Keeping a boat in the water year round or pulling it out

Searaybio270

Active Member
Jul 8, 2010
1,058
Bush River on the Cheasapeake Bay
Boat Info
1996 EC, Garmin 3210, Dinghy - Seadoo Jet boat with twin 85 horse. Fun and Fast.
Engines
7.4 MC 360 HP each
Westerbeke 7KW
Ok, here is the question. We have been having a lot of discussions about whether to leave a boat in the water or take it out of the water during the winter months. Some say take it out. Some say leave it in. I even had a surveyor tell me leave it in because it is better for the boat.
So to the question: What are the pros and cons to leaving a boat in the water year round? What are the affects on the boat?
Let's start here and see where it goes.
Thanks,
 
Would love to leave it in. Just that we get about 2 feet of ice around it in the winter and if the power goes out, we have issues.
 
I would not leave a boat in with out drives, too many things to go wrong... Pros: Its a little less expensive, for me. I save about $600 if I leave it in... I have to use a bubbler for my dock, so there is no extra cost for that. It says warmer (the water is warmer than the air). It is easy to watch, it is in my backyard. It is easy to work on things, it the weather is nice. The season is longer, first in last out if you never go out... The only thing I leave on is the battery charger... Cons, it could sink. In my case it is in salt water which is not good for metal. Still requires a short haul each year to clean, paint and wax...
 
I wouldn't leave a boat with I/O's in over the winter unless I lived in a climate where I would be using it year round.
I would leave a boat with straight inboards in, but only if I lived somewhere where I would be seeing it every day. My dock is 7 1/2 miles away from my house, so I wouldn't do it. But if the boat was in my backyard I wouldn't hesitate to leave it in.
 
Here in Michigan not a choice.
 
Salt 'n Sand stays in the water for 51 weeks a year. Because of where she is located I don't have to worry about the water freezing and the marina puts bubblers in. Boats are meant to float and the weight is better distributed when they float rather than put on blocks of wood and jack stands. As I own the slip I don't have to pay anything to leave it there. I leave the power on the converters all year while the boat is at the dock
 
Don't leave it in through the winter. Aside from your anodes becoming depleated and your drive corroding, you will have a mussel and barnacle colony instead of an outdrive. You will need to pull your boat and spend more to clean it, repair and repaint.
 
.I am in a freshwater lake and have left the boat with I/O's in for two years.I hauled it out last week and all is well. Seems the bellows and rubber parts are better off being in the water and least likely to dry out if stored outside.

I had a few of the zincs replaced and that was it.

Also use a diver to clean the drives and bottom twice per year. I keep mine in all year around so I can use it all year around. Our climate allows us to us it most of the year.

We do not winterize the engines as we have the Boatsafe heater. If it is a nice day in Feb, then we can go boating. Fresh water systems are winterized along with the the AC system.

I guess it really depends on your climate where you boat.
 
i would much rather leave both boats in the water
the climate at the lakes we frequent is much nicer than home
the water temp runs from around 80 in the summer to 50 in the winter. also the dealer at las vegas, told me the boats in the water didnt need the bellows changed as often. they hold up better in the water than in the sun and weather on the hard
 
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I boat on the Chesapeake Bay and I am getting a 40 Foot Sea Ray with inboards.

.I am in a freshwater lake and have left the boat with I/O's in for two years.I hauled it out last week and all is well. Seems the bellows and rubber parts are better off being in the water and least likely to dry out if stored outside.

I had a few of the zincs replaced and that was it.

Also use a diver to clean the drives and bottom twice per year. I keep mine in all year around so I can use it all year around. Our climate allows us to us it most of the year.

We do not winterize the engines as we have the Boatsafe heater. If it is a nice day in Feb, then we can go boating. Fresh water systems are winterized along with the the AC system.

I guess it really depends on your climate where you boat.
 
Searaybio.....where on the Ches are you....
I'm down in Hampton Roads, been in the water year round for coming up on my 7th year.
Use my boat all year and have never winterized. NO detrimental affect here at all.
My first 2 years I had a 270 with the TRS outdrive and 454....but again....no problems with keeping it in the water.....
 
Don't leave it in through the winter. Aside from your anodes becoming depleated and your drive corroding, you will have a mussel and barnacle colony instead of an outdrive. You will need to pull your boat and spend more to clean it, repair and repaint.
Are you speaking from experience? If so yours is a lot different from mine........I just hauled my boat for a week after being in the water for a year - removed the drives had them pressure tested - had all bellows, gimbles, allignments checked, cleaned them and re-painted with trilux-33 - No problems and my drives are also 100% corrosion free (and they are not sea core) Durring that year I had a diver clean the bottom and replace the zincs once. Just like anything common sense and careful maintenance is key -
 
I leave mine in all year but here in Northern Cal we don't have the weather you guys have.

Frankly, I don't know how you guys do it. It would kill me to not be able to use the boat all year.
 
Thats why Sam Adams beer is the most successful brew company in the US........We drink alot and wash our anti depressents down with beer....
 
Searaybio.....where on the Ches are you....
I'm down in Hampton Roads, been in the water year round for coming up on my 7th year.
Use my boat all year and have never winterized. NO detrimental affect here at all.
My first 2 years I had a 270 with the TRS outdrive and 454....but again....no problems with keeping it in the water.....

I am right off of the Bush River on Lauderick Creek. I am retired from the Army so I can keep my boat on the installation. We don't have nearly the salt content that you have down there. My wife wants me to keep it in the water year round and only pull it for maintenance. I am leaning that way.
I will be picking up my boat from rappahannock Yacht Club on Carter Creek. Do you know where that is located? Is it far from you?
Thanks for the insight,
 
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I left my 290 AJ and my Monterey in the water all year round. Both with I/O's. Never had a problem. As long as you keep maintenance up and have a good coat of anti-fouling paint on your drives, your good to go. When it comes to April or so next year, haul it, pressure wash it, new zincs and repaint and your good for another year.
 
We bought our boat last year. It has bottom paint and stayed in the water all year. We will again this winter and many boats at the Marinas at the Lake of the Ozarks do. They have fans that keep the docks from freezing.
 
I boat on the Chesapeake Bay and I am getting a 40 Foot Sea Ray with inboards.

Understood. This thread could be beneficial to all boaters on all waters. I had thought about pulling mine for the winter...but there is always those few great days here in our area that pop up in the winter and nice to know we can go and enjoy it.

Best of luck on your new 40. You must be excited!
 
We bought our boat last year. It has bottom paint and stayed in the water all year. We will again this winter and many boats at the Marinas at the Lake of the Ozarks do. They have fans that keep the docks from freezing.

Neilbase-

Fans? Can you explain? I have heard of the bubblers but never fans. We boat in close proximty and wonder how this works.

thanks.
 

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