keeping boat on a slip

[richard.prince]

OK guys, I am thinking about putting my boat on a slip next season and am trying to weigh the pros and cons. I have already talked with the marina and know I can bring my own gas so I don't have to pay the extra dollar per gallon for gas. I already have a wagon I can use to transport gear to and from the boat and have a good cover. The boat will be at a lake that is an hour away so I would save the extra gas towing and extra wear on tow vehicle. I feel that I would use the boat more because I could go out alone and would only have to deal with launching and retrieving once a year.

Do need bottom paint?

Can any of you that have slips give me some of the down sides or positives I may not be aware of?

 

[OK Toon]

Re: keeping boat on a slip

Are the slip areas in a restricted access area or can anyone at the marina walk down to your slip? If a public area, make sure you don't leave anything on the boat. Can you add a lift to the slip? Normally this would become part of the slip if you give up the slip. You'll love the ease of use when the boat is in the slip compared to launching and loading all the time. We have our own dock but it took some work to get it usable again and to fix/modify the lift to fit our pontoon boat. But its great for taking quick cruises on the boat. Just wish our slips were wider than 10' - putting an 8.5' boat in makes me a little nervous - but I just take it really slow.

 

[richard.prince]

Re: keeping boat on a slip

The slip I am currently looking at is 24x10 uncovered for $950/year. No lift and I think you have to have a covered slip to have a lift which is 2000/year + lift. There is no gate to keep people off the dock but there are live ons on dock A (I will be on B) plus the guy that runs the marina lives next to the marina store and just happens to be a friends dad that I grew up 2 streets over from

 

[MinUph]

Re: keeping boat on a slip

When I bought my first boat boat some 25-30 years ago I figured I'd trailer it. That lasted about 1/2 a season in Upstate NY where the season is about 4 months. I then rented a slip. Never looked back. As you say you WILL use the boat more often and on shorter trips as you won't have to spend 1.5 - 2 hours getting the boat ready, hooking it up, launching it, pulling it out, getting it ready for the road, unhooking it at home and putting it away. Instead you drive to the marina hop in and start her up. Be aware of the security at the marina, at least talk to the liveaboards to see the situation. I hate to say this but I've never had an issue. Hope I didn't blow that by saying it lol.
As for bottom paint.. Leaving a boat in the water (fresh) still builds up an algae growth that slows you down. If its a glass boat no harm done until you need to clean it off. Hard work is all. Personally I painted my cruiser, not the smaller ones but the large glass one I did. Kept it nice and clean.
You will love it.

 

[richard.prince]

Re: keeping boat on a slip

I think I remember someone saying to clean their toons they take a scrub brush with them and when they go out for a swim they clean. I think I like that idea, I plan on taking some friends/ family out at least once a month to keep the wife from having an issue with my fishing habit

 

[MH Hawker]

Re: keeping boat on a slip

I was sort of in the same place I trailered mine for 20 years and when I switched over to a pontoon my wife talked me into putting it on a slip. Best thing I have ever done. I end up using mine several days a week to fish and once during the weekend for the wife and grand kids. I am on a uncovered wet slip, a good cover keeps it dry and yes a scrub or two through the season keep the green slime off of the toons and a pressure wash at the end. In fact I just paid for next year.

 

[lakegeorge]

Re: keeping boat on a slip

Keeping it in a slip is the only way to go. We have been keeping our boats in slips for over 30 years and we wouldn't go any other way.

 

[OK Toon]

Re: keeping boat on a slip

I think you'll really love having it in a slip. The "uncovered" part of it will be the worst part of it all -- having to put the cover back on everytime you get back. And depending on where the snaps are for the stern, this can be tricky when the boat is in the water. My cover doesn't cover the area of the deck outside of the playpen at the stern - it snaps to the top of the rail and under a shelf area that covers the battery. So it's not too difficult to get the cover started while I'm on the boat. Then all of the side and bow snaps can be done from the dock. But we don't put the cover on till winter since our slip is covered. But you will love the ease of use of having the boat in a slip. Just take your time when pulling back into a 10' wide slip -- wait for the rolling waves to stop that you create when coming in to the dock area or they can push you off track a little. Since you can't see down both sides of the boat when you are pulling in, just look down the starboard side and make sure you have just a few inches of clearance -- that should give you plenty of clearance on the port side. Just put it in gear and take it out to just get a little forward momentum. Then put it in neutral and kill it when you get the bow area into the slip -- you can just grab the posts and pull yourself in the rest of the way.

Word of warning though -- you need to make sure your guests understand if you need their assistance or not when pulling into the slip. Having people up and moving about makes it difficult to pull into a tight slip. I always make sure eveyone knows to stay seated until we are in the slip. The last thing I need is for someone to reach out to grab something thinking they are helping, when I don't need their help. You are the captain, make sure they understand that.

 

[Fleetwin]

Re: keeping boat on a slip

+1, Slip it.

Pontoons are not easy or fun to trailer.

Bottom Paint? Advisable. Have you checked out having "Sharkskin" applied? It's worked wonders for us. The "toons" always look good and bottom growth is minimized.

