To slip or not to slip?

[Felssogd]

I'm thinking about elimating ramp rage from my life and getting a slip this year. Just having a hard time swallowing about $3000 for it. Ideas, thoughts, opinions? Thanks

[freeheel4life]

I can tell you this, never seen a marina boat as clean as boats that come home. Just what I see as a tech. Guys that really keep a clean boat manage to keep them much cleaner by taking them home and giving them the love. Even our marina customers that make the effort to clean their boats just never seem to be as clean as guys that trailer.

[BCRider]

^ I can see that. On the flip side it's sure nice being able to walk away at the end of the evening or not have to deal with boat ramp headaches as mentioned. For me at the local lake the parks nazi's want to close the gate at dusk so they are usually sitting waiting for me to get back on the trailer....that's some of the best times to be out on the water. I miss the days that we could be out floating the night away and then putt back to the marina tie up and leave. Don't get to do that anymore....boo-urns!

Doesn't mean you can't bring the boat home once in a while to give it a clean.

[JohnnieMo]

I had a slip for years and it was simply awesome. The boat hull pays a price for that. I'm not sure I could ever leave my Tige in the water year round.... I would invest in a lift. Maybe even one of those floating airbag lifts. That would at least preserve the finish on your hull.





I don't have a place at the lake anymore, so it's the trailering life for me.

[Monesty]

You can always go the rack option. Thats what I do, the only tile it stays in the water over night is if I come back late or leave it on the mooring.

[bsreid]

Get a boat slip. 100% Best thing you can ever do, you’ll end up using it way more, it just allows for easy evening rides and quick morning sets before the tubers are out. Some will say it’s hard on the boat but it all comes down to how you take care of it, you’ll want to use extra wax and br prepared to give it a good scrub. Our new boat is in the water right now even though it’s little above freezing. Not sure what your water is like but if it’s anything like southern Usa a lift will be needed.

[LTWellman]

Do it. Get the slip.

[BlackoutATX]

I think everyone’s scenarios are different. I would recommend you try it for a year and see how you like it. As others have said I would try and get a lift with it.


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[Ruger761]

I'd love to have a slip again, it was so much easier to go out and stay out later on the water. Now around here a lift is a must but every lake is little different on that.

[BrewKaiser]

I've pondered this option as well. Despite the long wait list and expensive sub-lease options, for me I still think it's more trouble to haul all our gear to and from the parking lot to the slip than it is just to trailer it home and know everything is safe. I also don't like the idea of leaving our boat with mooring cover off and unattended so it can properly dry out. I like leaving the rear locker covers open overnight after a long day out and inevitable soaking.

Local marina has a hull cleaning, scuba service. Can't imagine that's very cheap...

As stated above, I think if you plan to trailer out once a month and clean at home then your boat with stand up well. Slips at our local marina are tight, so getting in and out would be a challenge. Especially if my wife decided to go out without me...

[bsreid]

We had the r20 with the cover on with zero problems, and we get way more rain than you do. Just wipe everything down and keep the cover sealed. Now we have a fully covered slip which is AMAZING.

Not sure how I would like keeping my boat on a rack and having someone else care for it. I’d be too worried.

[TigeFamily]

Mine was kept on indoor covered rack for 2yrs and the hull suffered a lot of scratches from careless forklift drivers. Will never do that again, they were are all basically underpaid kids who didn't give a crap. Slip with a lift....maybe, tho it would be a pain to haul all gear up and down. I trailer and I really like having the boat home with me safe and sound where I can work on it, clean it, do all my maintainance, etc. Hopefully in another few years I will have a lakehouse with my own dock so I wont have to worry about any of that and will get best of both worlds. Building a new house right now in lake neighborhood (couple houses removed from water and right next to boat launch), but could not afford the dirt right on the water yet, need to flip another house or 3 first.

Going off topic thos, so to fully answer OP question....if you are not far from lake, I would trailer if you have a good garage at home to store the boat. Gonna keep the boat looking better which helps resale, plus keeps more money in your pocket. That said, if having the lift means its easier to get on the lake and you get out more, you cant put a price on family time so then it is probably worth it.

[BJM]

We are fortunate enough to keep ours on a lift in a slip. We would have to keep it in a dry storage because we don’t have room at the house.

Not too bad to keep clean if you use it regularly and be diligent about wiping it down after each use. Keeping the cover clean takes some work though.

The best part is I can l talk to my wife at 4:00 and ask her if she wants to go to the lake when she gets off work. In 10 minutes we are in the water filling ballast. We can hang out til dark (get smooth water) and be home by 9:15.

Sometimes on saturdays we will get the good early water and when the lake starts to get crowded we will hang out at the slip and swim or fish.

[Ochrod]

I've used a slip with lift the last 2 years. With it just being myself and my wife, it is worth it. I travel hour and half to pick up camper and set up on Friday night. Boat is at Marina and ready to go when I am. I wouldn't keep it in slip more than a night or 2 without lift.

[Felssogd]

Damn, what great feedback. Thanks you'all. I only live about 3 miles from the marina so I would pull the boat at least once a month for a good cleaning. We're out every weekend and I was hoping the wife and I would get more weekday evenings in by doing this. Plus early morning sets with my son. Sounds like that's a given. Looks like I'll be writing a check Friday!