As a relatively new Catalina owner (1+ year) I wanted to get the sage advice of the group on winter storage. With my old boat (1976 vintage built in Sweden), I put her on the hard in alternate years for the winter with the thinking that letting the hull dry out for several months would help retard blisters. Several of the old salts I talked to about it agreed with that theory. It worked though whether it was due to that fact or just that the hull was not prone to blistering I dont know. Flyaway has been in the water since I got her in May a year ago except for a few days to paint the bottom this past spring. So this year I would put her up for the winter if I followed my previous regimen. My question is whether that's really necessary with the purported blister resistance of these modern hull resins. I'd rather keep her at the dock-cheaper (free), and easier to walk out the door and onto the boat for any winter projects I think up than driving to the boatyard. Opinions welcome!
wet or dry
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Blistering is primarily caused by uncured resin pockets. The newer hull after 1990 don't seem to have this problem. If you don't have ice and can be present during weather events than you can get away with keeping her wet. Other things to check when hauled though:
Play in the cutlass bearing
Strut alignment
Play in the rudder post
Water intrusion into the rudder causing delamination
Keel joint
Grease thru hull cocks
Zinc replacement
Prop and shaft and strut bronze condition
Play in the cutlass bearing
Strut alignment
Play in the rudder post
Water intrusion into the rudder causing delamination
Keel joint
Grease thru hull cocks
Zinc replacement
Prop and shaft and strut bronze condition
Thanks Wit. Right, all those things happen during short haul. Most ice I've seen here is just a little skim in my cove even during the extraordinarily cold winters we've had the last couple of winters. How's it been up on the Elk?
The Elk can be a mess in the Winter. Major ice flows, taking out docks in slow motion. One year there formed an ice barrier island 200yd off shore, eventually if got moving around at high tide, created quite a mess. So we have to pull every year.
Have not pulled in 3 years
On the Potomac the water is fresh so we don't get barnacles. We do get ice, but the marina uses bubblers so it is not too bad, and our enclosure keeps the ice from flowing like Witz sees on the Elk.
I will probably pull this year as I have some maintenance to do.
On the Potomac the water is fresh so we don't get barnacles. We do get ice, but the marina uses bubblers so it is not too bad, and our enclosure keeps the ice from flowing like Witz sees on the Elk.
I will probably pull this year as I have some maintenance to do.
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