on the hard .. a bad thing?

[crankysailor]

Hi,

while shopping around for boats I came across one that if I am reading between the lines correctly, is routinely left sitting on the hard in the med for probably most of the year with some sailing around the marina for a couple of months each year in the summer. I can't imagine that is good for the engine.. but what about the hull, rig, etc.. is this per se "a bad thing"?. The rig is the original one and the hull has had a couple of layers of epoxying more than 10 yrs ago if that changes anything.. Opinions welcome

[valhalla360]

Assuming it's properly supported and not structurally deficent, it should be good for the hull to be out of the water.

Likewise the rigging should benefit a bit from not being used as much.

The engine is more iffy. If they lay it up properly at the end of each trip, it should be in good shape. If they let it rot with no considration for maintenance, it could be a mess.

[a64pilot]

A lot of used boats, especially the ones that are good deals, have a lot of disuse.
You have to do your best due diligence to ensure the disuse, wasn't neglect.
My boat was I think 27 yrs old when I bought her, and it had 500 hours on the motor.
That has to amount to a lot of very long periods of sitting and not being used, but everything checked out as OK.

[dlymn]

What you are describing is what happens to many boats in the med; 10 months on the hard and 2 months sailing. People do this because the boat is less stressed and less likely to be damaged than if it stays in the water. It makes little difference to the rigging or the motor if the boat is in or out of the water and not being used.

Out of the water, less corrosion of underwater metal, less delamination of hull, less stress on lines and cleats, less barnacle buildup, less likelihood of sinking and probably many more benefits.

Most boats are not used as often as is desirable and might only get 2-3 months usage at best.

[seasick]

What is the construction material of the hull?

[Siberianhusky]

41 year old boat that spends half of each year on the hard in a proper cradle.
Boat is fine! Mast comes down and is covered and racked for the winter, boat gets covered.
Standard procedure for most of Canada, everybodies boat is on the hard for half it's life.

[ensembull]

Like Siberianhusky said. Half the year in the water half in the cradle sitting on the keel, no weight on the pads. Mast in the rack. I am the third owner, last owner had her for 37 years. She is 42 years old and has never been covered, Ontario, Canada.



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[hamburking]

+1 from Kingston, Canada (on Lake Ontario). 44 year old Pearson 30. On the hard from Oct to May each winter. Only really gets used very much during July and August. Excellent condition. When the boat gets launched in the spring, I turn the key and the engine starts right up, within like one second. Good winter prep is the key. IMHO, its the freezing (down to 30 below zero) and the snowstorms that might harm the boat. For example...any water in the rudder, and the rudder will split.

[Comix Bay]

Originally Posted by Siberianhusky

41 year old boat that spends half of each year on the hard in a proper cradle.
Boat is fine! Mast comes down and is covered and racked for the winter, boat gets covered.
Standard procedure for most of Canada, everybodies boat is on the hard for half it's life.

More like 3/4 if you are "BEYOND HOPE" B.C. LOL

Ted
Comox, BC

[Rustic Charm]

Very bad idea if its a wooden boat?

What is it made of?

[Terra Nova]

Hull material and size matter, too.

I've seen a 40' fiberglass sailboat hull which was seriously and permanently distorted by improper support while hauled for an extended period.

[Schooner Chandlery]

Originally Posted by Rustic Charm

Very bad idea if its a wooden boat?

What is it made of?

Right. If a wooden boat, in the water is best. The poor wood boats that are hauled each year and endure winters on the hard end up with an awful dry-wet-dry cycle shortening time between re-fastening or even replanking. Those wood boats that are left on the hard in dry Mediterranean climates can also have drying problems.

If considering buying a wood boat, there's no easy way to know about the real structural integrity of the hull unless it's in the water AND you can sail it to see if the hull moves/works before making a buying decision.

[Rustic Charm]

Originally Posted by Schooner Chandlery

Right. If a wooden boat, in the water is best. The poor wood boats that are hauled each year and endure winters on the hard end up with an awful dry-wet-dry cycle shortening time between re-fastening or even replanking. Those wood boats that are left on the hard in dry Mediterranean climates can also have drying problems.

If considering buying a wood boat, there's no easy way to know about the real structural integrity of the hull unless it's in the water AND you can sail it to see if the hull moves/works before making a buying decision.

yep.

last year there was a wooden planked vessel that spent so long out of the water that when they launched it again, they then had to have pumps operating on it to keep the water from ingressing too much. It took about a week and it stopped leaking entirely.

[ensembull]

Originally Posted by Terra Nova

Hull material and size matter, too.

I've seen a 40' fiberglass sailboat hull which was seriously and permanently distorted by improper support while hauled for an extended period.

I agree with you. That's why I said in a cradle sitting on the keel. I check that my pads can be moved against the hull by hand weekly when my boat is in the cradle for the winter. I have seen others at the club with nasty deformities in the hull at launch.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by dlymn

What you are describing is what happens to many boats in the med; 10 months on the hard and 2 months sailing. People do this because the boat is less stressed and less likely to be damaged than if it stays in the water. It makes little difference to the rigging or the motor if the boat is in or out of the water and not being used.

Out of the water, less corrosion of underwater metal, less delamination of hull, less stress on lines and cleats, less barnacle buildup, less likelihood of sinking and probably many more benefits.

Most boats are not used as often as is desirable and might only get 2-3 months usage at best.

I think the only benefit to keeping a boat out of the water -- out of her element! -- is less fouling.

It used to be, that in earlier stages of GRP technology when osmosis was a problem, it was considered useful to let the hull dry out. That does not seem to be the case for more modern boats.

On the hard, the boat is subject to much greater thermal stress (especially, freezing, which it can't do in the water), and none of the systems can be exercised.


Very many systems which are left idle on the hard, never being used, will fail prematurely.

So as always, no less than for boats which have been in the water, caveat emptor.