Storing you boat in a fresh water slip bath opposed to salt water?

[81 CC SEAOX 23']

I see them in the slips all the time and never considered or thought I would be interested in such a thing but here I am at 53 and my partner on the boat doesnt have a tow rig and doesnt want one so we settled the problem by putting the boat in the marina at Channel Islands Harbor in Ventura California. When I want to go other places than the local fishing spots or area I go there and will load the boat on the trailer and move it the night before and then move it to where we want to fish or WHERE EVER we decided?

So to my question; "Who has their boat moored in a slip but slides in over a fresh water bath system?"

What is your experience with this type of storage? Good or bad?

Any big hassles doing this?

Bottom cleaning service with it under the boat? How is it done?

Where do you get them?

What are some names of the better brands?

Are thee different grades and others offer features I am not aware of or mentioning?

How much do they cost?

Can I make one and not purchase one?

If it can be made who can give me a list of parts needed and instructions on what and how to do it?

Advantages of freshwater bath over salt water storage that I am not aware of?

How do you keep fresh water in the slip bath and not fill it with salt water when you move it in and out of the slip its in?

Any tips would be appreciated I know nothing about these things other than a guy said it was very helpful keeping a lot of the salt water marine growth down.

Isnt there going to be marine growth in the fresh water also or is it light due to lack of salt water?

MORE questions to follow as I think of more.

[thataway]

These used to be very popular in S. Calif. I don't live there now, so I don't know if they are still used. There was one called "Boat Bath", it had a foam collar all around the edge and was custom built for the size of boat and slip. Small lines kept this in the slip. The other type were home made of heavy black pastic--probably at least 15 to 20 mil. The edges were folded over, and brass grommets were put into the edges. Screw eyes were placed on the sides of the fingers and head of the slip, which held up this plastic (made deep enough for the boat, and contoured to fit the slip). The back in both, had a tube on it, folded back plastic, with a draw string in it,. To back the boat out, the draw string was looseded, and boat hooks were used to push the back of the "Boat bath" down and open. The boat was backed out. Reverse comming in, and the back was gathered up, usually with the draw string going to the stern of the boat--to support some of the weight. Some folks put fresh water in the boat baths, but it was difficult to displace the salt water (Salt water has specific gravity of 1.022 vs 1.000 for fresh water, so salt water sinks). Most folks just put a swimming pool chlorine tablet in the boat bath. Every six months, the boat bath was turned over (by somefolks) and the marine growth killed by the chlorine tablets. This was usuall "odoriferous"--to be polite.... The fresh water leaves the container when you leave the boat.

However in todays world of environmental regulations, I do not know if this is allowed. I do know that growth scraped off boats is labled "toxic"--and some harbors do not allow divers to scrub the bottoms of boats (as in Washington State)---so you will have to check with your marina and local authorities. I did find a San Diego document which mentioned using 10 to 15% fresh water to decrease growth with a boat bath--so apparently this is allowed in some places.

Hope this helps some.

[81 CC SEAOX 23']

Sounds like it may be a West coast thing!! I did not realize other states may not even do this sort of thing?

[tg]

I can't imagine a bigger PITA.

[WRK2HRD]

tg - 9/26/2005 2:58 AM

I can't imagine a bigger PITA.

Can I get a AMEN?!?

[SeaJay]

Let me see, screw around with an expensive system like that, or have it properly bottom painted and let it sit in salt water as sailors have been doing for hundreds of years???

[gb]

I was in a marina yesterday in NC and two boats have them. My friend paid $500 for his. Seems to work well.

[Afishinado]

errrr... I don't get it... You pull a tarp like thingy under and around the hull and fill it with fresh water, thereby displacing the salt????
Anyone with a picture?

[TOP DOG]

I had one for my last boat. No bottom growth/ no bottom diver for two years. I do recommend you put a barrier coat on your boat to prevent blisters.

[81 CC SEAOX 23']

First off my boat is going to bottom painted with anti fowl paint but I am interested in the idea of cutting back on marine growth maintanence. Like the poster Top Dog said above;

I had one for my last boat. No bottom growth/ no bottom diver for two years. I do recommend you put a barrier coat on your boat to prevent blisters. [/b]

I am looking to cut cost like any one here unless you have a $$$ tree in the back yard its a $65.00 per month thing here to keep the bottom clean and it does not matter if you are not bottom painted or not the salt water marine growth is tuff stuff and eventually very damaging.

[Sea Snake]

Where I live, in Jacksonville, the developer ran out of waterfront property, so he dug a fresh water canal and has sold "waterfront property" on both sides of it..."so you can keep your boat behind your house".
To get to the saltwater, you drive your boat to the end of the canal, where you load the boat on this big trailer thingy....then drive all of 50 feet to the saltwater ramp to dump it in the salt.
Then just do it in reverse when you return....seems like a total PITA to me too .

Steve

[SeaJay]

"$65.00 per month thing here to keep the bottom clean"

A properly done bottom paint job will keep the growth off for at least a year, if not two. Not sure what is being done for 65 a month, but it is not something that most boaters consider to be needed.

[ginmills]

SeaJay -

out here....if you leave your boat sit a month or two, it will be completely encrusted with good sized mussels and other stuff. Even with a brand new properly done bottom paint job.

We pay divers to clean the bottom every month in summer and every couple months in winter.

[SeaJay]

Ginmills, thanks for passing that info along. We have no such problems on the east coast. There will be a brown film that gets accumulated over the course of a full season and is easy to wash off before putting the boats up for winter storage, but no mussels or anything else like that will attach to the bottom.

[81 CC SEAOX 23']

Sea Jay

The encrustations here in southern California or Pacific I don't know or care but the growth is a real problem here. I have a friend that left his outdrvies down and mussels started there growth in less than 3 weeks. We also get a long moss that is green and easy enough to wash off if it were not for encrustations. It is pretty strong growth too. I have always trailer stored my boat but having a partner in this boat and he is in no position to tow or launch himself convinced me that he could only partner if the boat was in the water available for his use. I agreed to the part because its fair. So I am left with this issue when it has never even been considered by me