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Author Topic:   Preparing for a saltwater slip

andygere posted 07-27-2001 12:11 PM ET (US)
I just learned that a slip is available for my Montauk in the Santa Cruz Yacht Harbor, and I am going to take it. My questions are: What type of bottom paint is best (50-58 degree salt water)? What type of anodes do I need to protect against galvonic corrosion, and where to mount them? Does anyone have experience using the "smart" bilge pumps for extended moorings and can the batteries keep up (the boat will be covered)? Is an on-line trickle charge a good idea or overkill? What else am I forgetting? Thanks in advance for any help from the experts out there.
--Andy
JFM posted 07-27-2001 01:42 PM ET (US)
Can't help with the paint, but you should be able to pull the plug and forget the bilge pump on a Montauk , shouldn' you?
Makonut posted 07-27-2001 02:01 PM ET (US)
Andy..As far as bottom paint, get the best you can afford. (Trinidad seems to be a popular brand in the Los Angeles area) I would sit down with the dock master and ask him the same questions your asking here. Zincs are a must on your motor(s) and any other motors should be grounded to the system. My big boat uses a battery charger while I use a solar cell to charge the dinghy (whaler). Being a old guy, I'm still leary of solar power..but til now, it has been doing its job. The whaler has a "smart" bilge pump..Just remember to leave the power on when you leave the boat. I just added my third pump to the big boat. (had a shaft log problem on both engines a few weeks ago 6 miles out in rough water..Don't want to go thru that again!!)
Dock lines..get the right size. And make sure the corners of your slip are protected with rubber..coming in with the wind is not fun. Again, in your area, the dockmaster is your best informant
good luck
Jer
Bigshot posted 07-27-2001 02:25 PM ET (US)
That cover will be hard to use at a slip. Have you looked at the storage places that either use a forklift or you store it on its trailer in a locked area? Great alternative if you have to tow far, way cheaper, no paint, and no worries of weather or corrosion, etc.
Arriba posted 07-27-2001 04:44 PM ET (US)
I have a 20 ft Revenge and I have a Rule Platinum bilge pump in it. I've wired it directly to the battery and it functions automatically. I've never had any trouble with it and I have never had any trouble with the battery. My boat is in the water, in a slip and is also covered. In regards to bottom paint, I used Pettite ACP 50 ablative and am very satisfied. I have the boat in salt water. I like the fact that it is multi-seasonal.
andygere posted 07-27-2001 04:47 PM ET (US)
Storge options are nil in my area. It's usually a long wait for slips, and there is no dry storage available. I will eventually move up to a larger boat, so its worth holding the slip with my Montauk until then. The nearest alternate harbors are 30-45 minutes in either direction, and I live just 2 miles from this one. I got on the list expecting a longer wait, but 15 new slips were built moving me into the top slot in just a year (3 years is a typical wait). My boat is old, but in great shape, but I bought it to use it, and I will get on the water a lot more (evenings especially) if the boat is in the water and ready to go. Also, I'm tired of the parking hassles and long launch ramp lines (and associated rude kooks!) during salmon season.
I've considered the plug-out option, but I carry 2 batteries plus a kicker, so the boat is stern heavy. I'm not sure I want to deal with all the growth and muck in the back of the boat. I would consider doing that during heavy rains (winter only), and just keep after the goo. The cover is well designed and won't be a problem to put on in the slip. Thanks for all the advice so far.
Peter posted 07-27-2001 09:31 PM ET (US)
Whatever brand of bottom paint you go with, make sure you go with the ablative type. It doesn't build up layers. I currently use Interlux Micron CSC Extra on my 22 Revenge, and used Micron CSC on my 18 Outrage for many years with no buildup.
whalerron posted 07-27-2001 09:44 PM ET (US)
I have heard many talk about pulling the plug on the boat and letting it sit in the slip that way. I wonder how much water stays in the boat when you do that. You need to remember why it is that we put anti-fouling paint on the bottoms of our boats that are left in the water. I would imagine that those same bio-creatures will build up inside the boat as well if you leave the plug out. Whatever the high level of the water in the boat is will be the high level of all that smelly unsightful bio-crap.
