IMHO that is the least attractive option of them all. You still have to drive a tow vehicle to the storage area, and do the launch ramp thing, so you have none of the conveniences of a marina, plus still having to tow. What you are doing in essence, is paying to store your boat away from your home to save you the costs of the extra fuel you would use pulling the boat the extra distance (and it would be doubtful that you’d save enough in fuel to pay for the storage space). You’d also lose the piece of mind of having the boat with you at home. Keeping your boat at home on a trailer.
If you can manage to fit it into a garage, you have the best possible storage solution. The boat is kept away from the elements, and will look as good 10 years down the road, as it does today (providing you have no other “accidents”). It is also secure from thieves. If you can’t fit it into a garage, you may be able to construct a carport to keep the sun and rain off of it. Trailing a boat means that you can take advantage of lower cost fuel, and the piece of mind of knowing the boat is right outside, is calming. Plus, if you like to go to different waterways, you just hookup and go, which you can’t easily do at a marina.
Drawbacks to home storage/trailing: 1. Hassle. Getting the boat ready, hooking up, driving to the water, and the 3 ring circus at the launch ramp is enough to ruin many otherwise good boating days. 2. Maintenance. A trailer is a high maintenance item. At least if you want some reasonable safety, and reliability. 3. Tags and insurance. While registration and insurance costs for trailers is usually low, it’s still something that should be considered. 4. Tow vehicle.
Not many passenger cars can pull more than 1500 Lbs any more, which means an SUV or pickup truck (Which many people seem to like anyway). But you now have the costs of the tow vehicle to consider. If it’s your daily driver, you have to deal with the lousy fuel economy. If it’s a “second” car, then you have the costs of multiple cars and insurance. Many people, who tow once a year, can get away with renting a truck for the day. But this isn’t cost effective for the weekly trailer boater.
