Debatable Boat Length - Med Marina Charges

[winfarthing]

My Golden Hind 31 has a bow sprit making her somewhere around 35' if you count it. I rarely visit marinas and when I do I tell them its a 31' foot boat. No marina has come along and checked whether this includes the bow sprit. However, as my stay in a Med marina is going to be long term, does anyone have experience of how this is likely to be viewed. Could make a significant difference on a years fees. Also, if anyone could tell me what the cheaper Med marina fees are likely to be (France/Spain), I could gauge if somewhere is good value or not. Info seems hard to find.

 

[Twister_Ken]

My limited experience - Med marinae are more fussed about beam than LOA, coz mooring is blunt or pointy-end to.

Poss to retract bowsprit, as it might be vulnerable parked that way?

 

[winfarthing]

Thanks. The bow sprit is actually a plank and most is definitely not removeable. It supports the forestay, guard rails and also incorporates the bow rollers.

 

[clyst]

If the marina rules state that the OA length is charged and you dont like it dont dont go . Why do you feel its ok to cheat the marina . Pay up or feck off /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

 

[winfarthing]

When I recently put my first post on here I was pleasantly suprised at the response and help offered. In reading through other threads I was also amazed at the offensive things people write, very bravely hidden behind their computer screens. I don't think you understood the question and I don't think you would want to speak to me like that face to face. Your response was not necessary.

 

[clyst]

Edited by Dan Foley: I thought this was a bit strong - t's & c's here state no personal attacks so I've removed the comment. If you feel winfarthing is doing something wrong then by all means say so, but please keep it in the (general) spirit of the forums.

Thanks,
Dan

 

[winfarthing]

The question is basically is the bow sprit likley to be considered as part of the LOA or not. In my limited experience here (as stated) no one was sure or really bothered and were happy to just accept that it was GH 31 for charging. With that cleared up, perhaps you could withdraw your offensive comment.

 

[longjohnsilver]

Calling someone a cheat and a thief is way OTT. Not necessary at all. Maybe you got out of bed on the wrong side this morning. Having a bad day?

 

[jimbaerselman]

Most Med marinas measure your boat by asking to see your registration document . . . quicker than nipping around with a tape measure!

 

[jamesjermain]

Not quite in the spirit of the forum Clyst. Let's keep it friendly.

 

[clyst]

I certainly will not remove or modify any of my posts on this subjuct .If the mods consider it to be deleted I haven't got a problem with that. If you are confused as to the charging then the sensible thing to do is ASK the marina staff. Its people like you that keep marina charges high . Why dont you just be up front and tell them its a 31foot boat with a bow sprit ??? Both you and I know the answer to that don't we ??? 'cos if you did you would be charged for the extra couple of feet as you have indicated in your OP.I stand by my comments previously stated . And as regards to your comments implying that I wouldn't make those comments to you face to face please explain why not . It all sounds rather threatening to me !

 

[Orla]

[ QUOTE ]
If the marina rules state that the OA length is charged and you dont like it dont dont go . Why do you feel its ok to cheat the marina . Pay up or feck off /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

I understand where your coming from but you could have worded it a bit better.

LOA means exactly that and unfortunatly thats what most marinas punch into there calculaters.

PS Im having a great day /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[clyst]

Neither is cheating marinas james . /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

 

[Orla]

I entered a wee marina on the south coast to wait for good weather before heading over to Ireland. The marina attendant came over to me and said
"how long is your yacht"
I said
"44.6ft"
"Oh no its not" he said
"I can assure you its is exactly 44.6ft"
"no, no, no" he said "it cant be any more than 37ft in my opinion"
Aha said I "you might just be right you know"

So I paid up for a 37ft yacht. What a crackin guy.
I gave him some beer tokens. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[winfarthing]

[ QUOTE ]
And as regards to your comments implying that I wouldn't make those comments to you face to face please explain why not . It all sounds rather threatening to me !

[/ QUOTE ]

I think we all know that things get said in e-mails and forums that our normal restraint would not let us do face to face. May be you are an exception and don't really care who you offend at any time.

I don't think that anywhere in my thread I said it was OK to cheat a marina although, I don't see marinas getting much sympathy from the sailing public with regard to fees. Hence the constant stream of boats heading away from the UK.
As indicated, I am struggling to gain information on charges etc and thought that I would tap the knowledge available through the forum. That's what its for isn't it? LOA for charging purposes seems to be treated very variably in harbours and marinas, I was simply asking for an opinion on what the view may be in my chosen area.
I can see that I cannot win with you Clyst, but I hope that this clears the situation for other more reasonable readers.

 

[awol]

I can understand marinas charging by LOA on linear pontoons but why a finger berth is not just a fixed charge beats me. My Contessa 32 is of course longer than 32' if you count the pulpit and stern ladder and I sometimes answer "24'LWL" when asked "how long?". Does this make me a "cheat and a thief"?

 

[alandee]

Hi. We've only had our boat in the South Of France for just over a year now so I don't have a great deal of experience in these matters. However, the majority of marinas that we visit insist on seeing the ships papers and the insurance documents. We have always been charged for an 11m boat as the papers say 10.78m. This figure is actually the length of the hull, our boat including pullpit is 11.14m but they don't seem interested in that, only what it states on the papers...unless you have fixed davits on the stern of course but that is a subject on its own!

 

[winfarthing]

Many thanks for that, just the sort of information I was after. Could I trouble you to tell me what you think it would cost anually to keep the boat in a reasonable cost South of France Marina?
Thanks again.

 

[Neraida]

I think if they charged a flat rate for a finger two things would happen:-

Firstly the "little" boats would get grumpy for paying the same as the 40 footer; and secondly you wouldn't be able to get down the fairway 'cos of all the bigguns in 8/10m berths!

Charging per length is fair enough, only I find the "stepping" (ie 0-8m, 8-10.5m etc etc) a bit hard to take.

Was it not a manager (now ex) of a large marina operator say thet they would increase marina charges "until the pips squeek" in an IPC publication?

 

[clyst]

"My Golden Hind 31 has a bow sprit making her somewhere around 35' if you count it. I rarely visit marinas and when I do I tell them its a 31' foot boat. No marina has come along and checked whether this includes the bow sprit"---------- These are your words from your OP . Why miss -lead the marina by stating that your boat is only 31ft when it is 35 inc the sprit if its not to decieve in order to save money??? Why would you expect the marina to check ???? You know as well as I that marina charges are LOA and that you try to pay an under size rate . wriggle as much as you like its what your post implied.