Jet Ski Storage Ideas: Discover the 5 Best Solutions! [Video]

Jet ski storage is one of the first issues you will face when you buy a new jet ski. There are many different ways of storage the most convenient of which are jet ski lifts and the drive-on floating jet ski dock systems.

A jet ski is typically run only 30-50 hours in a whole year which means for the rest of about 8700 hours, it won’t be in use.

For most of this time, your jet ski will have to be stored somewhere safe. Therefore, it is important to find the best choice as well as to choose the right jet ski storage accessories. There are several good short-term and long term solutions you can choose from.

It is important to note that jet ski storage cost is just one of the 9 main owning costs of the watercraft.

Before purchasing a new jet ski, make sure that you have all the necessary information about every topic above in order to avoid the most common mistakes made by jet ski buyers.Now let’s take a look at the best jet ski storage ideas!

Jet ski storage ideas #1: At home

Probably the most common and easiest jet ski storage solution is to keep it in your garage.

In this way, your watercraft is close to you, so you can keep checking it even during the long winter months. You can also manage the maintenance, cleaning and service tasks easily in your home if you want to do it yourself.

Depending on the size of your garage and yard, your storage options can vary:

In your yard

When you look at it as a solution, your jet ski can be simply stored in your yard or driveway under the open sky; it’s the easiest and the most cost effective solution.

However, if you go into a little detail and take into consideration the heat from the sun and other weather elements, you can see that these are really not good for your jet ski. Rain or just the humidity in the air can be the cause of rusting and other damages. This can be worsened if there is snow during winters in your area.

Moreover, it means less security. If your jet ski is visible from the street, it further increases the risk of theft or burglary.

It should also be kept in mind that keeping a jet ski in your yard or driveway could be against the rules of your Homeowners Association which is why it is recommended to always check the rules before you decide to place your ski in your yard.

If you have an older or cheap jet ski model this might not be such a big issue for you but if you are planning to purchase a brand new watercraft you should consider another way of storage.

A better option might be to set up storage sheds in your yard. It won’t provide as much protection like your solid garage would but at least they can keep the weather out.

In your garage

The far better and one of the most common ways to store your jet ski would be to keep it your garage.

While it is completely free, you should know that you will have to tow your ski into the water with your car every time you wish to ride.

This means quite a bit of trailering and launching work for you to do before you can get to the most enjoyable part of owning a jet ski.

Additionally, you will need the right car for towing the trailer. Smaller cars may not able to tow the jet skis with the highest weights or even double jet ski trailers.At some places there are launching or dock fees in marinas you have to pay if you want to use their ramps. There are, however, public ramps available even for free which you can find using this locator tool.

Another possible drawback of storing the jet ski in your garage would be that your jet ski might take up the space of another vehicle or gear in your garage.

Many garages today are not wide enough for a double jet ski trailer. So if you have 2 jet skis or just want to save space in your garage you may need a rolling stand and a jet ski lift as well.

Jet ski storage ideas #2: Self storage services

If you do not have any space in your garage, or just simply don’t want to keep your jet ski at home, self storage services could be an easy and cost-effective solution for you.

These are typically storage yards and large warehouse buildings with 24/7 access for jet ski owners. They are equipped with a lot of security features like cameras, alarm units, and usually on-site management as well.

These flexible services are a great jet ski storage solution for the winter, or even for the whole year depending on your needs.

Because of the high security and on site management as well, it is a hassle-free way to store your watercraft. There is a monthly or yearly charge that you have to pay for these services, but these sums are still much more affordable compared to the rates of marinas.

Disadvantages of this solution include having to pick up and drop off your ski yourself whenever you want to use it.

It might seem like an inconvenient option but if you have a self-storage facility close to your home or in the way between your home and the water, it might be the best option for you.

Self storages are available at many locations nationwide. Some of the most popular ones include Storage, iStorage, or CubeSmart. You can also take a look on the SelfSorageFinders as well.

Another way to do this is just by googling “jet ski storage near me” and you can choose the closest available service to you. They usually also offer long-term and flexible lease terms which can be additionally convenient for you.

Most self-storage facilities offer two different ways of jet ski storage:

Outdoor storage

Secured storage yards are popular solutions for storage vehicles, but it might not be the best for your jet ski.

Weather elements like snow, rain, ice and many other may incur damage to your watercraft. Therefore, even if it’s the cheaper option, always choose indoor storage solutions if available.

However, if you still choose this way because of there being no other option, don’t forget to get a good jet ski cover to protect your ski.

Indoor storage

Unlike the outdoor yards, indoor storages offer suitable protection from weather elements.

When you select your storage unit, the main consideration should be the size of your jet ski trailer. It is always recommended to double-check its dimensions before you check in.

The most common unit sizes are the 10×10, which is usually the perfect choice for jet skis on single trailers.

If you have two skis on a double trailer you will probably need a 10×15 or even a 10×20 unit depending on the size of your watercrafts and trailer.

Additionally, these storage spaces comes with drive-up access which makes parking your trailer fast and easy.

Jet ski Marina

If there is a marina close to you in your area, you may consider to store your jet ski there. It’s a really convenient way of storage yet also the most expensive.

Depending on the marina’s services and the location, the monthly fees can go up to several hundred dollars.

The biggest advantage of marinas is that your jet ski is close to the water which means you don’t have to tow it anywhere with your car. Another advantage is that marinas usually offer fueling and cleaning, or even other maintenance services as well for your jet ski.

It’s always a convenient option to get everything in one place!

Moreover, marinas offer several additional facilities like restrooms, outdoor lounge areas, ice machines and many more for their customers making your visits fun.

There are typically two solutions for jet ski storage at marinas:

Drive on floating jet ski dock

If you’re looking fro the closes storage option to the water, this just might be the solution for you.

