Types Of Boat Storage Units
During the winter months, boats can be exposed to a whole host of environmental factors that can negatively affect their structural integrity and necessitate expensive and lengthy repairs once the spring weather rolls around again. While you can keep your boat in dock for the winter and the run the risk of damaging it (or depending on the size of your boat, keep it in your driveway), the best option for ensuring that your boat or watercraft is in optimal working condition next summer is to have it put into a storage unit. However, there are several different types of boat storage units available on the market, each of which provides a slightly different set of benefits over the others.
Outdoor Rack Storage
Outdoor rack storage is the most cost-effective storage option for boats and watercraft, and is usually located right next to marinas or docks, decreasing transportation time and making the whole storage process much easier. With this storage option, your boat is lifted right out of the water and stored on vertical racks that hold it in the air. However, it should be noted that your boat will still be out in the open and exposed to weather conditions, which makes rack storage really only ideal in areas with mild winters.
Covered Storage
Covered storage seeks to provide a little more protection against the elements to your boat, and consists of a storage structure or storage racks that have a roof over them. This will protect against sun exposure which can bleach your boat's paint, as well as ice buildup and heavy snowfall. However, covered storage will cost you more per month than rack storage will, and still will not provide your boat with perfect protection against everything the winter can throw at it.
Indoor Storage
Indoor storage units provide the highest degree of protection possible to your boat or watercraft. There is no exposure to the elements, and many indoor units actually come with climate control capabilities, which means that you can customize the humidity and temperature levels that your boat will be exposed to while it is not being used. It should be noted, however, that indoor storage units tend to have the highest cost per square foot, which means that indoor storage units are usually only ideal for smaller boats and watercraft. Further, it may be difficult to move a boat in an indoor storage unit to the waterfront, increasing the headaches associated with storage.
For more information, check with places like Penn Plaza Self Storage .