Websites for boatyards
Web design for boatyards: £249.99 to build, then £49.99 a month, no minimum term. Owners choose on what you can lift and how long you can keep it.
A boat owner choosing a yard is working through a short list of hard constraints: can you lift my boat, will it fit ashore, what does storage cost and can I work on it myself.
Those are specifications rather than selling points, and the yards that publish them are simply easier to choose than those that ask you to call.
What your customers want answered
- What can you lift — weight, length, beam, draught
- What does lift out, storage and launch cost
- Can I work on my own boat, and are there rules about that
- Do you do the work yourselves, and what trades are on site
- Is there space, and when
Publish the lifting and storage limitsHoist capacity, maximum dimensions, tidal access and hardstanding availability. An owner can eliminate or shortlist a yard in seconds from those figures, and a yard that withholds them simply gets skipped.
No policy on owner maintenance
Whether owners may work on their own boats, use contractors of their choice, or apply antifouling themselves varies widely between yards and matters enormously to the customer. Saying so plainly avoids an argument later.
Services through the year
Boat owners plan around the season. Explain lift-out and launch, storage ashore, antifouling, repairs, engine work and moorings, with prices or how prices are set.
Show your yard, cranes or hoists and the size of boats you handle.
Booking and access
Explain booking windows for lift-outs and launches, access to boats during storage, and the rules for owners and contractors working on site.
Facilities for owners
List what owners can use: water and power on the hard, toilets and showers, chandlery, parking, security and access hours. Owners compare yards on these, especially those working on their boats themselves.
Explain your rules for outside contractors, insurance requirements and what work can be done on site, such as sanding and antifouling. Mention specialist services like osmosis treatment, rigging and engine repowers. A clear booking calendar for lift-outs in autumn and launches in spring saves a lot of calls.
Common questions
- What should a boatyard website include?
- Lift-out and launch, storage, repairs, engines, moorings, prices, boat size limits, booking windows and DIY rules.
- Should I publish prices?
- Yes, or explain how they are worked out by length.
- Should DIY rules be clear?
- Yes. Owners ask before booking.
Other sectors we build for
Tell me about your business.
One message is enough to start. I’ll read it and reply myself, usually with a couple of questions and a clear price.
Liam Tapp, Website Builds