At Boat in Marathon, Couple Questions

[sentientcj]

1. Playing with Weatherfax for when we don't have internet, however we have wifi now so what online weather source is your favorite or favorites when you have an internet connection?

2. Spray rubber in a can: has anybody used this stuff on your boat? Our hull is black and has two or three half-dime sized lighter spots that I can see behind the engine compartment. I imagine somebody repaired something and didn't do a uniform job. I'd try and glass it but the yard I'm in doesn't allow bottom painting and fiberglass work.

3. Marathon, FL: Hoping to get the boat in the water in the next two weeks. I don't see a lot of boats anchoring around here. Is there something I don't know? It's mid-December, which I thought was the start of high season, so I expected to see a lot more boats anchored. I've heard slips are hard to find right now, and for liveaboards, so I thought we'd anchor but is it not allowed here? A bad idea for some reason?

4. Black Bilge Water: Boat is on the hard, has been for two years. There is about two feet of jet black water/oil at the bottom of the bilge. I assume I can't just pump it out onto the ground of the boat yard and I know I can't discharge it once we're in the water because of the bit of oil in it, so what does one do with this?

My apologies for the newbie questions, but I've never owned a boat and just arrived here, staying in a motel and trying to get her ready for some passages. Thanks for any thoughts you can send my way!

[FSMike]

Welcome aboard sentientcj (although if you bought a boat I'm not so sure you're sentient lol).

1)
Weather Underground

Weather Channel

bahamasweather.org.bs

BUOYWEATHER.com

passageweather.com

stormcarib.com

Atlantic RTOFS Nowcasts/Forecasts (One of many NOAA/NWS sites, such as Prediction Loops, etc, you'll just have to poke around.)

hint.fm/wind (Not much good for our purposes but the wind map is pretty to look at. I'd like to use it for a screensaver.)

Lots of other stuff out there.

2)
Not familiar with spray on rubber but I can't envision using it anywhere, not in the engine room for sure (flammability issues, getting it somewhere you don't want it). Never heard of a boatyard not allowing fiberglass work. Even so they probably don't care about small interior repairs if that's what you're talking about, or is it on the outside? Sure it can't be fixed by a little touch up paint?
You didn't ask but unless you're planning on living up north I'd paint that boat white before I splashed it. Best advice in this entire post.

3)
Most boats in Boot Key Harbor are on moorings. You will need to contact the Boot Key Harbormaster or the City of Marathon Harbormaster or some such.There is not much space left in that harbor where anchoring is legal/practical.

4)
Pumping that oil on the ground will probably get you jailed in the Keys. It's a National Marine Sanctuary and they are serious as a heart attack about pollution.
Pump the bilge oil into containers and find somebody who will accept it for proper disposal. Most boatyards will, if yours is weird about that ask around, maybe try a gas station if there are any left down there that aren't convenience stores.

Also)
That yard doesn't allow bottom painting? That means you're going to have to go somewhere else and haul out again to paint the bottom. If this boat's been on the hill for two years have you had it surveyed? Replaced impellers, zincs, filters, etc? Batteries good? I would probably have the fuel cleaned.

Welcome to the carefree yachting life.

[Hudson Force]

Regarding the oily bilgewater, I would suggest that you pump it out into a bucket (ca 5 gallon intervals) and sop the oil off the top with absorbant toweling. The remaining water can be disposed of without the oil and the oily rag solids will be a smaller and an easier disposal. What about the source? You should have an engine sump that will show oil from leaking seals or such,....hoses? This should be evaluated before your in the water with the oil leak problem.

[GordMay]

As noted, the City (Marathon) mooring field occupies most of Boot Key Harbor, North and East of the main Harbor channel. It consists of 226 permanently-attached, engineered mooring systems that provide secure holding for vessels up to 60’ in length.

➥ Mooring Balls and Information | City of Marathon Official Website

➥ BKH Marinas

[sushirama]

All yards in marathon do not allow bottom painting by the owner. Its an environmental thing with containment etc. most do allow bottom work to be done by the owner and will paint for you when done. Above the water line you can paint on your own.

Get some home depot buckets and a bucket head shop vac (20 bucks) and then clean and wet vac the bilges. You fill up a bucket, seal it and fill another. OR go ro Marathon Lumber and get one of the 55 gall poly drums for 30 bucks. There are a few waste oil collection points on the island. Advance Auto and Driftwood (but i think he only lets people with boats there use it) Power washing is also an option and doesnt use as much water as you think.

Some one used spray on undercoating in your bilge ugh. Looks like crap and a PITA to get out.

[chuckr]

not sure where you are headed but we at times and for a lot of periods of time have no internet

we use what some now call that old outdated technology called ssb -- we underway we talk to parker, get wx faxes, grib files and talk with friends

but that is just us and what works for us
chuck patty and svsoulmates
still in trini
(and spending too much money)

[lannen]

I'm in total agreement with the SSB / Chris Parker / Ham radio. Lots of nets on the radio, great information, always in contact with someone if you need to be. With the HF you can download weather without internet.

Any additional questions can be answered the the Marathon City Marina Tree of Knowledge. Bring some beers and have a seat. The collective knowledge of the universe will be at your disposal.

(It's located next to the showers in front of the dinghy dock)