Dry Stack Storage
The pros and cons of vertical storage
"I used to have a love-hate relationship with my boat", says Dave Robertson about his 26-foot express cruiser. "But since I moved into dry stack storage, it's been love-love all the way. No grief, no worries, and great service!"
Dave is one of a growing number of Western boat owners who are discovering that dry stack storage is the answer to their boating needs. While the conventional boat storage methods have always been in-water marina slips or dry storage on trailers, dry stacking is relatively new to the Pacific coast.
Dry stack storage is a vertical storage method that puts the boat into individual "garages" much like you might put glasses in a cupboard. Pioneered along the Eastern seaboard and in Florida, dry stack storage provides ample benefits to both the yard owner and the boat owner. As people move to condos to simplify their lifestyles and gain more leisure time, dry stacking is a viable alternative to other boat storage. Besides, as cars continue to shrink in size and horsepower, trailering your boat becomes less of an option.
From a financial standpoint, a marina or boatyard can store far more boats in a dry stack system that they could with conventional dry storage on trailers. And, as one yard owner pointed out, "Air doesn't cost anything but every square foot of waterfront property is blindingly expensive".
How does dry stack storage actually work? The starting point is to lease a space from a dry stack yard, which can be on a simple month-by-month basis or on a longer term, such as for the boating season or for an entire year. Once arranged, the yard will assign a slot to your you and, if necessary, rearrange the stacking beams to fit your particular boat.
From that point on, the dry stack system works much like parking your car with a hotel valet. Simply call up the yard and ask for your boat to be removed and launched.
At Newport Harbor Shipyard in Newport Beach, California, for example, they ask for a 30-minute lead time to allow them to get your boat ready. In that time, they pull the boat from it's storage slot, using what appears to be a forklift on steroids called a "marina bull", a nickname earned from the two long horns that lift the boats to and from storage. They also remove the boat cover and launch the boat so that, when you arrive, you simply climb aboard, turn the key and depart.
On your return, you just leave your boat in the water at their dock and go home. The Newport Harbor Shipyard crew lifts the boat out of the water, rinses off the salt and dirt with soap and water, flushes the engine with fresh water, puts the cover back on, and returns the boat to the stack.
But does dry stack storage make sense for most boat owners? You bet it does! For most boat owners, this ease of access fits their needs exactly since they don't have to deal with the usual boat owning woes. A boat in dry stack storage doesn't need bottom paint, never gets barnacles on the bottom, and the stern drive unit, which can deteriorate rapidly in salt water, remains showroom fresh. The boat is safe from storms and, at Newport Harbor Shipyard, the crew pulls every boat after a rainstorm, makes sure that it is fully drained, and then puts it away again, further relieving the boat owner of worries.
A dry stacked boat is also more secure from theft than other storage methods, not just because it is inside a fenced and guarded area, but because the height of the boat above ground makes it a difficult target for thieves.
What does dry stack cost? At Newport Harbor Shipyard, for example, the flat rate is $12 per foot a month. This is somewhat higher than in-water slip fees for that area, which are in the $9 to $10 range. "You pay a little more now," says Perk Perkins of the shipyard, "but you gain it back in a very short time. You never need to paint the bottom, your engine stays in good shape, and the hull is shiny and new-looking for years. A boat that has been kept in dry stack storage has a far higher resale value than a comparable boat kept in the water".
But what if, like some boat owners, you want to just sit on your boat, tinker with it, and perhaps install a piece of gear yourself? At most dry stack facilities, they provide work stands so that your boat can be removed and nestled at ground level for just that sort of work day.
Many dry stack yards also offer a full range of ancillary services, so that a single phone call can get the hull buffed and waxed, the plugs and oil changed on the engine, or a broken fitting replaced.
While many of the boats in dry stack storage are in the 20- to 25-foot range, you'll find that most yards are capable of storing much larger boats. At Newport Harbor Shipyard, they can store up to 40-foot Scarabs and their marina bull handles boats as heavy as five tons. The carpeted stringers on which each boat nests are fully adjustable, so a wide variety of hull types can be stored safely.
What should a boat owner consider when looking at a dry stacking yard? First and foremost is the quality of the stacking system, which can range from a self-built structure to one of several nationally distributed prefab dry stacks.
See what hours the yard is open and compare that to your planned needs, and see if they close on weekends or holidays when you might want your boat. Ask how much lead time they need to launch your boat. Inspect the support stringer system to make sure that it is maintained in good condition and appropriately padded to protect your boat. Find out what services the yard provides as standard, and what other services they offer as extras.
Finally, make sure that they accept responsibility for any fittings on your hull, such as transducers or speed wands, that may be damaged by lifting or storing.
Judging by the enthusiastic acceptance of the dry stack facilities on the West Coast, you can expect to see more of these "boat condos" rising along the waterfront. You also might want to investigate storing your boat in the sky, since it takes most of the chores out of boat ownership!