Wet slip v. dry dock

J

jadunbar

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Mar 13, 2010
12
Minnesota
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I hope to be a new boat owner shortly and need to make a decision about where to dock our boat. The marinas around here (St. Croix River, Lake Minnetonka) seem to charge around $4500 for a wet slip and only $1600 for dry dock with unlimited launching. Are there advantages of one over the other that would justify the difference in cost? Is there a downside to dry docking other than not being able to hang out in the boat in the marina?
 
In my opinion, dry-vs-wet docking depends on several issues. Most importantly is how you plan on using your boat? If you plan on being down at the dock and having boating become "a lifestyle" (like many of us), then I'd suggest putting it in the water. This will allow you to meet GREAT boaters/friends more readily. A distant second issue is the size of your boat. If you have a boat over 35 ft long, then I'd also suggest a wet slip. Why? A 35 ft boat is about the max length that a typical marina boat/forklift can easily lift it to put in the water. If you get a boat around 40 ft, a typical forklift can't lift it. Besides, a larger boat is meant to be have its weight supported uniformly across the entire bottom of the boat. These are my two cents.
 
Welcome from a fellow Minnesotan!

I am not new to boating, but I am new to slipping. This will be my first year in a slip. I am SO glad to be done with trailering. I too considered dry-docking, but I decided to get a slip. Where do you plan to do your boating? What size boat are you thinking of getting? I just rented a 26' x 10' slip at Kings Cove in Hastings for $2430, summer only, no winter storage (I have my own storage arrangement....a buddy with a pole barn:thumbsup:).
 
I have kept boats in slips. The skin maintenance is much more expensive. The sun’s effect on the exterior is very damaging. Cleaning and waxing is needed at least twice a year here in the south. The bottom in fresh water will get fouled and grow grass and needs to be cleaned at least once per month in the hot weather. In saltwater bottom cleaning once per month and bottom paint every 3 years.

My boat is dry stored inside a building. With one hour notice the boat is fueled, launched, tied in a slip, with the refrigerators on and the A/C on. When we are through they retrieve the boat wash the salt off, fresh water flush the engines and put the boat back into the building.

Our boat always looks sharp and with the perfect bottom performs as advertised. We do this at the same price as a slip. By the way our marina does not charge us for the slip when we are on the boat.

Our previous trailer cruisers were always stored inside and looked new when we sold them even with over 600 hours of use each.

This was a long reply so my 4 cents.
 
Thank you all for your replies. We are planning on buying a 26 footer so I think we could do either wet or dry slips. I have looked at marinas along the St. Croix (Bayport, Stillwater, Hudson) and they seem to run around $4500 for that size boat for a wet slip and around $1500 for dry dock. I think these prices include winter storage as well. Its quite a difference in price and I would think dry docking would be better on the boat, as Vince said. I also think I'd like the camaraderie of having "neighbors" with my own slip. as Al said. Hastings is a little far south for us, but I'll check into Kings Cove as well. I appreciate all feedback.
 
As a guy wet-slipped on Lake Minnetonka, I do like having it in the water for the same reasons already mentioned. I've gotten to know my slip neighbors well. Great folks. Even if I'm not planning on going out on the water, I'll head down and hang out on the boat in the slip. Our algae growth up north is no where near as bad as it is down south. I've only ever cleaned my hull at the end of the season as part of my winterization (it still sucks, but I certainly don't have to do it once a month).

I know for mine (SYC in Gideon Bay), my price of $185 per foot does NOT include winter storage.
 
I have never dry docked so I can't speak from experience there. I did consider it several times over the years but always opted to ante up the big bucks for a slip. The dry dock storage I was looking at closed around 6pm most nights and this wasn't conducive to my boating style. There were times that I'd go out to dinner and decide to take a run to the beach since it was such a nice night. If I was racked this would have posed a problem as it was usually well after 6pm. I also love going down to the marina and hanging out tinkering around which again would require calling ahead and taking up a slip if I was racked. Thats my 2 cents! Todd
 
tdschafer said:
I have never dry docked so I can't speak from experience there. I did consider it several times over the years but always opted to ante up the big bucks for a slip. The dry dock storage I was looking at closed around 6pm most nights and this wasn't conducive to my boating style. There were times that I'd go out to dinner and decide to take a run to the beach since it was such a nice night. If I was racked this would have posed a problem as it was usually well after 6pm. I also love going down to the marina and hanging out tinkering around which again would require calling ahead and taking up a slip if I was racked. Thats my 2 cents! Todd
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I agree. that is the biggest reason I decided to slip vs drydock. I want to be able to come and go as I please without have to plan ahead. One of the reasons I grew tired of trailering is you have to plan around the travel, launch wait time, etc. This way I can be spontaneuous and buzz down to the boat and go for an hour ride on a weeknight if I so choose.
 
