[nof-z]

Hello! thank you again for all the help! here is where things stand right now...

All the local marinas I can get to with a dingy have already been winterized. I am down, money wise, to two options: The first, and most preferable, is to put a bubbler under the thing and have some friends keep an eye on it. I have some people that have offered to go stand on this marina owners porch and do in person arguing for me.

The second option is boat angel, Which is not preferable, but inside of this boat I got nearly 4K of stuff that came with the boat, and, ignoring the engine, that will still give me break even, but then I lose a boat and the cost of engine stuff...

 

[Minnewaska]

Sorry for the woe.

Do you need to argue with the marina to use the bubbler?

If you mean you can recover cost by parting out the $4k worth of stuff, that can be a ton of work and take time. Depends on how desirable the stuff is. Boat Angel is only going to get you a tax deduction and then only for whatever they actually sell if for, whenever they actually sell it. If they came and got it, you might be ahead the winter storage costs. Not sure if they'll take an inoperable boat.

Enjoy your Thanksgiving and think about it tomorrow.

 

[nof-z]

Exactly, not ideal. I did talk to them on the phone, they actually seem really excited about this boat, even with the problem. I don't think I will need to argue with them to use a bubbler, but I think I will need to convince them to let me use the shore power the whole winter, with the nominal storage fee. When I was sailing professionally in northern lake Michigan we did that with our schooner, and most places were fine as long as we asked first...

 

[GaryHLucas]

I think you may not have as big a problem with the boat in the water as you think. My boat spent 24 seasons frozen in on a mooring before I bought it. There was damage to the trailing edge of the rudder at the water line. Only because one winter huge ice bergs floated by and hit the rudder when the river broke up. Sailboat hulls are rounded so the pop up out of the ice as it tries to squeeze. My boat has a saildrive too and that had no problem. I'd close the seacocks and fill the hoses with antifreeze, then briefly crack the valve so the valve body fills with antifreeze. Don't forget antifreeze in the engine and wet lift muffler.

 

[MikeOReilly]

Gary, where did you do this? It's certainly possible to leave a boat in the water over winter, but it very much depends on location, and the ice conditions.

 

[Barquito]

I have no doubt a bubbler would work. For those unaccustomed to freezing conditions, I had a 4" fence post winter stick sheered off by shifting ice.

 

[nof-z]

This thing is in a 8' canal, and well sheltered from wind. my main danger is from the overall ice buildup... the marina said no to a bubble, sighting "Insurance issues"

 

[Minnewaska]

the marina said no to a bubble, sighting "Insurance issues"

I'm beginning to worry the marina is trying to get rid of you. Bubblers are very common.

 

[nof-z]

I agree. There are several other sailboat owners there, and as far as I can tell, we all got the same call and unhelpfulness...

 

[Arcb]

Bubblers draw a fair bit, maybe 10-15 amps. They do require some supervision to guard against chaffing, wires working loose etc.

The other issue with Lake St Claire can be severe spring flooding. Naturally occurring ice dams can form on both the Detroit and St Claire Rivers. Typically the Coast Guard will assign 2 full size ice breakers to the area (one American and one Canadian) to break up the ice dams, but flooding does happen.

As a boat owner, I wouldn't be thrilled about a boat staying in the water over winter there and i think if I was a marina owner I might be even less thrilled about it.

Don't get why they won't just crane you out.

 

[nof-z]

I have no idea... The owner is being less than cooperative, and this is something that is much bigger then where it will go, its such that if I can't pull it out there, I lose my boat completely...

 

[Arcb]

Sooner or later, given that tomorrow is December- sooner, they are going to have to crane you out. If your boat sinks at the dock, the marina has a real problem on their hands. You have documented all of the emails from the marina owner? Somebody is going to be on the hook for clean up if the boat sinks.

 

[nof-z]

I agree. I have basically told them as much, and they seem to be trying a little harder now to not entirely screw me over. I did find a nice place to put it next year that actually seems to be like a good HONEST place.

 

[StarTracker]

I agree. I have basically told them as much, and they seem to be trying a little harder now to not entirely screw me over. I did find a nice place to put it next year that actually seems to be like a good HONEST place.

Is the boat insured? I'm assuming so since it's in a marina. Check your policy, many cover towing up to 5k$. I have both SAR and towing costs on mine, although the former is usually no charge anyways.
This doesn't mean you can simply get towed about willy nilly, but when being towed for the purpose of being hauled out when the marina you are in cannot haul you out. You'd better believe your insurance company will be much more enthusiastic about the cost of a tow bill and repairs at your expense than hauling it up off the bottom and scrapping it and paying you out.

I use this as a last resort option because it has the potential to screw up your insurance.
Get a C-tow admiral membership or whatever they call the latest and greatest one, that is to say the most expensive version. AAA is a sometimes valuable idea. C-tow is an always valuable idea.
I only needed it the first year I had it, but the expenses for towing I didn't pay cover me for the next 10 years of membership payments.
Even when you are running things like the fuel delivery service if you run out of fuel etc are worth it.
Whatever yard you can find to get hauled to and hauled out at, you need to identify two factors to C-tow to have it covered.
1. You are towing it from where it is with a failed engine, to where it can be fixed on the hard, the yard you are at doesn't have space and whatever yard you find does have the space, and is the location the mechanic has advised you they will be able to work on it at.
This covers the most important rules.
2. Wait a week after getting the policy before calling them at all and requesting this service. I have had conflicting answers from them on when it is permitted ranging from 48 hrs to 7 days. Because I had called prior to the wait period being over they didn't cover a tow once.