How full is your Marina?

[SolentPhill]

Was visiting a marina on Friday night and one of the staff was saying they are down on boats compared to last year, my Marina is down 15 boats.

How does yours compare? Is it up, down, or about same?

Where have all the boats gone?

I rang east Cowes over Easter and got in at short notice that's not normal, I hope this is not sign of times biting.

SP

 

[Otter]

I hope it is a sign of times biting! Our favoured marina increased its rates by 20% over the last four years when most other businesses were holding prices or cutting them where possible. Surprise surprise there is no longer a waiting list and we were offered a choice of berths. The yacht harbour up the river is £800pa cheaper so we went there.

 

[OAF]

According to Anthony the boss at my marina it is full to the brim, but have had A ring around this weekend and it would seem that a few of the other hamble marinas do have spaces

 

[volvopaul]

According to Anthony the boss at my marina it is full to the brim, but have had A ring around this weekend and it would seem that a few of the other hamble marinas do have spaces

My mate John is coming to your yard tomorrow, he didn't have a problem getting a berth there, I been having a phone around to see what's available in the hamble area, if you prepared to pay you can get in anywhere no problem.

 

[z1ppy]

our marina looked pretty quiet today but it was blowing a gale and chuffing freezing!!

 

[SolentPhill]

our marina looked pretty quiet today but it was blowing a gale and chuffing freezing!!

Was lovely in the boat today sun coming through the covers, Was like a summers day.

 

[z1ppy]

i really must be a southern softie then! sat at Mercury! was ok with the covers up but wind was right up the back of us and cold too!!

was nice in the sun mind!

 

[prv]

i really must be a southern softie then! sat at Mercury! was ok with the covers up but wind was right up the back of us and cold too!!

I was out sailing today, in shorts.

















Did have a woolly jumper on under my canvas smock though, and a woolly hat

Pete

 

[z1ppy]

i had the heater on!

 

[OAF]

My mate John is coming to your yard tomorrow, he didn't have a problem getting a berth there, I been having a phone around to see what's available in the hamble area, if you prepared to pay you can get in anywhere no problem.

Just out of curiosity how big is your friends boat? Anthony asked me to move to an inside berth to accommodate a boat that was due in shortly, according to Ant and Tony they are full to the brim, maybe like us they don't turn people away and will always make space somewhere.

 

[SolentPhill]

Lymington was always another that was full, they have space as well

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

I hope it is a sign of times biting! Our favoured marina increased its rates by 20% over the last four years when most other businesses were holding prices or cutting them where possible.

Agree. Rapacious marina operators have been ripping off boaters for far too long so it's high time they experienced harder times to make them think about their pricing policies. I'm not quite sure either why anyone would want fuller marinas any way. Don't we all prefer quieter times when there are less boats about?

 

[SolentPhill]

Agree. Rapacious marina operators have been ripping off boaters for far too long so it's high time they experienced harder times to make them think about their pricing policies. I'm not quite sure either why anyone would want fuller marinas any way. Don't we all prefer quieter times when there are less boats about?

yes its great in one way but does there come a time when a marina starts to lose money, what then? prices go up for those there? then they decide its too expensive and move or it closes then the boats there have to move and will fill other marinas so back to square one.

I cant see how the smaller marinas make money. How much does it cost to run a marina 3 yard staff on min wage is what £50k, plus a couple in office, then rates electric, water etc then yard costs before you make a profit you got £100k bill. a marina with 500 boats plus should be ok but smaller ones do they have a future.

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

yes its great in one way but does there come a time when a marina starts to lose money, what then? prices go up for those there? then they decide its too expensive and move or it closes then the boats there have to move and will fill other marinas so back to square one.

I cant see how the smaller marinas make money. How much does it cost to run a marina 3 yard staff on min wage is what £50k, plus a couple in office, then rates electric, water etc then yard costs before you make a profit you got £100k bill. a marina with 500 boats plus should be ok but smaller ones do they have a future.

Er yup thats the way markets work! When times are bad, prices go down and the less efficient businesses go to the wall. When times were good, marina operators didn't give a toss about boatowners; they squeezed them for every penny. Now times are bad, I don't think anyone should be shedding any tears for them

 

[longjohnsilver]

Well Darthaven have just put up their prices by 15% with a further 20% to come next year, according to berth holders. They don't sound happy with talk of many either leaving or giving up completely. Seems a strange move for the (new) marina operators to make in these difficult times.

 

[OAF]

When you compare the prices of marinas in the same vicinity as each other and there are large disparities between there prices it can only mean that the more expensive marinas are ripping people off, granted the services provided are often better with more upmarket marinas and the initial investment in them is much higher but I still think they are taking advantage.

 

[Poignard]

Er yup thats the way markets work! When times are bad, prices go down and the less efficient businesses go to the wall. When times were good, marina operators didn't give a toss about boatowners; they squeezed them for every penny. Now times are bad, I don't think anyone should be shedding any tears for them

I won't be happy until I see former marina owners busking, or selling matches on street corners.

 

[prv]

I cant see how the smaller marinas make money. How much does it cost to run a marina 3 yard staff on min wage is what £50k, plus a couple in office, then rates electric, water etc then yard costs before you make a profit you got £100k bill.

What are those three "yard staff" for? My marina has one grumpy bloke in a Portacabin, who doesn't appear to do very much most of the time. He drives the travelift, but that's used fairly rarely for most of the year, and even in spring and autumn they'll only do one or two boats on any given day. There's another guy who sweeps the pontoons and occasionally picks litter in the yard, but he's very part time, I rarely see him.

Yes, they need to pay business rates and utility bills (not too much leccy though as most of the berths aren't cabled - I think the only ones that are are liveaboards and no doubt they're paying extra for it). Not sure what you mean by "yard costs" - I'm sure they own the land, paid for fifty years ago when it was a lot cheaper (even allowing for inflation) than it would be now.

Seems like a successful small marina, suits me very well. They do have spaces (had a chat with a couple the other day who were thinking of moving in and been offered a slot near me) but the place feels as busy as ever.

granted the services provided are often better with more upmarket marinas

Thing is, I don't really want much in the way of services from my home marina. A pontoon to tie the boat to and a basic loo is about it - if I want a shower I'll wait till I get home.

Pete

 

[maby]

Our marina seems to be close to capacity - over 300 boats. Mooring fees went up by a small amount last year, but have stayed the same this year. They have a very professional team of about half a dozen - normally at last two on duty during daylight hours. All very well run, friendly and helpful. Strange thing is that they are little if any more expensive than two other marinas within a radius of three or four miles that are far less well equipped and staffed.

I doubt that anyone is paying less than £2k per annum for their mooring and the average is probably around £3k - that's a million in mooring fees before you begin to factor in boatyard services and visitors fees - should not be too hard to turn a useful profit...

 

[AdeOlly]

Er yup thats the way markets work! When times are bad, prices go down and the less efficient businesses go to the wall. When times were good, marina operators didn't give a toss about boatowners; they squeezed them for every penny. Now times are bad, I don't think anyone should be shedding any tears for them

Quite so; like every other business they need to sharpen their cost management.

After discovering that MDL in Chi wanted an extra £800+ for the new boat with it being a whole metre longer, (we moved over 10m into a higher per metre rate), we had a good look around at options. Not once were we told there was no availability; everywhere we enquired had space available....