Why is Freshwater Better ?

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by Boulter

+1!

Thank you all for the continuing comments. As in most things boating your answers range from black to ... white.

Still, I had neglected to remember the 4 months annual usage angle of northern boats, so this was a good reminder.

I am at the point where I think .........
Regards,

Boulter

Buying a boat is a tough process for sure, by the time I get one bought, I usually realize I forgot some of my own guiding principles that I started with!

no varnish=no cover! Your boat doesn't LEAK, does it?

[hellosailor]

Tarps can vary. If you buy a car cover, you'll find padding behind each grommet so it doesn't beat and chew into the paint. Boat tarps? Then there's the skill of whoever put it on, whether they got it fitted and snugged down, or left it a little loose vibrating in the wind. It isn't all quit the same and that's one argument in favor of custom boat covers instead of tarps.

Depending on local custom, boats that are hauled in the winter may be kept mast-in or -down. Something else to consider is that if they've been stored mast-in, water gets into the rigging swages, freezes, and spalls them out regardless of what water the boat was sailed in.

[sarafina]

We kept a wood boat in freshwater for 30 years and managed to keep up with the maintenance.

Four years in the Bay and she was rotting apart faster than we could patch her. Part of the problem was her age and ply build, but the other issue was how hard the salt was on the old systems.

Just sayin...

[slowshoes]

Originally Posted by hellosailor

Tarps can vary. If you buy a car cover, you'll find padding behind each grommet so it doesn't beat and chew into the paint. Boat tarps? Then there's the skill of whoever put it on, whether they got it fitted and snugged down, or left it a little loose vibrating in the wind. It isn't all quit the same and that's one argument in favor of custom boat covers instead of tarps.

Depending on local custom, boats that are hauled in the winter may be kept mast-in or -down. Something else to consider is that if they've been stored mast-in, water gets into the rigging swages, freezes, and spalls them out regardless of what water the boat was sailed in.

There are some custom covers in my marina that are beautifully made - tight as a drum when they go on and stay that way throughtout the winter.

Just to add to hellosailors point about swages freezing - realize that freeze damage can occur with the foils on roller furling units as well. I have older Harken gears for my staysail and genoa and I drop my mast to store inside every winter. I've had water accumulate in the foil slots during the winter, freeze and cause a split in a foil section, making replacement necessary. The metal in the area of the split is pushed out, which doesn't allow the the furlers headstay car to pass the damaged area.

Now we are always careful to make sure the grooves face down to help keep water from collecting in them. Maybe the new furlers don't have this issue - my old gears have been trouble free from the word go, so I haven't kept up with the different gears on the market today.

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by kthoennes

To argue that fresh isn't a selling plus is just ridiculous. My zincs last about 10 years here on the upper Missouri river. Try that in Miami.

zincs are cheap!

but are you sure you should even be using zincs?

[kthoennes]

Originally Posted by Don Lucas

zincs are cheap!

but are you sure you should even be using zincs?

Probably not - now tarp chafing, that one I can relate to. I hate it when my grommets slap and make marks on the hull.

[LostAtSea2011]

Freshwater tastes better.