 

[alldodge]

Re: keeping boat on a slip

OK guys, I am thinking about putting my boat on a slip next season and am trying to weigh the pros and cons. I have already talked with the marina and know I can bring my own gas so I don't have to pay the extra dollar per gallon for gas. I already have a wagon I can use to transport gear to and from the boat and have a good cover. The boat will be at a lake that is an hour away so I would save the extra gas towing and extra wear on tow vehicle. I feel that I would use the boat more because I could go out alone and would only have to deal with launching and retrieving once a year.

Do need bottom paint?

Can any of you that have slips give me some of the down sides or positives I may not be aware of?

If it's all about the cost don't do it. It cost less to put it in and out then leave it in for smaller boats. If it is for pleasure and enjoyment go for it. I have two slips and love it, one for the boat and one for the seadoo.

No need to bottom paint a pontoon but as others have mentioned it will take some work to clean the crud off the pontoons every year. If you do put ablative bottom paint just to the water line this will be a easy clean up. No need for barrier coat prior to bottom paint but will need a good cleaning and correct primer. I like Interlux Micron CSC in shark white because I am in fresh water. Easy clean and is designed for a boat which can be hauled and re-launched without repainting. If your not talking about a pontoon as in you pic then you will need to have 3-coats of barrier coat before bottom paint.

Being in Jeff, IN I take it you may boat in the river which build up will be more.

A note on gas, the Corps of Engineers does not allow gas to be transported across any dock and this is not to say that it is not done all the time. Most folks that do it never have an incident but as they say, stuff happens. Just FYI

 

[richard.prince]

Re: keeping boat on a slip

Being in Jeff, IN I take it you may boat in the river which build up will be more.

A note on gas, the Corps of Engineers does not allow gas to be transported across any dock and this is not to say that it is not done all the time. Most folks that do it never have an incident but as they say, stuff happens. Just FYI

Slip is on Patoka, I dislike the river because it seems every time I boat there I tear something up due to debris so this boat will not be used there.


Was unaware of the gas thing. What about lakes with no marinas?

 

[alldodge]

Re: keeping boat on a slip

Slip is on Patoka, I dislike the river because it seems every time I boat there I tear something up due to debris so this boat will not be used there.


Was unaware of the gas thing. What about lakes with no marinas?

Boated the lower side of the river for years, loved it, still miss the river. Went out many times with the Louisville ski club and there would be 20 boats or so just floating down river all tied together. Have relatives that live in French Lick and have boated Patoka many times. I don't really like the lake because it's so shallow and stumps everywhere in the fingers, also just down from the Marina there is what I call the mud hill. No place to ski in smooth water but places to tube. Either way nice enough like to have some fun but watch the fingers, but you probably know that.

If the lake is operated by the Core the rule is the same. If there is a lake without a Marina and operated by the Core I would guess the rule is the same. Given that the rule is caring gas on a dock, no dock no issue spillage would be the same. Docks on Core operated lakes are leased from the Core, the Core doesn't own the dock only the lease.

 

[arntarchie]

Re: keeping boat on a slip

Love my slip. do not like cleaning toons. sharkhied failed miserably. bottom paint love me long time and no mes sen around with an expensive lift.... boat was in the water for 9 months didnt even need to rise it of with fresh water,

 

[Old Screwball]

Re: keeping boat on a slip

Our vacation house is on a river and has a marina for the residents. We drop the 'toon in the water in March or April, and take her out in November. It is about 30 yards from our back door to the boat. Get a good wagon and a storage box to leave at the dock for covers and stuff. I have a solar trickle charger for the battery, and have never had a problem with dead batteries. Our little community (53 houses) has never had a problem with theft or vandalism in the Marina. Most boaters are considerate of others toys. Get lots of bumpers, tie-down ropes, and a good cable lock. Peace of mind when you are not there and the weather gets crappy.

 

[arntarchie]

Re: keeping boat on a slip

I should amend my first comment, the sharkhied did not fail. the upper half of the logs have stayed nice and shiny. the company made no climes that it would keep growth off the bottom but I was hopping it would make it easier to clean off.

 

[WaterDR]

Re: keeping boat on a slip

Sharkhide is a complete waste of money for a toon kept slipped in the water for the areas of the toon that are under water. Its not designed to work that way. Unless you are using anti-fouling paint, nothing will work. Also, these are pontoons! The toons are made from aluminum. Aluminum protects itself by turning brown....aluminum-oxide. This is a healthy process for the metal.

Biggest updise of slipping is that you will use your toon a lot more. We use ours about 50 times a season from June through September. The downside is wear and tear (which comes with using a toon 50 times a season) and cost of slipping. We pay over $4k a season for our slip, yet we still do it. We are on an amazing river and in a pretty exclusive marina, but everythimg is expensive on the river. We could save about $1500 but then would have a 90 min drive round trip.

Big benefit for us is that the slip is a mile from our house. I can be making a sandwhich and in 5 minutes eating in on the toon.