Hello all! Our new club is full for storage on the hard, and has offered me storage in the water for the winter, with a bubbler system. Pros and cons? Obviously, I would haul the boat for a couple days, check the rudder post and bearings, add a new layer of anti fouling paint, and replace the anode on the rudder shaft - I could also do this work again come spring before our racing season kicks into high gear. I would also step the mast, and have the boat shrink wrapped, she would just be in the water for the entire winter season.
A bit about Groovin: Extensive repairs to the boat were done with the previous owner on the transom to fix any wet areas, and we had an impact area repaired on the starboard forward side, with a couple soft spots found and repaired during repainting (awlgrip) on port side, so overall - a very dry boat with a brand new coat of awlgrip. No obvious areas of core saturation that I can find.
A bit about our climate: Storing in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Coldish winters, probably averaging -8 C for a couple months, but nothing too extreme. No worries at all about ice buildup around the boat at all, especially with the bubbler system. Will be on the boat at least once per week to ensure the bilge is staying dry, etc.
I can go to a different marina for storage on the hard - but this is by far the cheapest option (~$500). Looking for any voice of experience, as we are new to boat owning and all that it entails!
