(Delayed) Boat Launch Dates

[bkuether]

I have been boating on the Chesapeake for 25 years. I have had launch dates as early as late March, and never later than April. (One year launched in June, but that was "new parent" related)

This year, due to the very late spring, I am going in on May 6th and that may be a stretch. It has just been too damn cold to be playing around with water outside. Yesterday, March 30th, was the second time down to start the commissioning process. Most boats still had their tarps/covers on including mine.

What is even more amazing, the marina indicated all weeks were still open, which has never happened this late in the game.

So how far back did your drop-in date get pushed back? (do you even have one?) Or did you brave the elements to stick to your usual schedule?

 

[Mike H]

I've done next to nothing to get ready to splash it this year. We usually haul every other year and I don't have a set schedule. I've been busy every Saturday for the past two months driving down to Alexandria to help my dad and stepmom clear out their condo in advance of their move last week.

I have to find the partial can of left-over bottom paint so I can buy the same stuff. It did a fantastic job - two years later and still looks like it was just painted. My problem this year is that I have to rebed the railing stanchions - so as soon as I take off the shrink wrap I have to tackle this job - before I have the water lead issue I finally tracked down last year. So I have to coordinate the tune-up, the railing work, painting the bottom, fixing the canvas that took a beating from our glancing blow from Sandy and moving it back to our community marina -- heck, I'm getting tired just thinking of all of this. It will be a late launch this year for us.

 

[steves1911]

I hope to have mine in the water tomorrow. I have allready put new bearings in the trailer and a new water pump and thermostat in the outboard. Last year by this time I allready had a few successfull fishing trips under my belt.

 

[sandbar]

I am sticking to the plan and she is supposed to be splashed tomorrow...however, the marina is behind with the bottom painting because of the weather so she might not get in until next week...she can't get in soon enough though... I need something to take my mind of all this other stuff going on...but I agree...I saw a lot more tarps than normal on the boats that are still on the hard..

 

[bkuether]

I hope to have mine in the water tomorrow. I have allready put new bearings in the trailer and a new water pump and thermostat in the outboard. Last year by this time I allready had a few successfull fishing trips under my belt.

I was in the water last year on the first week of April. So damn proud of myself. Now I just feel useless. "Can't get there from here".

 

[bkuether]

I've done next to nothing to get ready to splash it this year. We usually haul every other year and I don't have a set schedule. I've been busy every Saturday for the past two months driving down to Alexandria to help my dad and stepmom clear out their condo in advance of their move last week.

I have to find the partial can of left-over bottom paint so I can buy the same stuff. It did a fantastic job - two years later and still looks like it was just painted. My problem this year is that I have to rebed the railing stanchions - so as soon as I take off the shrink wrap I have to tackle this job - before I have the water lead issue I finally tracked down last year. So I have to coordinate the tune-up, the railing work, painting the bottom, fixing the canvas that took a beating from our glancing blow from Sandy and moving it back to our community marina -- heck, I'm getting tired just thinking of all of this. It will be a late launch this year for us.

What type of boat? My C&C needed two or three stanchions re-bedded. That was all sorts of fun with Butl or however you spell it. I also had lots of fun with window leaks on that boat. My Catalina is behaving much better....

 

[bkuether]

I am sticking to the plan and she is supposed to be splashed tomorrow...however, the marina is behind with the bottom painting because of the weather so she might not get in until next week...she can't get in soon enough though... I need something to take my mind of all this other stuff going on...but I agree...I saw a lot more tarps than normal on the boats that are still on the hard..

So you are cheating and letting the marina do your dirty work? When did you find time to clean and wax the hull? I remember there being like one warm day in the last 3 months...

 

[sandbar]

So you are cheating and letting the marina do your dirty work? When did you find time to clean and wax the hull? I remember there being like one warm day in the last 3 months...

I don't look at it as cheating...I look at it as supporting a local business With all the other fun of the real world it is one of those things I just bite the bullet on and have the marina do. I am pretty tolerant of the cold weather..there have been a few weekends above freezing that i have been able to get down there and chip away at what needs to be done. I am sure if I gave her another week or so on the hard I could make her look in tip top shape, but I would rather be out there sailing with a little dirt on her and a little 'dull' looking because i missed a spot or two. Most other stuff I can do once she is in the slip.

 

[kstone803]

I'm usually in the water by mid april so I'm still on schedule. Haven't touched it since winter though so I'm sure there's work to be done prior to the first outing of the year. I'll probably take the smallest of the 3 out this weekend to fish for bluegills.

 

[Mike H]

What type of boat? My C&C needed two or three stanchions re-bedded. That was all sorts of fun with Butl or however you spell it. I also had lots of fun with window leaks on that boat. My Catalina is behaving much better....

It is a 30 foot, mid 90's, Sea Ray weekender. Kind of unusual in that it does not have the aft cabin but it is perfect for us. The smallish cabin with a huge cockpit works because the community marina is only a couple of blocks from the house and overnight infrequently. We need a day boat for the grandkinds and this fills the bill. Twin small block inboards means no outdrives to mess with.

