Which boat for next summer?

[NickCQ]

Louis Balfour said:

I hadn't considered mildew. I wonder whether I need to heat the boat when it is berthed. I presume that shore power is metered by the Marina and I imagine that charges are above those for my house.

The per kwh rate will be horrible but a couple of tube storage heaters on timers won't really use that much power.

[Simpo Two]

NickCQ said:

Louis Balfour said:

I hadn't considered mildew. I wonder whether I need to heat the boat when it is berthed. I presume that shore power is metered by the Marina and I imagine that charges are above those for my house.

The per kwh rate will be horrible but a couple of tube storage heaters on timers won't really use that much power.

Marinas aren't allowed to resell units at a profit, but they will charge a standing charge. You should have been advised the rates when you booked the slot. But if it's protecting a £70K boat then a few quid on mains to keep it nice is buttons.

A new boat that's waterproof won't get mildew, especially with a dehumidifier set up. I use those disposable pot things; one lasts most of a winter. But keep an eye on the windows and roof hatches as that's where rain can get in and make damp and stains. If you think there's a rainwater leak but can't see it, a dusting of talcum powder will reveal new runs.

[Seight_Returns]

I've always used a dehumidifier - but you need to find a way to drain away the water it extracts. I used to lash mine to a bulkhead in the galley area with shock cords and run a drain hose to the galley sink - but if you do this you'll need to leave the sink seacock open to let the water drain - and if the outlet is below the waterline leaving the seacock open when you're away from the boat for extended periods may invalidate your insurance if it results in the boat flooding.

[fushion julz]

Louis Balfour said:

Thanks Simpo

Anyone - what happens with an outboard in freezing temps? If I am planning to use the boat in the winter?

If you run the engine out of the water for 10secs or so, all the water will be pumped out...Hence no water to freeze!

Outboards circulate raw water for cooling... Inboards tend to have a raw water circuit and heat exchangers which cool the engine water, gearbox oil, turbo oil, etc

[Louis Balfour]

fushion julz said:

Louis Balfour said:

Thanks Simpo

Anyone - what happens with an outboard in freezing temps? If I am planning to use the boat in the winter?

If you run the engine out of the water for 10secs or so, all the water will be pumped out...Hence no water to freeze!

Outboards circulate raw water for cooling... Inboards tend to have a raw water circuit and heat exchangers which cool the engine water, gearbox oil, turbo oil, etc

Many thanks.

[IforB]

Louis Balfour said:

fushion julz said:

Louis Balfour said:

Thanks Simpo

Anyone - what happens with an outboard in freezing temps? If I am planning to use the boat in the winter?

If you run the engine out of the water for 10secs or so, all the water will be pumped out...Hence no water to freeze!

Outboards circulate raw water for cooling... Inboards tend to have a raw water circuit and heat exchangers which cool the engine water, gearbox oil, turbo oil, etc

Many thanks.

Can I gently suggest you don't do this. When you shut an outboard down and lift the leg out of the water, you will see the thing emptying itself of water. Gravity does that for you as the intake is at the bottom and the power head is at the top and it is an open circuit rather than an inboard without raw water cooling.

The rubber impeller used in outboards to drive the cooling water is water lubricated and running it without intake water will increase the wear. If you change it out annually as part of your servicing schedule (I always do) then I doubt you will have a problem, but it is still good practice.

[Louis Balfour]

IforB said:

Louis Balfour said:

fushion julz said:

Louis Balfour said:

Thanks Simpo

Anyone - what happens with an outboard in freezing temps? If I am planning to use the boat in the winter?

If you run the engine out of the water for 10secs or so, all the water will be pumped out...Hence no water to freeze!

Outboards circulate raw water for cooling... Inboards tend to have a raw water circuit and heat exchangers which cool the engine water, gearbox oil, turbo oil, etc

Many thanks.

Can I gently suggest you don't do this. When you shut an outboard down and lift the leg out of the water, you will see the thing emptying itself of water. Gravity does that for you as the intake is at the bottom and the power head is at the top and it is an open circuit rather than an inboard without raw water cooling.

