Slip rental fees

[finnappy]

Just got my new contract for slip rental next year. My 22' Grady is being "measured " at 26' because of a bow pulpit and transom bracket. Never was charged more than 22 feet for the last three years and never was told the pulpit and bracket counted. Adds about $450.00 per year to my fees.
Slip is only 1' wider than my boat and boat sticks out in the front alot, but so does my neighbors 22 and 23 footers.
What is the "standard" if there is one; Manufacturers length or tape measure length???

[NewMoon]

I think most marinas charge for the overall length. I'm not surprised.

[salmonhead]

Marinas around here ask for LOA', but dont care much if its under 30 feet because most slips around here start at 30' and some start at 40. Once you break that threashold, the rates go up a lot quicker. I would think being a 23/26 footer should be the same rate as someone that is under 30 using the same size dock. Some marinas you pay for the dock and others are by the foot. My manufacture length and whats on the title is 25'2", but I have a 2' swim platform. I have always paid for a 25' LOA (no tape measure instances), but often require a 30' dock.

[beachblitz]

No standards that I've seen. Each marina does their own thing and usually it's the size of the slip.

But you also mention a pet peeve of mine - boats that stick out past the pilings. Either it is a pulpit with an anchor hanging off or a tilted outboard. Both are nasty obsticals and a potential hazard for the unwary. Sure a competent pilot will not have any problems, but a pulpit and anchor tangled in the rigging of a sailboat that drifted into it after engine failure is a real mess. Not to mention someone fending off a tilted outboard from the bow of sportfisher caught in a cross wind. Or a boom that is 6' above the water and 5' feet beyond the pilings. Obviously, both captains get upset when there is a problem that is the fault of the marina in my mind.

If they intend to charge you by the length of your boat, they should provide a slip that is big enough to hold the boat.

[makonut]

When I was looking at getting a slip for my 28' Grady, I was put into a 33' slip. The reason is that even though the boat's body is 28', the bow pulpit added 2' and when I raised the outboards, another 2' was added. This resulted in my boat having a total length of 32'. The marina where I keep my boat has a dock marked off to measure boats and they used this for my Grady. So do not think just beacause you boat is advertised as XX number of feet that you will fit is a same size slip; definitely measure LOA, and if you have outboards, include them in the length when they are raised.

The nice thing about being in a 33' slip is most boats that length are wider then mine and the slip is designed for the wider boats, so I do not have to use fenders on my boat she is in the slip.

[SeaJay]

There are no official rules on how this is done, each owner does it how they want to. It is likely different if you are in an area with a waiting list for slips as opposed to one that is not sold out.

[74Formula233]

There's a marina up here that even charges you not only for the pulpit and platform (or bracket), but...

THEIR length is calculated with your drive or outboard UP......from the tip of the drive to the tip of your boat...and even the tip of the ANCHOR if you have one on your bow!!!!

I'm so glad I trailer!

[reefhunter2]

When I moved the Garden to Savannah, I was told to remove the dingy from the davits, otherwise I'd be charged extra. She's 46 overall in a 50ft slip and I paid for 50ft, so I put the dinghy back on the davits. The next week I got a bill for the extra boat in the slip! I moved to another harbor and wasn't charged for the extra boat.

[horseradish]

There's 12 inches to one foot and just about every ruler says so... My Pursuit 2470 CC has the "optional " bow pulpit so it's titled and registered as a 26' 6" boat. Every marina I've ever been to is going to use the tape measure. It's nice you've been getting a discount for a couple of years!

[fishie1]

My marina does it the same way so my 25' Grady measures 32 feet with the pulpit, bracket and motors up. I knew this when I selected the marina so I have no complaint and I understand that this is one of the more common ways to measure the boat for dock purposes. That's not to say that their old method is uncommon but to change from one year to the next I would say is unusual.

Has something happened to cause the change- say new ownership or did you just get 'mismeasured' in prior years?

[mubikS]

We don't charge by the foot for our permanant slipholders, only for alongside transient space, where how large your boat is actually DOES matter. As long as your boat fits in the slip (within reason), it's the same rate. If someone gets a boat that is two feet larger but keeps their slip, why should we charge them more? What the heck do we care? For your boat at our marina you'd be looking at $2550 or $2650, depending on location of the slip. Oh, did I mention that's a covered slip?

[GradySailfish25]

Like most of the other people said, my last two marinas charged for the slip by it size, they didn't care what you put in it. But I have another question, how does your marina handle it when you aren't there for a weekend and they rent your slip out to transients? My previous marina actually split the money with you, the dump I am in now just keeps it all....I usually don't even know unless someone tells me or I am missing dock lines.
Rick

[makonut]

It seems that there has to be some agreement between you and your marina as to the monetary disposition should they allow someone to occupy your slip while you are away. My marina has a procedure, that if you are planning to be gone for a time and would like someone else to occupy your slip, they will handle the arrangements and deduct the number of days (= rental fees charged) from me the amount someone else occupied the slip. The marina will not automayically put someone in the slip; I have to notify them of my intentions and request that they find someone.

Check your rental agreement. Seems like from a liability/tenants rights standpoint, if they put someone else in the slip without your consent, the marina owes you the money for the days you were not there and for any damage/lost property. Otherwise it would be your word against theirs if someone else damaged the slip while you were gone and the marina charged you.

[Fcal]

I got the tape measure routine up here. Triton 2690 measures 27'4" with pulpit, but don't forget the outboards.that puts me around 30'. At least the whole boat is inside the pilings.

[Sea Wolf]

The marinas measure the entire boat! That is how they make money!

[Wahzoo]

Well, I'm in San Diego & I have a 30' Slip that I did keep a BW 295 in and the thing had to be 34'+ with the motors up, no one said anything. Its a great Marina with a one year waiting list. Best part is I sublet my slip to another boater while I look for my new boat. Rates went up a little this year for everyone, but what hasn't gone up???

For that poster, (Nancy) Yeah, my boat did stick out farther than anyone. Just because a boat is out a few feet don't mean you can loose control of your vessel and start running into anchors & outboards... I mean come on... Take a boating class, go to the Chapman School, do something, cause if you don't run into the parked boats you will run into some other object, fixed or not... Be carefull, slow down, get a grip... Hows your driving record? When you drive through a parking lot do you get the desire to smash into cars not quite parked between the lines or sticking out to far?

Excuse me sir, is your last name Focker???

[GradySailfish25]

The first thing I did after I found out that they had another boat in my slip one weekend that I was gone was check my slip rental agreement. It was silent on the issue, of course, so I doesn't seem like I have any recourse. I doesn't surprise thought, like I said, the place we are in now is a dump.

[Wahzoo]

GradySail25, have you spoken to the dock master & if so what he/she say? My DM is cool !!!

[RussH]

Good question. I've been looking for a new marina for next year and I've asked all of them what do they consider for the length of the boat? Some say whatever the title says and other say total LOA. The title says 30' but I have an engine bracket that my outboards are attached that add another 2', but when I put the engines up I am actually about 36' long. There is not a standard length and it depends on the marina. All I know is that there is a HUGE difference between the price of a 30' dock and a 35' dock.

I would be interested in seeing how other marinas in the U.S. measure the "standard" length of boat.

Russ

[Plumb-bob]

I feel pretty fortunate. My marina asked me for the size before I brought her in. When I told them I had a Grady 272, the centerline was under 28'. The motors off the back, the pulpit etc., put me over 33'. (A little extra clearance for skegs) $175/month includes electric and water. You sign (and pay) a year lease, 13'th month is free. There is also a 28' Albe two slips down from me We stick out there a little ways. But we do have full finger piers which make it nice.-Tim