Marinas on Chesapeake lowering slip rates due to bad ecomony!!!

[walterzoy]

It is that time of the year again – time to renew my annual slip rental.

The good news is that after checking the prices of marinas (slips) in the mid to upper Chesapeake Bay –slip rates have not gone up and is some cases – they have gone down from last year!!!!

The Chesapeake Bay has the highest number of marinas anywhere is the world. With the downturn in the global economy, the sailing community has never been in the driver’s seat in regard to inexpensive places to dock our boats!

My marine engine mechanic gets around to marinas in Annapolis, Middle River, Eastern Shore and Baltimore Harbor, and he says that even a high-end “Gucci” yard in Oxford is "discounting" slips!

The down economy is hurting recreational boating - if millions of houses are in foreclosure – the boating industry is in much worse trouble! The big high-end marinas have big high-end debt! So DO NOT be afraid to ask for a lower slip rate – chances are the marina will agree to a lower slip rate.

If they will not lower their slip rate – move elsewhere – my mechanic said that many of the yards in Anne Arundel County, Baltimore city and on the Eastern Shore have large vacancies or boaters not paying slip fees and walking away from their boats, so they will be more than willing to agree to lower slip rates.

The Chesapeake Bay is not California - where they still have waiting lists for slips! I have found that slips are running from a low of $875.00 for a yearly slip for a small – say -22’ center- board sailboat to $2,000.00 for a large slip to accommodate up to a 45’ sailboat, with an average of about $1,875.00 for a 30’ sailboat. Paying more is a waste of money -the money saved on lower slip fees can be spent on Rum and other important marine supplies!

Walter- Catalina 30 - Baltimore

[PalmettoSailor]

Originally Posted by walterzoy

It is that time of the year again – time to renew my annual slip rental.

The good news is that after checking the prices of marinas (slips) in the mid to upper Chesapeake Bay –slip rates have not gone up and is some cases – they have gone down from last year!!!!

The Chesapeake Bay has the highest number of marinas anywhere is the world. With the downturn in the global economy, the sailing community has never been in the driver’s seat in regard to inexpensive places to dock our boats!

My marine engine mechanic gets around to marinas in Annapolis, Middle River, Eastern Shore and Baltimore Harbor, and he says that even a high-end “Gucci” yard in Oxford is "discounting" slips

The down economy is hurting recreational boating - if millions of houses are in foreclosure – the boating industry is in much worse trouble! The big high-end marinas have big high-end debt! So DO NOT be afraid to ask for a lower slip rate – chances are the marina will agree to a lower slip rate.

If they will not lower their slip rate – move elsewhere – my mechanic said that many of the yards in Anne Arundel County, Baltimore city and on the Eastern Shore have large vacancies or boaters not paying slip fees and walking away from their boats, so they will be more than willing to agree to lower slip rates.

The Chesapeake Bay is not California - where they still have waiting lists for slips! I have found that slips are running from a low of $875.00 for a yearly
slip for a small – say -22’ center- board sailboat to $2,000.00 for a large slip to accommodate up to a 45’ sailboat, with an average of about $1,875.00 for a 30’ sailboat. Paying more is a waste of money -the money saved on lower slip fees can be spent on Rum and other important marine supplies!

Walter- Catalina 30 - Baltimore

I have no idea where you were checking but can guess they were not close to DC/NOVA. I haven't heard of slip rates getting reduced at any of the marinas close to me. If my boat is going to be a long distance from me, Id go back down to Deltaville.

[aa3jy]

Which marinas have gone down in slip rates? Don't forget 'working' boat yards in your list...though they don't offer the fancy schmansy amenities like pools and air conditioned heads..but generally know how to work on boats. I like 'em 'cause generally you don't find screaming children..

[PalmettoSailor]

Originally Posted by aa3jy

Which marinas have gone down in slip rates? Don't forget 'working' boat yards in your list...though they don't offer the fancy schmansy amenities like pools and air conditioned heads..but generally know how to work on boats. I like 'em 'cause generally you don't find screaming children..

Well you won't find Mrs. Midlife there either.

To tell the truth, I would rather pay more and be in a marina with a pool and decent bath houses. The marina is my base of operations and my home away from home. I like being able to take a dip in the pool after sweating like a mule working on the boat. I also like having a nice clean bath house to clean up after a long weekend on the hook. It all depends on how folks use their boat, but I will say I'm not happy paying what I am even though my marina is among the nicest I've yet to encounter. In this economy, everything is harder to rationalize, so moving back down to Deltaville to cut my slip fees in half, and perhaps using the boat less, is not entirely out of the question for me.