- ron
LarrySherman posted 07-27-2001 10:38 PM ET (US)
Check the condition of your thru-hulls. If in poor condition, or you have doubts about them, replace it.
Mort posted 07-27-2001 10:38 PM ET (US)
I keep my Montauk on a mooring in Maine, I tried leaving the plug out, bad idea. Every time I used the boat there was water in it and a build up of marine growth. I went to a Rule "smart pump" (don't remember the model)it comes on every two minutes for a second or two. If there is water it pumps it out and if not it shuts right off. It has been great. There have been times that I have not been to the boat for two weeks and there has been some heavy rain. The pump has preformed flawlessly with no drain on the battery. Also, I use an 11 ft. wood boat to get to my mooring, it is on a "haul off" and I use the same pump. I have a battery in the boat to run the pump and usually only have to charge it once a season.
Those pumps work great and use very little juice. Just make sure to keep the screen clean and check the wires for corrosion.
Hank posted 07-27-2001 11:50 PM ET (US)
I agree with Mort about pulling the plug. It doesn't take long for all kinds of creatures and vegetation to grow in the boat. Bad idea.
I keep my Montauk in salt water behind my house.
I tried and quickly gave up the pulled plug idea. I can't comment on the bilge pumps. I use a Rule 1000 but I have to switch it on. This means going out after a heavy rain and running the pump for 5 to 10 minutes.(Really heavy rain)
Based on some of the earlier comments I think I'm going to get one of the new "smart"bilge pumps.
As for bottom paint I've been using Micron CSC. I've been pulling the boat out two or three times a year and store it on land for a few months. No problem putting it back in the water. After two years or more of this I get the bottom redone.
Hank
Bigshot posted 07-30-2001 02:34 PM ET (US)
Man, I have learned from you guys. I have debated the bilge pump thing but am going to do it this week. i had my plug out of my 17 for a week due to constant downpours here in FL. I was getting sore from the hand pump. I went out in it on Sat and it was green from slime. Getting a pump and putting it in. I do not have a lot of room in the tunnel-plug area, is that where you guys keep it. Makes sense to have it in the tunnel.
Tsuriki BW posted 07-30-2001 03:11 PM ET (US)
andygere
I think the "smart" bilge pump is a must..
As far as your batteries, I use a Guest dual battery 3 stage charger. Plug it in when I return from fishing. (GPS, VHF, FF, Electric trolling motors, electric downriggers).
The charger is mounted inside the CC and comes with an AC cord. You might want to make a permanent socket mount.
The charger gives the batteries, 1 crank, 1 deep cycle, a high current charge till they reach a certain level, lower charge til almost full, then trickles. Will NOT fry your batteries if continually left plugged in. It gives me a lot of peace of mind that my batteries are always charged up whenever I want to take the boat out.
Tsuriki
daverdla posted 07-30-2001 07:26 PM ET (US)
My montauk came with an Attwood 500 guardian in the tunnel/plug area. Fits fine and it has a built in float switch. I replaced it since I had no way of knowing how old it was with the identical unit. I must have knocked some crud loose from the bilge because two weeks later, the new pump was shot. Something jambed the impeller. I didn't check the fuse size when I installed the new pump. The correct fuse, 2A, may have saved it. So now I have my second attwood 500 in two weeks installed, with the correct fuse.
Bigshot posted 07-30-2001 07:38 PM ET (US)
I will remember that fuse #.
Hank posted 07-30-2001 10:05 PM ET (US)
I have my Rule 1000 in the tunnel area near the plug. It fits fine. I just pushed my cables aside and squeezed it in.
Hank
andygere posted 08-06-2001 02:07 AM ET (US)
Thanks for all the great advice. I just got back from vacation (Cape Cod and CT shoreline) and was in Whaler Heaven back there. I enjoyed a few trips in my dad's Dauntless 16, and had a very productive and fun striper trip with him, so now it's time to get my Whaler in the water. I'm going to install a smart Rule, and go with the ablative paint.