This entails the marina keeping the jet ski directly on the water through something called ’wet-docking’. While this is a great way to store boats near the deck, it is a method that is not recommended for jet skis.

Fortunately, a really good unit is available for this problem called the drive-on floating jet ski dock.This is a special dock that allows you to simply drive in-and out with your jet ski. The dock floats on the water and the jet ski is stored inside in.

From this dock, it only takes couple of seconds to launch the watercraft into the water which is also a plus point. This has lead to the increase in the number of floating docks at the marinas, even for small boats.

As far as the drawbacks are concerned, the first is the price of course. It is by far the most expensive way of jet ski storage solutions.

The other main disadvantage of this storage method is that your watercraft is not protected from the weather elements. Keeping you jet ski on a floating dock all summer long may cause quite a bit of damage to it.

Ultraviolet light, rain, wind and many other weather elements are not the best for your ski. So if you decided to keep your craft  on a drive-in dock, a good jet ski cover is a must in this case!

Dry-rack storage

Another jet ski storage solution offered by marinas is the “dry-rack storage”. This is becoming more and more popular nowadays because it’s typically more affordable and available at more locations as well.

Dry jet ski storage means that your craft will be stored on a special rack (like a self). These racks are especially designed to store your jet ski on.

Usually these are several stories high and are full of boats and jet skis. Sometimes you can find these dry-racks inside a building. This provides much more protection to your jet ski; the security is higher and sometimes even the temperature is controlled.

This is a great way of storage especially if you have a new jet ski, as in this warehouse it will be protected from the harsh weather. And on the other hand, you can keep your jet ski here all year long, even during winters.

So if you don’t want to tow your ski anywhere and want to avail the services as well at the location, you will not even have to buy a trailer.

You might be wondering how your jet ski will get into the water when you want to ride it. Typically, the marina staff will launch your jet ski with a custom-made, special forklift designed for this purpose.

This means that the launching and loading of your jet ski is the responsibility of the marina and you do not have to worry about it at all.

You can see the whole process in this video:

However, this process might take up some additional time, especially on hot summer weekends when the staff is probably overloaded.

So does this mean you have to wait long hours before you can ride your ski? Usually, no. Marinas are experts in what they do and they offer only as low as 45-60 minutes launch time.

Additionally, many marinas also offer phone-ahead scheduling. It means you just have to give them a call and let them know your arrival time and your jet ski will be launched and ready to go by the time you arrive at the marina.

However, if you arrive late, you can expect a “late arrival” or “no-show” fees as well.

It should also be kept in mind that even if a marina offers this option, it might not be necessarily available on the weekends. Another drawback of dry-rack storage is that you don’t have access to your jet ski any time, as marinas usually aren’t open 24/7.

The other factor to consider is that the launch crew is not permitted to work in high winds so there might be a problem if you want to get in or out of the water during harsh weather.

Typically, one daily launch is included in your monthly payment but if you want to launch your jet ski more than once in a day, you might have to pay extra charges.

These small details, however, are all variable depending on the specific marina so make sure to always get enough information before you check in.

Instead of forklifts, some marinas have alternative solutions to manage this process according to Watercraft Journal:https://www.facebook.com/100003153403623/videos/1830029870445442/

Waterfront house

The main advantage of a waterfront house, besides the breathtaking views and unique lifestyle of course, is that you can have your own dock right off your house. And what could be a better addition to your dock than a jet ski?

Once you get one, you will have to definitely store it somewhere. So let’s take a look at the opportunities to store your jet ski in front of your house!

Floating Jet Ski Dock

Just like in marinas, you can keep your jet ski on a drive-on floating jet ski dock.The good news is that you won’t have any monthly fees to pay here of course. You just have to purchase this special dock once and you can use it for many years.

These are really easy to install and maintain, and in some of the cases you can leave your dock in the water during the winter months.

Moreover, these floating dock elements are available in several shapes and sizes, even floating walkways are available. This means you can build your whole dock simply from these floating parts. That’s we can call flexibility!

So if you create your dock from scratch, you can consider to build the whole from this elements:

Jet ski lifts

If you already have a dock, you may consider a jet ski lift as an addition.

It’s a good solution also as you can keep your jet ski away from the water when it is not in use. You can find many models on the market with different sizes and weight capacities.

Yes, the weight is an issue here, so always check the curb weight of your jet ski before you purchase a lift.

Many of these lifts can be rotated around 360 degrees and can be moved by an electric or manual hoist. Some manufacturers can even customize the lift for your special needs.

Another good point of these lifts is that you can use it for canoes, kayaks or other smaller units as well.

On your trailer

When you store your jet ski on your own trailer, you can enjoy the advantage of launching it anytime especially if it’s close to the water.

Additionally, if you have your own boat ramp, you can launch your ski through it with your car or even with a hoist. But if you have to use public ramps, don’t forget to take some time and locate one closest to you.

Jet Ski storage on your boat

Another unique way of storing a jet ski is on a boat. If you already have a boat or a houseboat, a jet ski could be a great addition to it. There are several ways of storing a jet ski on them!But you have to pay attention to the size of your boat. If you have a smaller boat, the weight of the jet ski could be an issue.

Therefore, it is advised to always purchase a watercraft that fits in well with your storage needs.

Takeaways

In conclusion, after taking a look at all the facts and figures that we’ve mentioned above, you can choose from several jet ski storage solutions.

There are many factors you have to consider before making a decision like costs, convenience, availability and many other individual preferences.

Always make sure to make an informed decision about the available solutions before you purchase a PWC. Also, don’t forget to add the jet ski storage cost to your budget. If you do not have prior experience, it is recommended to start with a jet ski rental service!