By Mark Raudenbush
Pretty much everyone who reads this magazine is into boating in one fashion or another. Whether your boat is a small kayak, a flats boat, bay boat, offshore center console, or even something larger, where you keep the boat when you’re not using it is always a consideration for boat owners. If you’re one of those fortunate Southwest Florida residents who lives on the water with a boat lift or dock in your back yard, then you’ve pretty much got this licked however for the rest of us there are also several alternatives.
If you have a larger boat, you’ll keep it in the water. In that case it’s always a good idea to make sure that there is a dockmaster or a yacht management company regularly checking on your vessel. For smaller trailerable boats, in some communities you can keep your boat in your driveway or your backyard on your trailer, but in most communities, that is just not allowed. Other alternatives include marina dry rack storage, open-lot storage, concierge, or valet services.
Let’s start with dry rack storage. In most of the harbors, bays, and passes in Southwest Florida there are dry rack storage buildings. In dry racks your boat is stored on a rack inside of a purpose-built building, indoors, out of the sun and weather. In this situation, you would call to have your vessel installed into the water on your command. These are the best facilities for storing your boat for convenience, but can tend to be a more expensive option. Keep in mind, should there be a hurricane, your boat is indoors.
A second alternative is dry-lot storage. This is less expensive, but not as convenient. Depending upon the facility, some dry-lot storage facilities have defined hours. Others use access control systems to allow you to access your boat on demand. In order to use dry lot storage, you’ll need to keep your trailer serviced and registered. And you’ll need to have a tow vehicle. When selecting a facility to store your boat, consider how often you plan to use your boat, where you plan to do your boating and how much expense you are willing to pay for storage.
If you’re looking for a place to store your boat, Wolcott Marine has just opened a new Dry lot storage facility on Davis Boulevard. Our facility is convenient to the boat ramps in the city of Naples, as well as at Bayshore park. Call us and let us help you with your boat storage needs.
Wolcott Marine is located at 854 River Point Drive, Naples, FL 34102, phone: 239-417-2896. Stop in and say “Hi” to Mark and become part of the Wolcott Marine Family where top quality boats, exceptional service, and happiness is guaranteed is their business!