Boat Storage Strategies

Millions of people all over the United States own a boat. Some of the lucky ones own multiple boats! How many of them actually know how to take care of their boats? That is a question whose answer can be debated and probably will be debated by many. The source of consternation usually revolves around boat storage and what is considered adequate versus inadequate. Most boat owners will agree that keeping your boat, which is usually a huge investment, on a trailer in your driveway is usually a sufficient boat storage strategy. Other owners will say that the best type of boat storage is to leave your water in the water. In addition to arguing about where to store a boat, many boat owners will debate whether or not responsible boat storage includes the use of some sort of boat cover. Whatever side of the boat storage aisle you come down on, this article is sure to touch on one or more boat storage strategies that you are familiar with. Please read on for more boat storage strategies and tips.

Some boat owners prefer the rack storage or dry stack form of boat storage. When rack stored, a boat is kept in some form of cradle, if you will that is usually located in a covered or protected area. The major drawback to this type of boat storage is the fact that in order to use the boat, the owner will need to contact the boat storage provider first. The boat storage provider will then have the boat brought to the ground by utilizing some sort of crane or other lifting technique. The boat owner then gets to do it all over again, but in reverse when he is done with his boat and is ready to put it back into storage. This type of boat storage is nice for smaller boats. This is probably not a good form of boat storage for those of you who own larger type boats.

A boat slip available at your local marina is probably your best boat storage option in my humble opinion. Boat storage of this nature is suitable for pretty much any sized boat. Marina slips are generally rented or bought. The cost of this type of boat storage is usually calculated by the marina owner based on the size of the boat that you will be storing in the slip. Purchasing a boat slip at a marina is usually a good investment so if you can afford to purchase this type of boat storage as opposed to renting it, I would strongly suggest you do so. Marinas that offer these types of services also offer other amenities more often than not. Amenities such as electrical connections, restroom, and security are just some of the perks associated with this type of boat storage. Many of these marinas even offer covered picnic areas for you and your family to share. This boat storage method is probably my favorite. I highly recommend it.

Although the thrust of this article is about boat storage in general and the different type of boat storage available to boat owners, I would be remiss if I didn't at least touch on the subject of some general boat maintenance strategies. Choosing a quality boat storage provider and strategy is basically useless if you don't keep up with the maintenance of your boat to at least a small degree!

Cleaning and waxing your boat provides the best protection against the elements, regardless of what type of boat storage you decide to use. More importantly, in my humble opinion, is the use of a quality cover to protect the interior of the boat from the elements of nature such as rain, wind, snow, etc. Exposing the interior of a boat to the elements year round will only serve to cause expensive damage, resulting in what can be large outlays of cash in the long term. Regardless of what boat storage methodology you ultimately go with, be sure to use protect your boat with a good boat cover!

My strongest recommendation is to plan ahead, understand your options, and decide on your preferred method of boat storage before you even go out and buy your first boat. Be sure to clearly understand the plusses and minuses of each boat storage method available to you in your area of the country as some boat storage methods are preferred over others in certain parts of the country due to weather patterns and temperatures. Once you've done your research on acceptable boat storage methods in your area and have decided on one, go out and buy your boat!