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Author	Topic: Preparing for a saltwater slip
andygere	posted 07-27-2001 12:11 PM ET (US) I just learned that a slip is available for my Montauk in the Santa Cruz Yacht Harbor, and I am going to take it. My questions are: What type of bottom paint is best (50-58 degree salt water)? What type of anodes do I need to protect against galvonic corrosion, and where to mount them? Does anyone have experience using the "smart" bilge pumps for extended moorings and can the batteries keep up (the boat will be covered)? Is an on-line trickle charge a good idea or overkill? What else am I forgetting? Thanks in advance for any help from the experts out there. --Andy
JFM	posted 07-27-2001 01:42 PM ET (US) Can't help with the paint, but you should be able to pull the plug and forget the bilge pump on a Montauk , shouldn' you?
Makonut	posted 07-27-2001 02:01 PM ET (US) Andy..As far as bottom paint, get the best you can afford. (Trinidad seems to be a popular brand in the Los Angeles area) I would sit down with the dock master and ask him the same questions your asking here. Zincs are a must on your motor(s) and any other motors should be grounded to the system. My big boat uses a battery charger while I use a solar cell to charge the dinghy (whaler). Being a old guy, I'm still leary of solar power..but til now, it has been doing its job. The whaler has a "smart" bilge pump..Just remember to leave the power on when you leave the boat. I just added my third pump to the big boat. (had a shaft log problem on both engines a few weeks ago 6 miles out in rough water..Don't want to go thru that again!!) Dock lines..get the right size. And make sure the corners of your slip are protected with rubber..coming in with the wind is not fun. Again, in your area, the dockmaster is your best informant good luck Jer
Bigshot	posted 07-27-2001 02:25 PM ET (US) That cover will be hard to use at a slip. Have you looked at the storage places that either use a forklift or you store it on its trailer in a locked area? Great alternative if you have to tow far, way cheaper, no paint, and no worries of weather or corrosion, etc.
Arriba	posted 07-27-2001 04:44 PM ET (US) I have a 20 ft Revenge and I have a Rule Platinum bilge pump in it. I've wired it directly to the battery and it functions automatically. I've never had any trouble with it and I have never had any trouble with the battery. My boat is in the water, in a slip and is also covered. In regards to bottom paint, I used Pettite ACP 50 ablative and am very satisfied. I have the boat in salt water. I like the fact that it is multi-seasonal.
andygere	posted 07-27-2001 04:47 PM ET (US) Storge options are nil in my area. It's usually a long wait for slips, and there is no dry storage available. I will eventually move up to a larger boat, so its worth holding the slip with my Montauk until then. The nearest alternate harbors are 30-45 minutes in either direction, and I live just 2 miles from this one. I got on the list expecting a longer wait, but 15 new slips were built moving me into the top slot in just a year (3 years is a typical wait). My boat is old, but in great shape, but I bought it to use it, and I will get on the water a lot more (evenings especially) if the boat is in the water and ready to go. Also, I'm tired of the parking hassles and long launch ramp lines (and associated rude kooks!) during salmon season. I've considered the plug-out option, but I carry 2 batteries plus a kicker, so the boat is stern heavy. I'm not sure I want to deal with all the growth and muck in the back of the boat. I would consider doing that during heavy rains (winter only), and just keep after the goo. The cover is well designed and won't be a problem to put on in the slip. Thanks for all the advice so far.
Peter	posted 07-27-2001 09:31 PM ET (US) Whatever brand of bottom paint you go with, make sure you go with the ablative type. It doesn't build up layers. I currently use Interlux Micron CSC Extra on my 22 Revenge, and used Micron CSC on my 18 Outrage for many years with no buildup.
whalerron	posted 07-27-2001 09:44 PM ET (US) I have heard many talk about pulling the plug on the boat and letting it sit in the slip that way. I wonder how much water stays in the boat when you do that. You need to remember why it is that we put anti-fouling paint on the bottoms of our boats that are left in the water. I would imagine that those same bio-creatures will build up inside the boat as well if you leave the plug out. Whatever the high level of the water in the boat is will be the high level of all that smelly unsightful bio-crap. - ron
LarrySherman	posted 07-27-2001 10:38 PM ET (US) Check the condition of your thru-hulls. If in poor condition, or you have doubts about them, replace it.
