Wintering a 10 m boat for a five- or six-month season costs between €1,300 and €3,000 on outdoor hard standing with the lift-out and relaunch included, a little more in an indoor shed, and between €900 and €2,600 afloat on a winter berth. Add engine winterisation, a cover and the jobs usually done once the boat is out of the water, and a full winter for that length comes to roughly €1,500 to €4,000.
These figures are indicative ranges in euros, including VAT, taken from tariffs published in 2025 and 2026 by marinas, boatyards and storage centres in the Mediterranean and on Europe's Atlantic coast. In other regions, and even between two nearby marinas, prices vary a lot depending on demand, available space and what is included.
Boat winter storage prices in 2026: summary
The table above separates the three ways of spending the winter and the services you book on top. Almost all tariffs are quoted per metre of length per month, by area (length times beam) or as a flat seasonal package, so convert them all to a total for your boat before comparing.
Some real reference points:
- At a marina on the French Riviera, the winter berth package from November to April costs €1,710 for 8 to 9 m, €2,610 for 10 to 11 m and €3,735 for 12 to 13 m, VAT included.
- At a port in Brittany, a six-month package ashore with handling, chocking, cradle hire and use of the wash-down area costs €1,336 for a boat up to 9.99 m and €2,013 up to 12.99 m, with water and electricity.
- In Galicia, a marina publishes a monthly winter storage rate ashore with a four-month minimum stay: €156 a month for 5 m, €393 for 10 m and €779 for 15 m, VAT included, with cradles, chocks, water and power.
- In the port of Maó, the maximum authorised tariffs for storage ashore are €0.15 per m² per day in low season, plus VAT. A 10 × 3.5 m boat pays about €160 a month plus VAT, and each lift-out or launch for 8 to 15 m costs €175 plus VAT.
The top end of the ranges covers luxury marinas, heated sheds and areas short of space ashore; the bottom end, large boatyards and yards away from tourist centres.
What the price includes
Storage
This is the rent for the space: the plot on the hard standing, in the shed or the berth afloat. Ashore it usually includes chocks or props and, in many places, the cradle. Check whether it includes water and power, security and the yard's third-party liability insurance.
Lift-out, relaunch and pressure wash
Ashore you pay for two lifts: hauling the boat out in autumn and launching it in spring, plus the pressure wash of the hull when it comes out. For 10 m boats, each lift costs between €120 and €260 depending on the marina. The pressure wash may be included or cost €30 to €150. If the boat is moved within the yard at your request, that is charged extra.
Winterisation
This is the technical work so the boat can sit idle for months without damage:
- Engine: oil and filter change, antifreeze, fuel stabiliser, greasing and protection of the raw-water circuit. A French workshop publishes all-inclusive packages from €290 to €650 for outboards depending on horsepower and €730 to €830 for inboards, VAT included, with spring recommissioning.
- Fresh water and heads: draining tanks and pipes or adding non-toxic antifreeze, especially where it freezes.
- Batteries: charging, disconnecting or fitting a maintenance charger.
- Interior: ventilation, moisture absorbers, removing cushions and sails.
Exterior protection
Shrink wrap, a made-to-measure cover or just a cockpit cover. In the North American market shrink wrapping is charged at $12 to $25 per foot of length, about €36 to €75 per metre, plus extras such as access doors and vents.
Factors that change the price
Option: ashore, indoors or afloat
- Outdoor hard standing: the standard option. The hull dries out, can be inspected and antifouled, but the boat is exposed to sun, rain and dust.
- Indoor shed: protects the deck, teak and canvas and cuts cleaning in spring. A centre on the French Riviera charges €6.90 per m² per month in its shed versus €4.50 outdoors. Spaces are few and fill up quickly.
- Afloat: no crane lifts, and the boat stays available for sailing on good days. Many marinas cut their rates sharply between November and March. On the other hand, the hull gets fouled, you keep paying for electricity if you leave chargers and dehumidifiers running, and you should check the lines after every storm.
Length, beam and boat type
Per-metre tariffs barely penalise beam, but tariffs by area do. Catamarans often pay 1.5 or 2 times the rate for their length, both ashore and afloat. Yachts are usually stored with the mast up, although some yards require it unstepped or charge more for the height.
