Dry storage for Trawler

I am going to be a new trawler owner soon, and am facing the problem of finding a suitable berth in the northern Puget sound. It seems things are VERY tight up here, and every marina has a long wait list. I came across a business in Anacortes, right where a I would like to be, that will dry store your boat for $7/ft. (about half marina cost) and will charge $125 round trip to launch and retrieve. They say they can handle boats to 70’. This sounds pretty interesting. If I use the boat 2-3 times a month, it is about the same cost as a berth (or slightly less). I am likely to want to take the boat out for 2-5 day trips, not just day trips.

What do folks think of this? Too much wear and tear launching and retrieving so often? Benefits of the boat being dry stored etc.?

I am tempted to try it if I can’t find a good slip.

My own recent experience would make me tell you to be careful and to closely check how your boat is store. Ask how they would block it!

L

Worth a try while waiting on a slip I guess, but a pain to have launch it using the travel lift every time. More risk of damage maybe doing it that often?

I store my boat on the hard in Anacortes. Its a pretty good system. You just have to plan ahead for launch and haul out.

Many Californian’s dry store in Anacortes. They launch in June, return in Sept. if your boat usage is well planned out then it works. Doesn’t work if you are an impulse users as the yard usually needs 24 hr notice. While the risk Lou just experienced is rare, it is a real possibility. I would be more concerned about time issues than the boat being dropped.

Storing it on land is fine during the winter. During the boating season it is a hassle. Many times you'll want to stay on the boat while you work on something. Can't really do that while you are on land.

Check out the marinas in BC. I know Sidney has openings for 60-70'. Not cheap but you are right there in the islands and Sidney itself is a fun town. The ferry from Anacortes is walking distance to the marina.

Put your name on 2 or 3 marina waiting list but, dont tell them.

There are several yards in Anacortes that offer dry storage. They're experienced professionals and won't damage your boat the way Lou's was damaged. Some use travel lifts, some use a contraption that looks like a cross between a forklift and a boat trailer. I just had a boat launched / hauled for survey using that gizmo, all went very well. My buddy stores his KK42 on the hard in Anacortes when he needs to.

Yes, depending upon usage it could be a hassle to arrange launch and haulout. But to get by until a slip turns up? It's a solution.
Another thing to consider is join a yacht club with good outstations and reciprocal agreements. You can't stay long but juggling dry storage with yacht club dock space you could make it work.

I think dry storage at one of the better yards in Anacortes would be the ideal way to store a boat. You are close enough that weekend use would be a hassle, but for an absentee owner it's great. If they are using a hydrolift, it is very kind to the boat. You do want to make sure they know how to block - one yard in Anacortes blocked my boat in just two places, kinda like Lou's, didn't damage it but I thought very dodgy.

I keep mine dry stored in Sidney at Van Isle. They use a hydrolift, are very conscientious about blocking, it is a paved fenced and secure lot. With a year's storage contract, they will launch and retrieve 12 times for free.

One caveat: you may need to winterize some systems for winter.

Lot less maintenance with dry storage:.

Launching is a hassle but does'nt the yard do that?

syjos said:

Lot less maintenance with dry storage:.

Launching is a hassle but does'nt the yard do that?

Click to expand...

Yes, the yard does that. Takes just a few minutes. However at some of the yards it is tide dependent.

How about Blaine, its close to great cruising areas and the drive isn't that brutal. I checked out one marina there, which I have copied and pasted below:

BLAINE HARBOR

Blaine Harbor, located in Blaine Washington, is a 629 slip marina home to recreational and commercial fishing vessels.

Currently Blaine Harbor has 26', 36', and 40' slips available. Short wait for 45', 50' and 60' slips. Short-term subleases may also be available in other sizes. Please call the Blaine Harbor Office directly at 360-647-6176 for current availability.

