winter layup,is this normal?

[tjm]

I pay a large sum of money( about £1600 inc VAT) to Windermere Marina for a very convenient mooring which is paid from april to march inclusive.After 2 years i thought it may be prudent to have my old girl lifted out for maintenance reasons.
I have been quoted a sum of £642 inc VAT for outside storage from 11th november till 17th march, however there is no credit for my not being in my berth during that time.
It strikes me this is adding insult to injury for mooring an old 22 footer but is this double charging usual? I must admit I now think i will leave her in the water as I am paid up to March, but what do you all think?

 

[andyball]

It's not normal at our marina, nor several eithers I know of (tho' naturally they charge for lifting out/re-launching/scratching your boat etc etc).

But I imagine it's down to individual businesses: they can charge if they like.

 

[davidwf]

Depends on Marina, MDL do this at Wolverstone Shotley include hard standing as part of the yearly cost. Suspect MDL do it at Wolverstone because hard standing there is limited. Mind you it is at Shotley as well.

 

[Escapeii]

Over here in our wonderful French marina near Perpignan the cost of hard standing is all part of the annual charge (only just over a grand for a 10.3m boat).

 

[david_e]

Re: storage charges

It is normal at many marinas, a bert is a berth and lay up is lay up, both have different costs attached to them. People say it is good practice to give her a dry out from time to time but if she is old then it might not be quite so important. Are there not other firms that would store her for you?

 

[Bergman]

I have just left the marina where I have kspt the boat (on and off) since 1993 for exactly this reason.

Last year I had to pay an extra £300+ to keep my boat in the yard for a few weeks whilst I did some bits of work.

This year moved 20 miles up the coast and pay berthing fees and keep it in water or yard whichever I want.

I do not like this system not only for extra cost but it discourages people from doing proper maintence.

 

[samwise]

What is normal is for marinas to squeeze the maximum amount of money from us. I guess it is that old favourite "market forces." If nobody complains they'll pile it on until someone does.
Obviously it makes sense to establish just what you are getting for your dosh before you agree the contract.
My big annoyance concerns the dodge of marinas using your berth for visitors when you are not in it. I used to think naively that I was being a good skipper by telling the marina when we were going out, where we were going and when we were due back. Sadly I realise it's nothing to do with safety, it just provides them with all the info they need to squeeze even more revenue from the berth.
I guess dry sailing may have some advantages!

 

[claymore]

Have you looked into the possibility of paying for a March - October Berth and then hard standing October March? it would almost certainly be a higher rate for the summer berth than you are paying but it may work out less overall.
I think you are doing the right thing in bringing her out for a breather - especially as she lives in freshwater. Have you tried getting a price from anyone else - if you have a trailer or trolley it might be cheaper on the warden's carpark by Ferry Nab. I used to play rugby with John Birkett at the Marina office - he always was a bit close but you do sound to be paying over the odds. I'd be inclined to wander down to Tower Wood Outdoor Centre and offer the Warden £300 for them to slip it and store it for the winter. Cash is a great persuader in these matters and he just might bite - they certainly have loads of room and at 22 ft it can easily be slipped with a tractor - doesn't need a crane. Have a look in the Westmorland Gazette as well - there are sometimes adverts for winter storage.

regards
Claymore

 

[david_e]

Re: rugby

Not for Rossall was it?

 

[alanporter]

Dare I say this. I pay 250 pounds a year for a pontoon berth, including electricity for a fan heater. Sorry, I won't tell you where.

Alan Porter

 

[claymore]

Re: rugby

Bunch of puffs - no I used to play for kendal then moved to Windermere for my last few seasons.
There was an old friend of mine John Gill - sadly dead now - who ran the rugby at Rossall and was a very keen sailor.Know him?

regards
Claymore

 

[claymore]

Well - that'll cheer him up no end!!!

regards
Claymore

 

[david_e]

Re: rugby

Not by name, was thinking you might have been at school there despite yo roots.