If you just purchased a lakefront property or a boat and are considering getting either a boat slip or a boat dock, it is important to know which is right for you. We aim to provide you with insight into nautical jargon to help you make an informed decision.

To simplify it, we can compare these concepts to traditional car parking. A boat dock is similar to a parking ramp and a boat slip would be individual parking spots. Therefore, a boat dock can have multiple boat slips and you leave your boat in one designated boat slip.

What is a Boat Slip?

A boat slip is defined as an individual space used to park a boat. A boat slip has only one side open to the water with docks on the other three sides to tie the boat into place. Boat slips are typically rented by people that own a boat but don’t own any waterfront property. Therefore, marina owners try to have numerous boat slips for their clients. For residential docking, it makes the most sense to simply have a boat dock for your own watercraft.

How To Dock in a Boat Slip?

Learning how to dock in a boat slip takes practice. Since slips for boats are only open to the water on one side, it makes the most sense to either back in or pull into the boat slip. Typically, for boats on recreational lakes (fishing boats, ski boats, pontoons, etc.), you can dock in a boat slip by pulling straight into the boat slip. This will allow you to tie your boat on both sides to keep it secure. It is typically advantageous to pull into the boat slip because most motors are outboard, and then the motor is on the side that is open to the water. This allows you to pull all the way in and keep the motor away from the dock.

What is a Boat Dock?

A boat dock is typically an area where multiple boats can park (i.e. multiple boat slips). Depending on the size of the boat dock and configuration will determine how many boat slips there are and their design. The most common boat dock configurations are T, L, and F. These configurations allow for the tieing of the boat on one to three sides. For residential purposes, a boat dock does not always have a formal boat slip with docks on all three sides. The boats are typically on a boat lift or the boat can be tied on the side for temporary docking purposes.

Boat Slip vs Boat Dock Differences

The main difference between a boat dock and a boat slip is that a boat slip is only open to the water on one side. You typically rent a boat slip from a marina that has a big enough boat dock with multiple slips. For residential purposes, you typically just have a boat dock for your own needs and don’t need docks on all sides of you. A boat slip does offer better protection from waves due to the dock and multiple sides of mooring, but they are expensive and typically only used for commercial purposes. A boat dock is easier to navigate in and out of, take up less space, and is cheaper to have and maintain.

Which is Right For You?

If you own or are looking to own a waterfront property, you typically just need a boat dock. A boat dock has room for your boat(s) and a couple of other boats if others decide to stop by and need to tie up for a short period of time. If you do not live on the waterfront but own a boat, you most likely will rent a boat slip from a marina.

Are Hewitt Docks Right For Me?

Hewitt has over 50 years of boat dock experience. We’ve installed docks on lakes, rivers, inlets, seas, and oceans all over the world. We are able to make boat dock configurations that are ideal for residential purposes, but also commercial purposes with boat slips. Contact Hewitt today to start configuring your boat dock for your needs.