Boat Slip or Trailer?

Bluemax50

Bluemax50

New Member
Mar 6, 2010
15
Canyon Lake, TX
Boat Info
2005 SEA RAY 290 SLX
Engines
2 x 350 MERC
Can someone weigh in on the debate (benefits) of putting a boat in a slip vs utilizing a trailer.

Boat is 290 SLX weighing in at 12800 lbs wet with trailer. Tow vehicle is F250 4 x 4 Diesel
Location: Large lake in Texas (I do not live on lake currently)

Some obvious benefits of slip: save time, min hassel, safer than towing

Some disadvantages: cost of slip/lift & gas on lake ($4/gal)

Should I get a lift??

Thanks folks
 
You'll be lucky if gas is $4 a gallon by the end of this summer. BTW, that expensive gas may be better for your engine because it doesn't have the ethanol. My mechanic says it doesn't effect the inboards so I guess it depends on who you talk to.

Trailer v. slips depends in part on how long your haul is. If it isn't too long, you do have the advantage of flexibility on where you go. Plus it is easier to clean and wax on the trailer. Depending on where you store it the environment may not be as severe on your finish when you trailer it. And of course you can put cheaper gas in the boat.

The slip is nice because you can just go and jump in. If you can get a lift with a top all the better. Down side I suppose is the cost of the slip and the difficulty with the scum buildup. Plus it is tough to clean and wax on the slip. Since you are in fresh water maybe this isn't such a big deal.

If I was within 10 miles of the boat ramp, I think I would trailer it. After that I would start thinking seriously about buying a lift for that slip. Good Luck.
 
BlueMax50 - I'm just north of you on Lake Travis.

We trailered our 1st boat for years. It's great for working on it or cleaning it. But man, boat ramps are a hassle. Our use of the boat started to decline, as we didn't want to go to the storage shed, get the boat, launch it, park the trailer, etc., etc.

So we got a slip. And used the boat so much, we got a new one. And then a bigger one.

If you want maximum convenience - get a slip. Or even a dry stack. Drive to the marina, get on the boat, go boating. But if you do a slip, definately get a lift. It will keep the boat much cleaner and with less wear and tear.

With the first boat, we still had the trailer, so I could pull it and work on it and clean it. The second boat, we didn't even buy a trailer.
 
get a slip for the boating months then trailier it up clean it up and put it away.My season in wa. is june to sept, If I want to go earlier or later in the season on a nice day I just tow it down to the ramp.Just a thought.
 
You can justify either one and it boils down to personal preference. If there is only ONE place to boat in your area, then why trailer it to the same place all the time? If you go to different places then you can justify the trailer. I can't stand going to the same spot, same neighbors, same cruising grounds week after week. I hated loading the stuff in the car so that we could load a cart to load the boat. I'd rather just put it right in the boat. Cost wise, I think you can justify the cost of towing and tow vehicles vs. the cost of a slip, marina fuel prices and additional maintenance. I'd say it's a wash. I would recommend the trailer so you can move it yourself if you need to. Having the boat near you in the off season is a great feature where you can work on it, if you are so inclined. If not, leave at the marina and pay them to do it. It really is up to you and what works best for you. We head to the San Juans, Priest Lake, Lake Pend Oreille, the Columbia River, Snake River, Flathead in Montana and a host of other places to see different places and meet friends on their boats. BUT, not everybody like towing an oversized load!
 
I second this answer!

Sundancer said:
You can justify either one and it boils down to personal preference. If there is only ONE place to boat in your area, then why trailer it to the same place all the time? If you go to different places then you can justify the trailer. I can't stand going to the same spot, same neighbors, same cruising grounds week after week. I hated loading the stuff in the car so that we could load a cart to load the boat. I'd rather just put it right in the boat. Cost wise, I think you can justify the cost of towing and tow vehicles vs. the cost of a slip, marina fuel prices and additional maintenance. I'd say it's a wash. I would recommend the trailer so you can move it yourself if you need to. Having the boat near you in the off season is a great feature where you can work on it, if you are so inclined. If not, leave at the marina and pay them to do it. It really is up to you and what works best for you. We head to the San Juans, Priest Lake, Lake Pend Oreille, the Columbia River, Snake River, Flathead in Montana and a host of other places to see different places and meet friends on their boats. BUT, not everybody like towing an oversized load!
Click to expand...
 
I keep mine on a lift in a covered slip and I also tow it when I want to visit other places. You have nailed the pro/con points.

