I am thinking of buying a water ballast Hunter, but leaving it in a slip all summer, with only a winter haul-out. What issues would that present for crud in my ballast tank? Is there any advantage to pumping out the tanks after each use and storing the boat in the slip with the tanks empty? Or should I just add some kind of disinfectant like chlorine to the water in the tanks? Advice would be appreciated.
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Dave Royce
No worries
I leave my 23.5 in a slip 365 days. I only pull the boat once a year for maintenance. I add bleach to the water blast every six month or so. I pulled the boat this past spring and the water blast tank was clean, no growth or grunge. I never worry about. I would not think of pumping it out and leaving it dry. If you do this you will lose 1000lbs, I think the boat would respond like a cork when tied up in the slip.
I leave my 23.5 in a slip 365 days. I only pull the boat once a year for maintenance. I add bleach to the water blast every six month or so. I pulled the boat this past spring and the water blast tank was clean, no growth or grunge. I never worry about. I would not think of pumping it out and leaving it dry. If you do this you will lose 1000lbs, I think the boat would respond like a cork when tied up in the slip.
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Gary
No Problem, relax
I had a 23.5 for nine years on the lake for six months at a time with no issues with the ballast tank remaining full and no need for any action to be taken. Enjoy your boat, I now own a new 240 only two weeks old....
I had a 23.5 for nine years on the lake for six months at a time with no issues with the ballast tank remaining full and no need for any action to be taken. Enjoy your boat, I now own a new 240 only two weeks old....
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Tom
In water 365
I do the same. How many years have you done this? This is my 3rd season and no problems.
I do the same. How many years have you done this? This is my 3rd season and no problems.
H26 No Problem
Ken, We also use bleach twice a year. About a quart each time. That's not to say that when it does get drained....well....whewww....stay up wind. When I drain mine I open the valve first and let some of the tank drain and then pull the cork/stopper to finish up. This prevents any of the water bubbling out of the cork/stopper hole onto the aft berth mattress. Jeff s/v "Festivity" 1996 H26
Ken, We also use bleach twice a year. About a quart each time. That's not to say that when it does get drained....well....whewww....stay up wind. When I drain mine I open the valve first and let some of the tank drain and then pull the cork/stopper to finish up. This prevents any of the water bubbling out of the cork/stopper hole onto the aft berth mattress. Jeff s/v "Festivity" 1996 H26
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BART FORD
terrific odor
I have a 240 and the first year I left the boat in the water all summer and when I hauled it in the fall, the odor in the tank would knock your socks off. The next year I launched it and put a gallon of cheap clorox down it the tank with a funnel. Opened the valve so that what I added would not overflow and then closed the valve. Let it stay in there all summer. When I pulled the boat out, presto no odor. Note when you pull the boat out in the fall, go straight to the car wash, the kind that takes lots of quarters, while the scum is still wet. It will come off fairly easy. If you wait until it drys then it is real hard to remove. agood coat of wax will help. If you wait and the scum has dried hard, go to the hardware or paint store and buy a can of wood bleach that contains oxalic acid and mix according to instructions. It won't hurt the fiberglass but it sure does CLEAN boats.
I have a 240 and the first year I left the boat in the water all summer and when I hauled it in the fall, the odor in the tank would knock your socks off. The next year I launched it and put a gallon of cheap clorox down it the tank with a funnel. Opened the valve so that what I added would not overflow and then closed the valve. Let it stay in there all summer. When I pulled the boat out, presto no odor. Note when you pull the boat out in the fall, go straight to the car wash, the kind that takes lots of quarters, while the scum is still wet. It will come off fairly easy. If you wait until it drys then it is real hard to remove. agood coat of wax will help. If you wait and the scum has dried hard, go to the hardware or paint store and buy a can of wood bleach that contains oxalic acid and mix according to instructions. It won't hurt the fiberglass but it sure does CLEAN boats.
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John Lilly
A little bleach will do.
I leave my Hunter 23.5 in the lake all summer and pull it in the fall. All I do is periodically add some bleach to the ballast tank. It has never really gotten fouled up, (smell or site).
I leave my Hunter 23.5 in the lake all summer and pull it in the fall. All I do is periodically add some bleach to the ballast tank. It has never really gotten fouled up, (smell or site).
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