How does a marina know how long you will be away?

[Mister E]

The subletting of berths made me wonder how would the marina know you will be away for any length of time for them to subletting it if you don't tell them?

 

[ProDave]

It would be polite to tell them when you are going on a long trip.

 

[Clancy Moped]

We let them know roughly how long we would be away, and then call three days prior to returning

 

[jamie N]

As above, plus they've the AIS app.
It's certainly going to be much easier 'up here', given the distances between anywhere and anywhere else, and the relatively few number of boats.

 

[dunedin]

Most would expect you to advise them of your plans. And per the other thread, as you don’t generally have a right to a specific berth, if they notice that you regularly don’t let them know they will probably feel free to let a visitor use the berth - and get you to use a different berth if you arrive back unannounced.
But for bertholders who are sensible and keep on good terms with the marina office, our marina generally tracks bertholders on AIS or gives them a phone call to confirm that their berth will be free for a visitor.

 

[Sandy]

I always considered it good manners to inform the marina of my initial plan and any change to that plan. I always called them 24 hours before arrival to confirm that I was returning.

 

[RunAgroundHard]

Most would expect you to advise them of your plans. ... if they notice that you regularly don’t let them know they will probably feel free to let a visitor use the berth ...

That is not my experience. For regattas that are hosted by the marina, I have had emails asking for my plans so they can use the berth if I am away during the regatta, but that is it.

 

[Seastoke]

That is not my experience. For regattas that are hosted by the marina, I have had emails asking for my plans so they can use the berth if I am away during the regatta, but that is it.

Well if you don’t advise , and the peeps don’t where you are heading , there might not be a berth for you when you arrive.

 

[Mister E]

If away for more than one or two nights then I would definitely inform the marina as a matter of good manners, plus it helps to keep my fees down.

 

[lustyd]

We told ours we’d be away for “at least a few weeks” and called them a couple of months later to say we’d be back 2-3 days later. We did say we’d be happy to go somewhere temporary if ours was in use but they cleared it for us.
It does help to be with Boatfolk who screw a nameplate to the pontoon to show it’s your berth. Contrast with Premier who moved us 4 times in a month when we didn’t go away and who take great care to explain it’s not your berth and you could move every time you return! I can’t remember why we left shortly after that…

 

[Momac]

Someone once told the marina we were away and the marina phoned me to ask if they could put a visitor in our space.
I said okay but we are only 10 miles away will be back late morning tomorrow.
They put the visitor elsewhere.
More recently there are plenty of unoccupied spaces so no need to contact the marina.

 

[Refueler]

If away for more than one or two nights then I would definitely inform the marina as a matter of good manners, plus it helps to keep my fees down.

Never had any reduction of fees for being away a few days or longer from berth .... my agreements were always an annual basis with specified number of lifts for storage / scrub etc. whn I was UK.

Now with Latvia - I can reduce fees if I state days aways - but at a rate of 80 euros a month incl water / leccy ... unless its for a week or so - I wont bother.

 

[Seastoke]

Never had any reduction of fees for being away a few days or longer from berth .... my agreements were always an annual basis with specified number of lifts for storage / scrub etc. whn I was UK.

Now with Latvia - I can reduce fees if I state days aways - but at a rate of 80 euros a month incl water / leccy ... unless its for a week or so - I wont bother.

I think he means it helps wi th profit.

 

[Refueler]

I think he means it helps wi th profit.

mmmmm could be taken 2 ways ...

"plus it helps to keep my fees down."

1. helps to reduce marina increasing fees next year ......
or
2. he is not charged for the days he's not there ...

Which TBH - I doubt both actually !!

 

[Bobc]

We have to tell ours, otherwise we don't get free mooring in other marinas.

 

[capnsensible]

It's routine in many Spanish marinas for staff to go round the marina a couple of times a day with an occupancy plan checking for cheeky peeps. Very often in a rib.

 

[Irish Rover]

We have to tell ours, otherwise we don't get free mooring in other marinas.

We don't have a rule, as such, but I'm a great believer in the do unto others philosophy and if berth holders in the other marinas don't tell when they're going to be away I'll find it much more difficult to get free nights.

 

[Buck Turgidson]

It's routine in many Spanish marinas for staff to go round the marina a couple of times a day with an occupancy plan checking for cheeky peeps. Very often in a rib.

This is certainly the case in Valencia. I also asked about the need to inform them if I was away from my berth and they said no need but passage plans would be logged. As I often don't have a specific plan I just come and go as I please.

 

[xyachtdave]

There was a miserable old buzzard on our pontoon the last time I kept the boat in a marina, he proudly boasted he always told the marina he was back the same day as he didn’t want a visitor in his berth while he was gone.

The marina asked as you exited a lock when you were back.

If everyone adopted Captain misery’s stance we’d have trouble visiting anywhere, as mentioned above.

 

[Roberto]

It's routine in many Spanish marinas for staff to go round the marina a couple of times a day with an occupancy plan checking for cheeky peeps. Very often in a rib.

There are also cheekier peeps always arriving 5 minutes after the afternoon marina closing time and leaving 5 minutes earlier than the morning opening time, surprisingly with boats where the price of a shackle for their tender would buy them a week in a marina. I've seen quite a few, 99% flying the same flag (won't tell which, I suspect you'll have noticed the same).