Will my boat fit? Checking slips, lifts and water depth in Orange Beach
By KD Edenfield, Broker, Wellhouse Real Estate
Before you make an offer on a waterfront home in Orange Beach, find out three things: whether your boat's length and draft fit the slip and the water at low tide, what shape the lift, dock and boathouse are in, and what the HOA lets you change. Most of my waterfront buyers live out of state, so I check these for them before they offer. Here's how.
What do I need to know about your boat?
Start with its length and draft, meaning how deep it sits in the water. Length alone often rules a home in or out right away. Draft tells us whether the water behind the house is deep enough, especially at low tide.
How do we find out whether your boat fits?
We check the water at low tide. When it's needed, we pull a survey and talk with marine contractors about how the dock could be set up for your boat, as long as the HOA allows it. Sometimes we just take a boat over there and see.
Here's a simple trick: ride the canal and look at the boats your future neighbors already have. If boats like yours are tied up along that stretch, it's a good sign yours will work too.
Where in Orange Beach does this change the answer?
On Ono Island canals, in my experience, boats are limited to around 30 feet, and the water runs about 4 feet deep or more depending on where you are. That's usually workable, but it rules out bigger boats. Ono's open-water homes have more room, and the deep, protected marina at Ono Mar can fit bigger boats than many of the island's canal-front homes.
The canals in the Terry Cove area are deep, so depth usually isn't a worry there.
Every canal is different, though, so we check each home on its own.
What should you check on the lift, dock and boathouse?
Check the lift's weight rating. If it's too low for your boat, a lift can usually be changed, but it's a cost to factor into your offer. Adding a lift typically isn't a big project. It's just money to plan for.
If the slip is covered, look at the boathouse roof. Walk the dock and look for boards that need replacing. And note the decking: wood, flow-through or Trex, since they wear differently. The goal is to know what it'll cost to make the setup work for your boat before you commit.
Can you change the dock or lift after you buy?
Usually, if the HOA allows it. In many communities, including Ono Island, any change to a dock or boat lift needs approval first. A marine contractor can tell you what's possible for your boat, and the HOA has the final say.
Who inspects the dock and lift?
Not the home inspector. Once we're under contract, I bring in a home inspector for the house, and a separate contractor who works on docks and lifts to look at the water side. I try to use someone who's worked on other docks in the same neighborhood, so they already know that HOA's rules.
What if your boat almost fits?
Sometimes a small change does it. One of my buyers needed bunks added to their boat lift before their boat would sit right. They lived out of the area, so I worked with the contractor, set it up and made sure it got done for them after closing.
What should you do first?
Before we look at homes, send me your boat's length and draft. That one step narrows the list faster than anything else. Then book a call, and I'll check the water side of every home before you fall for the house.