I'd like to know if anyone out there has left their boat in through the Winter without a bubbler or any kind of de-icer? I live in Kansas and have my 25.5 is in the water. Its staying in this winter. It'll be in a slip in our yacht club that is protected in a cove. There is little or no wind or water flow in this area so potential of moving or crushing ice is nil. I was wondering what ice might do. Average temperatures are 20-30 during the coldest times and only temporary ice-overs will occur on the lake that will probably last 3-7 days max with only an inch or two of ice forming on average. Any advice would be appreciated!!!
Bubbler or No Bubbler? That is the question......
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I know several people.....
.... who winter in the water with no bubbler. They will get frozen in, but it does not seem to have had any adverse effects. Some thoughts come to mind. There may be some ice movement near the hull which could scratch it, and, as you indicated, you should be well protected. I have seen the ice "let loose" on our river in Ohio, and it takes everything with it, no exceptions. I have no personal experience, however. My boat comes out each year Good luck... Jeff
.... who winter in the water with no bubbler. They will get frozen in, but it does not seem to have had any adverse effects. Some thoughts come to mind. There may be some ice movement near the hull which could scratch it, and, as you indicated, you should be well protected. I have seen the ice "let loose" on our river in Ohio, and it takes everything with it, no exceptions. I have no personal experience, however. My boat comes out each year Good luck... Jeff
Bubbler
When in the Chesapeake Bay we would leave our boat in every other year. We used a bubbler with a thermastat so that it would only run when freezing and not all of the time. Kept the electric bill lower. Several boats in our marina didn't bubble but let them freeze and some had some damage to the gelcoat and bottom paint where the ice heaved and shifted aginst the hull. One sailboat had the rudder damaged as the boat froze in and the rudder was damaged in the heaving. They hualed in the late spring and spend money for repairs.
When in the Chesapeake Bay we would leave our boat in every other year. We used a bubbler with a thermastat so that it would only run when freezing and not all of the time. Kept the electric bill lower. Several boats in our marina didn't bubble but let them freeze and some had some damage to the gelcoat and bottom paint where the ice heaved and shifted aginst the hull. One sailboat had the rudder damaged as the boat froze in and the rudder was damaged in the heaving. They hualed in the late spring and spend money for repairs.
The one year ...
... I left my boat in the water (Chesapeake Bay) over the winter -- without a bubbler -- was, of course, one of the severest winters on record. Very cold and lots of snow. Most boats without bubblers froze in their slips, some got damaged, others didn't. After a heavy snow, I tried to get to the boat and had trouble getting into the marina (hadn't been plowed). Then, I had trouble trying to get down the docks to my slip and boat. Then I had trouble trying to remove a lot of pounds of snow from the deck and cockpit without scraping the fiberglass. Then I got smart. I have my boat hauled each winter....
... I left my boat in the water (Chesapeake Bay) over the winter -- without a bubbler -- was, of course, one of the severest winters on record. Very cold and lots of snow. Most boats without bubblers froze in their slips, some got damaged, others didn't. After a heavy snow, I tried to get to the boat and had trouble getting into the marina (hadn't been plowed). Then, I had trouble trying to get down the docks to my slip and boat. Then I had trouble trying to remove a lot of pounds of snow from the deck and cockpit without scraping the fiberglass. Then I got smart. I have my boat hauled each winter....
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