The rubber impeller used in outboards to drive the cooling water is water lubricated and running it without intake water will increase the wear. If you change it out annually as part of your servicing schedule (I always do) then I doubt you will have a problem, but it is still good practice.

Noted.

Is there a solution for the fresh water supply? Or is it a drain for the winter job if I don't heat the boat?

[IforB]

Louis Balfour said:

IforB said:

Louis Balfour said:

fushion julz said:

Louis Balfour said:

Thanks Simpo

Anyone - what happens with an outboard in freezing temps? If I am planning to use the boat in the winter?

If you run the engine out of the water for 10secs or so, all the water will be pumped out...Hence no water to freeze!

Outboards circulate raw water for cooling... Inboards tend to have a raw water circuit and heat exchangers which cool the engine water, gearbox oil, turbo oil, etc

Many thanks.

Can I gently suggest you don't do this. When you shut an outboard down and lift the leg out of the water, you will see the thing emptying itself of water. Gravity does that for you as the intake is at the bottom and the power head is at the top and it is an open circuit rather than an inboard without raw water cooling.

The rubber impeller used in outboards to drive the cooling water is water lubricated and running it without intake water will increase the wear. If you change it out annually as part of your servicing schedule (I always do) then I doubt you will have a problem, but it is still good practice.

Noted.

Is there a solution for the fresh water supply? Or is it a drain for the winter job if I don't heat the boat?

On board water for drinking, showers etc? Just drain it down as you say. Personally, on a day boat, I wouldn't bother too much and would just take drinking water with me and have a couple of those big 5L bottles or water on board as back-ups. If you need a shower and are on freshwater in the summer, go for a swim! (Not sure if you have a shower fitted on this though tbh.)

After so many years in airlines, I don't touch "potable" water tanks for drinking with a bargepole!

[Simpo Two]

Louis Balfour said:

Is there a solution for the fresh water supply? Or is it a drain for the winter job if I don't heat the boat?

It's probably easier just to heat the boat (ie just keep it above freezing) than have to decommission everything then recommission it every time you want to use it. That way you just have to unplug the shore power cable and move the heater/s aside.

And yes I did once forget to unplug the cable - but luckily heard it paying out rapidly under the canopy edge and slammed the brakes on!

[HocusPocus]

As you are keeping your new boat in the water, ask the dealer if the anode type fitted is suitable. Salt/fresh water (zinc or aluminium vs. magnesium) anode protects any immersed metal (stainless steel prop/engine mounts etc) from galvanic corrosion. Check and change if necessary as part of your annual servicing routine as this is a sacrificial item designed to dissolve.

[Louis Balfour]

Simpo Two said:

Louis Balfour said:

Is there a solution for the fresh water supply? Or is it a drain for the winter job if I don't heat the boat?

It's probably easier just to heat the boat (ie just keep it above freezing) than have to decommission everything then recommission it every time you want to use it. That way you just have to unplug the shore power cable and move the heater/s aside.

And yes I did once forget to unplug the cable - but luckily heard it paying out rapidly under the canopy edge and slammed the brakes on!

Wait? Brakes?

[Louis Balfour]

HocusPocus said:

As you are keeping your new boat in the water, ask the dealer if the anode type fitted is suitable. Salt/fresh water (zinc or aluminium vs. magnesium) anode protects any immersed metal (stainless steel prop/engine mounts etc) from galvanic corrosion. Check and change if necessary as part of your annual servicing routine as this is a sacrificial item designed to dissolve.

Will I need them on one of these in fresh water?

[Seight_Returns]

Yes - particularly so if you intend to be permanently connected to shorepower. But as above, the type of metal used in the sacrificial annodes differs for salt and fresh water.

[NickCQ]

Does the outboard on these flip up for storage? Do you need a bucket or similar to keep the prop from getting bashed in the berth?

