A tale of two marinas...

[Rivers & creeks]

We took our last boat to a well known marina on the East Coast, unfortunately we arrived 5 weeks before the start of their annual accounting period, so they made us pay the monthly rate during those 5 weeks - it came to just under £400, then we were allowed to pay them the annual mooring fee of £1850. It stuck with us as quite unnecessary "nickle-and-diming" as the Americans call it, but they were full with a waiting list. We left when a change of boat came along and had a very happy two years in Granary.

This year we're moving to Foxs:

1. We had two weeks berthing for free whilst the riggers looked over our plans.
2. We were hauled out, the work has started and is going to be finished two weeks ahead of schedule
3. Hang on I said, we won't be ready to set of for our hols, no problem they say, you can have free berthing until you're ready to go in late July - even though your annual contract doesn't start until 1st September.

Foxs is also full, also has a waiting list and will now be keeping our boat for a lot longer than that first marina! I know we all have stories to tell about our marinas but it struck me that the first impression is very different and I'm jolly grateful to Sailorman for advertising that 20% the first year's berthing - surely that's worth a pint.

 

[Koeketiene]

I'm jolly grateful to Sailorman for advertising that 20% the first year's berthing - surely that's worth a pint.

He'll be along to claim it shortly.

 

[Bru]

Go on, name and shame! WHich marina was the first one?

 

[Athene V30]

Foxs is also full, also has a waiting list and will now be keeping our boat for a lot longer than that first marina! I know we all have stories to tell about our marinas but it struck me that the first impression is very different and I'm jolly grateful to Sailorman for advertising that 20% the first year's berthing - surely that's worth a pint.

Very pleased to hear. Maybe Fox's are listening to Customer feedback which can only be good news for their ongoing business. After my gripe on here about delays / customer being kept informed several months ago I had a very pleasant exchange of emails with the MD where I put my case.

In October I will be looking around for winter deals afloat and for new rigging and Fox's is conveniently located.

 

[Rivers & creeks]

I feel a bit uncomfortable doing the name and shame thing with people I haven't complained to. It wasn't dodgy dealings, just their way of doing things, but it was really annoying, I asked if I could pay thirteen months up front and was told that they don't do it that way. Fine, but two years later I was getting emails asking if I wanted a berth - no doubt because they weren't full anymore. Fox's have been extraordinarily helpful and even though I was awkward with my arrival plans they held open the berth for four months for me and gave me a big discount. I get the impression that once you're there they like to look after you - unless you have a large Belgian yacht berthed next to the fuel pontoon they did mentioned the turnover rate of people leaving and it was incredibly low.

My favourite non-customer-focused experience was at Woolverstone. I was about to sign on the dotted line for their swinging mooring package. They offered loads of free nights in the marina - perfect I said, I won't need those in the summer, can I use them in the winter when you're half empty? "No" they said and quote "we get asked that all the time by potential customers" - so why don't you do it I ask - "we just don't really do it" - do you have many swinging mooring vacancies? - "oh gosh yes, loads, we can't seem to persuade people to take them" - really? I said, you surprise me.

 

[Bru]

My favourite non-customer-focused experience was at Woolverstone. I was about to sign on the dotted line for their swinging mooring package. They offered loads of free nights in the marina - perfect I said, I won't need those in the summer, can I use them in the winter when you're half empty? "No" they said and quote "we get asked that all the time by potential customers" - so why don't you do it I ask - "we just don't really do it" - do you have many swinging mooring vacancies? - "oh gosh yes, loads, we can't seem to persuade people to take them" - really? I said, you surprise me.

In contrast, Fambridge Yacht Haven do a very neat deal ("Summer Swing") with a swinging mooring from April to October and a marina berth over winter for a modest extra charge over and above the normal annual swinging mooring cost (actually works out exactly the same price to the penny, for us anyway, if we don't lift out for the winter as a result. Or to put it another way you can stay in all year round with a winter marina berth for the same cost as a swinging mooring plus lift out and relaunch for the winter).

And we then get a lift out, pressure wash and up to two weeks ashore in the summer when painting is a pleasure rather than a pain and we only pay half price!

 

[Athene V30]

My favourite non-customer-focused experience was at Woolverstone. I was about to sign on the dotted line for their swinging mooring package. They offered loads of free nights in the marina - perfect I said, I won't need those in the summer, can I use them in the winter when you're half empty? "No" they said and quote "we get asked that all the time by potential customers" - so why don't you do it I ask - "we just don't really do it" - do you have many swinging mooring vacancies? - "oh gosh yes, loads, we can't seem to persuade people to take them" - really? I said, you surprise me.

Had experience of that place back in 2002. I was very glad to get a berth at Brightlingsea where they couldnt do enough to help and didn't damage my boat. Managed to avoid the place ever since!

 

[chinita]

Another vote for Fox's. Nothing too much trouble whenever I have visited.

Same experience with Woolverstone and their swinging mooring package. I also asked if I could winter afloat - being wood. 'No' was the uncompromising answer.

 

[Hadenough]

But you get what you pay for don't you? I've never liked the location of Foxes, always feels like being in a service station on the A14.

 

[Bru]

But you get what you pay for don't you? I've never liked the location of Foxes, always feels like being in a service station on the A14.

My worst nightmare, being in a service station on the A14

Oh....!

 

[wingdiver]

But you get what you pay for don't you? I've never liked the location of Foxes, always feels like being in a service station on the A14.

Each to their own.....
We've been at Foxs since 1998 and wouldn't want to be in any of the other marinas on the Orwell for a variety of reasons.
It is actually a really nice place to be - always something interesting going on, lots of boats of all shapes and sizes both in and out of the water and lots of wildlife.
We've also had a lot of work done by them but have also used numerous other people not connected with Foxs.

It is a lot better on weekday evenings and late Autumn, Winter and early Spring for some reason.....

 

[maybh1]

This year we're moving to Foxs:


2. We were hauled out, the work has started and is going to be finished two weeks ahead of schedule


.

That will be Sea Dweller at they back of the queue again then :encouragement:


May
Xx

 

[chinita]

But you get what you pay for don't you? I've never liked the location of Foxes, always feels like being in a service station on the A14.

Not sure it is all about money; staff attitude to customers is pretty high on my list. In my experience Fox's have done everything possible to accommodate my needs, and that is good enough for me.

When I made my enquiry at the Woolverstone office we did not even get around to talking money. I told them that I did not want to lift my wooden boat out every winter and was looking for a winter berth afloat as their swinging moorings are not licensed for winter use. Clearly they have many vacant berths throughout the winter (most boats taking the storage ashore option) so it is a mystery to me why they did not seize this opportunity to a) save on the cost of lift out/in, b) allocate the vacant slot ashore and, c) fill an otherwise empty berth.