You can buy an annual wide permit for texas for about $125/yr.

In reality having a slip boat is just a different maintenance list of concerns that a trailer queen - the better the builder the less issues with osmosis "IF' it was left in the water and not on a hydro-hoist.

Covered slips are the way to protect 80% of the boat from taking a concentrated beating of the suns rays. Where the boat is exposed, the gel literally burns and oxidizes - on a cheap boat like a Bayliner, one or 2 seasons depending on where you are for sun, what was a blue boat is a grey oxidized mess that will never come back....stray electrical currents are another issue that you have to address as the season progresses as your zincs will take a beating in severe circumstances.

This just goes hand in hand with the dust, dirt and bird sh*t that regularly needs washing off the boat if the slip is just a framed enclosure as birds nest in the rafters.

Good Luck with your search.

On a different note, this guy has the perfect crossover for venturing into the cruiser world (if $$$ grew on trees everyone would want one)...story by Matt Trulio

https://www.speedonthewater.com/insi...formula-400ss/

Just spoke to the state. Seems prices have went up. The only annual permit for oversized loads also included overweight and costs a whopping $4000/yr. Ouch!
They do have have 30 day, 60 day and 90 day permits for $120, $180 and $240 respectively. These are over-width only permits.

Also need a $10k surety bond that costs ~$1000. Good grief. I can see why folks just risk it. Concern here is if there was an accident, the ins company might just say too bad for you.

Trailer'ing the Fountain is looking better and better.

Don’t forget spiders.

Biweekly ritual by us.

Yes, get a cruiser and than some flower pots and holiday lights and a plastic owl and a dock box/bar and a carpet and a dingy with an outboard and a grass tiki fence around the parking spot and a satellite dish. Kidding.

LOL, I've seen all of that at the local marinas and not just once.

I already had my own daddy long legs convention going on inside the shop. Had to be hundreds of them. We originally had an agreement. They don't mess with me or my boat and I'll leave them alone. They broke the agreement by crawling up my leg one evening (wearing shorts), now it's on!! Nuke'ed them a couple of weeks ago. So far, so good.

Yep, my second boat got a lot of exposure to the sun before I got it. Spent many hours trying to "buff it out". Someone told me to apply baby oil down the side of the boat. Looked fantastic from >10 feet away,,, until it got wet.

This stuff is killer!
The Walmart by our marina even had it.
Clipper SpiderKill II - Marine and Household Insect Spray

The spiders around Lake Erie will carry away small dogs!
When I was a kid, one time I was netting minnows for fishing bait and was right by a giant web w/a giant spider and decided to experiment.
Threw a live minnow in the web.

Not only was the web strong enough to hold the angry minnow, the spider immediately attacked and killed it, then ate it!
They were attracted to the dock lights.

If you stepped on one in the dark you’d hear a “snapping” sound then it’s guts spewed on your deck where it stayed for yrs if the sun got to it!

They did the same on our recent cruisers.

Every two wks I’d spray the dock lines, hose and shore power cords and would never never see them.
If I forgot, theyd came back.

Im guessing a spray around your scoops would do same.

On the dock ornaments, our last dock was a drive up.
Huge pier w/docks on both sides.
Each dock came w/parking in front of boat, 15’ x width of slip.
Either leave your car there while at boat or do like most of us and unload then move the car to on shore parking.

You then have that 15’ x width of slip to do with as you please.
I, like most, put down outdoor carpet, table, chairs, grill dock box etc.
Remember, it is water front 🍺

Some built full on tiki bars!
Lights, fridge, music, etc.
Was insane.

Our pier was like a tail gate party every weekend!
You couldn’t make to and from the shower house w/o getting drunk!

I agree w/the above post though and go there to boat first.
Party yes but hopefully while visiting a different port.

I would say the vast majority of our neighbors though stayed at dock every weekend.
The marinas hope you will bond w/your dock mates then never leave.

I told the Mrs that if all we’re going to do is go there to drink it’s way cheaper at home.
Even paying for it at the local establishment.