Automotive and marine
Store vehicles and boats on your own ground
Cars, trailered boats, and powersports gear stored in a lockable container on your site, not a yard across town.
Built for the job
Access it on your own land
Store it at your own site and skip the storage yard's gate hours and monthly fee. In exchange, siting is on you: the unit needs a level spot and a clear, straight run for the delivery truck.
The door width is the real limit
Cars and many bass boats clear the roughly 7ft 8in door opening once mirrors are folded in. Dually trucks, pontoons, and wide-beam hulls don't — measure your vehicle before you buy.
Keeps weather off gelcoat and paint
A steel shell blocks UV, hail, and rain from reaching a stored hull or car. That's not climate control, though — temperature and humidity still swing inside without vents or insulation.
Ventilation guards stored engines
Fitted vents and a desiccant keep condensation off metal and upholstery. A sealed, unvented box still sweats in humid seasons, so plan on checking the unit periodically.
A racked box works like a parts room
Three-tier racking gets outboard parts, tires, and gear up on shelves instead of the floor. It costs you floor width, so rack a gear container rather than the vehicle bay.
Ground-level delivery, itemized quote
A tilt-bed truck sets the container at ground level, no crane or forklift needed, and we confirm site access before the truck leaves. The quote is free and itemized, with nothing hidden.
Storage for the machines you use by season
Whether you're a collector, a dealer working an overflow lot, a marina, a powersports fleet, or a landlord adding rentable space, the problem is the same: vehicles and boats parked for months on end still need to stay dry, locked up, and within reach. Putting a shipping container on your own ground handles that without a monthly bill from a storage yard. This page is about vehicle and boat storage specifically; for household goods instead, see our storage containers for homeowners.
Your own land versus a storage yard
Storage yards bill monthly, run on set gate hours, and frequently waitlist boat and RV spots. Own your container instead and it sits exactly where the work happens: hitch up at dawn with no gate code to punch in. In exchange, the yard's usual responsibilities land on you: a level, compacted spot, truck access for delivery, and whatever placement rules your city or HOA has on the books.
What fits: the door decides
Every container's door opening measures about 7ft 8in wide by 7ft 5in tall (roughly 8ft 5in tall on a high cube, a container about 1ft taller overall). A trailered boat comes down to two numbers: how its total trailer length compares to 19ft 4in of interior in a 20ft unit or 39ft 5in in a 40ft, and how its beam plus trailer fenders compares to the door width. Most bass and fishing boats with a beam under 7ft 6in will roll straight in; pontoons and wide-beam hulls won't, and no modification changes that math.
The one-trip 20ft container (a one-trip container makes a single run from factory to buyer, about as close to new as it gets) is a solid fit for a car, motorcycles, or gear. The one-trip 40ft high cube handles trailered boats, two vehicles parked nose-to-tail, or a car alongside workshop space, and the extra door height comes in handy since outboards and wakeboard towers eat into it quickly.
Ventilation comes first, not as an add-on
Condensation inside a sealed steel box, not weather, poses the real risk to a stored engine, hull, or interior. Moisture stays off metal and upholstery with fitted vents, a desiccant, and a breathable cover in place; without modification, a container isn't climate-controlled, so humidity will swing. Our guide to how to store a car in a shipping container runs through everything on the prep checklist, from fuel stabilizer to battery tenders.
Doors, ramps, and racking choices
Short ramps and anything else you can drive or winch straight in are handled fine by the standard end doors. A full side access 40ft high cube opens along its full length instead, and that changes what can go in: kayaks, masts, outboard parts, pallets loaded straight from the side. It comes with more door seals to keep an eye on. If you're storing gear rather than vehicles, three-tier racking for containers lifts parts, tires, and tackle onto shelves instead of the floor; since it eats into floor width, keep it in a gear container rather than the vehicle bay.
Security when nobody's watching the lot
An unattended storage spot is exactly where stored vehicles concentrate the most value. A lockbox (a welded shroud that hides the padlock from bolt cutters) fitted with a puck lock helps, and positioning the container so its doors face a fence or another unit adds another layer. Our guide on securing a shipping container covers the layering in more detail; every layer you add costs an extra step at each visit.
Modifications you can add
Modification is something containers handle well. Shelving, lighting, fitted vents, and a power outlet for battery tenders are common additions we handle through our custom modifications service. It's worth scoping these out before delivery; retrofitting afterward is possible, just easier before anything's loaded in.
Questions people ask
Will my boat fit inside a shipping container?
Start by measuring total trailer length and beam, fenders included. A beam under about 7ft 6in with 19ft of length works in a 20ft unit; trailer length up to about 39ft works in a 40ft. Pontoons and wide-beam hulls run wider than the door and simply won't fit.
Can a car and gear share the same container?
In a 40ft unit, yes: parking a car nose-in still leaves roughly half the length open for shelving and a bench. A 20ft unit is a different story — a car fills nearly the whole interior, so gear usually needs a second, racked container.
Do containers work well for winter boat storage?
Yes, provided you prep first: drain the water systems, stabilize the fuel, pull the battery or put it on a tender, and manage condensation with vents and a desiccant. UV, rain, and snow stay out thanks to the container, but heat and climate control only come with modification.
Can a container be wired for battery tenders?
Our custom modifications service can add lighting and outlets for tenders; just scope that in when you place the order. Short of that, pulling the battery and keeping it somewhere warm accomplishes the same thing at a lower cost.
Is a permit required to keep a container on my property?
That depends on your specific city, county, and HOA. Some permit placement outright, while others require a permit or restrict how long a container can stay or how visible it can be. Check your local code before delivery day; treat this as general guidance rather than legal advice.
Get a free quote
Let us know what you're storing, its widest and tallest measurements, and where the container will end up. Every unit gets inspected and graded before delivery, and our container delivery service checks site access up front: a tilt-bed (roll-off) truck slides the box off at ground level, with no crane or forklift required. You can scope vents, racking, or an outlet for tenders through our custom modifications service in that same order. The quote comes back free and itemized, and we reply within 1 business day.
Containers suited for automotive and marine
Related services
- Container DeliveryDoor-to-door delivery on a tilt-bed truck
- Custom ModificationsCustom doors, windows, HVAC, and fit-outs
- Container SalesOne-trip and graded used containers for sale
Related guides
Put containers to work in automotive and marine
Tell us about your project and we will send a free, no-obligation quote.