I just ordered the Butyl tape. I had to pull apart a lot of the interior (including peeling the headliner back in a few places) to access the thru-bolts. I'm going to redo the whole railing -- I think that is 10 stanchions. Probably going to get the stepson and grandson to help squeeze into a few of the more inaccessable places.

 

[tdt91]

I put mine in Saturday for a test run. All Good !!!

I generally try to take it out all winter but this winter I was too busy with the basement remodel, still not finished yet. Need furniture and put stuff on walls.

 

[bkuether]

I don't look at it as cheating...I look at it as supporting a local business With all the other fun of the real world it is one of those things I just bite the bullet on and have the marina do. I am pretty tolerant of the cold weather..there have been a few weekends above freezing that i have been able to get down there and chip away at what needs to be done. I am sure if I gave her another week or so on the hard I could make her look in tip top shape, but I would rather be out there sailing with a little dirt on her and a little 'dull' looking because i missed a spot or two. Most other stuff I can do once she is in the slip.

What do you sail?

 

[bkuether]

I put mine in Saturday for a test run. All Good !!!

I generally try to take it out all winter but this winter I was too busy with the basement remodel, still not finished yet. Need furniture and put stuff on walls.

Saturday was nice. I spent the entire time down below cleaning up a fuel incident from last year. Good news is, I found it, and fuel floats on water. Also did some bottom prep, and took inventory.

 

[steves1911]

With the wind the way it was I left the cuddy cabin home and pulled out the jon boat for some fishing on the local river. My soon to be step son caught his first ever fish , a 13" largemouth and he was thrilled.

 

[bkuether]

It is a 30 foot, mid 90's, Sea Ray weekender. Kind of unusual in that it does not have the aft cabin but it is perfect for us. The smallish cabin with a huge cockpit works because the community marina is only a couple of blocks from the house and overnight infrequently. We need a day boat for the grandkinds and this fills the bill. Twin small block inboards means no outdrives to mess with.

I just ordered the Butyl tape. I had to pull apart a lot of the interior (including peeling the headliner back in a few places) to access the thru-bolts. I'm going to redo the whole railing -- I think that is 10 stanchions. Probably going to get the stepson and grandson to help squeeze into a few of the more inaccessable places.

That stuff is messy. Help is definitely in order for a stanchion re-bed. Remember if you haven't worked with it already that once its on your fingers its EVERYWHERE.

 

[bkuether]

With the wind the way it was I left the cuddy cabin home and pulled out the jon boat for some fishing on the local river. My soon to be step son caught his first ever fish , a 13" largemouth and he was thrilled.

Nice!!!!! Bet with the water temp is was still chilly despite the nicer weather we have been having. No time for the bay to warm up....

 

[steves1911]

Nice!!!!! Bet with the water temp is was still chilly despite the nicer weather we have been having. No time for the bay to warm up....

Yeah the water was 46deg according to the humminbird. We caught a couple bass on some sunken timber. Only spent about three hours on the water hope to get out on the bay this weekend.

 

[sandbar]

What do you sail?

Beneteau 343. Bought her a couple years back. We also looked at C&Cs and Catalinas...loved the tartan but out of the budget. My wife was trusting me a heck of a lot, the first time she ever sailed was on the sea trial for the boat we bought...at first she didn't have any idea how to sail, but since then she has taken a course and learned a lot from first just being out on the water...I have to give her props for taking the leap of faith on the purchase and how much she has learned...she loves it as much as I do now...she's definitely a keeper

 

[vin]

Why do you guys use butyl tape to rebed stantions? I've had to remove that junk before and I'm not impressed with it.

4200 or 5200 are the best in my experience. And much easier to clean up if needed, as they actually sand away after you cut and scrape the bulk away.

Stantions (usually) are easy. Chainplates are a whole lot less fun since the deck core is rotten around them 90% of the time, and needs to be impregnated with epoxy.

 

[bkuether]

Beneteau 343. Bought her a couple years back. We also looked at C&Cs and Catalinas...loved the tartan but out of the budget. My wife was trusting me a heck of a lot, the first time she ever sailed was on the sea trial for the boat we bought...at first she didn't have any idea how to sail, but since then she has taken a course and learned a lot from first just being out on the water...I have to give her props for taking the leap of faith on the purchase and how much she has learned...she loves it as much as I do now...she's definitely a keeper

I like how the Bene's are laid out below, and love their lines. I have a problem with steel underwater. I know I know they have been making boats longer than practically anyone.... The Catalina wasn't my first choice. I had a C&C 29 Mk II that could out point anything on the bay.... I SWEAR that boat could practically go directly into the wind. BUT when the family came, that boat was just not right. So.... Like you I made the executive decision to buy this boat. Hauled it out from Chicago, was like 5 years brand new. (2004) Fresh water!!!!! The boat is comfortable for us and it is one of Catalina's faster hulls. I have a folding prop on it, and that really helps. Otherwise she is a pig in anything under 5 knts. What year is your 343? Also your first sailboat?