Marina glossary
Covered vs uncovered boat slips.
A covered slip puts a roof over your boat. An uncovered slip doesn’t. Here’s what that difference means for your boat, your budget and the kind of boat you can keep in each.
The difference
A covered slip sits under a roof that runs over the dock, usually a metal roof on posts. An uncovered slip, sometimes called an open slip, is open to the sky. Otherwise they work the same way: you tie up between finger piers and leave the boat in the water.
Why boaters choose covered
- Sun: less fading and cracking on upholstery, vinyl and gelcoat.
- Rain and leaves: a drier boat, and less water in the bilge after a storm.
- Birds: fewer droppings on the deck and seats.
- Comfort: shade while you load the cooler on a hot afternoon.
Why boaters choose uncovered
- Cost: open slips usually cost less than covered ones at the same marina.
- Height: a roof limits how tall a boat can be. Boats with wakeboard towers, tall bimini tops, fly bridges or sailboat masts often need an open slip.
- Availability: covered slips are often the first to fill, so an open slip may be what’s free.
Questions to ask the marina
- What is the clearance under the roof, and does my boat fit with the top up?
- Is the price per season, per year, or per foot of boat?
- Is shore power and water included?
- Can I move to a covered slip later, and is there a waitlist?
FOR MARINA OWNERS
Pricing covered and uncovered slips?
Field Guide Marina keeps slip types and sizes on every slip, warns when a boat won’t fit, and lets you set different rate increases for covered and open slips.
MORE IN THE GLOSSARY
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