Service
Outdoor boat storage in Menorca
Guarded hard standing a few minutes from Mahon harbour. The affordable way to get your boat out of the water for the winter, with shrink-wrapping if you want the boat properly sealed.
Price for outdoor space
Length, beam and months. That is all we need to quote.
The point of getting the boat out of the water
Most of what a winter afloat does to a boat happens below the waterline and out of sight. Fouling keeps growing in Mediterranean water long after the season ends. The hull stays saturated. Lines and fenders work themselves thin every time the wind gets up. None of that continues once the boat is ashore, whether it is under a roof or not.
So outdoor storage already solves the larger half of the problem. What is left is weather from above, and that is a solvable, priceable thing.
How a lay-up works here
- You bring the boat in
Cleaned down, engine laid up and the interior emptied of anything that holds moisture. Bring it on its trailer or on a cradle.
- We position it
Boats are set out so each one is properly supported and can be reached without moving three others first.
- Shrink-wrap, if you want it
A heat-shrunk cover seals the boat against rain, dust and UV. It is far more effective than a tarpaulin, which flogs in the tramuntana and pools water.
- It sits out the winter
On a guarded site with controlled access, off the water, off its mooring and out of the swell.
- You collect it
Tell us when you want it and we will have it accessible. Hull dry, no six months of fouling to remove.
Tarpaulin or shrink-wrap
Owners ask about this more than anything else on this page, so here is the straight comparison.
A tarpaulin
- Flogs and chafes in a strong tramuntana, often wearing through gelcoat where it rubs.
- Pools water in the low spots, then drips it into the boat.
- Traps humid air underneath with nowhere to go.
- Costs almost nothing, which is why so many boats have one.
Heat-shrunk film
- Follows the shape of the boat, so there is nothing loose to flog or pool.
- Keeps rain and dust out completely.
- Blocks UV, which is what actually ages gelcoat and canvas here.
- Costs more, and lasts the whole lay-up without attention.
If the boat has a well-fitted hard cover, a tarpaulin is not the enemy. If it has an open cockpit and cushions, shrink-wrap is the difference between a dry boat and a musty one.
Would indoor suit you better?
We would rather you chose the right one than the more expensive one. If your boat has a lot of upholstery, a dark hull or electronics you would rather keep out of salt air, read theindoor storage page and compare. If you are not sure, describe the boat when you get in touch and we will tell you which way we would go.
Outdoor storage questions
Is outdoor storage bad for the boat?
Not in itself. A boat on hard standing is dry underneath, off its mooring and out of the swell, which is most of the benefit of laying up. What it still gets is sun and rain from above, and that is exactly what shrink-wrapping deals with.
How much cheaper is outdoor than indoor?
Outdoor is the cheaper option, and the gap widens the longer the boat stays. The honest comparison is outdoor plus shrink-wrap against indoor, since that is the pair of options most owners are really choosing between. Ask us and we will price both.
Do I have to shrink-wrap?
No, it is optional. Some owners with hard covers or small RIBs skip it. If the boat has an open cockpit or a lot of soft furnishing, we would recommend it.
Can the boat stay on its trailer?
Yes. Most boats from Sant Lluís and Binibeca arrive on trailers and stay on them, which also keeps the trailer out of your driveway for the winter.
Is the outdoor area secure?
Yes. Outdoor storage is inside the same secure, guarded site with controlled access. It is hard standing within the facility, not a field somewhere.