Keeping boat in water 2012 242 LS

[Gumbeaux]

I will have a wet slip this year for the first time. Looking for tips on keeping the boat in the water.
Here are my thoughts so far:
1-install an onboard charger and make use of the shore power accordingly (or just plug in to my portable one...)
2-bilge pump. Add a second one or a more powerful one?
3-an extra transducer housing came with my boat...and the previous owner said something about installing this one if I plan to keep the boat in the water. I have no clue what he is talking about Do I need to change out anything under the boat to make it more safe? It's an airmar thru-hull retractable blah blah blah...

Of course I know I will need to pull it out and clean it a few times per year. I will get a good wax on her before she goes in. Anything else I should spray on or around the bottom to limit the growth?
Thanks for the tips.

 

[Julian]

Will the boat be at a marina, or in your back yard? I put in a bilge alarm and shore power. That way, if she was taking on water faster than the bilge could handle, she'd scream for help until the alarm went under water (and at that point I'd probably want her to sink to the bottom for insurance reasons anyway! LOL). Our marina staff walk the docks daily looking for issues. Even if it was in your back yard....you might hear it?

Not sure how a different transducer would be helpful in a wet slip....makes no sense...unless he knows the current one leaks at the screws?

 

[Murf'n'surf]

The extra transducer is the plug. Thru hull transducers come with a plug should you need to take it out and still want to float! The other owner was probably mis guided and passed on bad info.

If your transducer does not leak now you have nothing to be worried about. You should zip tie the plug to the ducer for easy finding should the time of need ever arise.

Where are you located? Do not store this boat in salt water for long periods.

 

[Gumbeaux]

Boat will be at a nice marina. Fresh water.
Bilge alarm might be nice...even if it's at the marina it might attract attention. Thx for that suggestion.

 

[Julian]

Boat will be at a nice marina. Fresh water.
Bilge alarm might be nice...even if it's at the marina it might attract attention. Thx for that suggestion.

There is a link in my signature to my install and a few others that added their install info to the same thread...

 

[cbus]

@Gumbeaux I wet slipped for the first time this year. We really enjoyed the ease of getting in and out of the dock and my biggest fear wasn't the bilge but the amount of cleaning that would be necessary.

When I started, I left the bilge on during the week and when I returned on the weekend, the battery was pretty much shot but since there was no electric close by and I have a second battery, it wasn't that big of a deal.

We would take the boat to the beach and pull her up real close to the edge then scrub the outside and under as far as we could with a brush. When the season ended, that's when we saw how much gunk had accumulated over the summer.

I found a product that really helped and it made my decision to wet slip in 2015 even easier.

Here is the thread I started regarding this. Hope it helps in some way!

https://jetboaters.net/threads/wow-this-stuff-flat-out-removes-boat-scum.4092/#post-69459

 

[Island Jay]

I would not suggest a portable charger ( assuming they have clamps ) that you will walk away from. You really need to make sure it is a smart charger to prevent over charging. Even trickle chargers can cause battery explosions. Clamps can also fall off for any number of reasons. Ring terminals bolted down to the battery posts are best.

 

[Skysurfer2010]

I debated on also wet slipping or getting a lift but haven't yet. Do you have a mooring cover or snaps? I'm sort of clueless how to get a morning cover onto a limited S with the tower at an L dock. It'll be extremely hard to get the water side Velcro together and then the ratchet strap buckles snapped around the tower legs unless you have a U shaped dock. Have you given this any thought?

 

[Gumbeaux]

I would not suggest a portable charger ( assuming they have clamps ) that you will walk away from. You really need to make sure it is a smart charger to prevent over charging. Even trickle chargers can cause battery explosions. Clamps can also fall off for any number of reasons. Ring terminals bolted down to the battery posts are best.

Good advice. I have a nice portable Optima charger that reads info from the batteries and claims to be "smart", but I might like to keep this at home in the garage for other uses and install an onboard charger.

