Marina Fees

[Chiara’s slave]

Ha ha, DDB, entering Beaucette is an adventure is a slight swell, what with the offlying rocks and the cross tide too, in heavy weather, it does not bear thinking about.

 

[Robih]

Ha ha, DDB, entering Beaucette is an adventure is a slight swell, what with the offlying rocks and the cross tide too, in heavy weather, it does not bear thinking about.

Many years ago, in our early boating days, we departed SPP bound for Beaucette in our 30ft Nimbus. We had F4/5 N over a northbound tide. We turned back halfway, big seas, scary turning around. When we got back in to SPP we were told that Beaucette had closed the marina such was the danger of the approach channel. That was a “school day”.

 

[Daydream believer]

Many years ago, in our early boating days, we departed SPP bound for Beaucette in our 30ft Nimbus. We had F4/5 N over a northbound tide. We turned back halfway, big seas, scary turning around. When we got back in to SPP we were told that Beaucette had closed the marina such was the danger of the approach channel. That was a “school day”.

Presumably you had chosen the favourable tide in the Little Russel to go there; then had to fight it on the return. That can be hairy.

 

[Chiara’s slave]

Presumably you had chosen the favourable tide in the Little Russel to go there; then had to fight it on the return. That can be hairy.

Boating around the channel islands is so often rather more interesting that you bargain for.

 

[Daydream believer]

Boating around the channel islands is so often rather more interesting that you bargain for.

It can be quick, or incredibly slow

 

[Chiara’s slave]

It can be quick, or incredibly slow

Flat calm or truly menacing, too.

 

[oldgit]

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.

Good Lord, how did you know ? , dont suppose you would care to supply some lottery numbers when you get five minutes .

 

[srm]

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 was a volunteer director of a group of small marinas for a number of years. They were run as community projects and had charitable status, so any surplus had to be used for the good of the project. From this experience I suggest that you have greatly underestimated running costs.

Hardware does not have an infinite life. The marina where I keep my boat now in the Azores took one of its pontoons out for maintenance and repair one winter. Once ashore they discovered that it was well beyond any attempt at economic repair and had to be replaced. Likewise electric services need extensive safety checks/repair/replacement on a regular basis due to the aggressive nature of the environment.

 

[Robih]

Presumably you had chosen the favourable tide in the Little Russel to go there; then had to fight it on the return. That can be hairy.

Exactly so, what made it worse was that we were low on fuel and had planned to fill up at Beaucette, so turning around in to a very strong flood tide whilst running on diesel vapours in the tank was a defining moment in my refuelling life….

 

[Poignard]

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.

You have answered your own question in your first sentence.

Small supply plus large demand equals high prices.

Pricing of all businesses is determined by "what the market will bear".

The principle applies whether it's a baked beans manufacturer or a brothel.

If the customer will pay it - take it.

 

[Daydream believer]

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.

Resignation makes you the loser. Not them. Either you are the sort we get who is a dynamo for a short while, then quits, because they are burnt out, or frustrated, or a genuine long term type who works behind the scenes. We find the behind the scene workers last. The dynamos quit.
It can also be found that some get so involved that they put others off.
But you have to decide what you want from the club. Being a quitter means walking from friends- if you genuinely have any. Better to step back from jobs & rest for a while. Let others do some work. You can always help & advise- but only if asked. You might enjoy the club better that way.

 

[Daydream believer]

Good Lord, how did you know ? , dont suppose you would care to supply some lottery numbers when you get five minutes .

It was him

 

[andy59]

Presumably you had chosen the favourable tide in the Little Russel to go there; then had to fight it on the return. That can be hairy.

Little Russel is the only time in 8 years of ownership of our P42 that i have said "Oh Sh1t"

 

[Chiara’s slave]

Little Russel is the only time in 8 years of ownership of our P42 that i have said "Oh Sh1t"

As you might guess, my wife and I have employed a good range of traditional sailors language around those parts, including in the Little Russel

 

[ylop]

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.

You could apply that logic to landlords, hoteliers etc! The reality is that on top of your running costs a marina has quite significant capital tied up - the owner of said capital expects a return, otherwise they might as well take the money and invest it somewhere different that will make money.

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.

ok so take 200k off for vat. Insurance, equipment maintenance and servicing, heating the building, lighting the pontoons etc, water, waste, etc i suspect will easily wipe out £200k. Staff costs could perhaps be £500k (everyone underestimates the true cost of employing people), admin, accountancy, legal etc will not be trivial. Crown estates will want their share. Then credible marinas spend a fair amount on marketing. So yes, you can make money but your multimillion pound investment is probably not bringing a massive % annual return. I suspect quite a lot of marinas are leveraged highly with loans - the current cost of borrowing will make that painful.

 

[Poignard]

It was him

'Twas not.

I rarely attend AGMs because they are boring.

I never criticise the Committee in case someone says, with perfect justification, "If you think you can do better . . ". Which, of course, I can't.

I pay my subs within 24 hours of their becoming due and generally keep my head down.

Occasionally I have been collared to check the accounts. I do this by saying to the Treasurer, "If you say they're all right, that's good enough for me. where do I sign."

 

[Daydream believer]

Occasionally I have been collared to check the accounts. I do this by saying to the Treasurer, "If you say they're all right, that's good enough for me. where do I sign."

With the greatest of respect. That is a lazy & dangerous move. Not fair to the members either.
Reminds me of one of the Yes Prime Minister sketches, when a chap was found to be involved in a finance fraud
" But he was one of us "

 

[Poignard]

With the greatest of respect. That is a lazy & dangerous move. Not fair to the members either.
Reminds me of one of the Yes Prime Minister sketches, when a chap was found to be involved in a finance fraud
" But he was one of us "

I am chastened by the rod of your disapproval.

 

[Capt Popeye]

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.

yea well from boating in North East Kent on the Ouse , Medway , Swale for about 20 years i can expect that sort of reaction ((#

 

[oldgit]

yea well from boating in North East Kent on the Ouse , Medway , Swale for about 20 years i can expect that sort of reaction ((#

A senior member of our little club took me to task when this particular resignation was discussed and pointed out that times were hard for pensioners.
Having made his point he got into his new Jaguar and drove off.