Rack Valet for 20 ft boat? Pros? Cons?

[Orion]

I have done them all. I've rented a slip at MVYC for 3 years; head of Alton for 2 years; West Alton Marina for 1 year; kept on trailer at Ames Farm for 2 years; and trailered from central MA for many others. They all have their advantages and disadvantages. Right now I own a rack at Harilla and rent a dock at the same place (just for some added convenience). The rack has the advantage of low cost with a good amount of convenience and safety for your boat. While some damage is possible (but rare), when putting the boat in and out of a rack, there is also damage at a dock from sun exposure (fading) and water (blistering & algae) as well as potential damage from dock if in an area of wave action and not able to 4-way tie-off properly. With a rack, if you live any distance from the Lake and a storm (or hurricane) hits while you're away, you can rest assured your boat is as safe as it can be.

Having a dock has the advantage of your boat being ready to go whenever the whim hits, and you don't have to worry about whether you remembered to call to put your boat in (off the rack) or not. Having your own dock has the added advantage of having a place to come into for a couple of hours to come in for dinner without looking for a place at the valet docks (good if you have island property). Renting a dock also gives you a place to hang out on your boat without going out if the weather is rough.

Ames Farm was a great option when trying to save money and trailer miles. Prices were reasonable and launching was relatively painless......just leave your boat on the trailer at the end of the weekend which meant planning the end of the day on Sunday so that you could load without too long a wait (wasn't usually a problem).

It pretty much depends on your budget and what your boating style and frequency is.