Marina visitor rate policy

[AntarcticPilot]

So have Carrickfergus. If you go there you'll see why. The people are pleasant enough, but the marina is like something out of 1974 East Germany and the town beyond makes the pictures of downtown Mogadishu look strangely appealing. Nice castle. though.

Well, I suppose Holy Loch Marina IS cold war NATO issue!

 

[Deleted member 36384]

And to continue with positive Scottish marina charge issues, I launched this year at Kip Marina after being on the hard for a while. After launching it took a few days to get everything sorted and when I went to pay they just dropped the day charges and wished me farewell. I am going into a sister marina.

Now, if only that reputation had been based on Marina fees and not the location of the Kirk's collection plate .........

 

[AngusMcDoon]

We were given a free night at Mallaig this year due to crew illness. I didn't ask, it was simply offered when I went to settle up.

I arrived at Malahide marina once at about 20 to midnight intending to stay 2 nights. There was only the night watchman on duty who took details but not payment - that was done by the office during the day. He suggested I wander around a bit for half an hour and come back to the office after midnight, because then he'd put tomorrow's date on the form for arrival and I would only have to pay for one night instead of two.

 

[AntarcticPilot]

Peterhead Marina was very good - we arrived after midnight, and left around midnight, and they didn't charge for those two nights.

 

[Pavalijo]

And to continue with positive Scottish marina charge issues, I launched this year at Kip Marina after being on the hard for a while. After launching it took a few days to get everything sorted and when I went to pay they just dropped the day charges and wished me farewell. I am going into a sister marina.

We left Kip this year after 3 years - and they knew we weren't coming back. However it was hinted that if we ran over the end of our annual contract by a few days we would not be billed. As it happened we left a few days before, but it was a nice way to go - especially when the chandlery gave us a booklet on knots to make sure we didn't go adrift on our travels!

 

[longjohnsilver]

You have been reading the blog!!

I have to say that they have done nothing underhand - if this is their policy I am disappointed, however they are following the rates published on their website.
Paying the £6 water ferry fee (return, for 2 of us) every time we want to go into Plymouth or a return bus fare to a supermarket doesn't help the cost for the medium term visitor without a car.
Other than that, the marina is sheltered, with good facilities and with sufficient wi-fi signal to enable us to stream iPlayer with an acceptable amount of buffering.
Next year we will try somewhere else though!

And - AntarcticPilot - I have used that offer several times when visiting a buddy to play at the Cowal golf club!

And another Plymouth marina that I do not have fond memories of. About 9 years ago we requested a berth and they agreed to a space, we wanted it from April 1 as we had already paid to be elsewhere. They said it was from March 1, no discussion possible. We were away for most of March and then moved the boat there towards the end of the month. I was somewhat surprised to get a bill for 3 nights berthing even though we had already paid for the year from March 1!

PYH are still not flavour of the month with me, but no doubt they may be a little more customer focused these days.

 

[AngusMcDoon]

I was given a free night in Girvan, without asking, because I turned up at 5pm, exhausted after sailing solo from Kirkcudbright, 87 nm and 22 hours away. Stayed two nights, charged one.

When I was waiting in Scrabster for the right weather and tides to transit Pentland the rate was £12 for the night, or as many nights as needed until the conditions were right for the transit. The HM said that they never want to encourage people to go before the conditions are right.

 

[awol]

Interesting results to the OP - those in the south where the money-grabbing took place seem to find it a normal and acceptable practice whereas the experiences from elsewhere are of a gentler, less avaricious approach more sympathetic to boat owners. Perhaps the attitude of the customers towards the harbour staff "oop north" is less of entitlement and more of gratitude at a respite from the vagaries of sea and weather.
I'm sure one could draw generalised geographical conclusions from the examples quoted just as one could from referenda votes and support for right-wing political parties.

 

[shan]

I was quite enjoying this thread until the mention of Brexit.

 

[awol]

I was quite enjoying this thread until the mention of Brexit.

