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how long would you moor in the lake?


OhTwoBu

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Good day TMC!  The lake we frequent is only a few minutes from my office, but about a 25 minute tow from my home.  It's small and often crowded in the summer.  Because of this, we only ski at dawn and dusk on weekdays.  I have access to relatively inexpensive mooring at this lake, and comparing that to a a few launch fees, I would be breaking even.  I don't want to bring my boat to work, but i'm also tired of driving all the way home to fetch the truck and boat just to come all the way back.  It'd be nice to just take the car and not hassle with gathering all the toys, etc.  I'm an international cargo pilot, so i'd pull it out of the slip and take it home while i'm on the road, which is usually 1/3 to 1/2 of each month.  It'd probably stay in the water 1-2 weeks at a time.  Evo cover.  So, my question is how long would you consider too long to moor one of these boats before hull staining or stressing about the bilge pump keeping water out? It's nice and clean PNW water.  I've got my packing set at 1 drop/sec.  02 23LSV.  

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Sounds like a sweet close-by spot.  I used to ski the 6 am shift at local Twin Cities lakes.  We would pick them based on proximity to one of our offices (3 guys).

What do the other boats that are moored in the lake look like?

I don't think the boat sinking would be an issue but to make sure you might invest in a second bilge pump connected directly to a separate (not connected to the other when you leave) battery.

That's my drip rate too.  Maybe a bit high by some standards but mine doesn't drip at all if the shaft is not turning.

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I would be more conservative and probably not leave my boat floating in the water any longer than a week. I'd do it, but not feel comfortable doing it. But a lot of people do leave their boats in the water for a long time then give it a good acid wash.

Edited by bbattiste247
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Depends on the water. Up here, boats get moored for months (I usually pull mine once or twice a season to wax it).  Never had an issue with water accumulation in the boat - but get a good tarp and support system so water does not pool when it rains.  You might want to consider a swim platform cover - esp. for teak - but to keep critters off (we have ducks, otters etc. all wanting to take a dump...).  One thing I will tell you about mooring:  be sure you have a good chain and mooring buoy and thet there is lots of room for your boat to swing around in the wind.  Inboards react differently than I/O or OBs.

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My boat is floating next to the dock 6 months a year, for the last 4 summers. Before my boat my dad's mastercraft was tied up the same way for 6 months a year for 20 years. It does need a good cleaning at the end of the year though.

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Left mine in the lake for 2.5 months last year.  Green colour on underside went away after a simple wash.  Do it.

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16 minutes ago, COOP said:

Dont do it if its metal flake. You'll get water line. And for you new boat owners, waterline is NOT covered under warranty.

Lots of metal flak boats up here that moor all the time.  So I dunno?

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We've had two in the past year that were kept on Lake of the Ozarks for 3 months over the summer. Both developed water line. Both in flake. Malibu did not warranty it. 

107pdlc.jpg

2eusfg8.jpg

Edited by COOP
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no flake, old boat, really clean though so i don't want to hurt it.  it'd probably stay in a couple weeks, get pulled out, cleaned, and put away a week, then get splashed back in and stay a couple weeks.  I'll have to get some mooring tips from you guys when/if i get a spot, ie how to use a mooring buoy and configure the attachment points  I've never left it tied up more than a couple of days at a time so this will be a new experience.

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3 hours ago, COOP said:

We've had two in the past year that were kept on Lake of the Ozarks for 3 months over the summer. Both developed water line. Both in flake. Malibu did not warranty it. 

107pdlc.jpg

2eusfg8.jpg

What is causing that (yes,... I know the water.. but what is going on there that can't be cleaned off?)

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Im told that the water eventually soaks through the porous gel clear coat and when it hits the flake, the flake changes color or corrodes. Buff and wet sand all you want, but you cant change the flake as its under the clear coat.

Edited by COOP
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ahopkins22LSV

Two years ago our launch was closed all summer and I tow to the lake every time (2 miles from my house). My friend was nice enough to let me keep the boat in and I had zero issues. At the beginning of the summer I was able to pull it once a month and give it a good clean and wax, but at the end of the year we had our daughter early and it actually stayed in for 2 months. I was concerned about blister and the flake discoloration like shown above, but I didn't have either. Spent two hours at the quarter wash with toilet bowl cleaner, a trick I learned here, and all of the scum came off. I re-waxed and you would have never known. If you are going to pull it every few weeks you will be perfectly fine IMO, and if it gives you better access to use the boat, then all the better!

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I also moore in a PNW lake all summer.  I typically pull the boat every couple weeks to clean, fuel, and do any maintenance.  Depending on your elevation, you will get a scum line on the hull from oil and algae in the water.  I've had some pretty severe scum buildup but it has always come off with a good washing.  I wax the hull at the beginning of the season and at mid-season so that any buildup on the hull won't stain the gelcoat.

If you are planning to keep the boat long term, I would recommend having the shaft seal upgraded to a PSS.  This would eliminate the biggest potential source of water intrusion into the bilge.

Other than that - if you trust your bilge pump and your cover fits tight and repels most of the rainwater, you shouldn't have any problems leaving it in the water for long periods of time.

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I don't like leaving boats in the water. But you sound like you have the best conditions for doing so. Taking the boat out for short times lets the boat dry. As said the water can be issues with porous gel coat. The best fix is letting the boat dry well.  I think I would give it a go. A good wash well its out and before it drys will help keep it looking good.

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I moored my boats in the Willamette for many years during the season.  I would pull the boat out about every 3-4 weeks to give it a good cleaning and get all of the nasty Willamette scum off of it (do a search for Tony's Topical Toilet Tonic) and wax it.  The only problem I had was with my 2006 VLX.  It did develop a very small area of blisters in the gelcoat on the rear port side.  They were easy to buff out and fill, but I did have to do that twice in the same spot.  The other boats never had a problem with the gelcoat.

I guess I did have a problem with the 2001 SS VLX that needed to have the shaft packing tightened and make a change in how the battery was wired.  That was a problem specific to that boat however.

I do miss the convenience of having the boat moored and ready to go, but my crew (my kids) have all married and moved away, so don't get to use the boat as often.  I'm waiting for the grandkids to get older!

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