How should a boat and RV storage yard handle winter storage intake?

Treat winter storage intake as a check-in with a record, not a drop-off. Before arrival, confirm the space fits the unit's real length, height and width, and collect the signed agreement, payment and any documents your agreement requires, such as proof of insurance. At arrival, measure the unit, photograph every side, note existing damage and what was left on board, and send the customer a copy.

What to collect before arrival

Item	Why it matters
Unit type	Boat on trailer, travel trailer, fifth wheel, motorhome or toy hauler. Each measures differently.
Overall length	Include the trailer tongue, hitch, pin box, outboard or swim platform. Customers often give the model length instead.
Overall height	Include the roof air conditioner, antenna, T-top, tower or windshield. This decides covered and enclosed spaces.
Width	Include mirrors or awnings that stay extended in storage, if any.
Space type wanted	Uncovered, covered or enclosed.
Arrival window	Spreads intakes so a full Saturday does not jam the gate.
Signed agreement and first payment	No space is held on a verbal yes.
Proof of insurance and registration	Only if your agreement requires them. If it does, record the expiry date.
Your storage rules, acknowledged	Whatever your agreement and local fire code require about fuel, propane, batteries and covers.
Emergency contact	For storm damage or a break-in.

The intake workflow

Step	Owner	What	Output
1. Inquiry	Office	Collect type, length, height, width and space type	Inquiry record
2. Fit check	Office	Match against the measured spaces you have open	Space offered in writing
3. Paperwork	Customer	Sign the agreement, pay, upload any required documents	Complete file
4. Book arrival	Office	Confirm date, time window and gate instructions	Arrival booked
5. Inspect	Yard staff	Measure, photograph and note condition with the customer present	Signed intake sheet
6. Place	Yard staff	Park the unit and photograph it in the space	Space number logged
7. Confirm	Office	Send the customer the intake photos, space number and access rules	Customer copy sent

Intake inspection checklist

• Measured length and height compared with what the customer gave (required)
• Photos of all four sides, plus roof or deck if reachable (required)
• Photos of the hitch or tongue, tires and any existing damage (required)
• Existing damage marked on a diagram and signed by the customer (required)
• Items left on board listed, or "none" written (recommended)
• Keys held or not held, and logged if held (required if you hold keys)
• Placement photo with the space number visible (required)
• Confirmation sent to the customer with photos (recommended)
• Spring pickup date or booking link sent (optional)

Example (hypothetical)

A customer books a covered space for a "35-foot fifth wheel." The open covered space is 40 feet deep with 13 feet 6 inches of clearance. The yard's written rule requires at least 6 inches between the roof and the cover.

At intake, staff measure 36 feet 4 inches from the rear bumper to the front of the pin box, and 13 feet 2 inches to the top of the roof air conditioner.

• Length: 40 feet minus 36 feet 4 inches leaves 3 feet 8 inches. It fits.
• Height: 13 feet 6 inches minus 13 feet 2 inches leaves 4 inches. That is less than the 6-inch rule, so it does not fit.

The unit is under the cover's height, but not by enough. Staff offer an uncovered space or a taller covered space at the rate-sheet price and update the agreement. Had they measured only at drop-off, the customer would have learned this at the gate. That is why the fit check uses measured numbers before arrival and is checked again at intake: the customer's figure was 16 inches short of the real length.

Common problems

Problem	Likely cause	Fix
Unit does not fit the booked space	Customer gave model length or skipped the roof AC	Ask for overall length and height in the inquiry and measure at intake
Spring damage claim with no evidence either way	No intake photos	Make photos and the signed condition sheet required steps
Gate jammed on peak weekends	Everyone arrives at once	Book arrival windows and cap intakes per window
Lapsed insurance on a stored unit	Expiry date never recorded	Record the expiry date and set reminders before it
Items reported missing from on board	No inventory at intake	List items left on board, or write "none" and have the customer sign
Storm prep messages go to everyone	No location data for alerts	Send storm messages only to customers at the affected location

What to track

Track the share of winter intakes with a complete photo set and a signed condition sheet. Aim for every intake. Anything less leaves a gap you will feel in spring.

Where Propty fits

Propty's boat and RV storage page describes answering space calls 24/7, quoting only from your rate sheet, collecting vehicle length and height, texting back missed callers, and waitlist holds that keep a space for the next person in line. Its What you get page describes storm alerts sent only to locations in the affected county, paperwork and insurance-certificate reminders at 30, 14 and 3 days, payment links sent by text within your texting rules, and an app where customers pay and view their agreement. These descriptions come from Propty's public pages as checked on 2026-10-14. They are not a test of the live product. What is available for a property depends on setup and connected services, so confirm current behavior in a demo before relying on it.

See the boat and RV storage demo.

Sources

• Propty for boat and RV storage: 24/7 answering, rate-sheet quoting, length and height collection, missed-call text back, waitlist holds, storm alerts, customer app. Checked 2026-10-14.
• Propty, What you get: paperwork reminders at 30, 14 and 3 days including insurance certificates; payment links by text. Checked 2026-10-14.
• No outside statistics are used. All dimensions and rules are labeled examples. Check fuel, propane and battery rules against your agreement and local fire code.