Winter Storage/Winterization
 

What's a "normal" rate per foot? I have a 28 foot bowrider. My first 2 summers on the lake I had a 24' at a different marina on Winni. Shocked at the cost for my 28' to be hauled out winterized, wrapped, and stored outside. I thought 30-35 per foot was normal. But "my new marina" is asking way more.

One of the issues you face in getting a larger boat is that the Marinas aren't always equipped to store them, especially when it comes to inside storage.

You may find that at your new marina, the storage racks only accommodate up to a certain size, and your larger boat will start to take two spots in the storage rack... hence they start to charge more for larger boats...

Or you may find that your boats has a weight that the rack is not specified for thus limiting where they can put your boat.....

As larger boats became more popular, I know of one Marina, that eventually added a new storage building that was designed specifically for boats 25' to 35'

The bottom line is I think 30-35 per foot is normal for the most part, but there are issues that cause that price to go up.... On Lake Champlain I know many of the marina's used to list out prices per foot based on size... anything up to 30' as X and above 30 was Y....that doesn't mean 30' is the magic number its just a concept.

Another factor is that marinas tend to make the generalization that bigger boats are owned by wealthier folks who can afford to pay more.

$50/ft is the price!

$35/ft. for my 20' pontoon at my marina. $50/ft. for a 40% larger boat seems right given the extra liability, work, materials, and storage space required. You didn't think costs would remain the same when you went larger, did you?

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Independent stores inside for 30, in nice buildings

??? Isn't that the point of charging by the foot? I.e., so that longer/larger boats pay more? Charging a different rate for a bigger boat seems like double-dipping. But as always, what the market will bear...

Winter Storage/Winterization
 

On your new boat how much extra needs to be winterized? Single I/O or Double? Head, A/C, Generator? Does this cost include any oil changes? What about material costs for antifreeze?


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No, because the costs associated with bigger boats is not linear but exponential. For example, a 40' boat isn't twice the money of a 20', it's closer to three or four times as much. It's the same with moving, wrapping, storing, etc. The price per foot allows marinas to have ranges of boats instead of needing to quote each one separately.

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I would be looking for a new Marina at that price.......That is way to steep....

As VB states Independant is 30$ per foot and they even have that stated on their website.... I know several people that have used them and are very happy with the service....

Channel Marine advertises 26$ per foot for Pontoon, 31$ for fiberglass hulls, and their Plantnum special for 41$ again this is available on their website...Don't know anyone who has done business here....

Definately shop around... I would say your Marina, probably doesn't want anymore winter storage clients....

OP's question was going from a 24' to 28'. I've never seen a marina charge more per for foot for a 28'. If your talking 50 or 70' of course there's more involved. Like merrymeeting said, It's what they can get before people walk away and shop around. If you go from a 20' to a 40', The motor upsize alone will double your cost for the boat.

+1. I have not seen that either. I have stored boats from 17 to 24 feet and the charge has always been by the foot at the same amount per foot. I am at $35 a foot for my boat this season which included winterization and covered storage (i.e. no shrink wrap). My guess is that they must be pretty booked up and trying to get what they can.

[QUOTE=HellRaZoR004;253780]On your new boat how much extra needs to be winterized? Single I/O or Double? Head, A/C, Generator? Does this cost include any oil changes? What about material costs for antifreeze?


Single I/O, it's a bowrider, so nothing crazy needing to be done.

Yeah, that price is excessive.


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32-35 is pretty normal depending on if you want inside or outside storage. Most marinas don't include winterization in that price, so be prepared for a separate winterization charge. Be careful, some marinas will say it's one price and then tack on a bunch of fees and "required services" without telling you until you pick up the boat.

Remember though, you get what you pay for. If a marina or company is shrink-wrapping your boat for cheep, they're probably using cheep materials as well (3 or 4mil instead of a sturdy 7 mil wrap, and thin wood supports). If you look for a middle of the road price and do some research about how reputable they are, you should be ok.

Still can't get a Straight answer from the marina. Was told to email owner. After two emails no response! Shocked since I spent six figures on a new boat from them 9 months ago.

I am not sure which I find more odd.... Spending $100K+ on a boat and not having it in storage at the end of November or spending $100k on a boat and playing e-mail tag with a Marina over possible storage.

You may find it odd but I don't. If I spent $100,000+ on a boat, I would expect the business owner to respond to my calls/email and explain the charge. Even if it is to say sorry that is the rate we can't do anything about it. Remember, people who buy $100,000 boats have lots of follow-up work and they also tend to buy multiple boats over the years. Plus treating a valued customer this way is rude. Sounds like an incompetent business owner who probably won't make it through the next recession.

I bought a 30k boat and then upgraded to a 100k boat last year and the dealer treated me like garbage after. During complimentary storage they lost half of the parts to my cover and Bimini top and then blamed it on me. Needless to say i didn't store my boat there this winter. So I totally hear where your coming from that your dealer should take care of its customers not only the customers who spend big money.

For $30K, I'd expect an email back; for $100K, I'd expect an authentic Pony Express wagon full of massage therapists at the minimum.

Seriously, I get the whole "treat every customer right" idea, but that much loot is like three average patrons.

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Thurston's Rate Hike for 2017 winter storage
 

FYI - Thurston's banged their rate up to $40 per foot no matter the boat this year.
They claim they store the boat inside, yet each subsequent year since I bought the boat there, I find more and more debris on my boat when I pick it up in the spring suggesting that inside isn't really IN side. The vinyl needed massive cleaning this year and the deck was a mess. Add to that, they ripped off one of the deck bump pieces and refuse to replace it since "it's common that they fall off with use" - well it was there when I dropped it off....
Anyway, now I need a trailer so I can find a new home for it....UGH.
Who else has gotten a rate hike thanks to max capacity on the lake?

Winter Storage
 

Outside storage is usually about $80 a month at an independent storage yard. Shrink warp is $300, so I would shell out about $600. Inside Storage will be the same amount without shrink wrap so its a wash. There is a huge inside storage building in Franklin that is very reasonable. This apply to boats on trailers.
Shop around price varies every year. Don't forget to Winterize the engine and Bounce dryer sheets to keep the pests from chewing up your wires and or upholstery.