@ChargerGuy Can you send me a PM with a suggestion of a charger that you would sell me for my boat? I have a switch for each battery (house and start), an "emergency parallel" switch with a VSR. The batteries are hooked up in parallel, connected by the negative posts.

Can you tell me the specifics of how these switches should be set when the charger is plugged in? Do I just hook the charger to one battery? Should the batteries stay connected in parallel via the negative pole as they are today? Will the power balance itself across both batteries? I am pretty new to this topic, and if I could get some advice, I would be happy to buy an onboard charger from you (assuming the product is good!)

I debated on also wet slipping or getting a lift but haven't yet. Do you have a mooring cover or snaps? I'm sort of clueless how to get a morning cover onto a limited S with the tower at an L dock. It'll be extremely hard to get the water side Velcro together and then the ratchet strap buckles snapped around the tower legs unless you have a U shaped dock. Have you given this any thought?

I have the premium mooring cover like the one in your signature photo. I will have a u-shaped dock, accessible from both sides, but I still scratch my head at how to secure the rear portion of the cover. I noticed a couple 242 towered Yamahas on the docks with this same cover, so somehow they are getting it done. Maybe just leave it a little looser than normal. I just don't want the thing to blow away. Will keep you posted.

 

[Skysurfer2010]

Why would it be difficult if you back it into the dock? You should be able to easily get the back of the cover on.

 

[Gumbeaux]

Why would it be difficult if you back it into the dock? You should be able to easily get the back of the cover on.

That's the most logical plan...but the other half wants the rear platform on the water end so she can hang out there... of course.

 

[Island Jay]

@Gumbeaux
If I understand your setup, you basically have a starter and a house battery. You can connect in parallel via a perko switch if needed and you have a VSR between them. Both lead acid. You are charging before going out, not while at the dock and blasting a stereo at the same time. Coffee has not kicked in yet, so correct me if I am wrong and I can make a charger suggestion. Likely you are in the $60-90 range from me.

Really, any two bank waterproof unit, 10 amps - 20 amps would work here. The chargers that I offer do not care about the VSR and will act accordingly. Ideally the perko switch should be off, but if set to all it will be fine, just not ideal.
Your batteries will charge/discharge at different rates during normal use. Keeping the switch set to all with nothing connected to charge them basically makes them equalize, which can take hours to do and really does not help anything in the end.

In a perfect setting the perko would be set to all only when you are in an emergency situation. Since you have the VSR, it is "almost" useless to have that switch for charging purposes. This keeps the batteries separated as much as possible to extend their life and performance.

 

[Gumbeaux]

@ChargerGuy
You nailed it. In case it matters, the batteries are Optima 24M blue tops...and I will probably stick with similar grade when the time comes to replace them.

With this, I should be all set for the wet storage.

Will keep you guys posted on anything else I learn.

 

[Island Jay]

Check out ebay # http://www.ebay.com/itm/151556173661
For a card over the phone I can take 10% off the ebay price.

Basically this charger will do what you need it to.

Let me know if I can help more.
thanks!
Jason

 

[242YLS]

@ChargerGuy
I am looking for a dual smart charger that will monitor and indicate the status of each battery separately. This will allow me to know if one battery is failing.
Would you have a model that fits.
Thanx.

Sal

 

[Island Jay]

That is a bit of a tall order for inexpensive chargers. Even high end $700 ProNautics only show one bank at a time with a digital display.
The ProSport Gen 3 has an indicator that something may be wrong with an individual bank. But it is not giving tons of details.
http://promariner.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/ProSport-Gen-3-Sell-Sheet.pdf
This is about the best option out there for under $100.

Questions? Let me know.
thanks!
Jason

 

[242YLS]

Which model do you suggest ?

 

[242YLS]

I would need a two bank

 

[Island Jay]

And XPS or prosport 8, 10, or 12 amp should be fine here. I am sold out however for a good week. In a rush?

 

[242YLS]

No rush. In the process of installing a 13 amp through hull AC Port Plug.
Let me know when they become available. Thank you!