Last out of the water 1st back in

Jan 24, 2017
666
Hunter 34 Toms River Nj
I never got why all of the boat owners wait till spring to start prepping there boats for new season launch. I aways try to avoid the mad rush in the spring preparation. Oil changes, engin matinance, bottom painting, cleaning, waxing, and the list goes on. Why doesn't anyone do this when the the boat is mothballed at the end of the season? Seems like all of the people at my marina haul out winterize and never come back until spring.

My boat gets all engine matinance and all systems winterized week before it gets hauled. I try to haul the week before or after thanksgiving. Then engine gets winterized, washed and waxed day of haul out. Bottom prepared and painted next day. I have always tried to do everything before and right after the boat comes out of the water.

Basically by doing everything ahead of time, when the spring weather arrives all I need to do is quick wash and wipe on some wax and ready to splash.
No waiting for people to finish with electric and water hose.

My boat is almost always the last out and first in. The other captains stand around at the edge of the docks with paint brushes and wax rags in there hands. Wondering how in the heck did I get everything done so fast. It's no secret, just do get it done before you pack it in at the end of the season.
Sailing season is short enough, getting out there on the water sailing is what it's all about ⛵⛵⛵⛵⛵⛵
 
Aug 28, 2006
564
Bavaria 35E seattle
Some bottom paint though requires splashing right after painting. Is that why they wait?
 
Sep 25, 2008
7,076
Alden 50 Sarasota, Florida
Some bottom paint though requires splashing right after painting. Is that why they wait?
Yes.

While it may seem like a time-saving to prep in the Fall, it essentially shortens the end of season sailing time rather than doing things in the spring so the net effect is irrelevant.
 
Jan 1, 2006
7,039
Slickcraft 26 Sailfish
In the Northeast the fall sailing is much better than the spring sailing. In the fall the water is still warm so if it's sunny you've got a good day. In the spring the water is cold so when the sea breeze comes up even a warm day turns cold real fast.
 
Oct 6, 2007
1,023
Hunter H30 1982 Chicago IL
Lake Michigan is cold in the spring. April to mid-May is for spring prep in the yacht yard. I launch just before Memorial Day weekend (Even then it’s often still cold.) and stretch my sailing season as late as I can in the fall when the water is warm. Usually haul out about the third week of October.
 
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Apr 5, 2009
2,774
Catalina '88 C30 tr/bs Oak Harbor, WA
On most hard paints that I am aware of, you have 60 days to splash after painting. After the paint has been wet, you can only have it out of the water for 2-3 days before needing to sand before relaunch.
 
Jan 22, 2008
309
Hunter 34 Herrington South, MD
Engine maintenance should always be done before storage! Engine oil gets contaminated and can cause damage it continually left in the engine over long storage periods.
 
Jan 7, 2011
4,727
Oday 322 East Chicago, IN
I am usually one of the last ones out at the end of October and one of the first back in in April. I noticed a salmon charter boat is already in, even though the marina doesn’t really open until April 1.

No water turned on yet, and I was hoping to wash and wax the hull before splashing...somwill have to see if they get the water on.

Other than that, and a little touch up of the bottom paint, I am ready to go.

50 degrees today so no ice left in the harbor....must be time to splash!

Greg