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How to secure boat


MALI-MONSTER

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I have to admit that this question should let you know how inexperienced I am. Any info or other ideas would be awesome!

So my family and I have been looking at getting a used ski boat for a while now, and we went and looked at a 1997 Echelon last night that is for sale. You guys helped me a ton a couple of weeks ago with what to look for when inspecting it. It looked great, and we are seriously considering purchasing it. We will mostly be using it at our northern MI cottage only on the weekends and bring it home each trip. We currently have a 15 foot outboard tri-haul at the cottage. Our current way of securing the tri-haul when not in use is to beach it really good and secure the bow to a tree with a line. This method is obviously not going to work with an inboard 20 footer.

We don't own the beachfront property in front of the cottage, as it is "common access" for everybody on the small lake. The thing is that no-one on the lake really knows that it is common access or ever uses the property. So it is kind of like we own it. There is a short and not sturdy very old dock that we put in every year at the "common access" sight. I don't believe that it would be wise to secure the Malibu to that and expect it not to drag the dock half way accrost the lake in a good breeze, and it is legally common so I shouldn't use it that way anyways. The lake is small, very sandy, and gets deep reasonably fast. Wave action is minimal except when our neightbor comes out with his wakeboard boat.

Here are my current thoughts on how to secure the Malibu if we get it.

Get 3 fence posts with augers on the bottom and screw them into the sandy lake bottom in a triangle (one for the bow and two for the stern). Park the Bu in the middle with two lines to the stern and one to the bow. Maybe put some bumper type material on the fence posts above the water line. I would just have to wade out to the boat to get it to go for a ride. Anybody done this?

The other thought is to put out a mooring boey or two (one for the bow and one for the stern). This will have to be further out in the lake, and the lake is small so I don't want the boat too far out in the lake. I also don't want to swim out to go get the boat every time we want to go for a ride.

The other idea is to get a hoist. I have my wife 90% sold on spending the money to get the boat. Telling her that we should spend another couple grand on a hoist will make me a total looser. The hoist maybe too intrusive on the "common access" property anyways.

What am I missing? Do my ideas suck? What would you smarter more experienced people do? It seems like this should a simple task.

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Get 3 fence posts with augers on the bottom and screw them into the sandy lake bottom in a triangle (one for the bow and two for the stern). Park the Bu in the middle with two lines to the stern and one to the bow. Maybe put some bumper type material on the fence posts above the water line. I would just have to wade out to the boat to get it to go for a ride. Anybody done this?

We used to do this with our old I/O for many years before we got a lift. Works well for keeping the boat in place and is very easy to set up. The only problem is you are going to get water lines on the boat from sitting in the water. If it were me I would probably do the crazy thing of pulling the boat out each night to minimize the development of water lines.

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I would run the thing off the trailer until you can afford a covered lift. Look around on CL you can find a decent used lift for 1000-1500 and it will be well worth the extra $

If you use a mooring don't use 2, the boat needs to be able to turn 360 degrees for the mooring to work.

Honestly I think the fence post idea is asking for trouble.

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I would run the thing off the trailer until you can afford a covered lift. Look around on CL you can find a decent used lift for 1000-1500 and it will be well worth the extra $

If you use a mooring don't use 2, the boat needs to be able to turn 360 degrees for the mooring to work.

Honestly I think the fence post idea is asking for trouble.

It's really not a problem at all. This is how our boat was secured for the entire season. We used the boat on the weekends and it sat tied up like this all week long while no one was around. as long as there is good spacing between the poles and just the right amount of rope slack it will not bang into any of the poles. we had this set up down to a science.

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We mooring ours for weeks at a time sometimes in the summer and it does get water lines on it, but if its been waxed well they usually wash right off, normally while in the pond I just rub them off with a wet rag a couple times, if not a good cleaner takes them off easily. this may differ on a lake with harder or dirtier water? If useing a mooring we just paddle out to ours with a paddle boat and leave the paddle boat on the mooring for the weekend,( or for the last few years just send my son out to bring it into the dock :whistle: ) I think the mooring idea is best without spending allot of money, it can move with the wind and not be up against something beating it to death if it gets rough, no need to get wet if you have a canoe, paddle boat, kayak, or anything that floats to get to it. Just be sure to do a bit of research and setup the mooring properly if you plan to leave it.

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If the boat is purchased, I am actually considering the fence-post method the most. The lake is small, and I am just not too sure if I installed a proper mooring, that I want it that far out in the lake. The boat will only sit in the water for about 48 hours at a time, and the lake is extremely clean. You can see bottom in well over 30 feet deep water. Hopefully with that, and a good amount of weekly washing and waxing, I can keep the Bu clean.

Where does one purchase these fence posts with augers and bumper like material?