[IforB]

NickCQ said:

Does the outboard on these flip up for storage? Do you need a bucket or similar to keep the prop from getting bashed in the berth?

Not if you've tied it up properly!

[IforB]

Louis Balfour said:

HocusPocus said:

As you are keeping your new boat in the water, ask the dealer if the anode type fitted is suitable. Salt/fresh water (zinc or aluminium vs. magnesium) anode protects any immersed metal (stainless steel prop/engine mounts etc) from galvanic corrosion. Check and change if necessary as part of your annual servicing routine as this is a sacrificial item designed to dissolve.

Will I need them on one of these in fresh water?

As seight says, absolutely.

Whilst this is in salt water. On our autonomous vessel, we put it in the water with brand new anodes on. Big ones too. We plopped it into the water and a week later, the bilge alarms went off as it was sat in the marina and the boat called home...

We craned it out quick smart and found most of the anodes had gone. Turned out that due to the steel curtain wall in the marina, some areas were terrible for corrosion. we had fizzed a hole in 6mm ali in a week, despite the boat being properly protected and everything functioning.

OK this was in salt water, in a dodgy place and the boat was Aluminium, but all of us were astonished by fast it had happened.Especially s we had just spent 6 months operating it and found nothing at all after that, but had changed the anodes out as part of the standard maintenance schedule.

Change them annually and keep an eye on them. You will find you have them in and on the engine too, so don't neglect those, which a lot of people do and pay dearly for.

[NickCQ]

IforB said:

NickCQ said:

Does the outboard on these flip up for storage? Do you need a bucket or similar to keep the prop from getting bashed in the berth?

Not if you've tied it up properly!

I'm imagining you are bows in and someone drives into you while parking...

[Louis Balfour]

IforB said:

Louis Balfour said:

HocusPocus said:

As you are keeping your new boat in the water, ask the dealer if the anode type fitted is suitable. Salt/fresh water (zinc or aluminium vs. magnesium) anode protects any immersed metal (stainless steel prop/engine mounts etc) from galvanic corrosion. Check and change if necessary as part of your annual servicing routine as this is a sacrificial item designed to dissolve.

Will I need them on one of these in fresh water?

As seight says, absolutely.

Whilst this is in salt water. On our autonomous vessel, we put it in the water with brand new anodes on. Big ones too. We plopped it into the water and a week later, the bilge alarms went off as it was sat in the marina and the boat called home...

We craned it out quick smart and found most of the anodes had gone. Turned out that due to the steel curtain wall in the marina, some areas were terrible for corrosion. we had fizzed a hole in 6mm ali in a week, despite the boat being properly protected and everything functioning.

OK this was in salt water, in a dodgy place and the boat was Aluminium, but all of us were astonished by fast it had happened.Especially s we had just spent 6 months operating it and found nothing at all after that, but had changed the anodes out as part of the standard maintenance schedule.

Change them annually and keep an eye on them. You will find you have them in and on the engine too, so don't neglect those, which a lot of people do and pay dearly for.

Just emailed the broker. He says only needed on the engine and they will be fitted.

[HocusPocus]

Your GRP Hull should not dissolve like a steel or aluminium hull, so stay calm. You do need to keep a careful eye on the dull looking bits of misshapen metal (anodes) fixed on your lower engine casing and mountings.

Better the anodes dissolve than your prop blades.

Also if you will keep the boat afloat all year, paint the hull with anti foul. It will stop the muck sticking/growing.

I am thankful not to have these problems as my boats live on trailer and in dry stack respectively. Never have to worry when a storm comes through, or go check the auto bilge is still working.

[IforB]

NickCQ said:

IforB said:

NickCQ said:

Does the outboard on these flip up for storage? Do you need a bucket or similar to keep the prop from getting bashed in the berth?

Not if you've tied it up properly!

I'm imagining you are bows in and someone drives into you while parking...

You will be doing a lot more damage to them than they are to you in that case! You shouldn't be getting anywhere near to it unless it has all gone horribly wrong and then I'd be more worried about the hull getting a walloping myself.