To Do List when leaving boat on the hard??

[Decisive]

If there is a thread on this already please just direct me there. If not .....I'm looking at leaving my boat on the hard in the Southern Alabama area for about 8-12 months....what should I be planning on doing to best keep the boat this way for this amount of time? I know up north they pull thier boats every winter......would it be similar preperation?? Never have done that either but must be something written up on that somewhere if it is.

Thanks

Jeff

[klubko]

Absolutely no leaks or a way to let the water out It has really happened to people I know, who left irresponsible friend to check on their boat, few rainy days and the boat was found on the ground, chocks pierced right through...

[delmarrey]

My boat is always on the hard unless I take it out. For that long of period here's a list of what I would do.

Flush out the motor with fresh water running antifreeze threw just before you shut it down. Then drain the coolings systems including the wetlift.

Flush out the toilet and holding tank with fresh water and bleach, then drain them both.

Put a tarp over the foredeck if you have hatches up there. Hold them to the boat with bungee's tight. It will be shot after one year (in the PNW). Make sure it can not balloon out in the wind. Protect anything from rubbing the hull, especially metal.

Cover the cockpit area too. Cover the pedestal if you have one. Cover the winches too if exposed to the weather. If you have a closed cockpit and it's not covered the drains may get plugged with trash/leaves, fill up and go into the cabin.

Pull down all your sails, rinse with fresh water and let dry. And the covers too, store them in a dry, ventilated storage off the floor.

Pull you halyards away from the mast or anything else so they don't slap in the wind. More bungee's, they'll all be rotten when you get back. Buy new!

Depending on the yard security you may want to pull your prop.

Fill your fuel tank full and add a stabilizer (diesel).

Drain your water tank and lines and leave inspection covers off to ventilate.

If you have power it would be good to set up a timer to run a hi-speed fan to run during the hottest/humid time of the day to avoid mold.

Dry out the bilges. If you have a keel stepped mast you'll want to put lots of tape over the halyards where they come out of the mast.

The outside finish may try to oxidize on the West side especially reds or light blues. If it's white it'll just get chocky. Covering is the only prevention.

Make sure the stands are very secure for hurricane force winds. And your neighbors too! Here we worry about earthquakes.

That's all I can think of for now......................._/)

[Minggat]

Birds have been known to nest in exhaust lines. Stick a rag in there. And critters sometimes crawl up other thru hulls. But like Klubko said, leave a way for water to get out. I'm trying to think of how to do that on a boat that is not trailerable, other than make sure the bilge pump is left on and batterys are kept up. Which brings up, provide for your batterys. I left one solar panel on to keep the batterys up when I left the boat here n La Paz for a year. Maybe you can remove yours. I couldn't.

[donradcliffe]

Put aluminum foil inside your hatches and windows to reflect the sun.
Blue masking tape over any exterior varnish.
Tarp over dinghy.
Solar panel on batteries IF you have a regulator.
Block the boat slightly down in the stern for cockpit drainage.
Pull speedo or depth thru-hull for drain.
Sails off and pole lift or other line wrapped halfway up headstay to stabilize roller furler.
Flush motor and outboard.
Don't know about antifreeze in Alabama--ask the yard.
If you are ambitious, go up the mast and take the wind instruments off.
Leave roach traps/boric acid around the interior.
Take exterior canvas off.
Coil and hang lines off the deck where possible.

[DWT]

We just pull her up with the painter, rinse it off, and turn it up side down on some wooden chocks!

[maxingout]

We cover Exit Only whenever we store on the hard. Check out the cruising forum link.http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...nly-18568.html

[Cheechako]

Spray some lubricant into the engine intake while cranking. DOnt forget to cover all your tank vents, bees will nest in the vent lines. I had this happen in FL. A solar vent fan would be very good. open you bilge boards when leaving to allow air circulation.

[Decisive]

Thanks for all of your help so far.....putting my list together as we go ......the yard is used by many like this so I'm planning on running this by the yard for input as well when I get there....they are just far enough North that your okay with the Insurance folk's during hurricain season....getting started with a plan and picking up some things I may need before hand will be a help.....thanks again everyone....

Jeff