In the Slip or On-the-Hard through a Maryland Winter?

[Frank Vernet]

For all Chesapeake Bay Sailors:

What is the general concensus on leaving your boat in the Cheasapeake Bay versus storage on-the-hard through a Maryland winter? I understand the danger of a hard freeze, but how likely is that and/or how often does it really happen? My observation last winter was that the majority of boats are hauled out, but that a fair number are left in the water.

What has been the board's experience.

Thanks in advance.

Frank Vernet
CO Sirius
CD33 #84



frankv7777@aol.com

[john doyle]

For all Chesapeake Bay Sailors:

What is the general concensus on leaving your boat in the Cheasapeake Bay versus storage on-the-hard through a Maryland winter? I understand the danger of a hard freeze, but how likely is that and/or how often does it really happen? My observation last winter was that the majority of boats are hauled out, but that a fair number are left in the water.

What has been the board's experience.

Thanks in advance.

Frank Vernet
CO Sirius
CD33 #84

When I lived on the bay, we left our boat in the water some years & out others. All you need is one really hard freeze & you could be in trouble. My neighbor worked aboard a ESSO tanker and had a picture of her stranded in the middle of the bay, with the crew walking around on the ice.
John CD31 #18 Bonnie Blue



redzeplin@yahoo.com

[Will W.]

Hi Frank
Suzi Q spent 3 yrs in the water on the South River near Annapolis. I hauled her last season in order to do neccesary maintenance. If this year is anything like last, I will probably stay in and enjoy the occasional warm spells. Of course if I am forced to haul out because of a hurricane or tropical storm late in the fall, I would just leave her out.
As far as what to expect for winter, it's hard to say. I've lived in this area all my life. There have been a few times when winter got so cold that rivers froze solid. As a kid I once ice skated from Londontowne to the Riva bridge and back on the South river, and I have seen cars driving on Spa Creek in Annapolis. However, these are less frequent events.
Usually if a river or creek freezes, it is a thin ice that won't assault your hull. My uncle lived on Spa creek for 10 yrs and only hauled his Jenneau 45 for occasional maintenance. Then there are winters like last year. If we're lucky well get another like that.
Of course last winter seems to have set the region up for the current drought we are experiecing so maybe some snow would be nice this year.

Keep On Sailing
Will Wheatley
Suzi Q
CD25
Sailing From Breezy Point, MD

For all Chesapeake Bay Sailors:

What is the general concensus on leaving your boat in the Cheasapeake Bay versus storage on-the-hard through a Maryland winter? I understand the danger of a hard freeze, but how likely is that and/or how often does it really happen? My observation last winter was that the majority of boats are hauled out, but that a fair number are left in the water.

What has been the board's experience.

Thanks in advance.

Frank Vernet
CO Sirius
CD33 #84

willwheatley@starpower.net

[Ed Haley]

Check out the August 15th edition of Practical Sailor that came today (p. 15; "To Haul or Not to Haul") and get some opinions on this topic.

Ed Haley
s/v Mokita
CD330 #1
Kingston, ON



eghaley(NOSPAM)@twcny.rr.com

[Rick Newkirk]

Have kept numerous boats in year round in Annapolis... Just bought our CD though I am now in New England... the worst one can anticipate in MD can usually be dealt with through a marina with bubblers !

For all Chesapeake Bay Sailors:

What is the general concensus on leaving your boat in the Cheasapeake Bay versus storage on-the-hard through a Maryland winter? I understand the danger of a hard freeze, but how likely is that and/or how often does it really happen? My observation last winter was that the majority of boats are hauled out, but that a fair number are left in the water.

What has been the board's experience.

Thanks in advance.

Frank Vernet
CO Sirius
CD33 #84

rwnsails@aol.com

[charlie palumbo]

For all Chesapeake Bay Sailors:

What is the general concensus on leaving your boat in the Cheasapeake Bay versus storage on-the-hard through a Maryland winter? I understand the danger of a hard freeze, but how likely is that and/or how often does it really happen? My observation last winter was that the majority of boats are hauled out, but that a fair number are left in the water.

What has been the board's experience.

Thanks in advance.

