Moving to The Dark Side. Pilot House w/F300. Just because... it's Atlantic Northeast.

[Betik]

lolol, no worries, the only climate control in our pilot house will be body heat!

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You and Kate will be generating body heat ? I see! I understand now the need for pilot house vs open deck

 

[Brad460]

Looks like the rear open area is begging for some SeaDek.

Would you trailer this boat? Or do they stay at a dry or wet dock?

 

[swatski]

Looks like the rear open area is begging for some SeaDek.

Would you trailer this boat? Or do they stay at a dry or wet dock?

We love SeaDek, our AR240 is completely decked out with it, I bought and installed every piece available, lol.
With the Parker we will have to see how much fish we kill and what kind; want to keep it low maintenance.

Plan to trailer quite a bit, with that in mind we're getting a premium aluminum trailer with bunks instead of rollers. The boat will sit on that trailer in the winter, too. That was one of the things that limited us to 8.5ft beam, which in reality is actually good as she rides great in chop (narrow beam and deep vee). But rocks more when sitting.

We will also wet slip somewhere in the NYC area, currently scoping marinas, availability and prices vary wildly.
Which means... bottom paint (Argh....!)
At least here in NJ in warm months if the boat sits in the water for any more than a week, maybe be a bit longer in colder months, the advice is to bottom paint. We decided to just do it right away, it is not worth the risk, so the new hull will get primer and hard epoxy first year, and then ablatives as needed, usually every other year. That seems to be what works best in these parts. Unfortunately there are no lifts around here, unless you live far out in LI.

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[zipper]

I think you will get more than 2 years out of the soft ablatives, but then I am looking from a fresh water perspective. We just touch ours up and have it pressure washed each Haulout. Ours was done in 2014 and still works fine. The only zebra mussel/vegitation growth occurs around the bronze on the transducer and the bottom face of the keel, needs touch up but sits on a timber while on the hard.

 

[zipper]

What color epoxy are you thinking? Some people suggest using contrasting colors between the epoxy and ablative, so the wearing away of the ablative can be monitored visually. However I think black epoxy/black ablative would look great and work for you as you always appear to be on top of things, well boat things anyway.

 

[swatski]

We have been toggling between the two environments, salt and fresh, this short season. We wet slip the AR240 in the lake, up to a month or more between pulls - for the hull I brush any minimal growth, and pressure shampoo/wash, dry and Rejex (thanks @djetok!), spray linkages and trailer with CRC656, call it a day. Easy peasy!

A trip in salt? Totally different animal... I average 2-3 hours of pretty hard cleanup before the boat gets covered as the salt spray dries up on the way home and it covers everything with a thin crust, and I mean everything, it's unbelievable. After seeing that now a few times I would never wet slip this boat in salt for any amount of time! Unless it's Bimini time, lol.

It's funny, I used to just buy 303AP (for the cockpit and vinyl) and CRC656 by a gallon. Now I added SaltAway to those gallon orders, lol.
I tried some home brew solutions with oxalic or sulfamic acids but it's just not worth the time, and I like how the SaltAway work the best, anyway.

Salt water is just crazy corrosive and one learns to respect it quickly! Hence we decided on bottom paint, it's painful on a new hull but better than risking blisters down the road!

Here is my Yammie's new best friend:


I use Salt Away to flush the engines but also as a shampoo in my power washer to clean the hull and trailer. It gets a bit expensive but works amazingly well.




EDIOT: yes, I miss my boat lift left in the Meramec river, MO!

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[djetok]

We have been toggling between the two environments, salt and fresh, this short season. We wet slip the AR240 in the lake, up to a month or more between pulls - for the hull I brush any minimal growth, and pressure shampoo/wash, dry and Rejex (thanks @djetok!), spray linkages and trailer with CRC656, call it a day. Easy peasy!

A trip in salt? Totally different animal... I average 2-3 hours of pretty hard cleanup before the boat gets covered as the salt spray dries up on the way home and it covers everything with a thin crust, and I mean everything, it's unbelievable. After seeing that now a few times I would never wet slip this boat in salt for any amount of time! Unless it's Bimini time, lol.

It's funny, I used to just buy 303AP (for the cockpit and vinyl) and CRC656 by a gallon. Now I added SaltAway to those gallon orders, lol.
I tried some home brew solutions with oxalic or sulfamic acids but it's just not worth the time, and I like how the SaltAway work the best, anyway.

Salt water is just crazy corrosive and one learns to respect it quickly! Hence we decided on bottom paint, it's painful on a new hull but better than risking blisters down the road!

