Marina Fees

Times are hard ?
Our boat club received a resignation from a member , objected most strongly to the (mandated) annual membership fee going up by 5%.
This meant finding an additional £3.00 or £5.00 a year, or about thrice the cost of the stamp, on his letter.
 
Times are hard ?
Our boat club received a resignation from a member , objected most strongly to the (mandated) annual membership fee going up by 5%.
This meant finding an additional £3.00 or £5.00 a year, or about thrice the cost of the stamp, on his letter.
Every club has someone like that. They don't have anything to do with club activities all year, and only appear at AGMs to complain about something and tell the committee they're doing it all wrong.
 
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Wow have you seen the price hike in the Chanel Isles, 20 to 30%.


Not seen this, thanks. Here is what they are saying about visitor rates:

"Will mooring charges for visitors also increase?​

Yes, the rate for visitor moorings will increase by 30% (above RPI) by 2026. This will contribute more income while ensuring Guernsey remains an attractive destination.

Why is the increase for visitors less than for locals?​

On a day rate basis, the mooring fees for visitors are already significantly higher than for local boat owners, and that will continue to be the case after the increases are applied. For instance, a 35ft visiting boat currently pays around £38 per day...."

So for a 35ft boat the price will go from £38 to just under 50 quid by over 3 years. Clawing back Covid losses, a handy business to be in, they would be wise not to look north for their pricing but south.

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Every club has someone like that. They don't have anything to do with club activities all year, and only appear at AGMs to complain about something and tell the committee they're doing it all wrong.
My club has a few of those. As Vice Commodore i seem to get more flak than the rest of the committee. Or perhaps it's because i do more work than most, seems the more you do, the more they moan. Resignation letter going out soon.
 
Ours has gone up about 7% which I think is about right looking at inflation figures. We got a small advantage in that there's no extra charge to pay monthly so as before (in other marinas) we could make savings by paying in advance, here we can keep the money in the bank and earn interest.
 

"Will mooring charges for visitors also increase?​

Yes, the rate for visitor moorings will increase by 30% (above RPI) by 2026.

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So, that is ambiguous. Do they mean prices going up by 30% - which would be way above RPI. Or going up by 30% above RPI - which would be about 11-12%? But over two years to 2026.
 
I know it's all about supply and demand, but I've never understood how marina berth prices can be justified.
Once the marina has been built, hardware installed of pontoons etc, what exactly are the running costs to justify these prices. I know I'm making this seem very simple, but the vast majority of marinas have existed for decades so their initial building costs will have been paid for many times over.
For the south coast as example, if you say 200 berths in an average marina and an average (this is just fag packet maths) of £6k berth fee, equates to 1.2 million. With running costs then taken into account, there is massive profits from running a marina.
 
I know it's all about supply and demand, but I've never understood how marina berth prices can be justified.
Once the marina has been built, hardware installed of pontoons etc, what exactly are the running costs to justify these prices. I know I'm making this seem very simple, but the vast majority of marinas have existed for decades so their initial building costs will have been paid for many times over.
For the south coast as example, if you say 200 berths in an average marina and an average (this is just fag packet maths) of £6k berth fee, equates to 1.2 million. With running costs then taken into account, there is massive profits from running a marina.
It’s not hugely profitable but it is excellent reliable and relatively low risk cashflow. That means that valuations of marinas tend to have very tight yields, some transactions on the Hamble have been sub 5% meaning twenty times EBIT valuations. That has implications for cost of capital - both equity and debt - which can be very substantial.

There are some very significant operating costs too - dredging, fixed asset depreciation, Crown Estate rents, staffing, insurance.

A well run freehold marina would hope to achieve an EBIT to Turnover ratio of between 25% to 30%, but keep in mind the “below the line’ costs mentioned above. A leasehold marina a good deal less than that due to rents payable (but less capital costs of course).

Due to the nature of marina valuation (as mentioned above) the pre tax ROCE will, of course, tend to match the EBIT capitalisation rate..
 
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Just paid my annual marina fee on a 35ft boat, same as last year at just over 900 euro incl electric and water (local resident). Its good to be somewhere less popular, though lots of boats overwinter here on the way back to N Europe at higher visitor rates.
 
I know it's all about supply and demand, but I've never understood how marina berth prices can be justified.
Once the marina has been built, hardware installed of pontoons etc, what exactly are the running costs to justify these prices. I know I'm making this seem very simple, but the vast majority of marinas have existed for decades so their initial building costs will have been paid for many times over.
For the south coast as example, if you say 200 berths in an average marina and an average (this is just fag packet maths) of £6k berth fee, equates to 1.2 million. With running costs then taken into account, there is massive profits from running a marina.

Errr how come Island Harbour keeps going bust, and even the chains seem to make only a small profit?

I suspect the "running costs taken into account" is where the problem is.
- Staff Costs: Manager, admin, dock hands, maintenance dudes
- Pontoon maintenance
- Dredging
- Building maintenance
- Insurance costs
- Maintenance of "stuff" like power connectors, junction boxes, gates, water supply, wifi
- Locally, maintenance of the metal wall - required new metal piles to be driven in, concrete capping
- Maintenance of the car park
- Cleaning and maintenance of the shower block

On the upside, some Marinas own additional buildings which are leased out: this can provide additional income on top of the mooring fees.
 
Stay here instead if going to Guensey. Visitor Berths
Actually I have cycled to Beaucette a few times & thought how run down the marina looked. Or at least some of the boats did. This made the whole place look tatty.On top of that it is out of town & so one has to travel to get there. I did not look for a pub or restaurant. I think it has the advantage over Victoria of car parking though. Not that one would usually have a car. More likely use the cheap bus service & cycle.
Some dislike the hussle & bussle of StPP & this marina is said to be quieter. Personally I like the activities surrounding Victoria marina & always stay inside. The usual motorbike boys roaring along the street on a Saturday do not worry me as it is not as bad as many claim.
The main harbour is easy to enter in rough weather but I cannot imagine getting into Beaucette being an easy approack with those granite walls being so close. I have no idea if it is comfortable in a blow.
 
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So, that is ambiguous. Do they mean prices going up by 30% - which would be way above RPI. Or going up by 30% above RPI - which would be about 11-12%? But over two years to 2026.
I think you missed the third interpretation - going up by RPI+30% (so probably 50% by 2026!)…. I think they mean the first of your options but I don’t think it was written to help the visitor know the rate, rather to let the locals know they were getting a good deal ;-)
 
For the south coast as example, if you say 200 berths in an average marina and an average (this is just fag packet maths) of £6k berth fee, equates to 1.2 million. With running costs then taken into account, there is massive profits from running a marina.
Looking at that it is obvious that there is very little to play with. I would hardly have thought a massive profit. No one is going away with a big pay packet
 
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