Temporary Boat Storage
Slip space and dry storage for when you're travelling, between slips, selling the boat, or waiting out a project — with the boat actually looked after rather than just parked somewhere and forgotten.
Storage sounds like the simplest thing we do, and it is the one where neglect costs the most. A boat left for three months with a half-charged bank, a closed-up canopy holding water, and nobody checking the bilge comes back to you in materially worse shape than the day you dropped it off. Everything we store gets a scheduled check, not just a space.
What's included
- Dry storage on our own trailers and stands, or in-water slip space
- Battery bank kept on a maintenance charge for the whole stay
- Bilge and float switch checked on a set schedule
- Canopy and covers fitted, vented, and adjusted so nothing chafes or pools water
- Mooring lines and fenders checked after every blow
- A photo update sent to you every month
- Gated yard with lighting and cameras
- Boat washed on the way in and on the way out
In the water, or on the hard?
Slip storage
Best for stays under about six weeks. The boat stays wet and stays ready — you can be out on the water within an hour of getting back. The bottom keeps growing the whole time, which is fine over a short stay and expensive over a long one.
Dry storage
The right answer past about two months. Growth stops, the antifouling stops being consumed, and the boat comes out cleaner than it went in. It costs a haul-out each way, and past a couple of months that's cheaper than the bottom job you'd otherwise be booking.
Why boats deteriorate in storage
Flat batteries, water sitting in a closed-up canopy, and a bilge pump nobody checked. Between them, those three account for very nearly every storage horror story we've been called out to clean up — and all three are prevented by somebody simply walking the boat every couple of weeks.
Between slips, or selling?
Slip waiting lists in these harbors run long. We hold boats for owners who've sold a house, changed harbors, or are waiting on a transfer to come through — and when the new slip opens up we'll deliver the boat straight to it.
Leaving the country? Give us your return date and we'll have the boat washed, charged, and back in your slip the day before you land.
Typical pricing
| Option | Rate |
|---|---|
| Slip storage, Duffy 16–18 | $290 / month |
| Slip storage, Duffy 21–22 | $340 / month |
| Dry storage, on our trailer or stands | $215 / month |
| Dry storage, under cover | $310 / month |
| Any option, weekly rate | $95 / week |
| Haul-out or launch | $180 each way |
| Intake and hand-back wash | Included |
Monthly rates apply to stays of a month or more, billed monthly with no minimum term beyond the first month. Battery maintenance charging and the monthly photo update are included in every option.
How it works
Four steps, no surprises on the invoice
Book
Tell us the dates and we'll say which option actually suits that length of stay — wet or dry — rather than whichever one is emptier.
Hand over
Drop the boat off or we'll collect it. Condition is photographed at intake so there's a record both of us can point at.
Look after
Scheduled charge, bilge, and cover checks through the whole stay, with a photo update to you every month.
Hand back
Washed, charged, and back in your slip or on your trailer on the date you asked for.
Common questions
Boat Storage, answered
What's the shortest stay you'll take?
One week. Plenty of our storage is a fortnight while someone's away, and that's perfectly worth doing.
Is my boat insured while you have it?
Our yard policy covers negligence on our part. Your own hull policy should stay in force for the stay — most insurers are fine with it and some reduce the premium for dry storage. We'll give you what they need in writing.
Can I visit or use the boat?
Any time during yard hours. For a boat in dry storage, give us a day's notice so it's off the stands and ready rather than you waiting around.
What happens to the batteries?
They go on a maintenance charge set for their chemistry and stay there. This is the single biggest reason boats come out of storage healthy instead of needing a new bank.
Do you store boats other than Duffys?
Up to about 26 feet and 9 feet of beam, yes — the same limit as our transport trailer.
How much notice do you need to get it back?
Forty-eight hours for a boat in a slip, three to four days for dry storage where we need to book a launch.
Ready when you are
Tell us your boat and your harbor, and we'll come back with a free written estimate — usually within one business day.