Expectations ... a Baja 302 slipped in Saltwater!
 

I'm chrisf's father and have decided to get back into offshore boating!
Yes, it was his new Baja 272 which provided the adreniline rush which my wife and I so enjoy, yet forgot about!

I am thinking about buying an older Baja 302 to enjoy offshore in the Southern California area. Unfortunately, I've gotten a bit too old to trailer and launch the boat, so "slipping" the boat at Marina del Rey is the only way I would enjoy owning a boat again.

With that in mind, what is reasonable to expect as the "downside" of keeping the boat slipped in saltwater? I've thought about a "boat lift" for the slip, but am concerned about the difficulty with docking and launching. I am comfortable with the requirments and expense related to closed cooling, anti-foulng bottom paint, weekly bottom cleaning, and zinc replacement associated with slipping a boat at the marina, yet I was wondering about longer-term maintenance problems.

What ramifications should I expect if I slipped a 302 in saltwater?

Re: Expectations ... a Baja 302 slipped in Saltwater!
 

I would not do it. If you have the means to purchase a lift; do it. Its as easy as pie to stick a boat on a lift; actually easier than tieing it up with docklines all the time.

Make a mark on the dock, or the lift that you can align with a spot on the boat as a landmark. Line these two spots up each time you come into the lift, and hit the up button. Its that easy. If you are buying a 302 Baja, that is not a step bottom boat. This makes using a lift even easier.

The downsides are:
Saltwater Corrosion
Bottom paint needs maintenance
You have to hire a diver or haul the boat at least every 2-3 weeks to clean it.
Bottom paint slows the boat down, makes it less efficient... uses more gas.
Leaving a boat in the water can/will cause gelcoat blisters.
Much higher risk of developing a leak when moored all the time.

I'd rather trailer than do the tasks you mentioned you are comfortable with. I'd either go for the lift, or sign up for a Boatel/Dry Stack storage contract in your shoes.

Re: Expectations ... a Baja 302 slipped in Saltwater!
 

Thanks for the thoughts ...
By the way, there is no rack-storage available at the marina!
Chris thinks a boatlift kept in the slip is a plausable option.
What should I be looking for in a boatlift for a slipped 302?

Re: Expectations ... a Baja 302 slipped in Saltwater!
 

Fyi, A Friend Sold His Baja 260 Approx 3 Years Ago And It Was Slipped In A Chicago Harbor In The Water. I Know He Sold It For Over 20k And He Just Bought It Back For Approx Half. This Is Not Even Salt Water Which Multiplies The Effects As Stated Above. This Boat Was Not Bottom Painted Obviously Because It Is A Performance Boat And It Looks Like It Has Been Thru He//. Sitting In Any Water For Long Periods Of Time, Especially With Salt Is Like Boat Cancer. The Lifts Are Great Idea And Give You The Opportunity To Flush And Thoroughly Rinse. This Said, I Would Say Downside Is Half Of Its Purch. Price If In Any Condition At All Now. Another Friend Just Bought The 302 This Spring And Paid Just Over 60k For A 1999 With Twin 385's. Mint Condition Now And Runs Great. My .02

Re: Expectations ... a Baja 302 slipped in Saltwater!
 

A 10K POUND LIFT WOULD BE MORE THAN ENOUGH WITH A 302 HAVING A DRY WEIGHT OF LESS THAN 8K. CHECK WITH YOUR MARINA FOR LIMITATIONS AND STYLES OF LIFTS THEY ALLOW YOU TO USE. SOME HAVE AGREEMENTS WITH CERTAIN MANUFACTURERS.

Re: Expectations ... a Baja 302 slipped in Saltwater!
 

If the marina will not let you install a hydrohoist lift onto their docks... an AIRDOCK is a great option that is reasonably priced.
www.airdock.com

Re: Expectations ... a Baja 302 slipped in Saltwater!
 

too old to launch and retrieve? I'm 54 and do it by myself all the time :D

Re: Expectations ... a Baja 302 slipped in Saltwater!
 

Now, now ... jhiguy377

At 54, I traded my trailer launching skills for a slipped 30' Tollycraft. Now that I'm 61, I still feel a need for speed, but no longer get a thrill from a backache!