I am new to boating and am looking at cuddy cabins by Stingray in the 20 to
24 foot range. All of my boating will be done in the Chesapeake Bay.

I would like to keep the boat in a boatel, but a slip near the Baltimore
harbor is much closer to where I live. How much extra maintenance would be
required if the boat was kept in the water?

Any help is appreciated!

A lot more maintenance will be required if you leave it in the water. Plus
a lot more prep work.
I highly recommend you don't leave it in the water if you can avoid it.
The larger the boat, the more you will enjoy it as a cabin boat.
Make sure you get plenty of power. Whatever it is rated for max - go with
it. You won't be sorry.
In the 24' boat I would want the 5.7l engine w/ the bravo III outdrive.

Problem w/ leaving in the water is the fiberglass will absorb water into the
fibers and create blisters. You need to have a barrior coat installed to
seal it and then bottom paint installed to keep algea from sticking to it.

You will also find that the boat stays dirty all the time in a covered slip
from all the spiders, birds, etc...

If stored outside, you will need a good cover that will not hold water to
prevent the gelcoat from fading.

Best is to keep in a rack building or trailer to a garage or covered place
and keep a cover on it.

Good luck,

--
Tony
my boats at http://t.thomas.home.mchsi.com

"Mark_S" wrote in message
...
I am new to boating and am looking at cuddy cabins by Stingray in the 20
to
24 foot range. All of my boating will be done in the Chesapeake Bay.

I would like to keep the boat in a boatel, but a slip near the Baltimore
harbor is much closer to where I live. How much extra maintenance would
be
required if the boat was kept in the water?

Any help is appreciated!

On Tue, 31 Aug 2004 21:27:32 -0400, something compelled "Mark_S"
, to say:

I would like to keep the boat in a boatel

I read that as brothel . . .
--

Remember that the First Amendment does not protect people from
being offended by your speech. In fact, it was written to protect
speech that is offensive.

Mike Adams - 27Aug04

On Tue, 31 Aug 2004 21:27:32 -0400, "Mark_S"
wrote:

I am new to boating and am looking at cuddy cabins by Stingray in the 20 to
24 foot range. All of my boating will be done in the Chesapeake Bay.

I would like to keep the boat in a boatel, but a slip near the Baltimore
harbor is much closer to where I live. How much extra maintenance would be
required if the boat was kept in the water?

Any help is appreciated!

Boats are a pain in the....well, maintenance is difficult on any boat
in particular if you want to keep it looking showroom. :)

I have my Contender hauled out at mid-summer to have the bottom
powerwashed and the dirt line cleaned but that's because I'm picky
about how the boat looks - you pay that much for what is essentially a
big toy, you want to keep as much value in the boat as you can. In
particular in this used boat market. I keep the top sides washed and
the motors are out of the water when it's not being used - it actually
looks like a boat with 100 hours on it rather than the 800 or so it
actually has.

With a boat in the size you are looking at, you could certainly
purchase a trailer and do that type of maintenance yourself.

You could have the bottom barrier coated and painted, but if that's
not something you want to do for whatever reason, there are slip
devices that lift the boat out of the water - marinas around here
allow the use of these lifts - I don't know about the Baltimore area.
I do know that in smaller boats, having the bottom painted is not a
good thing - in particular if you want to trade or sell the boat. At
least around here that seems to be true. You want to keep your market
as broad as possible with a used boat when you decide to move up.

Covers are a good idea if you keep them tight - helps keep the birdie
doo, dust, dirt, etc off the boat.

Winter storage will require shrink wrapping, etc. This is where a
trailer can also be a good thing.

Hope this helps.

Later,

Tom
S. Woodstock, CT
-----------
"Angling may be said to be so
like the mathematics that it
can never be fully learnt..."

Izaak Walton "The Compleat Angler", 1653

thank you!

and another question if you don't mind -

bay can get a bit rough sometimes....20 ft cuddy large enough in your
opinion?


"JohnH" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 31 Aug 2004 21:27:32 -0400, "Mark_S" wrote:

I am new to boating and am looking at cuddy cabins by Stingray in the 20
to
24 foot range. All of my boating will be done in the Chesapeake Bay.

I would like to keep the boat in a boatel, but a slip near the Baltimore
harbor is much closer to where I live. How much extra maintenance would
be
required if the boat was kept in the water?

Any help is appreciated!


Mark, I keep my boat, 21' Proline W/A, in a boatel in Deale. I live in
Alexandria and drive 45min every time I want to use it. When I see the
hassle
people leaving their boats in the water must go through every year, I'm
very
happy that I chose the boatel route. The costs, at least in my marina, are
not
all that different. Slips are a couple hundred a year cheaper, but the
maintenance eats that up.

John H

On the 'Poco Loco' out of Deale, MD,
on the beautiful Chesapeake Bay!

thank you!

