What happens if you get stuck at a marina

[davidpm]

Let's say you are moving a boat from Maine to Annapolis and the weather turns foul or the boat breaks down, whatever.
So you have to take shelter at a marina on the east Cost or in the Sound.
Do you really have to pay the full daily transient rate for every night.

Has anyone been successful in cutting a deal? can you expect any mercy?
I know some have weekly rates, any stories?
It could easily be a hundred dollars a day at some of these marinas.

[poopdeckpappy]

I don't know if it's called safe harbor or safe anchorage, but anyhow in a storm I think you get safe anchorage and they're not suppose to charge or require permit for this, mechanical, I'm not sure

[FSMike]

Marinas don't give free dockage. Many of them have weekly rates, most have monthly rates. You can always try to negotiate. If you want free you need to go anchor somewhere.

[joethecobbler]

some ,I rhink , prey on situations like your describing.

An example I can give is in 2007 we were sailing south from coinjock into the alligator river to belhaven,nc. It was the night before thanksgiving .the albermarle dound was really ripping an the alligator river bridge would not open due to the high winds.we soght shelter in the alligator river marina (gas station w/ docks) at 11:30 pm at 12:30am the "dockmaster" was literally banging on the boat hull demanding payment of dockage (about $40) awakening everyone aboard ! when I asked him if maybe he thought that he couldn't have waited until morning he said
"we're closed tommorrow it's thanksgiving" (he lived on sight) to which I replied, "I see, your closed tommorrow , but your open now at 12:30 in the morning !!"
So , you'll come upon all manner of people , just like in every other life situation. the best thing to do is to plan for the worst and prepare to handle it on your own or potentially lay out the major cash.
It seems that the worst of these charactors are found in the most difficult places to navigate and they know it.

[MarioG]

I would say just ask, We are having problems moving our boat storm/break downs and have meet some great people. I won't get in to my story about the Aligator marina.

I will always be willing to return the kindness that has been shown us.

[svHyLyte]

Join BoatUS. Many of the marinas along the route offer major discounts on fuel and transient fees to BoatUS Members. Most harbor masters we have met are willing to give a weekly rate except for a few of the resorts (SOuth Seas Plantation really took our pants off when we had to hole-up to wait out Hurricane Gordon in the mid-90's. Worse was keeping my wife away from the Spa and Gift Shops!).

FWIW...

[tommays]

So

What happens when you break down in your car or have to stop becasue of bad weather and why do you thing it should be free in a Boat ?

[sailingdog]

The good guys will often let you have a break, giving you the monthly or weekly rate when you didn't pre-negotiate for it. The bad ones will rake you over the coals for every penny they can squeeze out of you. This is often the case regardless of the cause—weather or mechanical failure.

As for mechanical failure, always best to minimize this when you can and to have as much self-reliance as possible.

I'd point out that anchoring is free and if you've got good ground tackle, often a better choice than staying in some of the marinas I've seen. I prefer moorings and anchor over being in a slip if it comes down to really bad weather.

[deniseO30]

Hmmm, many marinas have anchorages nearby. Just like going on a car trip. it's best to know where your going and what is available along the way.

[TimofBlindSquirrel]

I was stuck at a marina on Lake Michigan for 4 days because of weather. They wouldn't give me a discount so I ended up paying the full amount for each night(there was no anchorage). I would think each marina would handle it differently depending on available space and how you approach them about it.