I'm looking to buy my first tritoon. I will keep it in a slip in a marina. Do most marinas also rent lifts to get the boat out of the water or do you have to purchase and provide them yourself? What is everyones thoughts about keeping your boat completely out of the water verses leaving it floating with just a mooring cover?
Rental slips, do they often rent lifts too??
- Thread starter Topriver
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Jack M
Moderator
I live in an area that rents a lot of pontoons , I have never heard anyone mention renting a lift . Mine stays in the slip all season covered with the factory cover . I do not have a lift because my slip varies from 10-11 ft deep and the bottom is muck . I do have shark hide which does wear off below the water line in about 2-3 weeks . ( I have it reapplied every other year) However it does make it easier to wipe the slime off of the toons that you will get leaving it in a slip .
Michiman
Well-Known Member
I kept my tri-toon in a slip for six years with no lift. It did develop a water line after the first year, but for the most part as long as it’s in the water you don’t notice it. I think the biggest issue is the water quality (hardness, etc) of your lake. What do the boats look like at the marina and around the lake? Lots of orange staining or do they look relatively clean? Some lakes are definitely worse than others.
Vikingstaff
Moderator
Some good thoughts above. I think most marina’s do not rent (might be a regional thing though too) and you have to buy and provide your own. I’ve heard often marina’s don’t allow them at all. However, all second hand info for me. No personal experience with a marina.
Personally, my boat is too dang expensive as a “toy” to not try to safeguard it as much as possible. I wouldn’t own one (at least a nice and expensive one) without a lift. From dockside security in bad weather and waves, to water lines on pontoons, to scum build up on pontoons, to keeping it clean more easily, etc…I’m all for keeping it out of the water on a lift. I used a lift first 2 years…switched to Sea Legs last 3 years.
I do almost ZERO cleaning of my pontoons, and they look darn good after 5 years and one coating of shark hide. Not a great picture below from Aug. 2022 because of sun angle, but you can kind of tell the condition mine are in. Sun glare makes the straight lines of the pontoon look almost milky, but they are farily shinny like nose cone section.
Personally, my boat is too dang expensive as a “toy” to not try to safeguard it as much as possible. I wouldn’t own one (at least a nice and expensive one) without a lift. From dockside security in bad weather and waves, to water lines on pontoons, to scum build up on pontoons, to keeping it clean more easily, etc…I’m all for keeping it out of the water on a lift. I used a lift first 2 years…switched to Sea Legs last 3 years.
I do almost ZERO cleaning of my pontoons, and they look darn good after 5 years and one coating of shark hide. Not a great picture below from Aug. 2022 because of sun angle, but you can kind of tell the condition mine are in. Sun glare makes the straight lines of the pontoon look almost milky, but they are farily shinny like nose cone section.
mrob
Well-Known Member
I’m with Viking! Mine is on a lift and covered as well. I am guessing 80-90% of boats in the marina are on a lift. The marina does rent them, but I just bought a good used one and had it installed. I figured it would pay off rather than renting. When I sell or move the boat I will sell the lift. No toon cleaning here thanks to the lift.
Timdelta
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Think about it, best place for boat is inside a heated/cooled building. Next is on a covered lift, then an uncovered lift. Finally in a freshwater slip and the worst is a saltwater slip. Trailers are the same as a lift in my thoughts, just not as convenient.
BigKahuna
Well-Known Member
Over the years we've kept our boats on a trailer. In the water. On a lift. By far the most convenient way and the way to keep your boat the cleanest is on a lift!!! When we kept it in the water it was also convenient but the pontoons we're always dirty. But we managed to keep them clean with the help of Sharkhide and a good cleaning every time we went out! It was work but well worth it!
robburns76
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my brother in law has a rental slip and he purchased his own lift and had it installed there.
Link
Moderator
BK another option for you is to keep your boat at our Florida house as we have room because our boat at lake in NY
I’ll be moving the boat to a new lake and will be doing a rental slip. In Texas most marinas have lifts offered. A 28’ covered slip is going for around $425-$450 and a lift will cost an extra $250 a month for the 6600lb capacity.
Lots of things I’ll be looking forward to with the Marina vs private dock, upkeep is a huge one. Also love I can keep Bimini up at all times when parked, because it’s a necessary for all of summer in Texas.
Need to see what percentage puts the cover on during the week, seems most keep it off down here
Lots of things I’ll be looking forward to with the Marina vs private dock, upkeep is a huge one. Also love I can keep Bimini up at all times when parked, because it’s a necessary for all of summer in Texas.
Need to see what percentage puts the cover on during the week, seems most keep it off down here
I did the floating at a slip for one year, 3 years on a trailer and last year was slip on a hoist w/ cover.
1) Slip w/ hoist and cover is by far the best. I just crank it up until tight to the cover. Factory cover is sitting home. The boat stayed clean all summer with some good bug juice (Talstar Pro).
2) floating left water lines on pontoons that I have yet to get fully removed. Always worried about it floating away during a storm
3) Trailer - To many drunks at the end of the day for trailering the thing and always worried about finding a parking spot in the lot
I bought my ShoreStation 120" wide lift used for $4500 and I just needed to add solar panel to charge the battery for the cranking motor. Other guy used the boat battery.. Also converted it to v-bunks for picking up the boat
1) Slip w/ hoist and cover is by far the best. I just crank it up until tight to the cover. Factory cover is sitting home. The boat stayed clean all summer with some good bug juice (Talstar Pro).
2) floating left water lines on pontoons that I have yet to get fully removed. Always worried about it floating away during a storm
3) Trailer - To many drunks at the end of the day for trailering the thing and always worried about finding a parking spot in the lot
I bought my ShoreStation 120" wide lift used for $4500 and I just needed to add solar panel to charge the battery for the cranking motor. Other guy used the boat battery.. Also converted it to v-bunks for picking up the boat
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BigKahuna
Well-Known Member
Very nice! Any problem with spiders/birds getting in the boat?!?
No, I use "Talstar Pro" (Amazon) for bugs twice a year and it does wonders, also use it around the house. It is the best stuff I have ever used.
Birds - Not that i am aware of, no poop or anything. They make glittery stringers that you hang inside to scare them off if needed.
BigKahuna
Well-Known Member
When we kept our boat on the lift we would clear the webs from the entire lift and they would be back when we came back! I had owls, pinwheels and little rubber snakes to keep the birds away. But they got smart and still sat on my double Bimini and pooped on a nice clean black cover. It was a never ending battle!
Jack M
Moderator
I was concerned about the bird droppings, when I ordered black canvas . At our previous marina they always hit the dark canvas. Then I realized ,that the Eagles take care of the problem here.
Jim Rampello
Well-Known Member
I also have black canvas, but it has been my observation that the birds (seagulls) tend to sit on the dark colored canvas boats that are adjacent to the water, so last slip out. My slip is the third from the shore so they don't seem interested. Haven' had any trouble in 5 years with birds. I have not seen any eagles here eating the gulls, but the gulls only come later in the year.
Jack M
Moderator
This is my first with Black Canvas previous were red ,and only got hit once . We have a lot of Eagles in the area , I have seen one pick up a turkey on a back road . The only birds at our marina are Loons , Sand Hill Cranes ( ribeye of the sky ) and the ****** geese .New born geese aren't around long .
