Hi EvenKeel16!
We loved having a slip in 2021!
It was a great decision for us!
We are pretty frugal and the cost/benefit analysis (yes I’m an engineer) was very positive for us to use a slip!
We spent 3 months in SC to explore the estuaries and 70 nights in VT exploring Lake Champlain.
For us the decision was perfect.
In SC we rented a slip for three months with electric and water.
Water was nice to rinse the boat and electric was nice for ensuring the batteries stayed topped off, use of a fan, 12VDC converter for our Thermionic cooler and induction cooktop while in the slip. There was a handy marine fuel dock, a small ships store, shore facilities (bathrooms & showers, picnic gazebo & grills, dog walk, lawn lounge) and a nice open deck restaurant with spaced out seating which was really appreciated due to the Covid-19 considerations.
In VT we spent 70 nights on Lake Champlain from late August to mid November experiencing the change from the heat of Summer to the ice of early Winter. This was also a pair of slips with water and electric. For this part of our journey the electric was appreciated for running the new A/C during the hot weather to cool things down in the cabin and to dehumidify. We also used electric heat when the weather gradually dropped down to below freezing in October and November. Both worked great! We also ran our induction cooktop and 12VDC converter for our Thermionic cooler.
For us a slip was a great choice as it allowed us to spend 4 days a week on average out on the water cruising and exploring.
In SC it allowed us to skip the hours long ‘pre-prep/drive/prep/launch/find-a-place-to-park & dock/find-the-trailer/haul-out/de-prep/drive/park/clean-up” cycle each time we wanted to go out. It allowed us to avoid all the launch ramp drama of everyone wanting to get in, fighting over limited parking spots, maneuvering in crowded areas (land & water), get out and the inevitable pseudo-dramas of shallow egos vs perceived slights (especially on weekends). Instead we had the joy of getting to the marina 15 minutes away from our home in a normal car to the marina with sufficient parking, walk to our boat, untie the lines, get fuel if needed, and enjoy cruising the estuaries. The return was just as relaxing.
In VT it allowed us to live aboard our boat for the first time for an extended period of time. There the shore facilities were very much appreciated. We had a secure place to park our trailer and a convenient spot for our van. This also included a laundry and easy access to groceries, pizza, restaurants and other shoreside amenities.
The daily slip cost in SC was about $13 a day and in VT it was about $20 a day.
The convenience was worth it to us and allowed us to spend our time out and about on the water.
The key to us was to actually use our boat as often as possible (4+ full days a week = 17+ days a month)
We wouldn’t have gone with a slip if we were only using the boat only 3 or 4 days a month.
As far as the engine aspect….
Our situation is different from yours in that our engine swings up clear of the water and fully drains.
We keep sacrificial zinc anodes in the water attached to our engine mount.
I wouldn’t leave an engine in water (salt/brackish or fresh) if that could be avoided.
( Hi NiceAft: I believe the only reason t have a motor in the down position is that the “up-lock” on some engines may not stay in place or are possibly insufficient to handle the road induced loads while traveling. The ‘up-lock’ on our Tohatsu 50 is fairly robust and I add a safety wire wrap to it while traveling to ensure it stays in place. The engine induced moment load on the transom is more balanced with the engine up. (With the engine down all the weight is aft of the transom and when vertical loads (from bumps and potholes) are incurred the weight is leveraging the engine off the transom. There is also the ground clearance issue with the engine down that I’m concerned with. Some people add support wedges to help keep their engines up and distribute the load to the transom. (This is something I’m considering doing on a precautionary ‘belt & suspenders’ basis.) We do move our engine to the down position when storing the boat on the trailer for access and flushing once we are home but raise it back up for traveling any distance. We generally try and tie a flag or streamer on the prop while in transit but will be moving to a lighted “running and brake lights” bracket in the fall.)
We keep our Mac26X rudders fully up when not in active use.
This avoids a host of potential issues including marine growth fouling.
While clean fresh water flushing is never a bad idea, our current engine isn’t set up to easily accomplish this while on the water as it requires the use of those flushing “ear muffs” (and I’m just not that dexterous
). Our new engine has a garden hose connection…I’m wondering if I can possibly put an adapter so I can connect to it while standing in the aft deck area (without being a contortionist!
)…
We did experience some marine growth when in SC while in the water so that is something to consider.
We believe this was due to not only the warm brackish water but mostly due to the 20 year old aged-out/worn-out bottom & ablative paint which we had removed and replaced prior to our journey up to Lake Champlain. We also had our swing keel and rudders done at the same time.
We hope you get out and about on the water as frequently as possible to enjoy your boat while you have a slip.
It was worth it to us and hope the same for you!
Best Regards
Over Easy