Click here to visit the Blaine Harbor webpage: https://www.portofbellingham.com/198/Moorage-And-Dockage

While out running around the roads today we drove by Port Ludlow. That jogged my memory. I've seen them give long-ish term leases on their transient docks. No guarantee they still do that but worth looking into until a slip comes up closer to home.

Blain is 2 q/2-3 hour drive. A lot more thanI would like. Ludlow means a ferry ride from where I am, again, not ideal. I will see what the broker can dredge up, and if worse comes to worst, I guess I will put her on the hard in anacortes until I find the right slip.

No, nothing is ideal when you can't find a slip close to home. Speaking of close to home, I'm assuming you've gotten on the list at Oak Harbor?

We've been with North Harbor Diesel in Anacortes for the past year or so, and have been very happy with them. Very friendly, knowledgeable, and responsive staff.

Somewhere, looking at a Google map you will have to pay in time, either on your boat or in your car. To be arrogant, the cruising you can do from Blaine will over all be more interesting as you are very close to the Gulph Islands, larger than San Juan Islands, you can bounce over to Victoria or up to Vancouver.

I use to tent camp and trailer camp around La Conner, Deception Pass and Oak Harbor. I drove all the time down from North Vancouver to these locations, no big deal. And that drive is a lot longer from your home to Blaine, which according to Google Maps is 1 hour 54 minutes, which sounds much more accurate than 2 1/2 hours.

My boat is moored one hour from where I live and I happily do that drive as it gets through the long boring part of boating if I had to cruise up. If I were to leave from French Creek marina, literally minutes from my house and easy to get my boat moored, it would take me 4 or 5 hours or more to get to Powell River and access all the fun in Jarvis Inlet, Desolation Sound and the Broughton archipelago.

And the same is true for you, if you are "heavy" cruisers, not discussing weight here but use, then you will be coming up my way as sure as God makes little green barnacles (which reminds me to tell you to get a RIB, not a soft bottom dinghy).

I just finished reading an older Pacific Yachting mag about boaters who store and birth their boats significant distances from their home. The marina I'm at is considered one of the best on the coast for locale, access to great boating playgrounds and services. Apparently 15 % of all boaters out of Comox at both the public and private marina are from Alberta and fly in from Calgary and Edmonton to unite with their boat here. And according to the article, there is a 1000 boat waiting list to get in, part of the reason I purchased my boat from that marina, the slip was part of the deal, I got to jump the line.

rsn, ^^^ well put. I moored a boat in Ladner, 1/2 hour from home. 3-5 hours later I crossed the Salish Sea and started the cruise.
With this latest boat it will be moored in Otter Bay, 1/2 hour to ferry, 1-1/2 hour ferry ride in sea conditions that at times made you stay home an d we are in the heart of cruising. Plus, the marina there is pleasant enough to just spend a few days on the dock.
That's the plan, time will tell.

Dry storage for the winter is a great solution if you're on your boat and using it all summer, in which case you're anchoring out and using transient moorage as you travel. I've talked to a couple boats who do this in Anacortes and they really like it. Hydraulic trailers are used and the employees are good at blocking boats. This seems like a better solution than having a year-round slip and sub-letting it for the four summer months we're usually gone up north. I may switch to dry storage myself in the future.

I guess the boat that you are thinking about dry storage is the 47' Willard from your other post?

I have looked into dry storage of a much smaller boat in my area. One thing I didn't like was the limited hours of pulling and/or launching the boat.

If they launch the boat out of dry storage, do they have a dock for you to use your boat and if so, are the time constraints acceptable to you.

Jim

Dry storage

Try the marinas at Langley, Oak Harbor and Deception Pass. Also, there is dry storage next to Oak Harbor Marina that would probably be cheaper than Anacortes. What about Fisherman’s Bay Or Friday Harbor?

An option might be Blaine Harbour Boating Centre. You pay by the month which makes it easier to leave if you find a spot farther down the coast.

