Recommended Dockside tips, tools, and toys???

[amartin_25]

All-

With the help of this site and its members my wife and I have joined the boating club. We recently purchased a Sea Ray 215EC and are actively shopping for a slip to lease for this much-anticipated season. We drove over to South Haven (Michigan) today to scout out a couple of marinas and found a few promising-looking spots.

My next question to you guys, what can you recommend as the essential dockside items? As I look at things, I envision a tailgate party without the football game but with a boat! That to me means chairs, grill, beanbag toss, etc. Add in the boat factor and I can only assume hose, spray head, extension cord, shorepower adaptor, etc. I'm absolutely certain that I'm overlooking just about everything so any help is, as always, greatly appreciated.

 

[aspeck]

Re: Recommended Dockside tips, tools, and toys???

Are you looking for this tailgate party to be at the dock, beached somewhere along the lake, or in the boat? Because the list can vary. Some marina's actually seem to frown on you having much fun at the dock, so you better know your marina before you start partying. One local marina will reprimand you if you have a chair on the dock, and you better not stand on the dock to talk to another boat owner or friend, or they will also yell at you over the loud speaker and tell you to keep moving. (This is a fresh water marina with about 300 water slips and 200 dry dock slips).

So that is where you have to start, where are you throwing the party, and what conduct will the marina allow.

 

[amartin_25]

Re: Recommended Dockside tips, tools, and toys???

The slips that looked the most inviting are part of private boat clubs. Most of the other slips had small decks built next to the slip with gas grills, patio furniture, etc. around them so it would appear that the club is fairly open to socializing around the docks.

Our version of a tailgate tends to include another couple or two tossing beanbags and enjoying drink and conversation. Ours is not a keg-stand crowd.

To be a bit more specific, my question is geared more to the essential dockside items. I've seen a number of slipside lockers and wonder what should go in them as on-hand essentials.

Thanks for your input.

 

[DJ]

Re: Recommended Dockside tips, tools, and toys???

Cleaning supplies.

Garden hose.

Extra line and bumpers. (Spring lines too)

Basic tool set.

Wheeled dock cart. Fold up ones are nice.

 

[amartin_25]

Re: Recommended Dockside tips, tools, and toys???

S.M-

Thanks for the list. It sounds like a good start.

 

[WanabeBoater]

Re: Recommended Dockside tips, tools, and toys???

Good luck with the up and coming parties...I can't wait for the season to get here.