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If the boat is purchased, I am actually considering the fence-post method the most. The lake is small, and I am just not too sure if I installed a proper mooring, that I want it that far out in the lake. The boat will only sit in the water for about 48 hours at a time, and the lake is extremely clean. You can see bottom in well over 30 feet deep water. Hopefully with that, and a good amount of weekly washing and waxing, I can keep the Bu clean.

Where does one purchase these fence posts with augers and bumper like material?

i would assume a pier shop of some sort and you shouldnt need a bumper material if you set it up right. the boat wont come close to hitting the poles.

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If the boat is purchased, I am actually considering the fence-post method the most. The lake is small, and I am just not too sure if I installed a proper mooring, that I want it that far out in the lake. The boat will only sit in the water for about 48 hours at a time, and the lake is extremely clean. You can see bottom in well over 30 feet deep water. Hopefully with that, and a good amount of weekly washing and waxing, I can keep the Bu clean.

Where does one purchase these fence posts with augers and bumper like material?

Jim,

I'm in SE MI and have found that you can get the augers at our local hardware store. I can help you locate that stuff if you need. Feel free to send me a PM.

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If you are going with the fence post idea you could make a "harness" for the boat using PVC with dock line running through it. This ensures that the boat wont move at all.

Bill Air Junkie has a sweet set up at his dock, If you search around I bet you'll find the pic.

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Put one post about 100 ft off shore (or mooring bouy witha good anchor) with a pulley. Another on post on shore. Tie to to front and rear of the boat and you will be able to move your boat from the buoy to closer to shore without having to swim.

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I just did some searching and found the thread. Unfortunetly all of the picture links don't work. Bummer.

I bet Bill will be on later, he may chime in. If not I will see if I saved it.

Put one post about 100 ft off shore (or mooring bouy witha good anchor) with a pulley. Another on post on shore. Tie to to front and rear of the boat and you will be able to move your boat from the buoy to closer to shore without having to swim.

I wonder if you could use an Anchor buddy on a mooring.... :crazy:

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Found ya...... :biggrin:

I live in a shared waterfront community that owns a 300' beach, our own ramp & a large dock with 16 boat slips. I keep the Vride on the water for weeks or months at a time. Yea, it can get a little funky if I don't pull it occasionally to clean it up. But I do usually try to pull it out for a few hrs, drag it up the house, clean up the interior, wash & wax it, etc. Goin on 4 yrs with this boat, 7 yrs with the last boat, and 4 yrs with the one before that. I make a point to be sure I have good batteries, a good float switch on the bilge pump, and a good cover on the boat. Keep in mind that I live there, though. So I can check on it daily if we're not riding. If it was just a weekend / vacation place, I'd only keep it there when I was around. Then store it on the trailer when I was away. I have the boat tied up using rope & PVC in a way that I don't have to use bumpers at all. It's actually a product sold by companies like Overtons or SkiLimited, but I just made it out of stuff from Home Depot. It's worked so well that like 5 other guys on my dock have copied and perfected it. Heres a pic of it

I think in your case, keeping in mind that the lift may be too expensive for now, the 3 post idea will be fine for you. But like you said, you may have to swim out to the boat each time you want to go out. And more than likely you will need to bring the boat in on the beach to load coolers, gear, people, etc. Assuming the lake bottom drops off quickly, your prop & rudder should be OK, but the 3 skegs might get worked, especially if you do it very often. For that reason, beaching the boat is the kind of thing I do VERY occasionally, and VERY carefully.

So heres an idea. Use the 3 posts &/or anchors to secure the dock. Secure it out far enough that the boat can be tied up to it safely. Then build a gangway from the shore to the dock. You may need to improve the dock itself, plus materials for the gangway. But it should be a lot less expensive than a lift, and be a lot safer for the boat & the family.

floating-dock-installation-800X800.jpg

Edited by Bill_AirJunky
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i would worry about installing anything that isn't 2' or so below the waterline.

if your fence post is exposed then some tuber will end up wearing it and your lawyer ends up in your home.

check this earth anchor out.

if you are going to go forward with mooring i would add some VERY heavy chain (rhode) to that earth anchor.

it's not as much for tension (pulling) as it is for damping sudden jerks on the mooring line.

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We have a dock with no lift (yet) at our lake house. I'll leave it tied to the dock during the time we are down at the lake house and then pull the boat out and put it in the garage when were not there. It's a little more of a pain to have to launch and recover each week or weekend we are there but it's worth it to me to avoid the scum line. I would also worry about storms and bilge pump issues if I wasn't there to check on it.

I would find a way to secure it in the water while you are there and then pull the boat out and store it while you're gone.

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The lake I use quite a bit has a sand bar. In the summer, there are always boats tied up on it. The sand bar is fairly small so there is not a lot of room to have an anchor out and let the boat swing as it may in the current or wind. Many of us have made an "anchor" for use out there. It is a 6' AL dock post with an auger foot on it. I then added a 2' piece of PVC pipe over the AL pipe with a T at the top of it. There is one nut and bolt at the bottom of the PVC and an eye bolt at the top, near the T. I can use a carabiner on the dock line through the eye and the other end to the bolt.

