On the Trailer or at the Dock?

[slapshot11]

I'm trying to decide what to do with my 22' Classic this summer. The recent thread on bottom paint has confused me even more. My question is: Do I keep it on the trailor (dry) or at the dock (wet)? The reason for my confusion is that I only use my boat for about 2 hours per week. That means that the boat sets idle in the water for the remaining 166 hours each week. Last summer I kept it at the dock on the Great Sacandaga, a beautiful 29 mile long lake in upstate NY located about 1 hour and 15 minutes from where I live. I loved being able to jump in my car and pull away from the dock 1 hour and 30 minutes later. However, I hate the perceived or perhaps actual wear and tear the boat endures for the 166 hours per week when it's not being used. The "scum line" makes me really crazy. Plus, I don't actually know what the impact is on the mechanical components due to just sitting in the water all that time. I read on this site once where someone's boat almost sunk while at the dock due to leaky bellows. I don't even know what those are. :smash: What else could go wrong?
So what do I do? Keep it on the trailer or at the dock?:banghead:

[need for speed]

I used to live in canada on a lake... Fresh water and a good bilge pump and take good care of the boat --a little scum line comes off.. let it sit. or buy a lift.. i used a shore station free standing lift i put it in and out in the summer used my boat trailer and put it in and took it out then the boat worked very well..

[need for speed]

I used to live in canada on a lake... Fresh water and a good bilge pump and take good care of the boat --a little scum line comes off.. let it sit. or buy a lift.. i used a shore station free standing lift i put it in and out in the summer used my boat trailer and put it in and took it out then the boat worked very well..

[Just Say N20]

My family has a place on a lake in Upstate New York (between Old Forge and Racquette Lake), so the water is probably similar to where your are. That water is so clean, that I wouldn't even think about the hassle of launching/retrieving every time I wanted to use the boat. We have four power boats, and they all spend every minute of the summer in the water, and they all still look great! There is nothing like being able to walk down to the dock, hop in the boat and take off.

A bellows is a rubber accordian looking tube that fits between the outside and inside of the outdrive, covering the driveshaft/universal joints that allow the drive to tilt. Because it is a rubber part, it is subject to deterioration. Because it is below the water line, if it gets a leak in it, depending on how large the hole, it could eventually sink the boat. If your mechanic is doing proper annual maint. on the outdrive, he/she should discover a potentially bad bellows long before it creates a problem.

Just my .02.