Guide
What boat storage on land involves
Dry storage — keeping a boat out of the water on land — is the standard approach to winter lay-up and any extended period of maintenance, repair or seasonal lay-up. It spans the full operational chain: haul-out from the water, transport within the yard, positioning and support on stands or a cradle, the storage period itself, and relaunch.
Each stage requires different equipment. A travel lift handles the haul-out; boat stands, keel supports and cradles carry the vessel during storage; boat dollies move it within the facility. The quality and correct specification of the support equipment directly affects hull integrity over the storage period.
For marinas and boatyards, boat storage on land is also an area of operational and commercial liability. The equipment used to support customers' vessels must be rated for the loads it carries, maintained in serviceable condition, and — depending on the facility's insurer and internal procedures — may need to carry traceable documentation. Decisions about what equipment to use and how to specify it are therefore not purely technical: they carry business risk implications.
Guide
Main equipment categories: stands, keel supports, cradles and dollies
Professional boat storage on land involves four main equipment categories.
Boat stands: Adjustable side stands are the most commonly used support for motorboats and sailing yachts. A screw-adjustable stand can be set to the correct height and the top pad angled to follow the hull curve, so a single model serves a wide range of hull shapes. Stands are used in opposing pairs, positioned along each side of the hull to distribute the weight symmetrically. Load capacity per stand typically ranges from 1 to 40 t depending on model and construction.
Keel supports: For sailing yachts with a fin keel or fixed keel, a keel support placed directly beneath the keel carries the bulk of the vessel's weight. Side stands stabilize the hull laterally but the keel, not the hull sides, is the primary load-bearing point. Using side stands alone on a keelboat risks hull deformation at the stand contact points.
Cradles: A cradle is a purpose-built structural frame that surrounds and supports a specific hull profile. Cradles are used for vessels with non-standard hull shapes, for long-term storage without movement, or for boatyard service work requiring unobstructed access to the full hull underside. KIPAC boat cradles cover vessels from 8 to 40 t.
Boat dollies: Wheeled handling equipment for moving a vessel horizontally within a boatyard or marina building. Dollies position the boat after lift-out and enable repositioning without a crane.
Guide
Number of stands and correct positioning
The number of stands required depends on the vessel's length, weight, hull shape and weight distribution. General guidance by length:
Under 6 m: minimum 2 pairs of stands. 6–9 m: minimum 3 pairs of stands. 9–12 m: minimum 4 pairs of stands. Above 12 m: consult a professional boatyard or the stand manufacturer.
These figures are indicative. A heavy displacement hull, a vessel with concentrated weight aft, or a hull with limited flat sections will need more careful planning than a light planing hull of the same length. Marina and boatyard operators managing a mixed fleet should assess each vessel type individually rather than applying a fixed formula.
Positioning: Stands should be placed at structurally sound points along the hull — typically at or near frames or bulkheads — and in symmetric opposing pairs. All pads must make full contact with the hull surface. On soft or uneven ground, a steel base plate or timber pad under each stand foot spreads the ground load and prevents the stand from sinking and shifting under prolonged weight.
For keelboats, the keel support must be positioned first, correctly centered under the keel root. Side stands are then set to stabilize the hull, not to carry its primary weight. Setting side stands tightly against a keelboat without a keel support transfers load to the hull sides, risking visible or latent hull deformation.
Guide
Load capacity and CE documentation for professional use
Every piece of boat support equipment carries a load rating — the maximum load it is designed to carry under normal storage conditions. For professional use in marinas and boatyards, matching the combined rating of the stands or cradle to the actual vessel weight is a basic specification requirement. The total rated capacity of the support setup should comfortably exceed the vessel's gross weight, with margin for unanticipated load distribution.
CE documentation means that a product's load capacity has been assessed, tested and documented against applicable EU directives and that a declaration of conformity is available. For commercial facilities storing customers' vessels, CE documentation on the support equipment may be required by the facility's insurer, by its own quality management procedures, or by the customer. It provides a traceable record of the equipment's rated capacity — relevant if a liability question arises.
For private owners storing their own boat, CE documentation is not a legal prerequisite, but it is a clear quality signal. A stand with a documented nominal capacity gives a clear basis for judging whether it matches the load; one without makes that assessment a judgment call.
