Hunter 260 Mooring Challenges

Feb 20, 2016
153
Catalina 22 Palm Harbor
Looking for some help with challenges leaving a boat at mooring, maintenance, battery charging, canvas covering, etc. Looking at Solar vs Wind Battery Charging in addition to Outboard Alternator. Concerned about boat covering, whether Canvas Panels with loops straddled over Boom would suffice for cleaning help to deck and Cockpit.
The Slips in our area are few a far between and expensive. Mooring location is no more than 100yds. from the house by Kayak. My plan , in addition to the help I need, above, is to rent a transient slip every two months and spend the day with clean up, charging and maintenance. is this typical process with boat mooring?
 
Feb 21, 2013
4,638
Hunter 46 Point Richmond, CA
Some considerations:

1. Salt water washdown pump OR whenever you rent a transient slip wash the boat down to remove bird dropping.
2. Fresh water maker OR top off your tanks whenever you rent a transient slip to insure you have fresh water supply.
3. Canvas dodger and bimini will protect the companionway and cockpit and other canvas covers, as required to protect outboard motor, grill and pedestal, tiller, wheel, etc.
4. Properly sized wind or solar charger will keep your batteries topped off and supply power to your bilge pump(s), electronics, lights, etc. Battery Life on Mooring | SailNet Community

Cleaning a Boat on a Mooring - What do you do? | SailNet Community
 
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Likes: rgranger
Feb 20, 2016
153
Catalina 22 Palm Harbor
a 12V Salt Water Pump, OKay...did not know these pumps were available. So Salt Water is a good wash of for boat deck longevity?
Good Idea on the fresh water top offs
Appreciate the time you spent responding
 
Jun 8, 2004
10,024
-na -NA Anywhere USA
First before asking questions, what set of mooring ball would the boat be attached to and is the ball secured by weight or attached to a screw in device into the seabed. Also suggest that you add a longer plate inside the bow to distribute loading of the bow eye. It would help everyone if this is a lake, coastal or river with current, wave and wind conditions.

Are there any permits required for a mooring ball in your area?
 
Jun 28, 2020
12
Hunter 240 Saefern Dock
I spent a whole season on a mooring ball from April - October in Annapolis, MD. Although my neighborhood had a marina, there was a waiting list. They did allow me access to the drop off area at the end of the dock where I had access to fresh water and electricity. They'd also let me occasionally keep it there for a weekend when we had visitors. In between fresh water wash downs, I'd just use the brackish water around the boat to scrub the deck when it was dirty. At first, I'd haul a large bucket of fresh water via kayak, but later just accepted the periodic fresh washes at my neighborhood marina were good enough. I used a sail cover on the main, and my jib was on a roller furler. I didn't use a cockpit cover. The only time I really had trouble was when my water pump went out. I couldn't pull the lower unit at the mooring, so I had to get a friend to tow me to a ramp. Otherwise, it was a highly successful season.
 
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Likes: sail sfbay
Feb 20, 2016
153
Catalina 22 Palm Harbor
Sounds like our plan, also. Assume the water pump is an engine issue? Did you store the trailer for the boat and is that how you were able to do the engine work?
Appreciate your time spent responding to our concerns
 
Jun 28, 2020
12
Hunter 240 Saefern Dock
Yes. Water pump on the outboard motor. It turned out to be a really easy fix. On land. I keep the trailer in my driveway when the boat isn't on it.
 
Nov 8, 2007
1,523
Hunter 27_75-84 Sandusky Harbor Marina, Ohio
We furl and cover our bimini at the dock. I can see covering a tiller, motor, or wheel. But the cockpit, hatches and other hardware have survived 45 years of year round Lake Erie sun and weather without covers. The only difference for the proposed mooring is the corrosive effect of salt water spray on metal winches a motor or a wheel.
 
Apr 27, 2010
1,236
Hunter 23 Lake Wallenpaupack
I had our H23 on a mooring on a lake a few seasons. I started using a "toy" inflatable as a dingy but it was difficult to step out of it to the boat,even using our swim platform. You may find boarding from a kayak to be tricky. I ended up building a wood insert floor for the raft, which was workable.
 
Jun 28, 2020
12
Hunter 240 Saefern Dock
Yes. Getting on the boat from both kayak and inflatable dinghy was always tricky. Got wet a couple of times....