Pros and Cons of Marina Berthing

[Tedskee]

Hi,

I am after some information, this refers to a Zodiac Pro 500 4.7ms. My old Rib that may be bought however the interested party wants to keep her in a Marina and have some concerns.

If it were to be kept in a Marina what are the things to worry about in relation to the hull and bildges.
Unlike bigger Ribs the 500 has no bildge pump and only a small bung on the bottom of the transom to let the water out. Additionally it has a small sump in the rear area under the engine with a larger hole for deck water to clear out.
I understand that rain water will accumulate etc.

I see many Ribs on Moorings and in Marinas, how have they overcome the issue of water where you do not have the ability to drain it out on a trailer.

Can an eletric bildge pump be fitted, is there enough room between the deck and hull to fit one at the rear, has this been done before?

Has anyone else got some good ideas on how to overcome this?

Thanks

[paintman]

Many boats don't/didn't come fitted with bilge pumps.
Lots of bilge pumps on the market so it's simple enough to find an automatic one of suitable size to fit in the lowest convenient part - which in your case I would suggest is going to be in the sump you mention. I'd also suggest one with an integral float switch. Look online at chandlery sites or ebay. Very easy to fit & wire.
Water is sucked up through the bottom of the pump & you'll just need a hose from the pump outlet to send the water over the side, either by a through fitting in the transom or clamped over the top of the transom.
An example of a small pump would be: http://www.gaelforcemarine.co.uk/en/...2v/m-3022.aspx

Don't forget to put the switch - use a 3 position switch in the console - into the automatic position when leaving the boat! Three position gives you 'permanently on' (so is a manual override & the pump will run continuously) 'permanently off' and 'on so the pump's float switch can turn on & off as required'.
Check periodically to ensure the battery is OK & that nothing has fallen into the boat that could cause a blockage.

Or fit a bilge pump and put a cover over the boat.

[spartacus]

The Zodiac Pro as you suggest has two bungs in the hull. The small thumbscrew version on the hull. This is for the hull void below deck (which rarely fills up), and in the water this is below the waterline. You're only likely to get a trickle of water from the anchor locker or from screw holes in the deck if it's not sealed properly with sikaflex. This bung can only be opened upon retrieving the boat to shore.

The second bung on the transom is in the drain-well. This is again below the waterline. It's got a plunger type mechanism and is only removed when the boat is retrieved, or the boat is underway to remove water, then re-seal.

I used to have a Zodiac Pro 7-man (smaller version of 9-man) which is basically the Pro 500. On the west coast of Scotland I'd leave it at a local pier for my annual 2-week holiday. If there was a heavy downpour, then it could flood the deck with 2-3 inches of water easily. It didn't cause any major issues, as long as you don't have things lying about on deck. The battery is likely to be at the transom in a battery tray. Not a great location. Better suited shifting it to the console. There should be a tray in the console where it could be housed. That leaves space for a fuel tank underneath or under the bench seat. Some Zodiac 500s came with an integrated fuel tank under the deck, so problem solved.

If you go for an auto-bilge there's a danger you could run the battery down. Most Pro 500s will have a 50 or 60hp engine, so linked to a single battery. If you do opt to go for one, look at possibility of battery trickle charger from a portable solar panel.

Not sure how practical it is to fit a cover on the boat while its at berth. I suppose it's all about access. Even if the boat fills with water, you'd have to leave it for weeks to see it fill up. A trip one or twice a week to bale it would be required.

I'd also run the hose over the transom if you opt for auto bilge pump. More details here: http://www.rib.net/forum/f8/bilge-pu...ibs-48899.html

If the boat is in the water for extended period of time you have two choices to avoid marine growth. Paint on a copper-based anti foul paint (your hull will never be the same again) and can effect resale value, or retrieve say one a month to jet-wash and scrub.

Good luck anyway!

[Tedskee]

Thank you, I agree with your points. I have never had issues of water ingress to the hull but at same time never kept it afloat. Hull is already antifouled from the previous owner/s. I did suggest to the potential buyers what they could do and its confirmed by your reply. I suppose you could get a small long thin solar panel and fit at top of A frame then no hassle with covers etc. Thank you for your reply.

[Lee argyle]

Dry sail? I pay slightly more than normal marina fees and my RIB is launched / recovered as and when required. She's washed then full boat cover fitted when brought ashore and of course there's no issues with the hull weeding up and the leg and trim being constantly exposed to the elements - ending up looking like a big ball of barnacles! Lol Not forgetting no reason to anti-foul which can affect resale prices. Works for me

[paintman]

If an auto bilge pump ran for long enough to flatten a battery in good condition I'd suggest you've either got a leak or the rainfall is of such volume & duration that a flat battery is going to be the least of your worries!
You do need to check a boat on a mooring regularly. If you don't & you trust to luck you might find it either full of water if it's 'unsinkable' or sat on the bottom if it isn't.
After a night of continuous very heavy rain a few years ago in Cornwall I found I'd forgotten to leave the switch in the auto position & the lowest part of the transom was around 2" above sea level. I'm glad it was in harbour - boat moored on a harbour rope running from bow to stern & rearmost of the boats on that rope - & the sea had been calm. Not a mistake I intend to make again.