Mort	posted 07-27-2001 10:38 PM ET (US) I keep my Montauk on a mooring in Maine, I tried leaving the plug out, bad idea. Every time I used the boat there was water in it and a build up of marine growth. I went to a Rule "smart pump" (don't remember the model)it comes on every two minutes for a second or two. If there is water it pumps it out and if not it shuts right off. It has been great. There have been times that I have not been to the boat for two weeks and there has been some heavy rain. The pump has preformed flawlessly with no drain on the battery. Also, I use an 11 ft. wood boat to get to my mooring, it is on a "haul off" and I use the same pump. I have a battery in the boat to run the pump and usually only have to charge it once a season. Those pumps work great and use very little juice. Just make sure to keep the screen clean and check the wires for corrosion.
Hank	posted 07-27-2001 11:50 PM ET (US) I agree with Mort about pulling the plug. It doesn't take long for all kinds of creatures and vegetation to grow in the boat. Bad idea. I keep my Montauk in salt water behind my house. I tried and quickly gave up the pulled plug idea. I can't comment on the bilge pumps. I use a Rule 1000 but I have to switch it on. This means going out after a heavy rain and running the pump for 5 to 10 minutes.(Really heavy rain) Based on some of the earlier comments I think I'm going to get one of the new "smart"bilge pumps. As for bottom paint I've been using Micron CSC. I've been pulling the boat out two or three times a year and store it on land for a few months. No problem putting it back in the water. After two years or more of this I get the bottom redone. Hank
Bigshot	posted 07-30-2001 02:34 PM ET (US) Man, I have learned from you guys. I have debated the bilge pump thing but am going to do it this week. i had my plug out of my 17 for a week due to constant downpours here in FL. I was getting sore from the hand pump. I went out in it on Sat and it was green from slime. Getting a pump and putting it in. I do not have a lot of room in the tunnel-plug area, is that where you guys keep it. Makes sense to have it in the tunnel.
Tsuriki BW	posted 07-30-2001 03:11 PM ET (US) andygere I think the "smart" bilge pump is a must.. As far as your batteries, I use a Guest dual battery 3 stage charger. Plug it in when I return from fishing. (GPS, VHF, FF, Electric trolling motors, electric downriggers). The charger is mounted inside the CC and comes with an AC cord. You might want to make a permanent socket mount. The charger gives the batteries, 1 crank, 1 deep cycle, a high current charge till they reach a certain level, lower charge til almost full, then trickles. Will NOT fry your batteries if continually left plugged in. It gives me a lot of peace of mind that my batteries are always charged up whenever I want to take the boat out. Tsuriki
daverdla	posted 07-30-2001 07:26 PM ET (US) My montauk came with an Attwood 500 guardian in the tunnel/plug area. Fits fine and it has a built in float switch. I replaced it since I had no way of knowing how old it was with the identical unit. I must have knocked some crud loose from the bilge because two weeks later, the new pump was shot. Something jambed the impeller. I didn't check the fuse size when I installed the new pump. The correct fuse, 2A, may have saved it. So now I have my second attwood 500 in two weeks installed, with the correct fuse.
Bigshot	posted 07-30-2001 07:38 PM ET (US) I will remember that fuse #.
Hank	posted 07-30-2001 10:05 PM ET (US) I have my Rule 1000 in the tunnel area near the plug. It fits fine. I just pushed my cables aside and squeezed it in. Hank
andygere	posted 08-06-2001 02:07 AM ET (US) Thanks for all the great advice. I just got back from vacation (Cape Cod and CT shoreline) and was in Whaler Heaven back there. I enjoyed a few trips in my dad's Dauntless 16, and had a very productive and fun striper trip with him, so now it's time to get my Whaler in the water. I'm going to install a smart Rule, and go with the ablative paint.