[Rhodes22-list] Fall Haul?

[DCLewis1 at aol.com]

Folks,
 
July 4 is over, so for me it’s time to start thinking of the fall and  
winter, although they’re still far over the horizon.  At our marina I’m  told it’s 
important to get your work order in very early if you plan to have a  haul out 
in the fall - everybody wants to do it at the same time.  Likewise  for a 
spring put-in.  So I’ve started to think about the need to haul  out for the 
winter.
 
A prior boat I largely crewed on the Chesapeake used bubblers etc to insure  
that the hull was not encased in ice, or we’d haul it out for the winter.   As 
I recall the issue was expanding ice could damage the hull.  
 
Last week I meet someone who had a 30' sailboat on the Chesapeake for 10  
years.  He said he never hauled out for the winter, unless he intended to  clean 
and paint the hull.  Ice was not a problem - that is, it never  damaged the 
hull of his boat, there was ice.
 
Haul out or not, we’ll have the boat at Deale Md, which is mid-Bay, below  
Annapolis.  I don’t know how much ice they get.  It's at the same  marina the 
guy with the 30' boat used.
 
 
Are there any Chesapeake sailors on the board that could offer some input  
regarding the need to haul out for the winter?  Is just  leaving the boat in the 
water a viable option?  Is the  possibility of ice damage what drives your 
decision?  

 
Thanks,
DaveL