Any Considerations When Picking out a Slip to Lease?

[meegwell]

I am going to choose a slip from a local marina soon. They are all floating finger docks (two slips between each). About 50 in a row angled down stream on a river. Fuel dock connected.

Is there anything I should be considering when choosing one of the vacant slips?

May be a strange question but thought I would check...

 

[haknslash]

Aerial photo would help I suppose. If you have the option I’d pick the slip that offers the most protection and ease of getting into and out of the slip.

 

[buckbuck]

I have no experience but let me suggest...
angle of the sun to mitigate UV damage
avoidance of wakes from boat traffic
covered or uncovered
avoiding bird poop
electricity needed
river current and ease of docking

 

[WildCatFan54]

You mentioned "down stream on a river" so that would indicate current. But also consider prevailing winds in addition to current. You would want a slip where the current and winds are pushing you toward the slip finger and not into your neighbors boat. Good Luck ! NOT a strange question at all.

 

[WiskyDan]

You would want a slip where the current and winds are pushing you toward the slip finger and not into your neighbors boat. Good Luck ! NOT a strange question at all.

This.

I dry stack but there are slips where they park my boat after it gets put in the water and where I have to leave it when I'm done. The marina is on a river where the current runs mostly one direction between two lakes and it is much easier to dock in the finger slip where the current is pushing me towards the dock.

 

[Canuckjetboater]

I am going to choose a slip from a local marina soon. They are all floating finger docks (two slips between each). About 50 in a row angled down stream on a river. Fuel dock connected.

Is there anything I should be considering when choosing one of the vacant slips?

May be a strange question but thought I would check...

@meegwell ..... there are many great suggestions here. The one thing I would avoid is electricity if possible. Even if the marina was new with modern and well-installed electrical pedestals many boats leak electricity that can cause a lot of corrosion to your underwater hardware.

 

[blamphere]

one key consideration for me aside from the most protection available is that you tie up on driver side of boat. it is a lot easier to see where you are in relation to dock when approaching alone

 

[Canuckjetboater]

one key consideration for me aside from the most protection available is that you tie up on driver side of boat. it is a lot easier to see where you are in relation to dock when approaching alone

@blamphere .... we were lucky and that was available when we signed for a slip. It does make docking easier.

 

[blamphere]

Excellent

 

[meegwell]

You mentioned "down stream on a river" so that would indicate current. But also consider prevailing winds in addition to current. You would want a slip where the current and winds are pushing you toward the slip finger and not into your neighbors boat. Good Luck ! NOT a strange question at all.

Great info. Just got back from picking the slip. I chose further down river as the upper most slips take on the most of the elements when the river floods at the advice of the dock master. As far as the side of the dock being down current, I didn't have that choice since the up current side is longer due to the angle - so it's 30ft boats and I will be docking a 24. Oh well.

Thanks everyone.

 

[LakeErieJB129]

What are everyone's thoughts on docking bow in vs. Stern in? Just wondering if it's easier for the kids with the swim deck closer to enter and exit the boat.

 

[Elliott]

If you have to contend with current and/or wind, you will find backing in to be much more demanding. I have to back in to be picked up by the forklift, and it would be much easier to pull in. I am use to it, and I have Thrust vectors and Lateral Thrusters to make the process more manageable.

Of course, you might have real need to do it - better protection against wakes and waves.

 

[swatski]

Congratulations! You will love it. Changes the way you use a boat, so much easier if free time is a consideration.

We have had few slips over the years, but the only consideration was: "is it available?", lol. My lst place, on the Meramec river, MO, the wait is about 3+ years for uncovered and 5+ for the few covered they had. Here in NJ it's even worse, unless you know people and get really lucky. Move further up North, in the Boston area - 30+ years not uncommon on North Shore up there, people literally get on the list to secure those slips for their grandchildren, lol.

Pictures?? What river?
Practice backing into the slip, so much easier to pack and unpack our Yammies. Also - the only way I can install the full cover.

--

 

[mark_m]

What are everyone's thoughts on docking bow in vs. Stern in? Just wondering if it's easier for the kids with the swim deck closer to enter and exit the boat.