[Poly]

Originally Posted by Lee argyle

Dry sail? I pay slightly more than normal marina fees and my RIB is launched / recovered as and when required.

Unfortunately its not an option that everyone has - because it is generally only offered in areas where the economies of scale make it viable - i.e. "busy" boating areas like the Solent.

[Lee argyle]

Originally Posted by Poly

Unfortunately its not an option that everyone has - because it is generally only offered in areas where the economies of scale make it viable - i.e. "busy" boating areas like the Solent.

We have standard dry stack facilities around the Island ( forklifts and boat racking etc ), also traditional marinas and boat yards that will yard store your rig, then trailer launch and recover as and when you need it, again no fouling issues and the ease of a quick email then wander down to the marina and step off a pontoon and onto your boat . To me, the slight increase in cost is far outweighed by the convenience and keeping the boat out of the elements, didn’t need to clean/de-weed my hull once this year and the legs etc are free from growth.

[Phil M]

I get anywhere up to about a pint of water out of the hull void in my 530 Pro each trip (sometimes nothing though......never really figured it out) so I'd be nervous leaving it on a mooring for any extended length of time without fitting a hull void pump. Mine has 3 bungs in the hull as it has the extended reverse chines which are separate voids. I'd need 3 pumps.

Is it a pontoon mooring? Is something like versadock viable? When out in Canada on the lake earlier in the year I noticed that every boat was moored on a pontoon but they all had lifting frames to raise the boats out of the water. Was quite a neat solution although not cheap.

Phil M

[Lee argyle]

I had a 8m RIB a few summers ago, got a quote for a versadock and it was over £11K……..Another make is aquadock which is a cheaper option, there’s also a few air lifts local to me, they seem to get the boats fully out of the water where’s the versadock style still seem to have the stern of the boat submerged

[papajoe]

Marina for me any day, I used to trailer it but by chance I was offered a mooring in a private residential marina for £40 a month. Can't say no to that.

[Tedskee]

Thanks for all those that commented.

The person interested in my Zodiac Pro decided it was to difficult/risky keeping it in the marina, mainly due to him being away extended periods of time and the issues with water ingress not only in the cockpit but within the Hull. Trailering in and out was not an option. Dry Stack process does not suit due to the winter timings, mainly the saying "This is not the South Coast" comes into play with lack of facilities around recreational boating.

Hence its still up for sale, although no rush to sell just have two RIBs to play with..

[Lee argyle]

Originally Posted by VersaDock

Hi Lee,

Sorry you were not happy with your VersaDock quote.

Over the last 12 months we have made significant developments to our products and also reduced our prices. We can now provide docks for craft up to 26 tonnes.

We also now guarantee to float your boat! So if you purchase a VersaDock in the future you can have confidence your boat will be out of the water.

Regards,

VersaDock

I'd be quite interested in some prices for my current boat (10m Stingher), maybe you could PM me?
regards

Lee

[treerat]

Originally Posted by Phil M

I get anywhere up to about a pint of water out of the hull void in my 530 Pro each trip (sometimes nothing though......never really figured it out) so I'd be nervous leaving it on a mooring for any extended length of time without fitting a hull void pump. Mine has 3 bungs in the hull as it has the extended reverse chines which are separate voids. I'd need 3 pumps.

Is it a pontoon mooring? Is something like versadock viable? When out in Canada on the lake earlier in the year I noticed that every boat was moored on a pontoon but they all had lifting frames to raise the boats out of the water. Was quite a neat solution although not cheap.

Phil M

I had a Pro 500 (until last month) and never had an issues with water in the hull. I changed the bung for a new one with washer and she was totally dry. The longest I left her on a mooring was a week and there is no way to check without pulling her out.

I did have a pump in the sump at the back, this worked great and would keep the rain water out but doesn't help the inner hull.

[ribrova]

I have a similar problem to the OP with my Valiant 550. In winter it's at home but May to Sept I keep it at a marina. Bizarrely, it has a bilge pump - which is fine - but it also has two scuppers which exit to a stern drain. So, leave the plugs in and it fills with water when it rains, leave them out and it allows dirty marina water in. I'm wondering why I don't just redirect the scuppers to the bilge but that seems so obvious, I can't understand why the manufacturer wouldn't do that in the first place.