Frank Vernet
CO Sirius
CD33 #84

Frank,
For what it's worth....I do not live in maryland, I live in New york. Here, the boat owners that opt for wet storage, basically do so for two reasons: first is cost....most think that the money saved is worth the risk. It usually is not....one nasty storm is all it takes for serious damage to occur, not to mention the stress of worrying about your vessel everytime you get foul weather.With wet storage, You have to constantly babysit your boat...line chafing etc... throughout the off season. The second reason people choose wet storage is that most think they will be sailing thoughout the winter.
The truth is that most hardly use their boat.
Remember also,that dry storage will adequately dry out your hull. Wet storage
will give you more water penetration in the hull, possibly causing an eventual blister problem in the not too distant future. Do yourself a big favor...go for the extra bucks.....dry storage is the way to go.....and while you are at it.....shrinkwrap is the way to go.
Sincerely,
Charlie cd 36 N.Y.



jcp1347j@aol.com

[Steve Alarcon]

Frank,

My brother-in-law lives on the Severn River, and hauls his boat out every year around Thanksgiving. Splashes it again in May or so. Maybe he is super cautious, but his Shannon 38 is the best looking one around!

Steve Alarcon
CD36 Tenacity
Seattle



alarcon3@prodigy.net

[M. R. Bober]

IMHO
I have kept boats on the Chesapeake for about 25 years (20+ in CDs, and have heard this conversation many, many times. The first question is "what kind of boat?" and the second is "where on the Bay?" and then the ever popular "how bad will this coming winter be?"

Wooden boats are probably better off in the water (even pressure on the hull vs the spot loading of the jack stands). With fiberglass the question is related to blisters. Drying the hull can't hurt, but after applying 5 barrier coats last spring I wonder. Blisters are supposed to form more quickly in warm water....

Where on the Bay? Exposed location? Protected waters freeze more quickly. However, the main issue is can you get to your boat often enough to protect her and also to calm your fears? Ice eaters sometimes don't. I've lost 3 to failure in the 20 years that we've been on the Severn River, and they NEVER fail on a nice warm afternoon! OBTW if you use an abaltive paint and are sitting over or next to an ice eater, you will wash away that bottom coat. But the primary use of the ice eater is protect the dock. Your boat should be OK. Your boot stripe may suffer, but CDs can handle a normal Chesapeake winter.

The Bay froze solid in 1977, 1978 & 1979--froze solid at the Chesapeake Bay Bridge (4 NM give or take). We walked down the Severn to Annapolis. USCG required steel hulls and a minimum of 1000+ HP to join their ice breaking convoys. But this isn't Lake Michigan, and it hasn't frozen solid--at the bridge--since. But it might this year.....

The smartest old-timer I ever met suggested that he hauled every other year. That way he could avoid half of the endless discussions about whether or not to haul every year. I tend to haul most years as there is always something that I want--or need--to work on.

"You pays (or in this case don't pays) your money, and you takes your chances!"
Every warm wish,
Mitchell Bober
RESPITE
CD330
Annapolis, MD

[Gary McDonough]

Frank

I recently purchased a CD30 powerboat that was located in Oxford, Maryland and had been in the water for two years. My surveyor told me that it is not advisable to keep boats in the water year round although not for freezing reasons. In his opinion, a combination of higher water temperature in the Chesapeake region and a boat sitting in the water all year tends to promote blistering. Hauling a boat each year and giving the laminate a chance to dry out can help to prevent blisters.

Further, he claims he has seen boats with blisters that have been relocated to the New England area and because of annual hauling and the much colder water temperatures we have up here some blisters have actually reduced in size.

Gary



garym@taxinvest.com

[Allen Evans]

Echoing others: blisters are the potential problem. We've been sailing the Chesapeake for twenty years in our Cape Dory 36. During the first 8 years, the boat was in the water year round. In about year 6, we began to have a few quarter-sized blisters at the annual haulout for painting. We switched to dry storing on the hard from November to May .... no more blisters.

We also found that about 15 months was as long as we could go between haulouts for painting.

Allen Evans
Fleet Captain, CDSOA Chesapeake
Whisper, CD 36 (Hull 83)
Whisper, Bristol 45.5
Solomons Island, MD



adevans@worldnet.att.net