A boat in Michigan is laid up for about 5 months a year at Detroit, and the median first 32°F night arrives October 20 at Grand Rapids (NOAA 1991-2020). 261 boat storage facilities are listed in Michigan, 60 with indoor or climate-controlled space.
| Month | Detroit high / low | boat | Grand Rapids snow | Grand Rapids high / low | boat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 32° / 19° | laid up | 22.6 in | 31° / 19° | laid up |
| Feb | 35° / 21° | laid up | 17.2 in | 34° / 20° | laid up |
| Mar | 46° / 29° | laid up | 7.6 in | 45° / 27° | laid up |
| Apr | 59° / 39° | launch or haul-out | 2.0 in | 58° / 37° | launch or haul-out |
| May | 70° / 50° | in the water | 0.0 in | 70° / 49° | in the water |
| Jun | 80° / 60° | in the water | 0.0 in | 79° / 58° | in the water |
| Jul | 84° / 64° | in the water | 0.0 in | 83° / 63° | in the water |
| Aug | 81° / 63° | in the water | 0.0 in | 81° / 61° | in the water |
| Sep | 74° / 56° | in the water | 0.0 in | 74° / 53° | in the water |
| Oct | 62° / 44° | launch or haul-out | 0.3 in | 61° / 42° | launch or haul-out |
| Nov | 49° / 34° | laid up | 7.1 in | 47° / 33° | laid up |
| Dec | 37° / 25° | laid up | 20.8 in | 36° / 25° | laid up |
Boat column rule: in the water at a 65°F high and 45°F low or warmer; launch or haul-out from a 52°F high; laid up below.
By that rule a boat at Detroit has 5 months in the water (May to September), 2 of launch or haul-out and 5 laid up. By that rule a boat at Grand Rapids has 5 months in the water (May to September), 2 of launch or haul-out and 5 laid up.
Michigan is hard-freeze country: Grand Rapids logs about 133.1 nights at or below 32°F and 50.5 days that never thaw, enough to freeze any water left in the engine block, raw-water passages, outdrive and plumbing.
261 live listings in 117 cities; by listed type: 60 indoor, 13 covered, 250 outdoor and 3 wet-slip (types overlap). No Michigan boat storage listing publishes a rate on StowHelp.
| Facility | City | Listed storage | Listed amenities | Also listed for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Metro Storage Dearborn | Dearborn | indoor, outdoor | ||
| Metro Storage USA | Taylor | indoor, outdoor, covered | Jet Ski | |
| Harbor Marine | Monroe | indoor, outdoor | ||
| Lake St. Clair Metropark Marina | Harrison Township | indoor, outdoor, covered | Jet Ski | |
| Trader Todd's Marina | Saint Clair Shores | indoor, outdoor | Jet Ski | |
| Eldean Shipyard | Macatawa | indoor, outdoor, covered, wet slip | Jet Ski | |
| Prime Storage | Eastpointe | indoor, outdoor | ||
| Prime Storage | Warren | indoor, outdoor | ||
| U-Stow-N-Lock Storage | Detroit | indoor, outdoor | ||
| Secured Self Storage | Trenton | indoor, outdoor | ||
| Harbor Hill Marina | Detroit | indoor, outdoor | Jet Ski | |
| Red Run Storage | Warren | indoor, outdoor | ||
| Erie Bay Harbor Marina | La Salle | indoor, outdoor | ||
| National Storage | Royal Oak | indoor, outdoor | ||
| Safe Harbor Toledo Beach | La Salle | indoor, outdoor | ||
| Luna Pier Storage & Rentals | Luna Pier | indoor, outdoor | ||
| Beacon Cove Marina | Harrison Township | indoor, outdoor, covered | security cameras, gated entry | Jet Ski |
| Wyandotte Self Storage | Wyandotte | indoor, outdoor | ||
| Lost Peninsula Marina and Campground | Erie | indoor, outdoor | Jet Ski | |
| Luna Pier Harbour Club | Luna Pier | indoor, outdoor |
| City | Boat Storage listings | Indoor | Climate-controlled | Outdoor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Detroit | 47 | 13 | 0 | 36 |
| Wyandotte | 7 | 6 | 0 | 7 |
| Cheboygan | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| Harrison Township | 6 | 3 | 0 | 6 |
| La Salle | 6 | 5 | 0 | 6 |
| Monroe | 6 | 3 | 0 | 6 |
| Saint Clair Shores | 6 | 4 | 0 | 6 |
| South Haven | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Erie | 4 | 3 | 0 | 4 |
| Muskegon | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
NOAA's 1991-2020 median first 32°F night is October 27 at Detroit and October 20 at Grand Rapids; winterize by October 6, two weeks ahead of the earlier date. By our boat rule Detroit stays in the water through September and Grand Rapids through September, then 2 months of launch or haul-out follow at Detroit. 60 Michigan listings offer indoor or climate-controlled space.
5 at Detroit (October to April) and 5 at Grand Rapids (October to April), plus 2 and 2 months of launch or haul-out. Those laid up months hold 75.3 of the 77.6 inches of snow Grand Rapids averages a year (97%), which is the load on a cover or carport roof. At Detroit a boat is in the water from May to September (5 months), against 5 at Grand Rapids.
Of 261 live Michigan listings, 60 list indoor space and 0 climate-controlled units, against 250 outdoor and 13 covered. By city: Detroit (47 listed, 13 indoor), Wyandotte (7 listed, 6 indoor), Cheboygan (6 listed, 0 indoor) and Harrison Township (6 listed, 3 indoor). Most indoor listings: Detroit (13), Wyandotte (6) and La Salle (5). Ask whether indoor means heated; listings span 117 cities in all.
At Grand Rapids, 4 months average a low at or below 32°F, all of them laid up months by our boat rule. Grand Rapids logs 133.1 nights at or below 32°F and 4.4 at or below 0°F a year; January, the coldest month, averages 18.6°F and is laid up for a boat.
After the last frost. The median last 32°F night is April 20 at Detroit and April 29 at Grand Rapids; the last 28°F hard freeze comes around April 8 and April 16. Our rule makes May the first month in the water at Detroit and May at Grand Rapids. That month Detroit averages a 50.2°F low and a 70.3°F high. Reverse each winterization step first.
Michigan boat storage listings span 117 cities, led by Detroit (47 listed), Wyandotte (7 listed), Cheboygan (6 listed), Harrison Township (6 listed) and La Salle (6 listed). For outdoor winter parking, Detroit (36 outdoor) and Wyandotte (7 outdoor) lead. Statewide, 250 list outdoor, 13 covered and 60 indoor or climate-controlled spaces. Compare the cities nearest you before October 20.
NOAA NCEI Climate Normals 1991-2020 (USW00094847, USW00094860); NOAA AOML hurricane impacts 1851-2025; StowHelp listings 2026-10-07 (methodology).