Marina charges - encouraging stay-at-home sailing?

[jimmynoboat]

Many of you are lucky enough to live close to where your boat is parked and that's great. Many of us however, live where several harbours are just about as near or far away. In my case I even have a choice of East, South or West coast at similar distances. Putting aside the obvious high (and getting higher) cost of travelling to the boat this can be an advantage.

This year my plan is to haul the boat out of the water for a month as soon as my current 'extremely expensive' anual berth expires then, after a little bit of work, pop her back in and take a week or two to sail her round to her new (considerably cheaper) berth. The new berth has to start from 1st April which is when the current one expires and, to get the best price I have to take it on from that date even though I won't arrive there until six weeks into the term. In addition to that the weather does not care about my wallet and may have it's own plans.

I've got to sit down with the abacus to see if I'm better off paying monthly but I was just thinking . . . isn't this a dissincentive to really using your boat to get around a bit, see different places, seek out strange new civilisations, boldly go ... etc?

I understand why they offer a good rate for a long term berth but why do so many of them have to run from a particular date? Is it just to make it easy for addministration? if so, I think that's a pretty poor show.

And, while I'm on this particular soap-box, why must it cost me three months fees to get out of an anual contract? I could have done this when I really wanted to at the end of last season except it would have cost me about £850 in lost fees.

I'm sure you'll put me right.

 

[Ex-SolentBoy]

I think it is reasonable that any harbour or marina authority will try to maximise it's revenue. To do this they will want to ensure that they are paid for all moorings for 365 days in a year.

I therefore think it is fair that they give you a renewal date and charge from that date. It is your call if you do not use the mooring, then or later. it is also reasonable that they ask you to give notice so that they can use that period to find someone else.

What is not reasonable is asking you to pay extra to cancel and then double selling the period.
When you are away from your mooring it is normal practice for you to receive some sort of reduction in your fee if you do go away for a long period, perhaps several months.

Having said all that, the demand for many berths exceeds the supply. Simple rules of commerce are that under those circumstances they can set whatever rules they like. If you don't like them they can just get someone else who will put up with them. So, you probably have no say in whether things are fair or not.

 

[jimmynoboat]

I therefore think it is fair that they give you a renewal date and charge from that date. It is your call if you do not use the mooring, then or later. it is also reasonable that they ask you to give notice so that they can use that period to find someone else.

Yeah but, no but ... Why can't i go into a marina in say, June and agree a year from that date? and get the lower, anual rate.

I know they can do what they like and I can take it or leave it but is this so unreasonable?

 

[Sans Bateau]

Cant you just sub let until you need the berth?

 

[Major Catastrophe]

Yeah but, no but ... Why can't i go into a marina in say, June and agree a year from that date? and get the lower, anual rate.

I know they can do what they like and I can take it or leave it but is this so unreasonable?

My marina starts the annual period from when you arrive. I thought they all worked liked that.

 

[jimmynoboat]

My marina starts the annual period from when you arrive. I thought they all worked liked that.

Where are you? They certainly don't all do that

 

[Major Catastrophe]

Where are you? They certainly don't all do that

Port Dinorwic. N Wales.

 

[Resolution]

I think most South coast marinas work on a standard year beginning on 1st April. So it's really quite convenient as a user: whichever marina you choose, the start and finish days all coincide, with no wasted or double-paid days.
Just means a bit of a hassle on 31 March / 01 April with lots of boats moving!

 

[Coaster]

I think most South coast marinas work on a standard year beginning on 1st April...

Perhaps it's a South coast of England thing. We're in Pembrokeshire and our marina, Milford Haven, has no set date for the start of annual contracts.

I'll refrain from commenting on the appropriateness of the First of April as the relevant date for those keeping boats in South coast marinas.

 

[Bosun Higgs]

It's a free market Jimmy, so you pays your ,money and makes your choice. There are all sorts of deals available in all sorts of places - you might well find somewhere much cheaper but further away for example. But if the cost of marina fees are worrying you ans stopping you from going where you want when you want, then you have taken up the wrong hobby for you.

One suggestion - find a decent club with club moorings and join them. Its way better than being anonymous in a marina.

 

[Playtime]

If you don't plan to arrive in your new home port for 6 weeks and maybe will take 2 or 3 weeks out in the summer it may be worth doing PAYG (pay as you go) for the summer and then taking a winter berth from 1 October which are usually good value. Most marinas will do monthly rates, which are much cheaper than daily and you only pay for one berth when you are cruising.

I did this 2 years running and it can work out several £K cheaper than an annual berth. I hate paying for two berths when I am away from my home port.