The auger it in or take it out, I have (2) 2' pieces of PVC that fit in the ends of the T. I can have the anchor in or out of the water in about 2 minutes tops.

There are times when we go to a friends house on the lake, where the water is too shallow off the end of their dock for tying the 'Bu to it. I use that same anchor there, and leave it in the water all weekend. I have a red ski bouy that I put on the line to help with visibility.

I think something like this would work well for you, especially if you are going to be able to pull the boat out during the weeks. The anchors could be pulled easily.

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Another question.

If I go the dock post route, I was wondering how to know how deep of water the back of the boat should be stored in. I.E. if you secure the boat such that the stern is in X feet of water, the big waves from wake board boats won't rock your Echelon such that the prop hits the lake bottom. I know this is a function of draft and wave height, but I was just wondering if y'all had some insight.

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My boat slip gets pretty shallow late in the summer as the water level drops, eg; less than 2' or 3' under the prop & rudder. A number of years ago it got really bad in a dry year, I got out there with a shovel & dug it out. It's some hard work, but made me rest easier knows I wasn't going to hit bottom.

Heres a couple things to think about too. If you tie the boat up so the stern is facing out, then waves hit the stern & push the boat (and dock) forward. But you park so the bow is facing out, then the waves hit the bow of the boat & slide right on by. So in theory, if you can do it, it would be better to park bow facing out. Obviously that means you need deeper water in by the beach. Might be the difference in making a 10' gangway vs a 15' or 20' gangway. BTW, our gangway is 20' long, it's an aluminum frame with wood planks on top, no railings at all. It easily support 2 or 3 adults without a problem. I've even seen them where people made floats in the middle too.

This is kind of what I am thinking. You could make the posts out of pressure treated 4x4s, sharpen them like a pencil with a chainsaw. Or maybe eliminate the posts & use 2 anchors, and tie the shore side of the dock off at either corner.

It's funny, with all the spring & winter weather we've had lately, we have 3 extra docks that have floated up on our beach. Two of them are like 20' x 10'... perfect for this project.

post-821-057282000 1301605415_thumb.jpg

Edited by Bill_AirJunky
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Maybe I am not reading this right. If you are leaving the boat in the lake for only 48 hours why don't you just use a box anchor, anchor buddy, and a shore spike. with the box anchor, that thing ain't moving. The anchor buddy you can pull your boat close to get in. The shore spike will keep it pointed in the right direction. Leave a bouy on the box anchor when you are out on the boat. Pick up everything when you leave the lake for the weekend. Easy cheesy. No need to get elaborate for 48 hours.

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Maybe I am not reading this right. If you are leaving the boat in the lake for only 48 hours why don't you just use a box anchor, anchor buddy, and a shore spike. with the box anchor, that thing ain't moving. The anchor buddy you can pull your boat close to get in. The shore spike will keep it pointed in the right direction. Leave a bouy on the box anchor when you are out on the boat. Pick up everything when you leave the lake for the weekend. Easy cheesy. No need to get elaborate for 48 hours.

:plus1:

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Maybe I am not reading this right. If you are leaving the boat in the lake for only 48 hours why don't you just use a box anchor, anchor buddy, and a shore spike. with the box anchor, that thing ain't moving. The anchor buddy you can pull your boat close to get in. The shore spike will keep it pointed in the right direction. Leave a bouy on the box anchor when you are out on the boat. Pick up everything when you leave the lake for the weekend. Easy cheesy. No need to get elaborate for 48 hours.

:clap:

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I just looked up all of those products and it looks like a super easy route to go. I love the fact that I can pull it all out at the end of the weekend in just a few minutes and nobody will know it was in. Thanks for the info!

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Maybe I am not reading this right. If you are leaving the boat in the lake for only 48 hours why don't you just use a box anchor, anchor buddy, and a shore spike. with the box anchor, that thing ain't moving. The anchor buddy you can pull your boat close to get in. The shore spike will keep it pointed in the right direction. Leave a bouy on the box anchor when you are out on the boat. Pick up everything when you leave the lake for the weekend. Easy cheesy. No need to get elaborate for 48 hours.

Thats how most people do it at my lake

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Maybe I am not reading this right. If you are leaving the boat in the lake for only 48 hours why don't you just use a box anchor, anchor buddy, and a shore spike. with the box anchor, that thing ain't moving. The anchor buddy you can pull your boat close to get in. The shore spike will keep it pointed in the right direction. Leave a bouy on the box anchor when you are out on the boat. Pick up everything when you leave the lake for the weekend. Easy cheesy. No need to get elaborate for 48 hours.

:plus1:

Takes < 5 minutes to set it up. :thumbup:

I agree that leaving the T posts in the water with no boat tied to them sounds like a lawsuit waiting to happen. :yes:

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