marina charges, why so much ??

[herezjohnny]

Originally Posted by Nudibranch

I even stayed in a marina that charged by the rough square footage of your boat, length X width. I'm transient in NC now, but my home marina in Louisiana charges the same price for all slips. ($300) They're all 50', behind locked gates and the power is in your name. No extra charges, even for liveaboards. If you skip a payment, your boat gets chained to the dock. Simple.

Whats your home marina Nudi? I`m at Bonfouca.

[hellosailor]

"I can not understand why a marina owner can not simply answer the question. "
For the same reason that stores advertise "Buy two, get the second one 50% off!" instead of saying "Buy two, get 25% off."
50% sounds better than 25%, even when the end price is the same. If a marina can't give you a straight quote, it is probably because they know people are looking at price, so they want to lowball you and get you signed up, then add whatever ups and extras they can. Just like most everyone else.

On the bright side, if you find someone who gives you a straight answer, the odds are they'll also do business in a business-like manner. That can be a good thing.

[Omatako]

Originally Posted by rayncyn51

Our marina charges $x for a 30' slip and $y for a 40' slip. Doesn't matter how big the boat is. Electicity is metered. There is a rate sheet in the office, and pretty much everything is covered. The pumput is $5, unless you're a sliphoder, in which case it's free - period. Liveaboards pay a fixed fee, and a liveaboard is defind ans anyone who meets x criteria. My point is, the marina is professionally run, with published price schedules, and lots of happy tenants.

All marinas in New Zealand work this way. Fixed price dependant on the size of the berth, not the boat. So if you use a 13m berth for a 9m boat you pay for 13m. And all the rates are published. All electrics and water are included. Pump out is free to all boats, even non resident. The marina I was last in had all facilities (very nice ablutions, laundry, lounge, TV room, Internet, parking for 2 cars per berth, 24h security) and they were all included. Live-aboard was an additional nominal fee, fixed irrespective of berth size.

Another thing in NZ is that no external maintenance was permitted, zero tolerance. I'm talking sanding, painting, etc. not replacing halyards or stuff like that. So you'll never have noise or foreign matter on your boat.

So I feel for you guys who have to negotiate every element and then still get stung. That's just not right.

My only beef with marinas in NZ is the price they charge for fuel. It is about 30% higher than the local fuel station. They claim it's because it's a marine location, delivery fees are higher, more maintenance, etc. but the same tanker comes to the gas station up the road, pumps 20k litres there then comes down to the marina and pumps 20k litres there. Extra charge? Yeah right. The reason they charge more is real simple, it's a captive market.

[wise4]

For the most part, all the marinas around here (socal) are fixed price per foot and normally have pretty good facilities. Pumpouts are everywhere and generally free to anyone who needs it. Of course we pay for it with ridiculous prices (I'm paying almost $17 a foot in Dana Point).... I could get cheaper in a bad part of LA or a couple hours from open ocean in the back of San Diego.... I kinda like 5 minutes to open water so I'll keep paying....

Oh well.... At least I've been sailing almost every weekend for thenlast two years....

[Nudibranch]

Originally Posted by herezjohnny

Whats your home marina Nudi? I`m at Bonfouca.

Oak Harbor. I'm thinking about switching to Pietro (when I come back next year) since we live Lacombe. Oak Harbor's nice since the lake is right there and they maintain their docks. But more "life" close to Pietro, and its cheaper!. I've got a year to decide.

[mstern]

My marina charges for the slip based on the length of the boat. Water at all slips is included. For those slips that have electric hook ups (mine doesn't), the per foot slip charge is higher. No liveaboards as there are no shower or laundry facilities at the marina. Winter storage is in the parking lot, and is charged by the square foot of your boat. The marina offers no maintenance services. Pumpout is provided free by the town via a pumpout boat. Simple, very bare bones.

[Sailonguy]

I am new to the sailing community, but my experience in the San Francisco Bay area is its a strait forward fee based on the size of the berth, +a live aboard fee, if at all permitted in the marina. Live aboard slips seem harder to find though... even if the price is advertised. Electricity at my dock is billed by usage, water included. Most of the marinas have websites and they list their fees up-front, but you never know if they actually have any slips available until you contact them. Seems to be a regional issue, as in Western Michigan, I never got so much as an idea of pricing even when calling. almost with the implied response, "If you have to ask you can't aford it"...

[kcbillb2]

Wow, I feel pretty lucky where I'm at.

Probably a special case though. I'm in the KC area, sail at Lake Perry (about 40 miles west)

There are two marinas at Lake Perry, then there's the Perry Yacht Club. Sailboats only, private club so we get to make our own rules. Costs are strictly to cover our costs. Non profit organization, legally.

Anyway, slip fees are by length of boat, electricity and water is included, as is winter storage onsite. New clubhouse this year (0ld one hit by lightning and burned down) with showers, etc.

Of course, being a private organization means the members have to do pretty much all the maintenance and so forth. Which meant this year on Apr 16th we were all out there at 35 degrees, 25 mph wind from the north doing all this... It did get sunny later.

Anyway, I sometimes get envious of those of you who live along the coasts and can sail there, but as long as I'm still here, Lake Perry's not half bad...

[mtboat]

Here on Flathead Lake Montana, the marinas are a little crazy.
I have been at anchor, here and there for three years because the marinas I checked either wanted $$$$ to become a member, on top of high slip fees, and cannot allow liveaboards, according to their permits of operation.
Well this year I spied a little marina I hadn't checked.....and ,
No join up fee, allows liveaboard, power to slip, clubhouse, shower facility for the total cost of $1150 per season (about 4 1/2 months)inc. power, for a 24 ft boat. Flat rates no mention of foot/cost.
Oh and it just happens to be floating docks inside a tight, enclosed jetty, so no wave action at all.
And to top it off, it is across Big Arm bay, three miles to Wildhorse Island, and others. Great cruising area for a lake.
Here is a great little vid, that shows the area. Not my marina, not my boat, not me.
YouTube - Sailing on Flathead Lake, Montana

[zz4gta]

I haven't been to a marina yet that didn't cater to the larger boats. I've even asked for 'small' slips and they fit a 35 footer. This makes it a bit tough for me to tie up to. I should pay for a 35' slip when I have a 25' boat?

I wouldn't mind paying for certain sized slip, if they offered a size close to my boat. I typically tie up to 40' slips b/c that's all that's available. Is this fair?

I do find it funny that an owner of a 54' Jeanneau (350k-500k)is complaining about the price of a slip 6' to big.