[cwoody]

So what is the going rate in Galesville? Been looking since last fall in and around Galesville. I am definitely not seeing $2000 for slips to accommodate a 34 foot sail boat. Asking range has been from $3400 to $4200 depending on how far out on the dock you want/need to go. I have heard, due to economy, that some of these rates might be negotiable. I would like to shorten my commute to Slaughter Creek, MD by relocating to the West river so if you know of any $2000-$3000/yr slips that will accommodate a 4 1/2 draft and 11 1/2 beam please let me know.

[chef2sail]

Even though the MYC has seen afew of its slips vacant the past few years we do not discount slips.

My slip...62X11 goes for $2100+ $1000 memebership dues and $1000 chit which is spent down in the restaurant year round with drinks which are only $3.50.

We have a nice pool, average bathhouse, safe and large grounds, hurricane hole protected docks, and wide new finger piers which extend along one side of the boat at least 35ft ( mine is the full 62 Ft).

I cant see giving this up for some rickty cut rate place. The club keeps my wife happy and provides a safe protected "home" for my second hame.

Dave

Dave

[PalmettoSailor]

Originally Posted by chef2sail

Even though the MYC has seen afew of its slips vacant the past few years we do not discount slips.

My slip...62X11 goes for $2100+ $1000 memebership dues and $1000 chit which is spent down in the restaurant year round with drinks which are only $3.50.

We have a nice pool, average bathhouse, safe and large grounds, hurricane hole protected docks, and wide new finger piers which extend along one side of the boat at least 35ft ( mine is the full 62 Ft).

I cant see giving this up for some rickty cut rate place. The club keeps my wife happy and provides a safe protected "home" for my second hame.

Dave

Wow, I thought that must have been a typo. 62x11? What were they planning to put there? 11 feet seems a tad narrow in the beam for any boat approaching 60 feet in length.

[chef2sail]

LOL,,,sorry...it was a typo...its 62X16. You know all about my typos,,,I am the king. Slips are done by seniority. Once you obtain one it is yours so we took this slip as we eventually will buy a boat in the 42-46 ft range. Right now you could almost put another boat in it with us.

Dave

[AirborneSF]

My 26ft boat would run around $2500.00 to $3500.00 a year + elect. and water. I moved to the Nevy Rec Center, for about half the fees, with elect and water included. It is limited to military personal and in So.Md, but worth it for me. My,.02.

[Janssen]

Originally Posted by aa3jy

Which marinas have gone down in slip rates? Don't forget 'working' boat yards in your list...though they don't offer the fancy schmansy amenities like pools and air conditioned heads..but generally know how to work on boats. I like 'em 'cause generally you don't find screaming children..

I agree that most of us sailors do not need to pay extra for a pool full of screaming (and Pee Peeing) children. I certainly do not need a marina with a public Hot Tub - I was at a high-end marina near Annapolis and was amazed that someone could stay in the hot tub for hours drinking beer and not exiting the tub for a potty break! Keep the pools and hot tubs at the country club - take your children out sailing -they can splash in a pool in your backyard-give me a real working boatyard instead of over-priced day care!

For best value try Young's Boatyard or Old Bay Marina - close to the open Chesapeake - so you are out sailing soon after leaving the dock, no pool or tennis courts, but nice piers and at reasonable rates (I only pay $1,975.00 yearly for a 50' X 16' slip and the smaller slips start at around $1,200). Both yards are also only minutes from the Baltimore Beltway

And most importantly - they are working boatyards and know how to fix anything on a sailboat or help the DIY sailor save money and time with your repairs and maintenance. Young's Boatyard has a mast puller crane so you can remove your own mast for only $20.00! Old Bay Marina has the best rates on bottom painting and full service repairs - plus they let you use their wholesale accounts to purchase your marine supplies. For example - I needed a light bulb for my foredeck light - the list price at West Marine was $11.95 - Brian at Old Bay Marina picked me one up for $4.95.

These perks and the knowledgeable and helpful yard operators are more valuable to me then the Gucci atmosphere of the resort marinas. We all have choices - I prefer the color and value of keeping my boat at a working
boatyard/marina. My wife does require us to stay at the Gucci marinas when we are cruising!

Janssen