One of the main reasons we dry slip down here in hurricane prone waters is to try to protect our boat. Our marina is on the ICW behind the barrier islands. The building is designed to withstand up to 145 MPH winds and the bottom of my boat on the rack is 11’ above sea level. Most level 1,2 or 3 storms may not get to us. But a Katrina takes it all out. But we do not need to “winterize” down here.
 
Slippery When Wet said:
I agree. that is the biggest reason I decided to slip vs drydock. I want to be able to come and go as I please without have to plan ahead. One of the reasons I grew tired of trailering is you have to plan around the travel, launch wait time, etc. This way I can be spontaneuous and buzz down to the boat and go for an hour ride on a weeknight if I so choose.
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This year will be our first as a family and we decided wet slip for the stated reasons. We just want to jump in the car and head out whenever we feel like it as the marina is 6 minutes from our house. The cost (shore power, no winter storage, 01 April to Oct/Nov) is $2100. We thought it to be a good investment and that we would use the boat more.

Just a few more weeks!
 
In 2009 we did the rack dry dock thing, convenient when we wanted the boat we called, by the time we got there it was on the water full of fuel and water if requested. The boat was warm and dry when not in use and protected from everything Nature has to toss at a boat. It alway amazed me to watch my 260DA being pulled from the racks with the big forklift. Once we did have some rack damage from the boat being tucked into the rack, the guys went out of their way to assist in the repair.

2010, one thing that we did feel that we were missing a big portion of boating. We made the change with our new boat, now wet unitil October and then storred dry. We had to go the Dry route to apprciate what we were missing.... more work and more fun!
 
This is going to be our first year having a slip. We bought a lift for our boat however so it won't be sitting on the water when not in use. Also making arrangements to purchase a cover for our slip.

We dry docked last year, and while it's a plus to not have to pull the boat clear across town to get to the marina, when you actually get to the marina everything you'd have to do to trailer the boat is still waiting for you when you get there.

drive to dock location
connect the trailer
un-tarp
load the boat
pull to the boat ramp
launch
go find parking......

While that is all part of boating, for me, when i get to the marina i'm ready to go! Dry docking just delayed things....

Also, and I don't know how your marina is set up, but it just felt like there was a lot more camaraderie among the people who had slips. While we had full access to everything the marina offered, we always seemed kind of like the outsiders.

Just my 2 cents.
 
Having a wet slip was a major contributing factor for my migration from a 225WE to a 280DA in 8 months. :grin:

Jason
 
jadunbar said:
I hope to be a new boat owner shortly and need to make a decision about where to dock our boat. The marinas around here (St. Croix River, Lake Minnetonka) seem to charge around $4500 for a wet slip and only $1600 for dry dock with unlimited launching. Are there advantages of one over the other that would justify the difference in cost? Is there a downside to dry docking other than not being able to hang out in the boat in the marina?
Click to expand...

What size are you slipping? Check out Boomsite on the St Croix Stillwater area out they have a few options for a 29' I'm paying $2,800.
They also have a launch and tow storage area and you can use there trucks for the summer for an additional 100.00. I believe the price on that was 1250.00 plus 100.00 to use there trucks. It was a good deal but got tired of launching and rented a slip. The slip price is the cheapest I could find in the area and its well protected.

http://www.rivermarinas.com/
 
"Check out Boomsite on the St Croix Stillwater area out they have a few options for a 29' I'm paying $2,800."

I'll check this out.
 
Don't forget your last option---- Covered wet slip or not? Having a covered wet slip is about as good as it gets. You get the convienence of having your boat in the water 24/7 but it is out of the weather and protected extending the life of your gel coat and canvas. :smt038

I know that there are some marinas on the river that offer this and a one on the lake.
 
Don't put money down on a slip until you have a boat. You may be able to sweeten your deal with a dealer/ marina when buying. It's common to have the dealer/ marina throw in a discounted if not free slip for the summer. Make them wheel and deal with you and you can come out on top!
 
My Wife and I just finished making this decision yesterday. Previously we have owned a 185 sport boat which we loved for fun. We are on the Chesapeake Bay and have kept that boat High and Dry for the past two years. Two problems...1st the marina didn't lower the bimany top on the boat and tried to put it back on the rack. Well, they ripped my top off and most of the windshield track. Second problem, most high and dry people have their boat put in when they arrive at the marina..nothing more annoying then watching people try to load up the beer, food, kids and friends and put the top up and start the boat holding up the well for about 20 mins while you wait patiently to get in put in. We started having the marina put the boat on the bunks and getting it ready on land so when it hit the water we could just go. Well that became a problem beacause the boy driving the fork lift wasn't paying attention and hit the rack causeing the boat to fall and break the skeg on the outdrive. Basiclly with the new 240 we are keeping her in a slip to avoid the problems that are associated with driving your boat around a yard on a fork lift....plus the convenience factor of having everything there on the boat. Plus we hope to meet some cool people next door! Thats my 5 cents....it's all in what you want to do.:thumbsup:
 
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