Jknox0601 said:

I am going to be a new trawler owner soon, and am facing the problem of finding a suitable berth in the northern Puget sound. It seems things are VERY tight up here, and every marina has a long wait list. I came across a business in Anacortes, right where a I would like to be, that will dry store your boat for $7/ft. (about half marina cost) and will charge $125 round trip to launch and retrieve. They say they can handle boats to 70’. This sounds pretty interesting. If I use the boat 2-3 times a month, it is about the same cost as a berth (or slightly less). I am likely to want to take the boat out for 2-5 day trips, not just day trips.

What do folks think of this? Too much wear and tear launching and retrieving so often? Benefits of the boat being dry stored etc.?

I am tempted to try it if I can’t find a good slip.

Click to expand...

I went through this 2 years ago and had a waitlist at Port of Everett. I would put your name on several lists like someone else mentioned but also contact Bremerton. They had some great specials a while back and dock there for a year/2 until something better opens up. Not sure if logistically that will work, but thought I would share what I considered 2 years ago.

Try oak harbor

You might get a slip quicker in Oak Harbor on Whidbey Island. Little harder to get to. You also might try Bellingham for dry storage. I stored my Ericsson 27 on the hard for the winter months..

If you are in a hurry try the Hood Canal.. the only negative is no easy connection to the San Juans

IMHO,

There are no substantial reasons not to store your boat on the hard in the great PNW. Unless you just like doubling hull expenses and higher moorage rates over time.

On the hard in Anacortes. ?

We are dry stored at North Harbor Diesel in Anacortes. Our old boat is in a slip in Seattle near the locks. Our experience to date has shown positives and negatives. NHD is very good at launch and retrieve, I always have them drive though! The cost is lower than in the water, bottom stays clean, easy to change zincs, no risk of electrolysis issues, and of course it won't sink at the dock. NHD has transient docking so that works well.

The downside is that you have to schedule the launch and retrieves, the time is limited due to tides (can't launch / retrieve at low tide). You can't run the engines/gen to test anything. Winterizing is a big deal. In the PNW, a boat in the water isn't going to freeze anything that's at or below the water. When it is out of the water the boat will freeze hard, so the fresh water system, engine cooling, generator etc all need to have antifreeze. The winterizing left a residual taste in the fresh water system that's taken several complete cycles of filling the tanks to get rid of (after multipe flushes). Finally, you can't just go sit on the boat, well you can, it just isn't much fun 10' above the ground.

Overall, given the cost difference I think dry store is a good way to go unless you're a weekend user. Our yard (and several others in Anacortes and Laconner) can also do maintenance for us, since we live 800 miles away that's convenient. Be aware that even the dry storage lots are VERY touchy about owners doing maintenance like sanding/painting due to environmental regulations.

Dry Storage Anacortes

I presently have an Albin 31 TE stored dry with AMG (Anacortes Marine Group). I have been pleased with the management, in/out services, and their repair shop. They assumed control of some of the space previously run by North Harbor. My only complaint would be the fact that they are not open on weekends. Launches and retrieval’s are only done , scheduled in advance, on weekdays. They will launch on Friday for a Saturday pick-up and do not charge for mooring at their dock on Friday night. Likewise, they do not charge for moorage if the boat is to be dropped off for a Monday retrieval. One catch, they charge an additional $100 each way to move the boat to or from their dock of the owner is not present.

Dagmar’s in Everett is a good option, but it does add travel time to the islands. They do not charge for put in’s or take-out’s. They have nice docks and the boat is ready when you arrive and you just leave it there when you’re finished.

Skyline in Anacortes is another popular option. They are open for launches and retrievals on weekends. They have reasonably priced indoor winter storage, but it is my understanding that the boat is inaccessible when stored indoors due to their insurance.

I have heard of storage, dry and wet, in Canada, but I can only imagine the possible additional headaches added by either WA state ferries or the border crossings ... the avoidance of either, or both, is one of the primary advantages of having your own boat.

