LOA, davits and berthing charges

[Neals]

In anticpation of moving to the Med I am considering adding Simpson davits to help increase storage space. Doing so will increase the length and put me in what could be a significantly higher bracket for mooring fees in many places. According to Simpson the brackets are "easily removable for shipping and winter storage" but removing them would not be something that you would want to do every day. I would be interested to know of people's experience (particularly in the Med) and whether marina's etc.. usually check the measurement to the nearest cm or simply rely on the LOA in the registration document. If the former, could I argue that that davits are removable and therefore should not be included in the LOA?

 

[Steve Clayton]

the size of your boat determines which berthing charge bracket they will put you in. Berth sizes are generally 12 metres x 4 metres or 15 metres x 5metres. If with and without davits you satisfy one of these sizes then that's what you will be charged.

Never had our boat formally measured by any marina staff

[ QUOTE ]
If the former, could I argue........

[/ QUOTE ]
You could but it won't get you anywhere

 

[DavidJ]

Agree with Steve, They will put you in the size berth that you say you are and at booking-in time they will look at your ships papers (maybe!) for the dimensions. Because in the Med it's stern mooring with no 'fingers' between boats, it can be tricky backing in and getting off to tie up with a dingy in the way. So be prepared to take it down every time you enter a marina.
David

 

[moodycruiser]

Agree with most of that except that stern to mooring is the norm but not mandatory - i have moored up bows to on various occasions.

 

[DavidJ]

Good point moodycruiser. Many people do choose 'bow to' for extra privacy, even though it often means an inelegant leap to the quay.

 

[Talbot]

personally more fussed about anchors overhanging the pontoons.

 

[chrisc]

Mandatory in some places ......in my experience.

 

[moodycruiser]

it's getting the technique of putting one foot on a head rope to bring her in, and then the leap....... of course, success is inversely proportional to the number of people watching... /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Anonymous]

Mandatory to moor stern-to not bow-to? Where is that the rule?

 

[abraxus]

If you're worried about it putting you in higher length bracket then just remove them when you first get to the marina. Once thgey've had look, done any measuring they might wish to do and set the rates, you can put them back on again.

That way even if they do measure the entire length they're unlikely to do it again afterwards.

 

[scarlett]

I have never been measured always being charged what it says on the SSR document.

 

[billcowan]

I have a 9.9M boat in the med, always pay for a 10m berth, nobody ever measured it, if they did I would be in trouble because of the Monitor steering gear.

Which also means always mooring bows on. The back of my boat looks like a travelling peoples campsite with all the indispensible junk bolted to it - impossible to climb over. No problem getting over the bow if you are careful to get your lines adjusted right, and have a strong pulpit and a really big Bruce to use as a step. A good plank, sorry passerel, is handy too for longer stays.

 

[chrisc]

Porquerolle was definitely Mandatory rear end parking last time I was there.Even to the extent that the harbourmaster made boats turn round if bows on.This causes jolly good fun (once you have managed reversing in yourself )watching everyone else cock it up ,especially as there seems to be a permanent West wind blowing across the Marina.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the warning - I shall definately avoid using the harbour at Porquerolle. A marina that stipulates stern-to without regard to the type and circumstances of the vessel clearly does not understand boats. If a harbour master made me turn round without a very sound reason I would comply- but continue straight on out of the harbour!

Does anyone know of any other harbour that stipulates stern-to rather than bows-to,or how about a prohibition on coming alongside on the starboard side /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif, or any other bizarre restrictions?

 

[Grehan]

Never been made to moor stern-to.
Never done it. Always prefer bow-to. Better security and privacy. Besides which Grehan not too keen on going backwards. Also means our mast not aligned with most others moored stern-to.
Never been measured. Have davits and dinghy a-dangling.
Being 11m or so, we're nearly always in the 10 to 12m or thereabouts category anyway.
Agree about the anchor hazard comment - but in the Spanish Med you need to keep your nose away from the dockside anyway, with the movement caused by swell.
Pasarelle vital. Ours is rigged from the cheapest single aluminium ladder we could find in France, plus two little wheels, plus three garden decking planks, resting on an epoxy-coated garden fence post tube (from our local DIY place - about 5€) tied down across the bows and cantilevering out.

 

[TigaWave]

I've only ever been measured in MDL and they disagreed with the part1 reg and even the manufacturers broshure! And that was with nothing hanging or bolted off the back.

 

[tringa]

[ QUOTE ]
If the former, could I argue that that davits are removable and therefore should not be included in the LOA?

[/ QUOTE ]

As I mentioned in another thread, your LOA affects more than your fees. It can also affect the job other people have in manoeuvring around you. In some places this can cause real problems.

You are charged for the space you occupy. If you occupy an extar four or five feet of space because of your davits and dinghy, it seems to me to be only fair that you are charged for it and, in some cases, go in a space that is appropriate for your effective LOA rather than one several feet shorter.