What is your boat slip width?

[sudoMakeMeASandwich]

I am working on designing a boathouse for my AR190 and was planning the dimensions of the boat slip. I am going for a 24ft deep slip (with 3 additional ft of roof overhang to keep out the rain) to eventually house my upgraded to an AR240, but was unsure of what to make the width of the slip.

I was thinking about going for a 10-foot width just because that seemed like a good number, but I thought I should ask on here to see what slip widths you all had and what you'd recommend.

Also, I don't know if it matters or not, but I am planning on going with a ceiling mount/overhead lift for the boat.

 

[biffdotorg]

Talk to your lift dealer, or lift MFG. They will help you determine the proper width for ease of boarding, while leaving adequate space for going up and down.

Keeping in mind, unless you buy a Yacht Certified boat above standard trailering widths, none of these boats will be wider than another, including pontoons and other runabout boats if you change it up in the future. But your lift experts will allow for lift equipment, and bumpers etc.

 

[Babin Farms]

Our slip is 10' wide

 

[Julian]

My marina slip is 22' wide for 2 boats. 10' seems narrow. That would give you 18 inches wiggle room total....9 inches on each side. If you think about fenders hanging out, they add another 8 inches typically, then you have 1 inch.

I'd go 11' minimum....

 

[seanmclean]

Agreed on 10' seeming narrow. When I was in a slip, had a good 4-5' between my boat and the one next to it.

Would also consider going a bit longer, just for future potential upgrades. Probably a lot cheaper to add 3-5' now instead of later.

 

[CanTex]

I had a dock built last year....the slip width is 10'. Agree, narrower the width the more attention required for docking, but 10' works for me. If I had my time back I would NOT have gone any wider, loading and unloading easier with a 10' wide vs 12', I'm a 5 gallon gas can guy so easier to fill when boat is closer to the dock edge. I use dock rollers (www.ryano.com) at the end of the dock to help exit and enter the slip, pvc pipe covering the cables and the pvc bumper post help prevent dock rash (I've found fenders are not needed).

Overhead lift works great for my situation...draft required for cradle is less then 12". Talk to your builder about a wireless remote for the lift - gem remotes or galaxy are commonly used in my area.

Sorry about the MC pic...

 

[tabbibus]

If you have good control and don't expect much current and wind I think 10 is fine. I have 12 and wish it was narrower.

 

[biffdotorg]

To the original posters question, he is considering a lift. Most will use some sort of guides if using a cradle, or have hanging straps if using a sling. These boats are 8.5' wide. And he is not parking next to someone. 10' is more than adequate for a single boat slip with lift. Anything more and you will be wondering how to get on the boat as he will not be tying up to one side.

My lift has guides, as there is a cradle, but well below 120". To the OP, if you are serious about a lift, talk to them first. This build should not be compared to an open slip where a boat may be tied up. You are not dealing with other boaters or waves.

 

[BJSelzer]

Depends on your lift type IMO. We have shallow water so I had to get a vertical cable lift. With a 10' wide concrete slip, I had to go with the narrower cable lift which means that I literally have 3-4" on each side of the boat. Any kind of cross wind or current and docking is very difficult. I'm about to custom fit the lift with some significant guides to make it a bit easier.

If you will have a vertical cable lift, I'd recommend an 11' wide slip because it allows you to get the larger width lift and will give you some room for error in windy conditions. If you will have a floating lift, I suspect this is less of an issue as you wouldn't have the vertical posts.

Attached is a pic down the side of the lift / boat showing where I'm working on the custom guides.

 

[sudoMakeMeASandwich]

Thanks for all the replies! I am going to change the design up to an 11' slip. If need be, I can always add dock a foot around the edge of the slip. It's much harder to remove dock.

The dock is going to be situated at the end of a shallow cove on a lake with almost no current, ~5ft depth, and I am the architect and builder (wish me luck!). Going to be a fun project for the winter (assuming TVA can get the paperwork through in the expected timeframe)

I'll share the designs on here when I finish them.

 

[WildCatFan54]

I always back my 242 into a 10' marina slip. On windy days ,like several recently , I would have loved an 11' wide target !!

 

[Weeb]

I Agee with the 10’ width if the lift will fit. Mine is 10’ it makes it easy to load and unload.

 

[Five Faces]

Need to know what type of type of lift you intend on installing, that will answer your question. IMHO 10' is optimum if you have a floating lift that fastens to the side of the slip. No fenders required and when done correctly your boat self centers when pulling in.

 

[sudoMakeMeASandwich]

Need to know what type of type of lift you intend on installing, that will answer your question. IMHO 10' is optimum if you have a floating lift that fastens to the side of the slip. No fenders required and when done correctly your boat self centers when pulling in.

Its almost certainly going to start out as vertical lift (one with the posts on the sides, and maybe I'll upgrade in the future. I am trying to do things as bare-bones as I can for now, and upgrade in the future as I see fit.

 

[spatty99]

11' is good call. A little extra cushion but not so much that you need a bridge to get on the boat. I would also extend the roof coverage for sun protection. If you figure out where the sun is coming from you can design the roof to shade the boat all day.

 

[grywlfbg]

Our slip is 10x26. Note that most lifts pivot when they lift so the boat will move a few feet to the rear when it comes up. I like the 10' width as it is easy for everyone to step on and off the boat ('19 242X) and so far haven't had any problems with sticking the landing. I can also easily lean over the boat to attach lines, boat cover, etc. But my slip is well protected so very little wind and no current.

 

[PeterB]

We have used 10’ wide slips several times with our 242 and found it worked well for loading and unloading. Getting in and out with a cross wind does take dome practice, but wasn’t a problem. The slip I use now has a lift that pivots from the front and is in a double 22’ wide slip for two boats. The lift is centered so equivalent to 11’ from an access point of view and works fine also. We can’t use this lift stern in and I do wish I had a little more than 24’ of slip depth as access would be easier

 

[OperationROL]

I will putting my boat in a slip on a lift for the first time in June. It is 12 X 28. From what I saw of the others currently in slips around mine, the 12 ft width seems to work well, with enough space to maneuver, but still narrow enough not be make loading/unloading hard.