Guide
Quick answer: buying boat stands as a private owner
As a private buyer, the safest purchase is a set of new, CE-documented boat stands matched to your boat's weight and hull, with a keel support where the boat is a keel boat. "CE-documented" matters most here, because it gives you a stated, traceable load capacity — something a second-hand stand of unknown history rarely has.
Second-hand stands can look like a bargain, but an unmarked used stand with no documentation and possible hidden corrosion is a risk when it is the only thing holding your boat up. This guide explains the new-versus-used trade-off, how to choose capacity, and what to prepare for a quote. It is buying guidance, not legal advice; the aim is to help you buy support equipment you can rely on.
Guide
New CE-documented vs second-hand stands
The core decision for a private buyer is new versus used. A new CE-documented stand comes with a stated load capacity and documentation, a known finish (galvanised steel or aluminium) and no service history to worry about. A second-hand stand may be cheaper, but you often cannot verify its capacity, its age, or whether the steel is corroded internally or the thread and base are sound.
The table summarises the trade-off. The point is not that used gear is always wrong, but that the one thing holding your boat up over a winter is the wrong place to gamble on unknown capacity.
| Factor | New CE-documented | Second-hand |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity | Stated and traceable | Often unknown |
| Documentation | Provided | Usually none |
| Corrosion | Known finish, new | Possible hidden corrosion |
| Cost | Higher up front | Lower, but unknown risk |
| Peace of mind | High | Depends on inspection |
If you do consider used stands, inspect them carefully and be honest about what you cannot verify.
Guide
What to check before you buy
Whatever you buy, a few checks protect you. Confirm the load capacity is documented and comfortably above your share of the boat's weight per stand. Check the stand type suits your hull — motorboat stands for powerboats, sailboat stands plus a keel support for keel boats. Check the height range fits your hull and the storage surface. And check the finish: on damp, coastal UK hardstanding, galvanised steel or aluminium resists corrosion far better than untreated steel.
For a used stand, add: inspect for corrosion (especially inside tubes and at welds), check the adjusting thread and base are undamaged, and treat any stand with no documented capacity as unknown. If you cannot establish the capacity, you cannot rely on the stand. New CE-documented stands remove that uncertainty — KIPAC supplies them to UK owners with documentation on request.
Guide
How many stands and what capacity for your boat
The number of stands and their capacity depend on your boat's length, weight and hull shape, not on a fixed figure. As a principle, a keel boat's weight is mainly carried under the keel by a keel support, with side stands stabilising the hull; a motorboat is supported by stands spread around the hull. Enough stands of the right per-stand rating share the load safely.
Rather than guess, gather your boat's details and have the supplier confirm the set. KIPAC stands cover a capacity range up to 40 tonnes depending on the model, and the right number and rating for your boat are confirmed at quotation. Buying slightly more capability than the bare minimum, and placing stands correctly, is sensible for a boat that will sit on them all winter.
Guide
What to prepare before requesting a quote
A quick quote starts with a few facts about your boat. Have ready the boat's length, weight or displacement, beam, hull type and keel configuration, the storage surface (concrete, hoggin or gravel), and whether the stands will live outdoors all year. That lets the supplier confirm the right stand types, capacities and number without guesswork.
With those details, KIPAC can confirm a suitable set of CE-documented stands — and a keel support or cradle if appropriate — with capacity and configuration set at quotation rather than sold blind. As a private buyer, this is the difference between equipment chosen for your boat and a generic set that may not fit. Send the details and KIPAC will confirm the configuration and capacity.
Checklist
Checklist: buying boat stands in the UK
Choose stands with a stated, traceable CE load capacity over unmarked gear.
Motorboat stands for powerboats; sailboat stands plus a keel support for keel boats.
Corrosion inside tubes and at welds, sound thread and base, and treat unknown capacity as unknown.
Galvanised steel or aluminium for damp, coastal UK storage.
Have the supplier set the stand count and per-stand rating to your boat.
Length, weight, beam, hull and keel type, storage surface, indoor or outdoor.
Equipment
Related KIPAC equipment
Adjustable support systems for motorboats in dry storage.
View equipment →Support systems for sailboats in combination with keel support.
View equipment →Technical keel support solutions for load transfer during storage.
View equipment →Equipment for lifting and controlled boatyard handling.
View equipment →FAQ
FAQ
Boat stands are available new from manufacturers and chandlers, and sometimes second-hand. As a private buyer, new CE-documented stands give you a traceable load capacity that used stands often lack. KIPAC is an EU manufacturer supplying CE-documented stands to UK owners, with capacity typically 1–40 tonnes depending on the model and documentation on request.
They can be cheaper, but a used stand often has no documented capacity and may hide internal corrosion or thread and base damage — a real risk when it is the only thing holding your boat up. If you consider used stands, inspect them carefully and treat any with unknown capacity as unknown. New CE-documented stands remove that uncertainty. This is buying guidance, not legal advice.
Capacity is rated per stand and chosen so enough correctly placed stands comfortably support the boat's weight, with the keel support taking the main load on a keel boat. Rather than a fixed figure, the right per-stand rating and number are confirmed against your boat's weight and hull. KIPAC stands range up to 40 tonnes depending on the model.
It depends on the boat's length, weight and hull shape. The principle is to spread the load with enough stands of the right rating, plus a keel support under the keel on a keel boat. Gather your boat's details and have the supplier confirm the set; KIPAC sets the number and capacity at quotation rather than applying a fixed count.
For damp, coastal UK storage where stands live outdoors all year, hot-dip galvanised steel resists corrosion far better than untreated steel, extending service life; aluminium is another corrosion-resistant option. KIPAC manufactures galvanised steel and aluminium stands, EU-made, with CE documentation on request, suited to UK conditions.