Here is my Yammie's new best friend:
View attachment 136380

I use Salt Away to flush the engines but also as a shampoo in my power washer to clean the hull and trailer. It gets a bit expensive but works amazingly well.

View attachment 136381


EDIOT: yes, I miss my boat lift left in the Meramec river, MO!

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He's alive!!!

 

[ourlee]

Pumped for you. What color? sorry if mentioned...

 

[Mainah]

Congrats! What are you going to tow that with? The hull alone will be over the 4100 lbs Parker lists with that custom configuration and bottom paint. Might peak over 8k with trailer, engine, fuel, batteries, and gear. Good excuse to buy a 3/4 ton crew cab diesel?

 

[Elliott]

We have been toggling between the two environments, salt and fresh, this short season. We wet slip the AR240 in the lake, up to a month or more between pulls - for the hull I brush any minimal growth, and pressure shampoo/wash, dry and Rejex (thanks @djetok!), spray linkages and trailer with CRC656, call it a day. Easy peasy!

A trip in salt? Totally different animal... I average 2-3 hours of pretty hard cleanup before the boat gets covered as the salt spray dries up on the way home and it covers everything with a thin crust, and I mean everything, it's unbelievable. After seeing that now a few times I would never wet slip this boat in salt for any amount of time! Unless it's Bimini time, lol.

It's funny, I used to just buy 303AP (for the cockpit and vinyl) and CRC656 by a gallon. Now I added SaltAway to those gallon orders, lol.
I tried some home brew solutions with oxalic or sulfamic acids but it's just not worth the time, and I like how the SaltAway work the best, anyway.

Salt water is just crazy corrosive and one learns to respect it quickly! Hence we decided on bottom paint, it's painful on a new hull but better than risking blisters down the road!


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FWIW, I only boat in salt water, and I can clean, flush and dry the boat in an hour. Of course, I have a center console / FSH, which probably makes it a little easier. However, you might want to try using an anti-salt solution on the hull and inside of the boat. It is easier for me being at a marina with forklifts and wash racks, but you could do something similar. I use a hose end garden sprayer to spray down the boat (inside and out) with Salt Off (my pick over Salt Away - costs less does the same thing) before I flush the engine, and this gives the solution time to work before I wash the boat.

If you are trailering, you could mix up a solution in a pump up sprayer at home, and then you could spray down the boat (after pull out) before you trailer to your home or wash location. It should prevent any salt crust. You would just have to flush the engine and wash/dry the boat at home.

 

[biffdotorg]

This is so cool hearing about the boat buying process for boats that we never see in our region! I only get to experience this through the fishing shows etc on TV, or here.

I hope to see you soon on the next episode of Wicket Tuna, pulling in a "butterball"

 

[swatski]

Pumped for you. What color? sorry if mentioned...

Something gray. The one we rode Sunday is their something blue.

Congrats! What are you going to tow that with? The hull alone will be over the 4100 lbs Parker lists with that custom configuration and bottom paint. Might peak over 8k with trailer, engine, fuel, batteries, and gear. Good excuse to buy a 3/4 ton crew cab diesel?

Hahaha, that could be very bad for my marriage! Tempting as it may be a large diesel truck not really for me. I'm done with diesel!
Frankly, next time it would have to be something really really special to pry my hands off of the Landcruiser steering wheel, lol, maybe a self driving Tesla truck, lol. I love that landcruiser thing like no other car ever. Well, maybe my first ford taunus (european Ford Taurus version) but that's different.

Now, the LC does have limitations and the parker is a seriously sizable vessel at 31 LOA. For one, I'll be mounting a front tow hitch - the only way I could maneuver this boat from my street into the driveway and through the back gate. I see a lot of those on my lake where the ramps can be steep and crazy narrow. If I recall @Ronnie uses one and likes it for what it does in his parking situation.

As far as the gross weight, I'll have to feel it out. Even with the 240 I'm above my tow limit if you want to apply the WDH rules, so I'm not going to overthink that just wait and see how the combo rides.

FWIW, I only boat in salt water, and I can clean, flush and dry the boat in an hour. Of course, I have a center console / FSH, which probably makes it a little easier. However, you might want to try using an anti-salt solution on the hull and inside of the boat. It is easier for me being at a marina with forklifts and wash racks, but you could do something similar. I use a hose end garden sprayer to spray down the boat (inside and out) with Salt Off (my pick over Salt Away - costs less does the same thing) before I flush the engine, and this gives the solution time to work before I wash the boat.

If you are trailering, you could mix up a solution in a pump up sprayer at home, and then you could spray down the boat (after pull out) before you trailer to your home or wash location. It should prevent any salt crust. You would just have to flush the engine and wash/dry the boat at home.