KIPAC provides CE documentation with every delivery — relevant for internal procedures, insurance records and customer-facing documentation at marinas and boatyards.
Guide
Fleet-scale storage: managing a mixed fleet in a marina or boatyard
A marina or boatyard storing a mixed fleet of motorboats, sailing yachts and workboats faces a different procurement task than a private owner storing a single vessel. The equipment range must cover a span of vessel lengths, weights and hull profiles, often within the same season.
For fleet operations, adjustable stands that cover a wide range of hull sizes reduce the total number of stand types needed in inventory. KIPAC adjustable stands cover a capacity range from 1 to 40 t, and the adjustable top pad angle accommodates the curved hull sides of both motorboats and sailing yachts without requiring a separate model for each.
For vessels that return to the same berth year after year — particularly sailing yachts in the same capacity class — a purpose-built cradle may be more efficient than setting up side stands and a keel support each season. The cradle removes the positioning variable and reduces setup time per vessel.
Boat dollies speed up yard logistics significantly. Moving a vessel from the lift-out point to its allocated storage space, or repositioning for service work, without a crane reduces haul-out scheduling pressure and shortens the time a vessel occupies the travel lift lane.
Guide
KIPAC boat storage equipment: range and specification
KIPAC is a European manufacturer of boat stands, keel supports, boat cradles and boat dollies, based in Croatia (EU). The full range covers vessel weights from 1 to 40 t and is manufactured in S355 structural steel with hot-dip galvanizing or powder coating.
All products ship with CE documentation — declaration of conformity and technical documentation — relevant for internal procurement records and insurance requirements at professional facilities.
For marinas and boatyards looking to standardize support equipment from a single European supplier with consistent CE documentation across the range, KIPAC is available for consultation on fleet requirements, quantity pricing and delivery.
Contact KIPAC with a description of your fleet profile — vessel types, weight range, seasonal haul-out volume — for a tailored equipment recommendation.
Checklist
Checklist: procuring boat storage equipment for a marina or boatyard
Confirm that the combined rated capacity of the selected stands or cradle comfortably exceeds the heaviest vessel you store. For a mixed fleet, map the weight range and verify that the equipment range covers it.
Request CE documentation (declaration of conformity and technical file reference) with the quotation. Confirm it specifies the nominal load capacity and applicable EU directives.
For every sailing yacht with a fin or fixed keel, confirm a keel support is included in the storage setup. Side stands alone are not sufficient for keelboat storage.
Check that the adjustable height range and pad angle of the selected stands cover the hull profiles of the vessel types you haul. Verify with a sample from the mixed fleet before committing to a large order.
For outdoor storage in a saltwater or coastal environment, specify hot-dip galvanized steel. Confirm surface treatment specification with the supplier.
Confirm lead times, delivery logistics and the CE documentation package included with the order. For large or phased orders, agree the documentation delivery schedule in advance.
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 →Structured storage frames for stable boat support on land.
View equipment →Dollies for moving and positioning boats in workshops and marinas.
View equipment →FAQ
FAQ
The core equipment is adjustable side stands for most motorboats and sailing yachts, a keel support for any sailboat with a fin or fixed keel, and — for larger or specialist vessels — a purpose-built cradle. Boat dollies handle positioning within the yard. All equipment must be rated for the actual vessel weight.
As a guide, use a minimum of 2 pairs of stands for vessels under 6 m, 3 pairs for 6–9 m, and 4 pairs for 9–12 m. The exact number depends on hull shape, weight distribution and any requirement from the facility's own procedures or insurer. For vessels over 12 m, assess on a case-by-case basis.
CE documentation is not universally mandated by law for all boat storage equipment in every market, but many insurers and internal quality procedures at commercial marinas and boatyards require documented load ratings for equipment used to support customers' vessels. Verifying the requirement with your insurer before procurement is recommended. KIPAC supplies CE documentation with every order.
Boat stands are adjustable and can be configured for different vessel sizes and hull shapes, making them suitable for mixed-fleet operations. A boat cradle is a purpose-built frame sized to a specific hull and is better suited to long-term storage, vessels with non-standard hull profiles, or boatyard service work requiring unobstructed access to the full hull underside. Many facilities use both: stands for the general fleet, cradles for specific vessels.