I dock stern in. It takes a bit more practice to get it right, but it is so much easier to disembark. Additionally, the geese don't come up on the swim deck and crap all over and the bow is better equipped to take any wake.

Get your spring lines setup properly and you will be fine docking stern in!

 

[mrcleanr6]

I was just going to say that you should feel lucky that you even have a choice of slip but swatski beat me to it. Its about a 4 year wait here and even then you need to be in good with the owner of the marina.

 

[meegwell]

Congratulations! You will love it. Changes the way you use a boat, so much easier if free time is a consideration.

We have had few slips over the years, but the only consideration was: "is it available?", lol. My lst place, on the Meramec river, MO, the wait is about 3+ years for uncovered and 5+ for the few covered they had. Here in NJ it's even worse, unless you know people and get really lucky. Move further up North, in the Boston area - 30+ years not uncommon on North Shore up there, people literally get on the list to secure those slips for their grandchildren, lol.

Pictures?? What river?
Practice backing into the slip, so much easier to pack and unpack our Yammies. Also - the only way I can install the full cover.

--

Thanks. James River near Richmond VA. Dock master said they fill up in March every year...mix of seasonal and annual. There are places with multi year waitlists here. Boat Club type places.

now I just need a boat ?

 

[zipper]

Some very good suggestions above. I will use our migration around the slips of Burlington Harbor Marina in the last 3 seasons to show our thinking when choosing our slip. In 2019 the marina opened. We had chosen slip A19, a 35' finger, for the Beneteau. However the slips on A dock were not finished, so we moved to D20 for the season. It was a 40' finger that we did not pay extra for. We found out that the winds on the Burlington waterfront which prevail from S or N but also usually have a Westward component to them, that would blow us off the finger while docking. Not comforting for your slip neighbor, especially if you back into the slip. So with that information under our belt, in 2020 we moved to the other side of the slip to D18. We gave up on A19 as we learned it was going to be a public dock with a lot of pedestrians, looking down your cockpit. D18 was a very nice slip. The wind was in our favor both launching and landing and we had good neighbors.
However this 2021 season we did not want to pay for a 40' finger, we paid for a 35' finger the last two years. Willow had her eye on E dock and their 35' fingers. At the end of the 2020 season E19 opened up for us and we locked it in. We are a little more exposed to the South wind, but the breakwater perimeter dock knocks the wave action down considerably. We have a big area to complete a standing turn if we dock stern in or if conditions are too rough we can just drive in forward. I am wanting to back in and present the bow to any strong South winds.
We will see how the plans work out in May.

Just be aware of prevailing winds, current (tidal) and pontoons as a slip neighbor, too much aluminum facing my gelcoat. You also might consider how far the walk to the boat is and how far you are from marina restrooms and other facilities like store, ice, fuel and don't be too close to the pump out station.

my $.02 on what we have learned about our marina in the last couple of seasons.



As far as docking the Yamaha, we prefer to back it in. It is easier to board when you can just step off the dock and onto the swim platform.

 

[WildCatFan54]

As my avatar indicates , stern in 100% for sure ! When shopping for lifts a few years back, the main reason I went with Econolift over the more prevalent and well known brand (Hydrohoist) is that the dealer assured me he could set up the Econolift to work for either bow first or stern first. Turned out to be a moot point. I have never pulled in bow first. To me it would negate one of the biggest assets of Yamaha boats , our swim deck. As @swatski pointed out , its also the easiest (and maybe only) way for an old man to secure the transom straps of the mooring cover to the underside of swim deck after use. Having the luxury of fingers on both sides of the boat is also a major advantage.I can even do maintenance on the pumps , steering enhancements (Cobra Jet) , etc. without taking boat off the lift. I have a raft that when about half inflated fits perfectly between lift and slip to serve as drop cloth. Never lost (yet) any pieces in the water and sure beats having to drag out the trailer for repairs.

 

[TimW451]

1) direction of sun
2) direction of prevailing current
3) neighbors
*not necessarily in that order

 

[tdonoughue]

4) proximity to beer refills...