jim rosenthal
Super Moderator
- Joined
- Apr 12, 2005
- Messages
- 11,050
- Hatteras Model
- 36' CONVERTIBLE-Series I (1969 -1977)
I haul her out every winter about mid or end November, and she goes back in in late March or early April. It's safer in some ways- since the boat is at a friend's dock where I rent a slip from him, there would be no one to keep an eye on her if she were still in the water. And I have a winter cover for her (wooden frame and a canvas cover in three sections) which comes down below the waterline, so she's wrapped up very well for the bad weather (like we're having right now) The creek where she's kept in season is shallow and ices up fairly often, so I think she's safer on the hard. And it does make it easier to get the recommissioning done in the spring- I can take my time on it, as they just put her over when she's ready.
I think the fact that she's out of the water for three or four months has probably stretched the life of the bottom paint, too. I wouldn't be surprised. This year, they will paint the bottom, I'll have the wheels tuned, and I'll drop the strainers and make sure everything is clean in there, too. And I'm going to fit a new trim tab cylinder- I had a leaking hose and we fixed it temporarily last spring, because she was already in the water, but this year I'll fit a new one.
I think the fact that she's out of the water for three or four months has probably stretched the life of the bottom paint, too. I wouldn't be surprised. This year, they will paint the bottom, I'll have the wheels tuned, and I'll drop the strainers and make sure everything is clean in there, too. And I'm going to fit a new trim tab cylinder- I had a leaking hose and we fixed it temporarily last spring, because she was already in the water, but this year I'll fit a new one.