Advice needed. Wet slip new Yamaha 212 without cover--- is bilge sufficient?

[LM-Jet]

Just picked up out new 212SD. We are mooring in northern Michigan this week. No cover except the shipping cover which I don't think we can put on in the water.

Any concerns if it rains? Does the auto bilge really work if the battery is off? Appreciate any comments and advice.

 

[Sean R]

The auto bilge worked on my 2020 212S, with the batteries turned off. I tested it with the garden hose at home.

 

[zipper]

The deck of the boat is self draining out of the scupper drain. You will find the inlet at the deck level below the latch for the engine hatch. The connecting hose runs thru the engine bay and connects to the scupper on the transom. That will drain most of the rainwater. If in a heavy rain event, where the scupper can not keep up with the rain coming down, water could find its way to the bilge, via cup holders, water overwhelming the gutter system, where the pump will kick on. My 07 bilge pump will kick on/off as soon as I connect the battery with the battery switch turned off. Not sure it came from Yamaha that way.

 

[anmut]

Just picked up out new 212SD. We are mooring in northern Michigan this week. No cover except the shipping cover which I don't think we can put on in the water.

Any concerns if it rains? Does the auto bilge really work if the battery is off? Appreciate any comments and advice.

Bilge on my 2020 212S works with batteries off. While it makes my OCD hurt a little bit thinking of the bugs and bird crap you'll get in your new boat by wet slipping it for a week, it'll be fine. Stuff your cup holders with kids rubber balls to keep the water from draining into your carpet.

Fair warning though: if you have storms predicted for the night, spend the time and effort to put the boat back on the trailer. Ask me how I know

 

[LM-Jet]

Bilge on my 2020 212S works with batteries off. While it makes my OCD hurt a little bit thinking of the bugs and bird crap you'll get in your new boat by wet slipping it for a week, it'll be fine. Stuff your cup holders with kids rubber balls to keep the water from draining into your carpet.

Fair warning though: if you have storms predicted for the night, spend the time and effort to put the boat back on the trailer. Ask me how I know

Thanks....only possible scattered showers.

 

[212s]

The auto bilge worked on my 2020 212S, with the batteries turned off. I tested it with the garden hose at home.

I've tested my 2020 and the bilge doesn't work without the battery switches turned on. My manual says the same thing...when wet slipping, the batteries must remain on for the bilge to work.

Water from rain shouldn't be an issue...as mentioned most will drain out the scupper, and the bilge would take care of the rest if it pours down. I would want some kind of cover on there to keep the bird poop and bugs out though. We get bombed by s#!t hawks a couple times a season.

 

[Babin Farms]

FYI if you don't ever cover your boat the interior will degrade from the sun at a much faster pace. I had no issues spending over $2600 on my pontoon cover years ago because we had seen a similar boats seat tops go to crap in the 3 years we slipped next to it & never seen a cover on it.

 

[the MfM]

A half hour down pour can put a surprising amount of water in your boat. If something blocks the scupper drain you need to make sure the bilge pump will run.

And then you need a second pump installed for when the first pump pops it’s fuse because a grain of sand got stuck in the wrong spot.

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

Just picked up out new 212SD. We are mooring in northern Michigan this week. No cover except the shipping cover which I don't think we can put on in the water.

Any concerns if it rains? Does the auto bilge really work if the battery is off? Appreciate any comments and advice.

What does your manual state about bilge pump functionality with battery switches off?

Testing it in your driveway with a hose would be a good idea…. I test the bilge pump on mine a few times a season to make sure it works with the battery switches off.

 

[Evil Sports]

One of the things I did before taking delivery of my boat was adding a float switch that bypassed the battery switch. So if my boat gets water and the batteries are off the float switch will activate my pump.

 

[Adrian @ JB Solutions]

I'd find a way to use the shipping cover.

Besides keeping the boat nice, a serious down pour is a lot of water.

My shipping cover is crappy and sometimes it pulls inward and then retains water. Two weeks ago I pulled 10 gallons of water off the top of the cover. That was in one spot, I would imagine that without the cover, the boat would have seen at least 30-40 gallons of water.

 

[Evil Sports]

Hold on a sec.... Forget the bilge pump thing, Why the hell dont you have a cover on your $50K toy??????

 

[mraz72]

sounds like they just got the boat and it takes time to schedule for the cover.

I got my first boat a while back ('19 Yamaha) brand new, beautiful boat. Because of scheduling I had 1 day between when I bought the boat to when the covers were going to be made. It rained, soaked my new toy

But as other have said, it should drain nicely. Since its new and you never know if things actually work, I would try as best as I could to check it during the rain to ensure things are working as expected.

Hopefully you won't have one of those torrential downpours that drops inches of water.

Did you schedule your covers yet? Expect to pay $1500 -> $3000, well worth it.

 

[Evil Sports]

Being made??/ Mine came with the Yamaha mooring cover, then years later I replaced it with the Yamaha mooring cover from yamaha sports plaza

 

[mraz72]

I only received the shipping cover, I had a canvas shop make my bow and cockpit covers. Same experience on 2 Yamahas that I have owned over the last 6 years or so.

I still use the shipping cover for towing longer distances lol. I need to buy the yamaha towing cover!

 

[Evil Sports]

Coming from a boat with a bow/cockpit cover I like the 1 piece Yamaha mooring cover much better. Having all those snaps is a major pain and boy do they hurt when you slide across one. Getting one from YSP took a couple days and was under $1000. Comes with 2 ratchet tie downs integrated into the cover and zippered cleat pockets and gas door.

 

[mraz72]

easy to use wet-slipped? If so I might have to switch soon, my cover is 6 years old and starting to show signs of age.

 

[Evil Sports]

YAMAHA 242 Limited S 2015-2016 Boat PREMIUM Mooring Cover GRAY MAR-242TR-GY-15 | eBay

YAMAHA PREMIUM MOORING COVER. The Premium Mooring Cover is designed with standard Sur Last®. This light weight but strong Mooring Cover with Tower features 2016 242 LIMITED S E-SERIES. Cover shown on generic boat.

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It takes some experience to get it on while in the water, like anything else you get better at it as you go. Have to do the water side first and getting the back corners are the tough part. I will avoid a 2 piece cover going forward. On my 2nd 1 piece with this boat.

 

[cgarofalo]

I had my boat in the wet slip over the week July 4th when Elsa decided to pay us a visit in Tampa. I also didn't have a cover so was really worried about the rain swamping the boat during the storm (ended up getting about 6 inches here overnight). Thankfully between the scupper and automatic bilge the boat was just fine. I ended up with about an inch in the ski locker, but everything else was pretty dry. Just make sure those seat cushions are nice and secure and most of it should funnel down to the deck and out the scupper.

 

[Nightmare]

We spend a total of 8 days on the water last month. I can put the cover on solo in about 5-7 minutes now.
It is MUCH easier if you can get to both sides of the boat.
If not:
Close the front windshield
Throw the nose of the cover over to the bow
Crawl under the windshield and get it all flipped the right way
Push the nose into place and push the sides over while you back out under the windshield
Velcro and buckle the side you can't reach
Push the cover over both sides and work your way to the rear
Clip the other side
Tuck the back corners on the swim deck
I didn't feel the need to ratchet the cover where we were staying.

I left the house battery on and the bilge pump turned on the whole week. But the boat never took on any water.