Prebooked marinas

[Guest]

Is it me or does the incidence of parties prebooking marinas seem on the increase. I find it irritating when I arrive at a marina in plenty of time e.g early afternoon to find it half empty but cannot get a berth because the Captain Haddock Appreciation Sociey has booked 30 berths and Save the Herring Lugger Restoration Group, complete with oiled wool jerseys and accordians have booked the rest. It's a practice of most marinas I really disagree with. Any views ?

 

[Guest]

I have found the same thing very frustrating - it seems to be a particular problem during the 'low season' (I suppose because there aren't as many spare berths in the marinas).

However I am not sure what the alternative is - if you are trying to organise a group event then I would have though pre-booking was essential, so I for one would not be in favour of banning it (for that matter I am not really in favour of banning anything).

In my opinion marinas should provide visitors berths where one can raft out if necessary.

 

[Guest]

Not good news...

The upsurge of rallies means geting a marina berth on a Saturday night is increasingly difficult. We sail with a Golden Retriever so if the weather is at all iffy we try and get an alongside berth, several times last season we ended up day sailing from our own berth because Lymington, Beaulie etc was 'full' even though like you we could see empty berths. Frustrating yes but the only way round it is for the marinas to accept the bookings, the bookings to be then confirmed by 11:00hours of the morning of the bookings, the person making the booking is then liable for the costs of berths booked regardless of whether they are used or not. Hopefully that would then free up some berths.?

Pete

 

[Guest]

We can all help....

It often happens, and I have in the past been as guilty as the rest, that many do not bother to let their "resident" marina know that they will be away for the night/weekend/week. If the office knew of all the free space that they are not informed about, I am pretty sure that there would be many more spaces available for the visitor.

Marina staff could be a bit more proactive in this, as could we all I suspect.

 

[Guest]

Re: We can all help....

AND MDL can charge twice for the same berth!! My anual charge and a visitors charge, nice work if you can get it!

Ian

 

[Guest]

True, but an empty berth is an empty berth..

you want your moneys worth then stay put. I would prefer marinas used the berth (yes and god forbid made some additional money), because
a) I aint there, and b) if Ive gone to another marina I would hope they did the same so that there was space.
Asking for a cut/rebate does happen in some marinas, but not of course in MDL.
Would you seriously try and prevent others from using your berth space when you are not ? Rather unfriendly!!

 

[Guest]

It is is very irritating especially if, like me, you are not the 'club-sailing, type but do like the convenience of marinas most of the time. In the school holidays we tend to call the marina the previous day to ask if they have a gang-booking and then start early and arrive early particularly in the West Country in the summer. I guess if I owned a marina I would welcome the extra business that block bookings bring and investing in extra space just to please the likes of me who just wish to turn up occaisionally wouldn't make much sense.

 

[Guest]

Re: We can all help....

I was told that Phwelli - Pwelli - Pwllelli - That place in North Wales, operate a system where they do pay some of the visitors berthing fee to the resident "owner" of the berth.

It would certainly encourage me to let the office know when I was away for a few days.

 

[Guest]

Re: True, but an empty berth is an empty berth..

no, of course not, it is just the principle with those nice folk at MDL, they can bill you oh so quick, but offer a little back I don't think so, can you imagine "Oh Mr Grant we let your berth for the week you were away at £15.00 per night here is your half of our charge" I supose we can all dream!

 

[Guest]

Re: True, but an empty berth is an empty berth..

Just playing devil's advocate here. Bet you anything the marinas will tell you that it's already budgeted to use the extra revenue to keep our charges reasonable. We all know that the charges are higher here than in say France but so are all costs associated with real estate. Plus they sometimes have some municipal involvement. Chichester always ask the question. Whether during free flow or locking out.

Re the original question. Some places like Bembridge (mid summer) and Yarmouth, won't take the bookings.

 

[Guest]

Doesn\'t MDL share the fees on re-let berths?nm *NM*

 

[Guest]

Re: Yarmouth and Bembridge

It's true that Yarmouth and Bembridge don't take bulk bookings. I was a the receiving end of that when I went on a club cruise to Yarmouth and couldn't get in to join the rest of the boats. Despite that I still dislike the practice.

 

[Guest]

Never seen a penny from MDL Port Hamble (nm) *NM*

 

[Guest]

Yarmouth - has the practice changed ?

Late last year, we went in and were informed that we should move unless we wanted to be surrounded by a motor yacht rally. At that stage there was enough space elsewhere, and needless to say we shifted shortly before the mightly descended. As such if they dont 'take bookings' they obviously 'take heed' and make space if they don't expect large numbers - which is fair enough I suppose.

 

[Guest]

Re: Yarmouth - has the practice changed ?

If you tell them in advance you're coming as a rally they'll try to put you all in the same place, but they won't reserve places for you.