Haul it home or leave it at the marina?

Status
Not open for further replies.
Ward H

Ward H

.
Nov 7, 2011
3,776
Catalina 30 Mk II Cedar Creek, Bayville NJ
Last spring was my first season prepping, repairing and basically getting my O'day 25 ready for our first sailing season.
I had the boat in winter storage at the marina so I spent many days driving about 3 hrs total to do about 4 to 6 hrs per day working on my boat.
I quickly learned all boat jobs took longer than I exected so I only finished about a 1/3 of my project list.

Now I am thinking about having the boat hauled to my home so I can put all those driving hours into work hours and get a lot more done before spring splash.

I know it will cost a bit to do but hope the trade off is more sailing time once I splash rather than still be working on it in the water.

While I know it is mostly a money question, any suggestions from those who considered this option?
 
Johnb

Johnb

.
Jan 22, 2008
1,459
Hunter 37-cutter Richmond CA
Unless it is prohibitively costly I would have it at home every time.

The ability to do some work whenever you have some spare time, to measure for materials whenever, to be close to your tools, power, workbench, bed, hot tub, refrigerator and hardware store is huge.
 
N

nola2172

.
Aug 1, 2013
61
Hunter 240 Muskegon, MI
Our boat has a trailer, so it is a bit easier for us to move our boat around. What type of keel/centerboard do you have? If you have one that retracts, you might be able to get a trailer for the boat so that you can move it yourself. Though a bit more expensive to start with, you can haul it anywhere after that for the cost of gas. You have less than an 8'6" beam, so you probably won't need any special towing permits. Also, you can then store it for the winter wherever you want (and get it out of the water without the lift), which is probably going to be a lot cheaper than using the marina storage and marina lift.
 
cb32863

cb32863

.
Jun 29, 2010
1,287
Beneteau First 235 Lake Minnetonka, MN
My 25 has a trailer and I tow it home rather then spending the money on storage, part of the reason for a trailerable boat for me. Nothing like having it in the driveway, doing the work you need to, having access to ALL your tools and the store when you need to make a run for something. As others have said, yes, being able to finish the day and walk in to the house is a very good thing.
 
petersea

petersea

.
Sep 26, 2008
566
- - Noank CT.
Another vote for HOME if it can be towed by yourself (or someone else for a reasonable cost) Much easier to work on and more safe in that less susceptible to some one breaking in and vandalizing your boat. Plus no need to go to marina off season if a storm to check on it for example and further inland would be safer in a coastal storm for instance.. Just so much easier to work on it at home. Will be a big time saver come spring !
 
trainmanjess

trainmanjess

.
Dec 7, 2012
515
Kittiwake 23, Irwin 43 .. Indianapolis / indianatown, fl
hello

I trailer sail my boat... this way I get to spend a lot more time working on the projects and getting them finished sooner.... it takes me 45 minutes to get to the marina, so I loose 1 and 1/2 hours going to and from the marina... the store is close to my house, so it makes sence to keep the boat at home...

besides sometimes I just like to go out and sit in the cockpit, with the music playing in the cabin on the stareo ... and enjoy the sun going down.... call me sentimental, but I just enjoy sitting in the boat sometimes and relaxing, even in the driveway on the trailer..

my vote is take it home to work on...

sincerely
Jess
 
Nereussailor

Nereussailor

.
Mar 22, 2004
733
Hunter 30 Vero Beach
When I lived in Wisconsin, my boat started at home and would get trailered by a transport company. It got to the point that the $600 to have it trailered 90 miles each way wasn't worth it. If I could have trailered it myself, I'd have kept doing it. In the end, it was better to work on it at the mairna. If you have a trailer or a friend who can move it for you bring it home and work on it there. It's a whole lot easier.
 
Sailm8

Sailm8

.
Feb 21, 2008
1,750
Hunter 29.5 Punta Gorda
I vote trailer it home but check with your HOA if boats are allowed. My HOA gave me a ton of grief about my boat along side the house, so I raised the mast ran xmas lights all over it and called it Sailing Santa.
 
Brian S

Brian S

.
Nov 9, 2012
2,500
Oday 192 Lake Nockamixon
Ward, I guess you're telling us that you don't have a trailer for that boat. Which sucks, because renting a pickup to tow it back and forth would be trivial.

I only wish I could have my boats at my house. I would get a lot more work done more quickly. Either that, or projects would still take plenty of time, because I'd just spend a lot of time puttering around in the boat.

Dang, I miss it already, and it's only been hauled out since Saturday...

Also, having to load up the car with every tool and supply you think you are going to need gets old FAST, but I think you already learned that this spring...

Brian
 
Ward H

Ward H

.
Nov 7, 2011
3,776
Catalina 30 Mk II Cedar Creek, Bayville NJ
Yep, If I had a trailer it would be a no brainer. I have been checking the various sites for a used trailer but I really only need it at home for this winter. I got a quote for a new trailer. $5600.
One spring with the boat in the back yard and I could get caught up on my projects.
Last spring I learned to make lists and check them twice but it did get old quickly.
Waiting for a couple of quotes to come in on moving it. Probably won't happen but nice to think about.

Thanks
 
T

txtowman

.
Mar 8, 2009
530
Catalina 22 Kemah,Texas
Its not that hard to modify a powerboat trailer to fit your 25. I did mine in one weekend, I only wish I had started with a more robust frame.
 
T

txtowman

.
Mar 8, 2009
530
Catalina 22 Kemah,Texas
check craigslist and find a neighbor who can weld/fabricate. or build a cradle and put it on a shopbuilt flatbed.
 
dscribner

dscribner

.
Nov 9, 2008
1,338
Pearson-O'Day 290 Portland Maine
Ward,

My trailer cost $900 plus a brake system. It WAS a power boat trailer but I corrected it's ere by converting it to carry a real boat. I used bolt on stanchions to raise the roller assemblies and a keel support. I converted it in a weekend. If yours is a full keel it would be a little trickier but still doable. Another possibility would be a car hauler and a cradle. The cradle could be a stout and well braced 4x4 framework. Also, there are a couple of good post on how to get the boat off the trailer. It would probably take a couple of weekends to make the cradle and the gallows to get her off, but I'd say it's doable if you've got some chutzpah.

Don
 

Attachments

C

captcoho

.
Oct 29, 2012
353
Catalina 30 TRBS MkII Milwaukee
Ward H said:
Yep, If I had a trailer it would be a no brainer. I have been checking the various sites for a used trailer but I really only need it at home for this winter. I got a quote for a new trailer. $5600.
One spring with the boat in the back yard and I could get caught up on my projects.
Last spring I learned to make lists and check them twice but it did get old quickly.
Waiting for a couple of quotes to come in on moving it. Probably won't happen but nice to think about.

Thanks
Click to expand
The cost of fuel and your time would be spread over time as an investment in a trailer.
Not to mention the ability to trailer to other places to sail, rather than taking the time to sail to those places and back.
Then there is the equaty of having the trailer for resale either with or without the boat.
There are many times I still think about getting a trailerable boat in addition to the "big one" at the Marina.
Do you pay for winter storage as well as summer storage for the trailer?? Being in "Dry Sail" at the marina can help keep the boat clean, avoid the need for anti-fouling bottom paint and makes it easier to bring your car along side when "putzing" on the boat rather trips back and forth on the dock.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Top Bottom