Should I dry stack my jet ski?

Dry stacking jet skis has become so popular that South American engineering group Capria SA has started building bespoke launching systems that will allow owners to use a cradle to drop a ski into the water when they’re ready to head out or lift it back out at the end of the day at the press of a button.

Dry stacking suits some owners because they can store a jet ski at a secure location beside the water without needing to find somewhere in the driveway or backyard.

However, a dry stack allows owners to ring the marina and book a time for their ski to hit the water. They turn up, and the jet ski is already loaded on a launcher. Hit the button, and the ski is dropped into the water.

Marinas already cater for jet skis, with the most common approach being to “dry dock” them on the water on a floating pontoon that sits the ski’s hull above the waterline.

However, dry stacking a jet ski gets it out of the water and undercover, protecting it from corrosion and weathering. If you’re not dropping the trailer in the water as much, other flow-on benefits will include lower maintenance costs such as bearings and rust, and a better price come time to sell it.

Most marinas can offer more security than a household garage, including around-the-clock video surveillance, a wash-down service before a vessel goes back on the stack, restricted access and the convenience of on-site parking. 

Leaving your jet ski at the marina has other flow-on benefits, as it makes maintenance easy and depending on how pressed you are for time, the marina staff can even refuel it for you.

Potentially, too, if you’re being charged a single monthly fee with unlimited launches and retrievals, you will likely use your jet ski more often.

One downside to dry stacking a jet ski is recharging the battery. However, if you’re using it more often and using the battery isolator each time it comes off the water, that should not be a problem.

Another is the operating hours of the forklift. The idea of launching your fishing-focussed jet ski at 5am to catch the change of tide may not be an option if the boat lift operator's shift doesn’t start until 8am.

A jet ski dry dock can cost around $2500 a year, about the same cost as dry-stacking a small runabout. Some marinas will allow owners to store their jet ski onsite on a trailer.