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Zeb · 07-11-2017, 12:44

It's the winter time blues for some of us here in the midwest

That time of year for some of us who pull our boats out of the marina and back on the trailer for the winter. Even though our marina has bubbler's around to avoid freezing, I still often like to put the old girl back on the trailer for the winter so she can dry out, and be ready for a little maintenance in the spring.

This past Sunday, the wife and I went over on a cold, rainy, gray day and spent a few hours getting our boat out of the water, back on the trailer, bottom washed, got her prepped for winter storage up on the lot. It was a winter feeling day, but we sure enjoyed just a few hours hanging out with the boat.

After all, sometimes I enjoy that as much as the sailing

Here's a short video of our day. Hope you enjoy it as well. Cheers until next spring!

https://youtu.be/HWPL0g2xmRs

Hoosiersailor · 07-11-2017, 12:56

Very nice. How do you like your Seaward? I have really thought about one since they are one of the biggest real trailer sailors and you can have a diesel. They do tend to hold their value though (meaning they are real cheap..)

Zeb · 07-11-2017, 13:03

I've been pleased with the Seaward 25. I have a 1990 model with outboard and tiller, but as you say, it was one of the largest boats I could find that was truly trailer-able. I've taken it to the Florida Keys, etc so you can move the boat around fairly easy. It's fine for a couple to spend up to a week on but much longer and you'll be looking for more space. We do mostly lake sailing and it's great for how we use it. There is no such thing as a perfect boat (which also happens to be the case for most everything

) but it checks many of the boxes I was looking for in a trailer-able sailboat.

Zeb · 07-11-2017, 19:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hoosiersailor

Very nice. How do you like your Seaward? I have really thought about one since they are one of the biggest real trailer sailors and you can have a diesel. They do tend to hold their value though (meaning they are real cheap..)

Hoosier,

Where do you sail now and what type of boat you using?

- Zeb

Hoosiersailor · 08-11-2017, 03:59

Zeb,

Currently boatless. I moved to Indiana from NC about 14 years ago and got a Catalina 22 for the lakes here. Had it a few years but never really enjoyed the lake sailing. It just wasn't the same as NC where I could gunkhole around the coast and sound so I sold it. The only sailing I get to do now is chartering a couple time of year with my wife and sometimes a another couple or two.

I have just always been impressed with the Seaward line of boats. Glad you are enjoying her.

alansmith · 08-11-2017, 13:16

Nice boat for your purposes. I have a 30 Sharpie that I have spent most of 6 months working my tail off in restoration. It is a plywood and built like a tank. Very shallow draft with a centerboard.

What I think is ....trailer boats are perfect for lake and coastal sailing. I think your boat could do the Bahamas if you got the right weather window. My sharpie also has a 10 hp fuel injected Suzuki.

Can you take a minute to explain how you keep your outboard from getting gummed up? tx, alan

Zeb · 08-11-2017, 13:31

Alan,

I agree on lake and coastal. Bahamas perhaps, but it would have to be a perfect weather window. Even then, she's pretty tender so I'd be hesitant.

To your outboard question, I'll tell you what has worked well for me. I have a found a local fuel station that sells premium fuel with no ethanol. I only run that fuel in my outboard. Frankly I only use the outboard for getting on and off the dock/trailer mostly. Otherwise, I sail mostly. At the end of a day or weekend, I unhook the fuel line and let the engine idle until it dies to minimize the fuel in the system. At the end of the season, I use fuel treatment in the tank, run the engine for a bit, to get that fuel up into the system, then run it dry again. Take off the motor, and store it in my garage.

I've been doing this for several years now and haven't had any issues to date. I hope that is helpful.

- Zeb