tony!

summarays · **Posted:** Wed Jul 27, 2011 11:34 am

ric wrote:

You have shore power?
If there's one thing to leave on, that's the A/C. You don't need it set at 65*, but more like 75-78. Why you might ask?

To dry out the interior and keep it from getting "musky". If you leave it off, within a few months time the inside will start smelling like a camp ground from the heat and humidity of the day/night cycle on the water (also known as... mold).

Oh, and turn the water off. Just disconnect it to be safe. I've seen a boat almost sink cause of a leaky valve. Also verify that all automatic bilge pumps are in working order.

What do you keep on/off on the breakers? Who cares. You're paying for power, use it. Treat the boat like it's your second house. Keep it clean and ready to "live in" at any moment. If you start letting it go and it becomes a chore every time you want to take it out, you'll start using it less and less. As they say in the military: Keep it on standby. There better be drinks and ice in the fridge, food to eat, cold air inside, gas in the tanks, water in the tanks, and clean towels/sheets. Work on the boat during the week on the way home from work. Make it seamless so when you bring your family out, just load em up, untie the boat, and go. They will loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee you for it. If you gotta lug crap out with them and spend 20 minutes to prep the boat before you leave... the fun of the boat will escape them and you'll end up just selling it.

Excellent advise! Thank you.

jrcinnh · **Joined:** Fri Sep 14, 2007 9:13 am **Posts:** 313

There are some seacocks in the bilge and some under the seat inthe aft cabin.

If you really want to get the prep fever going, go the fourwinns website under past models and download the manual for the boat.

In our marina, a weekend boater pays $100 for electricity, plus $50 per AC, it's a flat $300 if you live aboard. A couple vacation weeks of living abord doesn't get you the higher rate but an AC that is constantly running wil lget you questioned.

The HU mode is a timer that runs the AC intermittently to reduce humidity in the boat. So someone walks by on a Tuesday and see the AC peeing and they think you left it on all week.

summarays · **Posted:** Wed Jul 27, 2011 2:57 pm

Got it JRC thanks. I did download the manual and printed it. Lots of good stuff in there. I do have the original manual on the boat, but this will give me some good reading material for the next two days before I get down there to drive the boat back. Understand about the AC, I guess we will see if I get any slack for it. I better not at 132.00 a foot for 6 months.

ric · **Posted:** Wed Jul 27, 2011 3:03 pm

You mean $32 a foot?

Cap'n Morgan · **Posted:** Wed Jul 27, 2011 3:07 pm

ric wrote:

You mean $32 a foot?

I'm afraid not. 40 ft. slip should be anywhere from $3,200 to $5,000 depending on your geographical location, marina and it's amenities.

summarays · **Posted:** Wed Jul 27, 2011 3:13 pm

I wish I meant 32.00 a foot. Yes 132.00 a foot LOA!!! The cheapest I found around my area was around the 100.00 range and that is too far for me to travel. Yes I know that all the southern folks cringe when I say what we pay up here, believe me, I wish it was less. But look at the bright side, I get to use the Marinas amenities....... bathroom, shower and a BBQ pit. 24hours a day! lol

aguyindallas · **Posted:** Wed Jul 27, 2011 4:02 pm

Cap'n Morgan wrote:

ric wrote:

You mean $32 a foot?

I'm afraid not. 40 ft. slip should be anywhere from $3,200 to $5,000 depending on your geographical location, marina and it's amenities.

A covered 40 x 17 slip in my marina is 5100.00/year or 425.00/month. This gets you free water and two 30A outlets (metered and are plus $$) on a dedicated pedestal. We have a nice store, clean bathrooms with showers, fuel dock and pump out station. It has secure, gated access, is kepy VERY clean, and has excellent dock hands. In addition to that, you get to rub elbows with the likes of myself and txvista, which could be considered as priceless. :lol:

ric · **Posted:** Wed Jul 27, 2011 4:26 pm

No wonder everyone leaves their boats here in FL

298VISTA2000 · **Posted:** Wed Jul 27, 2011 4:55 pm

summarays wrote:

I wish I meant 32.00 a foot. Yes 132.00 a foot LOA!!! The cheapest I found around my area was around the 100.00 range and that is too far for me to travel. Yes I know that all the southern folks cringe when I say what we pay up here, believe me, I wish it was less. But look at the bright side, I get to use the Marinas amenities....... bathroom, shower and a BBQ pit. 24hours a day! lol

I know the cost will be higher up North, but you might want to look into joining a yacht club because I only pay $170 per month for a 50' slip and total fees are $480 for the month which includes:

$170 Dockage
+168 Dues
+ 65 Capital Improvement
+ 52 Lease Fees
+ 25 Theme Parties
$480 Total Due (of course we eat and buy our gas there so never have seen that low of a payment and did I mention the $5,000 initiation fee?). Still not bad though for one of two Metro Atlanta lakes and great amenities.

www.iFourWinns.com

Leaving Boat at Dock

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