Additional pros for me include the convenience (I use the boat often as it is just 10 minutes from the house), the atmosphere of the marina and being under cover keeps it protected and looking like new (so perhaps a premium price when you resell to someone looking for a well kept boat).


For me the additional cost is worth it.
 
I agree with everything that's been said. We have a covered slip (boathouse) because we're on the ocean here and it's where we do all our boating. The ocean is almost always calm where we haunt on the inside straight. There's some lakes around here but they're quite small and over-patrolled... so there's no point in towing really.
The convenience of a covered slip is quite handy. After a day (or two or three) it's nice to come back to the dock, hose 'er off and head home. Also, the marinas are quite the social place too... there's been many times where we hook up with people on the docks, make new friends... and hang out with the 'boat crowd'.
 
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Magster is right on. Simply hanging at the marina and talking boats and tinkering on them is a great part of boating for me and my family. The ladies sip wine on the back of one of the boats, the kids play downstairs, and the men......well, we do what we do. I vote for a slip, it totally brings another dimension to our boating life.
 
Ms Maddy,
You have people on you bow!

I'm like Sundancer
I like the flexibility with the trailer and don't want the risk of corrosion on my outdrives. Before I bought my boat the PO moored in on Lake Union in Seattle and yes even in freshwater he went through 2 outdrives in the 7 years he owned the boat.

We trailer Nehalennia about 45 minutes north of our house and can be in the San Juans or Canada another hour after that. Or we can trailer down 1 hour to Seattle and enjoy Lake Washington or launch in South Puget sound.

This year we are going to take it accross the mountain pass to the Columbia river.

I think having a slip will be great when we have a larger boat with nice diesels and big boy props....I'm not there yet.
 
Thanks for the feedback. I am starting to get more comfortable with trailering the boat but it gives me white knuckles nearly every time I drive down the road - which is not far from storage to ramp (10 minutes) but the boat is 9' 8" wide and nearly 13K lbs so not the easiest to move around.

Can you recommend a convenient place to put in at Lake Travis and recommendation on close lodging to the ramp?

Are you attending the Sea Ray party on the lake this summer?
 
Bluemax50 said:
Thanks for the feedback. I am starting to get more comfortable with trailering the boat but it gives me white knuckles nearly every time I drive down the road - which is not far from storage to ramp (10 minutes) but the boat is 9' 8" wide and nearly 13K lbs so not the easiest to move around.

If you've trailered stuff before, it's not much of a change. If you haven't ever trailered anything, then it does seem kind of daunting! The weight isn't as bad as the width if you have the proper tow vehicle and trailer. Getting used to hanging over the lines, watching for telephone poles, trees, signs that are close to the road and other things that might hit the boat becomes second nature after a while. During the summer I tow so much that even when I DON'T have the boat behind me, I'm still avoiding things like it's back there!
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
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I have always trailered but we are looking to upgrade to a 370DA so we will be slipping. We have trailered our 280 for three years now and have become professionals at it. Our storage is only 2 miles up the road but I do take it home (20 miles) twice a year to work on her. I don't mind the trailering but I am read to move up to the marina life style.
 
we towed for 14 years( 4 different boats) ending with the 240DA. We have been at the slip for 6 years now and we love it. The marina is 5 minutes from our house. Being on the river our travel destinations are unlimited. We have had several trailer breakdowns over the years and being on the side of the road on a Sunday evening with a broken spring hanger just sucks !!!
 
If you keep your boat in a slip you will miss all the polite, well prepared, highly skilled and knowledgeable people you meet at the public boat launch ramp that has plenty of parking and never a line.

boat-launch.jpg




















And they say sarcasm does not come across in a forum post. I showed them!
 
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Presentation said:
If you keep your boat in a slip you will miss all the polite, well prepared, highly skilled and knowledgeable people you meet at the public boat launch ramp that has plenty of parking and never a line.

boat-launch.jpg





And they say sarcasm does not come across in a forum post. I showed them!
Click to expand...


:lol: I sure do miss them...
 
You get used to trailering after awhile.

I am getting ready to trailer my boat from mid-Missouri to Portland OR in a few weeks.

As far as when I get it to Alaska, there is a 8-12 year waiting list for a slip. There is a hugh parking lot where you can buy a season ticket for $400 a season (summer). I will tow my boat to Whittier in the spring and tow it home in the fall. When I am not in the water, it will sit on the trailer in the parking lot.
 
Alaska must be a great place to boat but very limited season. Looks great - I may take a cruise (as in vacation cruise) up there in the next couple years.

Enjoy
 
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