Where do you keep your boat?

[Tumteetum]

Ok I might get slaughtered here as this is probably a daft question but here goes.
I want to get a boat but don’t know where to keep it. Do I have to pay for a marina? I could keep it in my garage but I don’t really want to tow it all the time. So what are the options?

[shibbs]

Hi, Welcome to the forum.
A number of option available, all depend on personal circumstances really:, a few off the top of my head:

- Marina on berth, Paid for
- Dry stack, paid for
- Marina self storage (ie on its trailer to be launched each time you want to use), paid for
- swinging mooring, paid for (not as much as other options)
- Garage or driveway, or anywhere else you have permission to store it. ( only cost will be trailer maintenance and slipway use).

Each have their own advantages and will obviously work depending on how you want to use the boat and how much you want to spend for convenience.
Size of the boat will also have an impact when it comes to towing and launching.
Mine is small enough to tow, just, but i only tow it to put it in once and then remove it from the water at the end of the year, it lives in a marina for the summer, it then lives on its trailer for the winter.
A marina allows use when you want without the hassle of towing but it brings its own downsides along the lines of antifoul, drive corrosion etc
in my opinion., dry stack is the way ahead for ease of use, practicality etc but it does come with a price.
Everyone will have their own opinion but i suppose first decide what you want to do with the boat and therefore what size you want and that will probably stear you down one or two options naturally, also, where you are based may restrict certain options, ie slipways etc..
Hope that helps for a starter..

[Tumteetum]

That’s a great help. Thanks a lot. Marinas seem expensive (about £2k for annual berthing for 6 metres) so will have a think. Cheers

[ian h]

That’s a great help. Thanks a lot. Marinas seem expensive (about £2k for annual berthing for 6 metres) so will have a think. Cheers

it depends I have an 11 meter boat in dry stack mine is over 3 times more than that

It all depends how far from the sea you are, What do you want to achieve from your first years boating,

Trailer maintenance can we expensive if they are not looked after,

I have would recommend dry stack so easy . OR trailer park the boat at a marina and they launch you when required like at Littlehampton marina.

What area of the UK are you looking at ??

Please give us some more information to help give you ideas

[Tumteetum]

Hi Ian

Yea the dry stack was more expensive.

I’m in Glasgow and buying a boat mainly as I want to spend the summer visiting the Scottish islands. Most berthing options appear to be on firth of Clyde but I don’t mind further away as long as west coast.

[Ianfs]

I’m in Glasgow and buying a boat mainly as I want to spend the summer visiting the Scottish islands. Most berthing options appear to be on firth of Clyde but I don’t mind further away as long as west coast.

Wow, what an experience, we've visited the East coast as my father was born in Inverness and lived in Pitmedden during his youth, but we really want to visit the West Coast islands.

The guys have given some great advice and thoughts for you to Mull over (err there's a pun in there somewhere ) but I would like to add something.
Marina berthing or Dry stacking are by far the easiest ways of owning a boat, although not all have electric or water, electricity is by far the best thing in the Winter keeping the boat dry and batteries charged. If you are a busy person for ease of use and getting the most from your boat they are the best but come with a price tag. Our Marina at Beaulieu does have some swinging moorings which are a little cheaper so it may be worth looking into that where you are, but you'll need a tender. If you berth it, rather than Stack it, you will also have the pleasure of Anti Fouling your boat.
There are some real advantages for being able to keep your boat at home and under cover.
For's - Maintenance is much easier, it keeps the boat in good condition, cost and you can keep it clean.
Against - If you don't have one, a car big enough to tow it safely and legally. Cost of extra fuel for towing and trailer maintenance and remember sounds obvious but a double axle trailer is always twice as expensive as a single axle trailer.

If you don't want to tow then how about what is generally called "Trailer Sailor". A lot of Marina's and boatyards have a facility where you can keep a boat on it's trailer in their yard.
For's - It's cheaper than Dry Stack and Marina moorings. It won't block your garage and they may have launch and recovery services.
Against - Unless they have a slipway with a pontoon it can be a real pain to launch and recover on your own. Maintenance can be a problem. You'll need decent winter covers. Usually no electric to vacuum or keep the boat dry.

I did a quick Google and at first glance it seems there are lots of boatyards around the Firth of Clyde so a quick ring round might be worth it and you may find one with a nice slipway for around a quarter of the price you've been quoted for a marine berth.

Hope this helps.

[ChrisH]

You might end up like me. Gradually upgrading my mooring as I gained experience and found out what worked and did not work for me.

I started with a15ft Center console Ranieri on a trailer stored in my Dads backgarden
Got fed up with going in the wring direction to collect her, and then having to take her back at the end of a long day (But still was good fun) and cheap

Upgraded to a 20ft SPorts boat - Stored her on her trailer at a dry stack which had a slipway
Was much better , more expensive, but cheaper than a marina beth
Still got fed up with putting her in and out and storing her away, plus limited tidal access to the the slipway.
Was good for me though to learn what the impact of having such limitations were.

Went then for low end marina berth (no frills) 20 mins up river from Southampton Water.
Bought a 2nd hand drive on dock
That was good for a year or 2.
Still got a bit fed up with limited tidal access. I was paying their cheapest rate, so close to the shore.

Upgraded boat to a 25ft cruiser
paid more for a marina Berth with better tidal access (Still no frills marina)
Liked it a lot.
But I needed multiple lift outs last year for a number of reasons, and possibly would this year, so have decided now
to Dry Stack

I have no regrets at all on the mooring options I took. At the time, they were right for me, now my needs and wants are different.
But increasing my costs like this in a controlled step by step way for me was a good comfortable approach.

Good luck in your search for the best solution.

[Tumteetum]

Thank you guys- that is very helpful and I now have a good idea what my options are. I’m going a couple of courses over the next few months so should meet some locals and pick their brand about marina and boat yard options.

And I now see it’s not the boat that makes boating an expensive hobby - it’s storing it ! (well sure, some boats are pricey but not the ones I’m looking at!).

Can I just add - what a friendly forum.

[shibbs]

And I now see it’s not the boat that makes boating an expensive hobby - it’s storing it ! (well sure, some boats are pricey but not the ones I’m looking at!).
.

Just wait until you have to buy a marine part from a marine only supplier...

[ChrisH]

And I now see it’s not the boat that makes boating an expensive hobby - it’s storing it ! (well sure, some boats are pricey but not the ones I’m looking at!).
.

Just wait until you have to buy a marine part from a marine only supplier...

Yep my Volvo penta sump was 750quid. And there are no pattern options available. Madness.

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