leave the boat in the water over the winter?

[curt brungardt]

I am looking for advise about leaving my boat (81 hunter 22') in the water over the winter months. Will a frozen lake (2-3 months) harm the boat? Or should i pull it out? Does it matter? please advise.

 

[Steve]

Cracked

A frozen lake can crack your hull like a walnut.

 

[Sailor Joe20804]

I wouldn't leave it in without a bubbler

I used to have my H23.5 in Perry Lake KS, and I never left it in over the winter. I had a trailer and it was easy to yank it out and not worry. My biggest fear was not that ice formed around the boat, but that as it melted, I would have a hole in the ice slightly larger than my boat, and then wind and waves would batter the hull against the ice until all was melted. I shudder to think of the result of that abuse. Even with a bubbler you have to check to make sure that it is is working as intended, and I don't like to go to the lake in freezing temps to work on anything, especially something wet and electrical.

 

[John]

Put it on the trailer

Curt: We have several boats that stay on the water at Eldorado. 1/2 of them have bubblers or are on a lift. The rest just freeze in. I've seen pictures of several at Cheney that went to the bottom due to thru hull fitting failures. I think this was caused by interior moisture freezing. ??With a 22' it should be relatively easy to put on the trailer. I agree with Sailor Joe.If you're ever down by Eldorado, stop by WVSC on Eldorado lake.

 

[curt brungardt]

thanks for the advice

Thanks for the advice. Sounds like a no brainer. I will pull the boat out (I just hate taking down the mast each year).

 

[Steve677]

Don't take the mast down...

Don't take the mast down if you don't have to do it. My H23 sits on the hard in the parking lot of my marina for the winter with the mast up. Are you at a marina? Talk to them...