So far, I think I’ll stick with storage on the dry in Anacortes.

I had a mixed experience with our dry storage of our trawler in Anacortes. At the time it was the ideal situation - the boat we bought needed some things worked on so dry -vs- marina made absolutely no difference to us, and it was a little cheaper per month so that almost sealed the deal, keeping the boat closest to us while we spent every weekend working on it, we were on a waiting list for our marina while we did so. As it turned out we timed it just about right. We were in dry storage for just over six months and then our spot opened up in the marina in Shelter Bay, and were just finishing a bunch of work in the engine room. It was a great solution for us in that regard.

I wasn't there for the haul, I left it on their dock and my son attended the haul and blocking. As it turned out the crew, for whatever reason, didn't pay attention to whether the boat was level, and that didn't work well for me. It caused drains to not drain properly all over the boat, and even some areas to leak (they needed sealing, but since the boat never regularly sat at that particular heel angle, the leak had never been detected.) It was way bow high and heeled to stbd. Due to weather and weekend, I ended up building a makeshift shelter over my after cabin until we could get them to come out and reset the boat. Even then it wasn't the greatest, I ended up carefully getting the port/stbd level myself with the jackstands. The response from the lady who ran the storage yards for North Harbor was a bit indifferent. I suffered no real damage, but it was a definite put off. (Every other contact I've ever had with NHD for service or parts is completely the opposite, mind you, wondering if I was dealing with someone who was seeing their job go away, see below.)

That yard (North Harbor Diesel) sold their interest in that yard and a few others (maybe all of their storage, not sure) to AMG, but I've never dealt with them. North Harbor wasn't really set up for any sort of weekend or day trip in/out boating as their dock space is very limited to be able to pull and set boats. I have no idea what AMG's dockspace availability is.

The one that is set up for that would be Pacific Marine, who have a ramp and large dock of their own. We stored our last boat there. If I were to consider dry storage and thinking about weekend trips in my trawler from Anacortes, I would look to that facility first. There are a number of trawlers and other larger boats stored there, I want to say some TF members there too. They are close to the water, have the flattest smoothest ground to cover while moving your boat. Most other yards in Anacortes need to move your boat a considerable distance or have some good bumps to move it over. Not too bad for once a year winter storage, but not something I'd want for multiple in/outs per year. At Pacific Marine you basically have a "home". They set some concrete blocks as bases for your blocking, and have stands and wood blocks set to complete your blocking. Not the cradles being talked about in Lou's thread, but definitely a planned well supported spot for your hull.

Regarding some of the discussion about marina/storage location in proximity to home - for us having the boat close, especially now while it is new to us is in maximizing our ability to get to it after work or on weekends to do work on it, but living close to Laconner and having a dock there works well for us for now. (Ask me again after 100 slogs up and down the channel how I feel about it though.)

Free advice not taken is worth nothing.

Yes, it is the Willard. The broker says he will find me something, but so far I don’t have anything firm. Emerging plan is to hopefully have it in the water this fall, through at least end of October, so I can do a few short trips and get used to the boat, then put her in the hard for winter someplace where I can at least go on board and do a few interior projects, then launch again around April,1 to start doing more shake-down activities before heading north to Alaska for the summer. After that I am not so sure, but by then maybe something opens up in Oak Harbor where I am on the wait list.

Not sure where you are on this. We also use North Harbor Diesel in Anacortes for dry storage. We had three in/out round trips this summer. NHD is fairly accomodating but be aware that the time that boats can be launched/retrieved is tide dependant. That said we were able to make a last minute change since we had to come home a couple days early last week.

Dry storage does remove the ability to be spontaineous, you have to meet your lauch/retrieve windows. You may also have to pay transient moorage sometimes (e.g. Cap Sante).

Our boat is just across the street from the launch ramp so the process is only a few minutes. NHD uses as lift trailer that cradles the boat on air bladders so it doesn't jar when moving....it does rock.