Post edited to remove that word. My apologies for offending your sensibilities.

 

[JumbleDuck]

Interesting results to the OP - those in the south where the money-grabbing took place seem to find it a normal and acceptable practice whereas the experiences from elsewhere are of a gentler, less avaricious approach more sympathetic to boat owners. Perhaps the attitude of the customers towards the harbour staff "oop north" is less of entitlement and more of gratitude at a respite from the vagaries of sea and weather.

A lot of marinas up here are l run by local authorities (Peel, Stranraer, Girvan, Carrickfergus, Glenarm), owned by local authorities (Bangor) or provided by non-profits (Campbeltown, Tarbert, Rothesay). They generally take a broader view of their purpose than screwing money out of rich yotties, and that approach seems to carry over to the private sector.

 

[shan]

Post edited to remove that word. My apologies for offending your sensibilities.

Not offended - just sick of hearing about it.

I do think you might have a point about the North/South divide.

 

[Tranona]

Not offended - just sick of hearing about it.

I do think you might have a point about the North/South divide.

Inevitable. Simple economics. High demand, limited supply equals higher prices. You will find exactly the same north/south divide in France. North West coast is "cheap", Mediterranean coast "expensive".

 

[awol]

Inevitable. Simple economics. High demand, limited supply equals higher prices. .

I did not get the impression that the OP's marina was full and the offence was caused not by the price regime but by the mean-spirited application of the day rate following on from a longer term stay. It's an attitude thing and the south is emotionally poorer for it. The surprising thing to me is that some posters find it acceptable.

 

[shan]

I did not get the impression that the OP's marina was full and the offence was caused not by the price regime but by the mean-spirited application of the day rate following on from a longer term stay. It's an attitude thing and the south is emotionally poorer for it. The surprising thing to me is that some posters find it acceptable.

Agreed.

 

[dom]

I did not get the impression that the OP's marina was full and the offence was caused not by the price regime but by the mean-spirited application of the day rate following on from a longer term stay. It's an attitude thing and the south is emotionally poorer for it. The surprising thing to me is that some posters find it acceptable.

It's not that we find it acceptable, just that we are stuck with it in a supply-constrained environment.

With this about to change 'bad-citizen' marinas may be about to feel a very chill wind indeed.

 

[KINGFISHER 8]

I did not get the impression that the OP's marina was full and the offence was caused not by the price regime but by the mean-spirited application of the day rate following on from a longer term stay. It's an attitude thing and the south is emotionally poorer for it. The surprising thing to me is that some posters find it acceptable.

The joy of forums always brings out the pompous holier than though replies! The OP only wanted a short stay for the weather not an extra week or two ... I sometimes wonder if, in their haste to slag everything and everybody off, some of these posters actually read the original post!

 

[awol]

The joy of forums always brings out the pompous holier than though replies! The OP only wanted a short stay for the weather not an extra week or two ... I sometimes wonder if, in their haste to slag everything and everybody off, some of these posters actually read the original post!

If you reread the OP you may be able to deduce that it was the short extension of stay following a month's residence that was the problem. Other posters indicated such charging behaviour was not universal and provided many anecdotes to demonstrate other attitudes exists elsewhere.
Pompous? Moi?

 

[KINGFISHER 8]

If you reread the OP you may be able to deduce that it was the short extension of stay following a month's residence that was the problem. Other posters indicated such charging behaviour was not universal and provided many anecdotes to demonstrate other attitudes exists elsewhere.
Pompous? Moi?

Sorry you didn't understand my post ... a short extension for the weather is exactly what I said.

 

[NormanS]

A lot of marinas up here are l run by local authorities (Peel, Stranraer, Girvan, Carrickfergus, Glenarm), owned by local authorities (Bangor) or provided by non-profits (Campbeltown, Tarbert, Rothesay). They generally take a broader view of their purpose than screwing money out of rich yotties, and that approach seems to carry over to the private sector.

Of course there's always an exception, try Mallaig!