Is it bad for a ski boat to sit in fresh water for over five months?

Question

Is it bad for a ski boat to sit in fresh water for over five months?

Answer 1

not really bad...just it gets the green c**p that is hardass to clean when you finally take the boat out of the water

Answer 2

rule of thumb for small boats --> not in use, out of water.

Boats don't usually sink on land!

Answer 3

This depends on whether for 5 months unattended had it been covered by a boat dock roof or simple boat cover.  If you had no protection on it, then I recommend you do a complete inch by inch inspection of your boat.

First check the bilge and the engine compartment if it has an inboard engine.  If there's any significant amount of water in the bilge or trapped on your boat, pump it out or get it out immediately.

If you didn't run the gas out of the carb while the boat was unattended for 5 months, then I guess you probably now have some buildup in your carb/fuel injector system.

Next check the fuel tank and make sure no fumes are lingering near, might be a sign of a damaged fuel or fuel vent hose.

Now slowly walk your way up to the front of the boat looking for wear on your boat.  Check your hatches, ski lockers, and livewells if you have any.  Also, check all areas of the floor for sturdiness, if there's standing water and a way into wood, rot will happen.

If its sat in the full sun for that time, you might end up having to replace some of the upholstery or also end up with fading on your boat hull.

I say you probably have some sludge buildup in your cooling system (a good flushing will fix this), a heavily grimed hull, and some buildup in your carb/fuel injection system.

Answer 4

Put a cover on it, it will fill up with rainwater and sink.