Why is Woolverstone Marina so expensive?

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fredrussell

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Whenever I compare marina prices on the Orwell, all are much the same EXCEPT for Woolverstone. Why is that? It’s on a fairly ‘fetchy’ stretch of the river and I imagine things get a bit bumpy there during a strong nor-wester or a southeasterly. Is it just the pretty location that commands the premium?
 
Perhaps it's because it's owned by MDL and berth-holders get free nights at other MDL sites. I don't like it as there can be a lot of current and swell in there. RHYC used to be cheaper but I haven't been there for a few years.
 
Even the 5* showerbloack doesn't rate the obscene prices thay charge.
The "restaurant" even closes at 1800 on a Sunday and the shelter is indifferent at best.
No local services to speak of.
Not impressed.
 
We had a season there on a swinging mooring about 5 years ago. We are now at SYH on a swinging mooring and the only thing I miss ( apart from the prices ) is the water taxi service offered by Wolvestone. The staff were always pleasant and helpful though.
 
We're in our 4th season at Woolverstone. Shower block took too long to re-furb but they are fab now. I know they are cheaper moorings to be had but my wife loves the location and if that helps to get her sailing that gets my vote. We are one in from the hammerhead and only issue I've had was with some plonker going up river at about 15 kts, almost lifted some lighter boats out of the river and onto the pontoon, cost me a fairlead. There's some movement from passing freight traffic but we rarely have an uncomfortable night.

Restaurant has a much better menu this season I think it's operated by the folk that run the pub up at Holbrook. They have a tough ask in my view, Pin Mill is a short walk away and it's easy to get tempted, and you can't blame them for running a shortened season they're a business that needs to make a profit. The Sunday roasts at Woolverstone are really good now, much improved.

Staff are excellent, pleasant, helpful. I don't think they're full so worth 'negotiating'
 
We researched prices prior to our short-lived move to the Orwell and Woolverstone last month. Unfortunately SWMBO took an unexpectedly swift descent down the steps into the saloon resulting in various fractures a few weeks after our arrival so we cancelled the contract and returned to the Broads as the mooring costs were a little high for what will be a missed season.

Whilst they do charge more than others in the area we didn’t think it was excessive and when freedom berthing, fuel at cost (we have a mobo) and the favourable contract that allows cancellation (not that we planned or wanted to take advantage of that particular clause) were factored in we didn't think the premium was too bad and when location was taken into account (we like the place) the decision made itself. I guess we all have our preferences but to my mind it is the best of the Orwell marinas.
 
Fair comments all. I wish it was a bit cheaper as it’s a stone’s throw from my house. I wish marinas had a ‘pauper’s rate’ where you got a stripped down service on the least desirable pontoon. Obviously that’s not going to happen, but if the decline in boat ownership often discussed on here is actually happening, maybe they will have to.
 
fredrussell said:
Fair comments all. I wish it was a bit cheaper as it’s a stone’s throw from my house. I wish marinas had a ‘pauper’s rate’ where you got a stripped down service on the least desirable pontoon. Obviously that’s not going to happen, but if the decline in boat ownership often discussed on here is actually happening, maybe they will have to.
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Interestingly, Fox's Marina have berths that are not accessible at all states of the tide. I believe these may be at discounted rates.
 
Woolverstone is a lovely place - we have spent many happy days there. But, as others have observed, the big advantage is that it is MDL. Anyone paying by the year in any MDL marina gets a lot of time in any other MDL marina free of charge - and MDL own a lot of the high-end Solent marinas.

When we were annual berth holders at one of the big MDL Solent marinas, the management were scathing about berth holders from Woolverstone and Chatham. They paid fees that were little more than 50% of the Solent prices, but worked the system by coming south at the start of the summer and hopping nomadically between marinas. They then went back north at the end of the summer leaving the Solent marinas with vacant berths that brought in no money over the winter season.
 
fredrussell said:
Fair comments all. I wish it was a bit cheaper as it’s a stone’s throw from my house. I wish marinas had a ‘pauper’s rate’ where you got a stripped down service on the least desirable pontoon. Obviously that’s not going to happen, but if the decline in boat ownership often discussed on here is actually happening, maybe they will have to.
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I don't think that the high-end Solent marinas are getting too worried yet - not many empty spaces in most of them at the moment. I do think that the sailing public requirements have changed a lot over the last ten or twenty years. Where boats are concerned, it is manifest in the way that people are going for ever larger and newer boats, leaving the twenty to thirty foot, twenty year old boat hard to sell. It is also visible in the choice of moorings - trot buoys and shabby little marinas are no longer in demand, but a luxury marina on the south coast can still sell most of its berths.
 
wingdiver said:
Interestingly, Fox's Marina have berths that are not accessible at all states of the tide. I believe these may be at discounted rates.
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SO does Titchmarsh (in the Twizzle, not in the basin). There are also pontoons that are not walk ashore. I think they are mostly reserved for deep draft vessels (they are in deeper water than the marina basin).
 
AntarcticPilot said:
SO does Titchmarsh (in the Twizzle, not in the basin). There are also pontoons that are not walk ashore. I think they are mostly reserved for deep draft vessels (they are in deeper water than the marina basin).
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I think that Titchmarsh also discount the moorings outside the pontoons down in our peasants' end and on Saga pontoon.
 
Well, Thank goodness for Debbages in Ipswich. I’m paying less than £2k P.A. for a walk ashore pontoon berth (26ft boat). It’s a nice friendly place and not millionaire row, so I fit in well there! Downside is that on a low springs I can’t get in or out an hour each side of low water. I can live with that though. I think Woolverstone would be nearer £3k for my boat.
 
A few years ago the MDL MD was quoted at as saying that their pricing policy was to charge until the pips squeaked. As far as swinging moorings go; for MDL the pips have well and truly squeaked. On the Orwell most of their buoys are empty even though they have reduced prices. However, whilst people are prepared to fork out what MDL ask for pontoon berths they are never going to reduce prices. It is true that if you play the system and use all the "free" alternate berthing on the south coast MDL east coast customers can get a better deal than south coast customers. Just goes to show how overpriced south coast marinas are!
 
At least Woolverstone has a restaurant. At SYH, (which is a great location), you then have to pay to join another club, IE Haven Ports to be able to get a meal / pint on site. Cannot understand why there is not some sort of access within the berthing fee. I am sure the often empty looking "club" would significantly boost its coffers with additional revenue. And yes I understand they are "separate" but its a situation I find quite bizarre for a top marina.
 
bottomlesspit said:
At least Woolverstone has a restaurant. At SYH, (which is a great location), you then have to pay to join another club, IE Haven Ports to be able to get a meal / pint on site. Cannot understand why there is not some sort of access within the berthing fee. I am sure the often empty looking "club" would significantly boost its coffers with additional revenue. And yes I understand they are "separate" but its a situation I find quite bizarre for a top marina.
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How does that work then?? I visit SYH most years and freely use the club bar and food, just as anywhere else. Apart from any other justification I'm an RYA member so welcome as a guest at any affiliated club. So if you're a SYH berth holder, and perhaps an RYA member, too, how are you forced to join HPYC to use its facilities?
 
The HPYC like most other clubs including ours welcome “visiting” yachtsmen. However someone who keeps their boat in SYH and is not a member of HPYC is not visiting.
We have the identical issue with people who keep their boat at Woolverstone but choose not to join the club. Visitors to Woolverstone from other places are welcome.
 
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