Duration
Most winter packages cover five or six months, from October or November to March or April. Many monthly rates require a minimum stay of three or four months; if you relaunch early, you may end up on the daily rate.
Climate and region
In the Mediterranean winters are mild and winterisation can be lighter, but the boat needs protecting from sun and damp. On the Atlantic and in northern Europe, frost means draining circuits and using antifreeze, and demand for indoor sheds pushes those prices up.
Marina or independent boatyard
Marinas in tourist centres charge more and sometimes impose their own workshops. Industrial boatyards, inland sheds and storage centres away from the coast are usually cheaper, although you have to add transport.
Real example: 10 m yacht, 6 months ashore
A 10 m cruising yacht with a 3.4 m beam and an inboard diesel, spending November to April on the hard standing of a Mediterranean boatyard.
- Lift-out and relaunch with the travel hoist: €300 – €500
- Pressure wash of the hull on lift-out: €60 – €150
- Storage ashore, 6 months at €15 – €25 per metre per month: €900 – €1,500
- Cradle or prop hire, if not included: €0 – €150
- Diesel engine winterisation: €350 – €700
- Fresh water circuit, heads and batteries: €80 – €200
- Cover or shrink wrap (if you do not have one): €0 – €500
Indicative total: €1,700 – €3,700 including VAT. If the boat stays afloat at a marina with a winter package, six months' berthing can cost the same or slightly more, but you save the lifts and will have to add the antifouling when the annual haul-out comes round. If you antifoul while ashore, you pay for the lifts only once.
DIY or hire a professional
You book the storage with the marina or yard, but you can do much of the preparation yourself if the yard allows it: empty and clean the boat, remove sails, cushions and portable electronics, treat the fresh water system, charge the batteries, put out moisture absorbers and fit your own cover.
Engine winterisation is also manageable if you have experience: oil and filter change, stabiliser and antifreeze following the manual. Bear in mind that many yards charge a fee for DIY work or require used oil to be disposed of through them. Hand the job to a mechanic if the engine is under warranty, if you have never done it before, or if it freezes where you are: a badly drained cooling circuit can crack a heat exchanger or a pump.
How to save without cutting corners
- Book early. Early-booking discounts and the cheapest spaces disappear in autumn.
- Compare totals, not rates. Convert every offer to a total seasonal price with lifts, pressure wash, cradle and water included.
- Combine winter storage with the annual haul-out. If the boat has to come out for antifouling anyway, do it at the start or end of winter and save two lifts.
- Look beyond tourist marinas. Industrial boatyards and inland sheds are usually cheaper, even adding transport if the boat goes on a trailer.
- Ask about the winter berth package. Many Mediterranean marinas offer it at a fraction of the summer rate.
- Do the basic preparation yourself. Emptying, cleaning and protecting the interior does not need a professional.
- Invest in a made-to-measure cover. If you store the boat for many winters, it pays for itself compared with single-use shrink wrap.
How to choose a professional
Ask two or three marinas or yards for a quote on the same terms and ask:
- What exactly is included: lifts, pressure wash, cradle, chocks, water, power, security?
- Is there a minimum stay or a penalty if I relaunch early?
- Can I work on my boat or bring in my own contractors? For what fee?
- What insurance covers the boat during lifts and storage?
- How are boats secured against strong winds, and how often are they checked?
- For engine winterisation, which jobs does the package include and which are extra?
Be wary of a very low price with no breakdown of what is included, of yards with no security or proper securing, and of workshops that will not give you a written record of the work done. On Nautify you can find boatyards in Valencia or marinas and berths in Palma de Mallorca that offer winter storage. To prepare the boat yourself, follow our guide to preparing your boat for winter and our boat maintenance guide.
Conclusion
Winter storage is not just paying for a space: storage is usually half the bill, and the rest goes on lifts, winterisation and protection. First decide where your boat will spend the winter based on the climate and how you use it, convert every offer to a seasonal total and use the time ashore for the jobs you had pending. On Nautify you can compare boatyards and marinas offering winter storage in your area.
