Dinghy Docking Charge

[Bash]

okay, I'm starting a list. Based upon threads in the past three days, we will now boycott:

Port Sidney Marina
The Dominican Republic
People who wear expensive sunglasses
Powerboats who cross ahead of sailboats
Abby Sunderland
All CF moderators
Water taxi operators
Anyone who uses a sextant
Anyone who doesn't use a sextant
Anyone who has ever owned a CQR anchor, a Hunter Sailboat, or a multihull
Foreigners
Friggin' Americans
Those who cruise on more than $4999 a month
Those who cruise on less than $500 a month
The metric system
Ugly people who sail nude
Singlehanders
Drug runners in fiberglass submarines.

did I miss anyone?

[Starbuck]

Bill, I agree: 5 bucks (even Canadian) per hour is pretty stiff. How do you go ashore for much of anything for less than two hours? The last time I dashed through the grocery store that quickly, I was ten.

Would you be willing to pay $5/day, with the option of having it validated (waived) if you spent at least $5 in the marina somewhere (store, bar, fuel dock, etc.)?

I think that'd be reasonable.

[Lancerbye]

hahaha lmao. Where do I sign up.

[Pelagic]

Popular joke in Hawaii:

What’s the difference between a Canadian and a canoe?
Canoes tip!

Seriously, the days of a transient yacht being rare are now long gone and commercial Marinas have to control and manage people who have access to a private dock via their tenders.

As Ex-Calif explained, it is those who abuse privileges that cause the marinas to make charges that tell you…. We don’t really want you.

On another thread, one fellow even felt he had a right to tie up a public dock’s loading zone and not allow anyone to raft up beside him.

If it is the same cost as tying up overnight, why not just enjoy a shopping day at the dock and support the marina?

[mintyspilot]

Originally Posted by Bash

....
long list
....
did I miss anyone?

Yes.

People who chew gum
People who use "your" instead of "you're" or who split infinitives
Hunters, Beneteaus or any boat whose hull is less than 6" thick
Mulder, the smoking man, any aliens, but not Scully

[Pelagic]

Originally Posted by mintyspilot

Yes.
Mulder, the smoking man, any aliens, but not Scully

ROTFL.... Perfect....

[swagman]

Hi All,
As a non US sailor I've often read of such charges and wonder if US based people are aware how odd this is on a global basis? Certainly we've not seen such a charge applied in any of the countries we've sailed through which includes most of Europe, Caribbean, Australia.
It seems strange to me that anyone would discourage people coming ashore as invariably they are there to buy something - which I would have thought a local township would actively wish to promote?
As an 'outsider' such charges would be seen as blatant 'profiteering' and let us hope it does not get exported to other countries..

Cheers
JOHN

[Sandero]

Tie ups for brief times should be permitted and charging for same is off putting to say the least.

It comes down to why is a person tying up and what they are tying up. With the notion of private property so deeply ingrained in the American (at least) psyche the notion of separating those at sea from the publicly owned access to commercial establishments etc. has become a problem. Effectively there are many harbors where there is no public access or connection between water and the street (public) and this leaves on who is at sea at the mercy of the private property owners - which in the case of a marina is there for the sole purpose to extract money from boaters. And so they will do it any and all ways they can if they can.

One typical approach is to rent a mooring without a place to keep or land a dink for free. This is another item to charge for. And then there's rubbish disposal and it goes on and on. Some places will charge for water in the states.

And the towns are getting into the act too by selling moorings and the same stuff that the private marinas sell.

[daddle]

There's two sides to this. Those who own private property accessible by the public know all about the abuses. Litter, trashing the restrooms, spiriting away resources without paying, occupying parking, needing some resource "for only a minute", asking for things with no offer to compensate in any way, acting like elite yachties, complaining if free things are not absolutely perfect, sneaking in and out, it goes on and on and the owners know it is just not worth the hassle.

Sheesh, pay the asking price or go away. Your boat can move, right? Is $15 going to terminate your cruise?

[Ex-Calif]

Once again I am not throwing a rock at Bill Lee but in his original post he stated there was a public beach access. He preferred the marina for security. He doesn't mind paying but he does mind paying $5 per hour.

I believe that the shoreline must have public access. For any local government to sell "every" access to the shore to private parties is a criminal abuse of the use of public land.

However, what has been sold into private use is private. If they wanted to charge $100 per hour to tie up a dink that is their right. No one has a right to make them provide public access for free. In fact if they wanted to make it a members only dock with absolutely no public access at any price that is their right as well.

Sort of a tempest in a teapot in my opinion. Someone makes their private dock available to you and you don't like the price just move along.

[Vasco]

Cape Marina, Port Canaveral wanted $10 an hour to tie up my dink! I think they just said that because they didn't want dinks at their docks.

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by swagman

Hi All,
As a non US sailor I've often read of such charges and wonder if US based people are aware how odd this is on a global basis?

Shhhh!

Whenever I see a US flagged vessel docking on a Sunday I always take the Landing Fees . It's first come first served around here


In respect of OP's scenario, it seems clear to me that the Marina is charging a rate whose sole purpose is to convey the message: "f. off" Given mention of security issues elsewhere I suspect discouraging unknown folks is the driver on this. As a Berth holder would be seen as a good thing!

As a local I would try for an annual charge for dinghy access - on the basis they will then know who you are no reason not to be at a reasonable rate. If not possible then it's time to agitate with your local Govt / local businesses for some shoreside access elsewhere, probably won't turn out to be free though........

If not local I would do as the Marina suggests

[Auspicious]

I have faced a range of dinghy fees. I'm home-based in Annapolis so I'm spoiled by a city that requires any street ending in the water provide free access for dinghies - you can't leave your dinghy for more than 24 hours without approval of the Harbormaster who is a very reasonable guy.

Recently I have used other facilities:

Hospitality Harbor, Solomons MD $5 / day provides use of the dinghy dock and access to showers and laundry - walk to grocery

Grocery in Georgetown Exumas free dockage and free water; experience throughout the Bahamas was the same - no one ever asked for money for tying up a dinghy

Point Judith Marina, Snug Harbor RI quid pro quo for promise to feed the donation jar for a local food bank provided access (for a week!) to the dinghy dock and showers

Barron's Boatyard, City Island NY free use of dock while we wandered around and had lunch (helped them with their new wifi installation when I got back)

Green Creek Marina, Worton Creek, Chesapeake Bay free dinghy dockage, free water, trash and recycling

I've never been hijacked for an hourly rate for a dinghy.

[donradcliffe]

The worst place we have seen was Port Jefferson, NY, where the municipal marina wants $12/hr for your dinghy. Fortunately there is a private marina there which will let you stay all day for $5. The $5/day seems reasonable, but the going rate in Florida seems to have crept up to $10/day.

The US is not the only place where trying up a dink will cost you. We have seen the Greeks charge $10, and some Spanish harbors have NO place to tie up.

Fortunately, there are still some yacht-friendly places--there are half a dozen dinghy docks in Newport, and the end of every street in Annapolis is a dinghy tie up.

Talk to the merchants every chance you get--they are the only ones on your side. Sometimes it doesn't help--friends in Port Jefferson said their business went down 35% when the town installed parking meters, but they are still there.

[sarafina]

What every Dink needs:

Its own tender!

Anchor your dink and cross the last few feet to the dock. Then deflate and roll up your mini-tender, stick it in a bag and be on your way!