Before you read
Most comparison write-ups skim the surface and leave you with the same answer for every boat. This one is built around the questions that actually move a dockage decision: how marinas measure your boat, how they bill, and which clauses to read twice before signing.
In northern climates, marinas offer two structures: full annual (slip held year-round, you pay 12 months) or seasonal (typically May–October, with haul-out and dry storage for winter). The right pick depends on your hauling plan and total water-use months.
Annual slips in cold-climate marinas (Great Lakes, New England, PNW) cost 30–60% more than seasonal but guarantee the same slip for life, with ice-bubbler systems keeping the water open if you want a winter-in-water boat.
Seasonal contracts bundle a 5–6 month wet slip plus winter haul-out and on-site storage on stands. Total cost usually beats annual unless you actively use the boat in winter or value the same-slip guarantee.
Snowbirds with a boat south for the winter (and a slip held up north for summer) almost always use seasonal — pay for what you use, store the boat the other half.
Annual wins for
- • Winter-in-water boats
- • Liveaboards
- • Same-slip-guarantee fans
- • Owners who refit on the dock
Seasonal wins for
- • Snowbirds
- • Recreational only
- • Bottom-paint avoiders
- • Winter storage included