Looking for feedback from dry stack users

[BlueSkyNick]

Just been wondering about dry stacks, having never used one myself.

Is it cost effective compared to keeping a boat in the marina?

Is not being able to use the boat without delay worth the hassle?

Is dry stack better for the ongoing condition of the boat? Obviously it stays dry but does it get damaged or dirty by being in the stack?

Anything else?

 

[gjgm]

I think it works well for some sorts of boats.. ribs for example. Turn up, drive off, and return it.
If you want any of that marina socialising, I guess you dont have a berth to park in, and most dry stacks are busy that I have seen, so forget about occupying the waiting pontoon !
Not so convinved the boat stays super clean exposed up in a rack compared to being in the water, and your wash and polish maybe better/worse than the hose down at the end of the day from the dry stack?
Doesnt seem that much cheaper, is it?
Easier than a trailer and self launch , I guess.

 

[prv]

Is not being able to use the boat without delay worth the hassle?

I assumed most dry stack users lived some distance away (in fact most boat-owners seem to). So they can see the sun through the bedroom window and decide to go out in the boat, phone the yard, and by the time they've driven down the boat will be ready for them.

Is dry stack better for the ongoing condition of the boat? Obviously it stays dry but does it get damaged or dirty by being in the stack?

The one across the river from me must do. It's next door to a scrapyard, and I regularly have black grime on the decks that drifts across on the breeze.

Pete

 

[Ian h]

Just been wondering about dry stacks, having never used one myself.

Is it cost effective compared to keeping a boat in the marina?

you save on Anti foul costs and also reduced anode wear and engineers always say the leg is better out the water than sat in salt water all the time.
Better re-sale value ( so people say)
The actual annual cost is similar between marina and dry stack.

Is not being able to use the boat without delay worth the hassle?
i live 1 hour away from boat so when leaving home phone the drystack and tell them when arriving. Boat is always in water and waiting. If you live closer just phone up first thing giving approx time of arrival should ensure boat is ready for you.

Is dry stack better for the ongoing condition of the boat? Obviously it stays dry but does it get damaged or dirty by being in the stack?

Hull is not left in the water so has to be better.less chance of osmosis.Would say less chance of damage in a dry stack as no other boaters to bash into your boat. Boat stored in a dry stack is also more secure if up in the air.
As for getting dirty all boats get dirty when it rains regardless of in or out the water. I am going for an all over cover this will help keep boat clean. Difficult to have an all over cover on when in the water

Anything else?

see above in bold

 

[Geoffs]

Works well for me . Annual fee a couple of hundred more than marina, I think, but save about a grand on maintenance, anti fouling, mid season lift, anodes last almost indefinitely, ditto bellows. Bum always clean, fuel save, etc., etc.

Boat stays in better nic, mine 7 years old and looks like just come out of mold. Drive leg like new, I'd never fancy keeping an out drive boat in the water, all that expensive stuff dangling.

Never suffered any damage in rack or launching, can't help a bit of dirt though, usual black streaks. Easier to keep clean, most sites have 'working cradles' so you can clean ,polish and tinker all you want.

Boat always launched in minutes, or I can text ahead and boat ready and waiting. My location attached to a marina, so I can always get a berth when I need one.

 

[rafiki_]

Quest is also dry-stacking his new toy. He should have some views.

 

[AIDY]

Just been wondering about dry stacks, having never used one myself.

Is it cost effective compared to keeping a boat in the marina?

Is not being able to use the boat without delay worth the hassle?

Is dry stack better for the ongoing condition of the boat? Obviously it stays dry but does it get damaged or dirty by being in the stack?

Anything else?

are they stacking yachts now at berthon

 

[jhr]

are they stacking yachts now at berthon

P'raps the Manager is contemplating possible new income streams ...

 

[benjenbav]

I don't think it would work for me, partly because my current tub is both heavy and the wrong shape. But even if it wasn't I like to have the thought that, if the daily grind gets too much, I can just jump in the car and head for the boat without having to make arrangements with anyone no matter how efficient they might be.

Of course it rarely works out like that but the possibility has kept me going on many occasions.

Just an individual perspective of course.

 

[BlueSkyNick]

P'raps the Manager is contemplating possible new income streams ...

Perhaps he went somebody recently, saw a dry stack being used and just wondered about how well it worked.

 

[Quest]

I initially started dry stacking because the novelty of launching and recovering had worn off after 4 yrs, especially because there is often little provision for a large trailer when the boat is in the water and there was always hassle getting the trailer and truck parked up properly. I also reckoned that it was in excess of an hour from home before we were actually on the water anyway, with all the prep, road time and harbour time counted in.

I would call the dry stack as I left home and 2 hrs later I arrived with the boat in the water and ready to go. No worries or hassle.

The biggest downside for me was being more restricted to one patch of water, rather than travelling the coastline launching from different venues.

Now that I have changed to a bigger boat (34 ft) trailing is not an option, butI have continued to dry stack in the hope that going forward, maintenance costs will be less (no anti fouling and bellows replacements less frequent) and the hull and stern drives will stay in better shape. This has yet to be proven in my case of course.

Finally,for me, I am comforted by the thought that I know the boat is safe undercover when the wind is blowing, especially as I am now 2 hrs from the boat.

I know others will think differently of course, but for me it feels like dry stacking ticks all the right boxes.

Hope this helps,

Andrew

 

[TDubz]

We are in the process of buying a boat at the moment and live in Plymouth, so your experience of the Dry Storage was very useful and think is what we will opt for too.

Best of luck with your new Boat too!

 

[elioti]

I don't think it would work for me, partly because my current tub is both heavy and the wrong shape. But even if it wasn't I like to have the thought that, if the daily grind gets too much, I can just jump in the car and head for the boat without having to make arrangements with anyone no matter how efficient they might be.

Of course it rarely works out like that but the possibility has kept me going on many occasions.

Just an individual perspective of course.

+1

 

[TDubz]

We are in the process of buying a boat at the moment and live in Plymouth, so your experience of the Dry Storage was very useful and think is what we will opt for too.

Best of luck with your new Boat too!

 

[cem]

works for us, bought the boat just over a year ago, it was on the MDL stack at cobs quay, was going to buy a trailer at first, then worked out that the boat was too dam heavy to pull without a major car upgrade (over 2 ton of boat) so long story short stayed on at the dry stack,

security is great 2 levels up someone really has to want to get into the boat
NO antifouling saves a messy pricey job each year
less anode wear + less cost

we have the boat in the water within a few minutes even if we don't call up before hand, in fact our guys rather people don't incase they get held up and they run out of space on the pontoon, the other weekend they launched recovered over 130 boats in a day which is about average for them on a sunny weekend day

if you want to sit and drink gin then with MDL they will find you a berth for the night (in your outlook nights of unlimited berthing) or what i have done in the past is have them launch us last thing and put us at the end of the loading pontoon where we can sleep on the boat (or drink gin/beer/wine) then be up and away before they get in and start launching again at 8am.... they did try and put a sleeping berth holder back on the rack the other week...the person woke and put their head out of the hatch just as they were about to load the boat onto the forklift...could have been an interesting trip!

so i guess depending on the boat size we are 22ft and they can do stuff up to 34ish depending on space on the rack, big boats tend to be on single level racks due to height

they also have an area full of work racks if you want to clean the boat or do any maintenance

all in all works for me, and would consider putting the next one on the rack too (did i say next boat )