I'm getting faster, I think, with practice. I use a pressure washer with "shampoo" foaming nozzle to spray the Salt Away and then rinse, like what you are describing, so that means I'm doing it right.
My fresh water washes are faster as I just use a bucket and brush then rinse with pressure washer, takes me no time and a big part of it also is the trailer which is painted on my yammie, I tend to spend way more time on it after a salt bath, naturally.

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[swatski]

This is so cool hearing about the boat buying process for boats that we never see in our region! I only get to experience this through the fishing shows etc on TV, or here.

I hope to see you soon on the next episode of Wicket Tuna, pulling in a "butterball"

I must tell you it does feel slightly unreal at times, but the worst part is over which was dealing with the kids - our teenage daughters have had a very different idea of what constitutes a cool boat, and needless to say - a pilot house it is not, lolol.
But, we did not give in! lol
I'm sure they will understand, eventually, it was kind of funny watching their reactions at boat shows and them trying to constantly steer towards fancy walkarounds and flushy dual consoles and axopars.

In the meantime, we just got confirmation from Parker that we can make all the changes we requested. It's just going to push the build back a couple of weeks w/delivery date still sometime in the spring, also still getting the extended engine warranty, 5 years total with YES.
So, we put the check in the mail and now the wait begins... lol.
Cool thing is, with the hull number they gave us we can watch the build online supposedly.

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[svana]

View attachment 136330
View attachment 136331
View attachment 136332
View attachment 136333
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She looks like she's smiling, but I'm not sure I believe her...taking a boat ride - but in a big coat, beanie and mittens...doesn't add up lol. Jokes aside, does look like a beefy vessel.

 

[Scottintexas]

I must tell you it does feel slightly unreal at times, but the worst part is over which was dealing with the kids - our teenage daughters have had a very different idea of what constitutes a cool boat, and needless to say - a pilot house it is not, lolol.
But, we did not give in! lol
I'm sure they will understand, eventually, it was kind of funny watching their reactions at boat shows and them trying to constantly steer towards fancy walkarounds and flushy dual consoles and axopars.

In the meantime, we just got confirmation from Parker that we can make all the changes we requested. It's just going to push the build back a couple of weeks w/delivery date still sometime in the spring, also still getting the extended engine warranty, 5 years total with YES.
So, we put the check in the mail and now the wait begins... lol.
Cool thing is, with the hull number they gave us we can watch the build online supposedly.

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Very EXCITING !!! thank you for including us on your journey, this is like hacky sacks Moomba thread, can't wait to see the build picks,





.

 

[Scottintexas]

and can't wait to see that first 'butter ball" or marlin get pulled on deck !


.

 

[swatski]

She looks like she's smiling, but I'm not sure I believe her...taking a boat ride - but in a big coat, beanie and mittens...doesn't add up lol.

LOL, nah, she doesn't do fake smiles. But regardless, if you'd seen what boating Jersey Shore is like during the short summers here - you would understand! We love the off season on the water here and that's where ski clothes come in handy, before we hit the slopes.

Jokes aside, does look like a beefy vessel.

No kidding, the NYPD water patrol used to run Parker pilot houses, so I figure tough enough for them should be pretty good!

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[swatski]

What color epoxy are you thinking? Some people suggest using contrasting colors between the epoxy and ablative, so the wearing away of the ablative can be monitored visually. However I think black epoxy/black ablative would look great and work for you as you always appear to be on top of things, well boat things anyway.

As far as the barrier epoxy coat we asked them to just do whatever they routinely do here, this dealer is a relatively high volume outfitter catering to local fisherman - so they know better than I do. But I did order a bunk trailer, not rollers, which is a special order.
I figured it will be required for those long FL trips, to dive with @tim h when lobster season opens up.

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[djetok]

As far as the barrier epoxy coat we asked them to just do whatever they routinely do here, this dealer is a relatively high volume outfitter catering to local fisherman - so they know better than I do. But I did order a bunk trailer, not rollers, which is a special order.
I figured it will be required for those long FL trips, to dive with @tim h when lobster season opens up.

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What are you going to pull it with the Landy?

 

[swatski]

What are you going to pull it with the Landy?

A deep V Parker Pilot House (2320 SC SL) - it is a large beast with 31 LOA, ~6,000lbs dry weight so, fully outfitted special order w/F300 will be pushing 8-10k on the trailer.
I was looking more at walkarounds, but a PH is definitely the right choice here in NE, offshore. And we concluded after much deliberation a Parker is the way to go, a safer bet than a Steiger. BTW - we are keeping the Yamaha, too.

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