There’s nothing like owning a boat to cruise the ocean with your loved ones or to escape the madness of the fast-paced world. You can enjoy the serene sunsets, the cold sea breeze against your skin, the quiet, and perhaps that glass of wine you have been yearning for so long.
If that isn’t your preference, then you can maybe take a bunch of friends along to kickback or take your family to the sea to spend some quality time with them, plan a memorable evening of sorts. All these are some of the possibilities that you might want to consider if you have a boat, but it isn’t all that comes as part and parcel of this package.
As a meticulous boat owner, you will want to keep it clean, waxed, and ready to hit the water at all times, all of which take considerable effort. But a more pressing concern for you would be its storage as winter draws upon you. You will have to get it out of the water and find suitable storage for it so that it doesn’t get damaged due to the changes in weather.
Luckily for you, there are multiple options to get this done, so all you need to do is pick the kind of storage you favor. Most small boat owners who are particular about taking care of it go with covered boat storage solutions that provide a protected, dry warehouse. Others might consider outdoor storage to be more fitting for their requirements, like a marina.
There are few specs to each of these choices, so here are some pros and cons of the various boat storage options that you can take into account before making up your mind. These might help make it easier to make a call for your precious sea ride.
- Indoor Storage Facilities
These are covered boat storage facilities that stack them in a dry warehouse with all amenities and safe from the harsh elements. These are well-protected against any theft with significant measures in place and can store multiple boats at once. That makes it a premium storage option for boat owners.
The drawback of going with this option is that you will have to plan every boat ride, as these facilities generally limit the number of times you can check it out. That minimizes your accessibility to your asset substantially. Also, these are only fit to store smaller sized boats, so that’s another thing to keep in mind while looking for storage.
- Indoor Storage At-Home
Besides registering your boat into a facility for storage, you also have the option of keeping it at home, as you do with your cars. You can allocate a garage to it and make all the arrangements that you deem necessary. You can work on it whenever you like, its always accessible, and you won’t have to pay any storage rent. Plus, it will be as safe as the rest of your property.
The only downside of this option is that you will need space, a lot of it. Most people can’t afford such luxuries, which makes it a not-so-popular choice for boat owners.
- Self-Service Indoor Storage
Drive-in self-service storage is perhaps the most popular choice for boat owners looking to keep their boats safe. These are easy to find and access, you can take your boat in and out at will, and you also enjoy some added security features that you otherwise wouldn’t have. Some of them also have a climate-controlled option in storages, which makes it more suitable for boats.
The downside to this alternative is that you will have to find storage spacious enough to accommodate your boat in it. Also, you will have to drive down to the facility every time you want to access your boat, so that might be another setback of this storage idea.
- Outside Self-Storage
You can only consider this option if you live in a place with mild weather conditions, but outside self-storage is the best choice if you are looking for something light on the wallet. These are easy to find, easy to access and offer some extra security without adding to the cost. Great in case you don’t have a suitable place to keep your boat and want to take care of it without spending too much.
The only problem is that despite being in storage, a boat outside will be open to all kinds of damage from the environment. The weather will eventually take its toll on your property, and you can notice the signs of it with fading colors or dry wooden surfaces.
- Marina Storage
The most exquisite option on the list is a marina for your boat. With it, you don’t have to worry about taking your boat out of the water, as the docks will always be ready with a reserved spot for it. Also, its the choice of the elites, so Marinas makes arrangements for the socialization of boat owners, promoting it as a community.
The cons of considering marinas for boat storage start from its expensive price tag. The costs vary depending on the areas, crowd, popularity, and other such variables. There’s also some risk of damage from the other boats that keep on coming and going. Security can also be an issue if you are not particular with your choice of the marina. And besides all this, you will also have to be wary of barnacle and algae damage from staying underwater.
Summary
These were the pros and cons of various boat storage options that you need to keep in mind while making a decision. Considering the valuation of your asset, an indoor facility seems to be the most suitable choice, despite a few drawbacks, but the final decision is yours. Just make sure that you are keeping it in a shape that it can fulfill its purpose, and the rest will be great.
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