Dry Stack Storage Advice

[tpfahy]

Our R-23 is moving south to Florida after two seasons on Lake Michigan with indoor storage last winter. Looking for any insights for dry stack storage - a new concept for us after two years in a wet slip. We will initially be at Bluepoints Marina in Cape Canaveral (where I saw an R29 during my tour) and then moving to Suntex at St. Petersburg (where there was another R27 or 29), in 3 months. Any prep required of the boat when put away ( batteries off, fridge propped open, dry sorb or anything to prevent mildew or smells, remove linens?). Do you recommend bottom paint, we power wash and wax during the season currently? Change out the anodes or a revised maintenance schedule? Our initial use case as we discover both coasts will be 3-4 days weekly with overnights at anchor or transient slips and moorings. We have a generator and A/C and spent 45 nights aboard/season in our much shorter lake michigan seasons. Any advice welcome.

 

[BB marine]

Tim, congratulations on the moving the boat to Florida. I envy you. Seeing your boat on the lake I know you keep it pristine. If you are rack storing it I wouldn't paint the bottom. I would use aluminum anodes and install anodes on your trim tabs. This is recommended in salt water. Make sure the storage facility does a rinse off of the boat and engine flush when forking it out and storing. If you don't have a galvanic isolator I would install one. I also would consider fresh water flush over raw water flush with the head. I would use a gas stabilizer when storing the boat for any length of time. I only have second hand experience of doing this. My sister purchased my 26'Searay and rack stored it in Biloxi Mississippi. I still maintained it for her. The storage facility flushed the engine, rinsed the outside, shut the batteries off and maintained them for her. Fridge needed to be unloaded and and left open. ( I cut a piece of foam rubber that we put in the opening of the door then bungeed the door against the foam to hold it open but stopped it from moving this also protected the door seal.) I'm just a novice to this I'm sure there are many more well seasoned Floridians that can give you good advise. Good luck! Hopefully next year we will be doing the same.

 

[knotflying]

You did not mention if you were looking for storage experience of dry stack or use experience. We keep our R-27 on rack storage while in Florida. It is great, we never have growth on the bottom. Bottom paint, zincs and wax job last very long. When I want the boat in the water it is always there when I want it. They wash it down when they re-stack it. My experience has been great, but I am sure that it is all dependent on the facility. The downside is the expense and the fact that I can't keep the refrigerator stocked. The other little nuisance is if you forgot something on the boat you can't just jump on and get it.