"Tony Thomas" wrote in message
news:qJ9Zc.79126$9d6.2519@attbi_s54...
A lot more maintenance will be required if you leave it in the water.
Plus
a lot more prep work.
I highly recommend you don't leave it in the water if you can avoid it.
The larger the boat, the more you will enjoy it as a cabin boat.
Make sure you get plenty of power. Whatever it is rated for max - go with
it. You won't be sorry.
In the 24' boat I would want the 5.7l engine w/ the bravo III outdrive.

Problem w/ leaving in the water is the fiberglass will absorb water into
the
fibers and create blisters. You need to have a barrior coat installed to
seal it and then bottom paint installed to keep algea from sticking to it.

You will also find that the boat stays dirty all the time in a covered
slip
from all the spiders, birds, etc...

If stored outside, you will need a good cover that will not hold water to
prevent the gelcoat from fading.

Best is to keep in a rack building or trailer to a garage or covered place
and keep a cover on it.

Good luck,

--
Tony
my boats at http://t.thomas.home.mchsi.com

"Mark_S" wrote in message
...
I am new to boating and am looking at cuddy cabins by Stingray in the 20
to
24 foot range. All of my boating will be done in the Chesapeake Bay.

I would like to keep the boat in a boatel, but a slip near the Baltimore
harbor is much closer to where I live. How much extra maintenance would
be
required if the boat was kept in the water?

Any help is appreciated!

thank you!

"Short Wave Sportfishing" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 31 Aug 2004 21:27:32 -0400, "Mark_S"
wrote:

I am new to boating and am looking at cuddy cabins by Stingray in the 20
to
24 foot range. All of my boating will be done in the Chesapeake Bay.

I would like to keep the boat in a boatel, but a slip near the Baltimore
harbor is much closer to where I live. How much extra maintenance would
be
required if the boat was kept in the water?

Any help is appreciated!

Boats are a pain in the....well, maintenance is difficult on any boat
in particular if you want to keep it looking showroom. :)

I have my Contender hauled out at mid-summer to have the bottom
powerwashed and the dirt line cleaned but that's because I'm picky
about how the boat looks - you pay that much for what is essentially a
big toy, you want to keep as much value in the boat as you can. In
particular in this used boat market. I keep the top sides washed and
the motors are out of the water when it's not being used - it actually
looks like a boat with 100 hours on it rather than the 800 or so it
actually has.

With a boat in the size you are looking at, you could certainly
purchase a trailer and do that type of maintenance yourself.

You could have the bottom barrier coated and painted, but if that's
not something you want to do for whatever reason, there are slip
devices that lift the boat out of the water - marinas around here
allow the use of these lifts - I don't know about the Baltimore area.
I do know that in smaller boats, having the bottom painted is not a
good thing - in particular if you want to trade or sell the boat. At
least around here that seems to be true. You want to keep your market
as broad as possible with a used boat when you decide to move up.

Covers are a good idea if you keep them tight - helps keep the birdie
doo, dust, dirt, etc off the boat.

Winter storage will require shrink wrapping, etc. This is where a
trailer can also be a good thing.

Hope this helps.

Later,

Tom
S. Woodstock, CT
-----------
"Angling may be said to be so
like the mathematics that it
can never be fully learnt..."

Izaak Walton "The Compleat Angler", 1653

Subject: need professional help
From: "Mark_S"
Date: 9/1/04 7:43 PM Eastern

thank you!

Subject: need professional help
From: "Mark_S"
Date: 9/1/04 7:44 PM Eastern Daylight Time


thank you!


Subject: need professional help
From: "Mark_S"
Date: 9/1/04 7:44 PM Eastern Daylight Time


thank you!


You're way to nice for this group Mark. :-)


Capt. Bill

On Wed, 1 Sep 2004 19:43:33 -0400, "Mark_S" wrote:

bay can get a bit rough sometimes....20 ft cuddy large enough in your
opinion?

====================================

I regard it as sort of on the edge of big enough. Big enough really
comes down to the question of what percentage of the time can you
enjoy a fast comfortable ride. I'd guess 50 to 70% during the summer
months, probably 80 to 90% in the early morning before the chop builds
up. There's a big difference in ride quality between a 20 and a 24,
and another big jump between 24 and 30. To be OK 99% of the time you
need something like a 40 ft sportfish.

; )

"LaBomba182" wrote in message
...
Subject: need professional help
From: "Mark_S"
Date: 9/1/04 7:43 PM Eastern

thank you!

Subject: need professional help
From: "Mark_S"
Date: 9/1/04 7:44 PM Eastern Daylight Time


thank you!


Subject: need professional help
From: "Mark_S"
Date: 9/1/04 7:44 PM Eastern Daylight Time


thank you!


You're way to nice for this group Mark. :-)


Capt. Bill