Marina renting out slip when gone

[Jammer]

Originally Posted by fstbttms

You don't own the slip. It's not your property, it's the marina's. Why should you get anything from the marina if someone else is using their property? And it seems very likely that you agreed to this arrangement when you signed your lease (whether you are aware of it or not.) If you don't want them to rent it out while you are away, don't tell them you are going to be away.

I think the idea in many cases is that the seasonal slipholder is paying a not insignificant sum for the (possibly exclusive) use of the slip. If I rent an apartment I don't expect the landlord to lease it out while I'm on holidays, e.g.


It really does vary from one lease to the next.

[rslifkin]

As Stephen_MO pointed out, the extra income to the marina from double-dipping likely keeps the seasonal slip rates down a bit from what they might otherwise charge.

[Mike OReilly]

Further to this discussion, I just recalled a situation where I was the beneficiary of someone else's seasonal dock.

I was sailing Lake Erie and was forced to go into a marina to deal with some engine problem. The marina staff directed me to a specific dock which turned out to be someone else's seasonal dock. But the 'owner' had already hauled out for the season, so the marina knew it was open.

I ended up stuck there for almost a week. When I went to pay, the marina waived me off, explaining that they'd already got the full payment from the seasonal owner, so my stay was free. I was pleasantly shocked!

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by Jammer

If I rent an apartment I don't expect the landlord to lease it out while I'm on holidays, e.g.

If you signed a legal document indicating that the landlord had the right to do so, you would.

[cr180]

The lease agreement will clearly specify Marina right to rent slip when you are gone. In fact it will also require you to notify Marina of how long you plan to be gone and when you plan to return. BUT the Marina is obligated to make your slip available to you when you return. If not, then the Marina must accommodate you. We are in a small city Marina in Florida. City attorney recently confirmed that accommodation.

[FabioC]

In my marina, they give you some discount on the monthly slip fee if you are gone AND they are able to rent your slip to a transient (don't remember how much discount, it is a % of the rent they are able to collect from the transients). If they cannot rent the slip, then no discount.

[Shrew]

Originally Posted by cr180

.....BUT the Marina is obligated to make your slip available to you when you return. If not, then the Marina must accommodate you.

Agreed. In my case, I accommodated myself to the fuel dock. This seemed to get the yard motivated to move the transient vessel to an alternative slip.

[SVSOLITAIRE]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

Yes, it is $385/mo when I am there.

Holy crow where’s that!!

[KayZee]

Originally Posted by SVSOLITAIRE

Holy crow where’s that!!

I was thinking the same thing. Here, a seawall-side tie-up for a 25 footer with no water or power is more than that.

[bgallinger]

Originally Posted by Jerry Woodward

I have a slip in a SW Florida marina. I have an annual deal which means I pay for the slip even when I'm gone. Currently I'm out cruising for 2 months and I know that the marina is renting my slip to transient boaters in my absence.

It seems to me that it would be fair/proper for the marina to negotiate a deal with the slipholder (me) to compensate me some percentage if they rent out my slip. I would be happy with 50%. So they would simply reduce my slip fee based on the amount of income they receive renting out my slip for a given month.

I would be curious if anyone has such a deal with their marina.

It would be wonderful if the marina gave you a break, but it's highly unlikely. Every marina I have ever been to reserves the right to rent out your fully paid for slip.

[AKA-None]

Nope I pay for the slip doesn’t matter if I use it or not I pay full price

The current rate is almost what I paid for the boat itself

There is no provision to rent it when I’m not there

[Sailor 99]

Well I have the biggest boat and slip in the marina and it is about the only place for my boat for about 25 miles. It is 7 miles from my house. If I lose that slip I have to go miles to find another one so I am disinclined to be rocking any boats. There is a waiting list for that slip maybe 5 boats long.

They have a certain expense every year and they need to make a certain amount of money. If transient fees keep the slip fees down I am good with that. They want to rent my slip out when I am not there I am okay with it. I let them know if I am leaving and I radio when I am returning. If I have to sit on the fuel dock for a hour that is much less time than it will take me to drive one time to whatever new home I might find.

Nothing is perfect but it is all about how you approach the problems.

[Jerry Woodward]

Thanks for all the input. I think the best argument in favor of the marina renting out my slip is that the extra income can help keep overall slip fees down. I'm good with that.

BTW, I don't actually have a contract yet. I was just trying to get a sense of what other marinas do before I negotiate my contract.

[thinwater]

Most of us have used transient slips on occasion. Sometimes this is space the marina keeps open, but most often it is vacant spaces from boats that are elsewhere. So we also benefit from this practice.

Farther north, this is typically a boat that is still on the hard for work. There will be no conflict. It does seem unfair since you are paying for 12 months, but it is in the contract.

---


Curious. Does you agreement require you to notify the marina if you are away overnight? Have you ever come back from a cruise early? Have you ever stayed out overnight when you were planning to day sail? Do you cruise with a set schedule?I don't. I've seen agreements that required you to notify them if you are out overnight. Do they scold you if you don't inform them? Sounds awfully nanny.


Yes, this is all in the agreement, but like an employment contract, it is often signed, to some extent, under duress. But if you ever use transient slips, you also benefit from this "hot bunking."

[s/v Jedi]

For us, on the Atlantic coast of central Florida, having a marina slip available when you want one is impossible unless you buy it, which is what we did. Then during our absence it is rented out and we get the proceeds minus 25%, which covers the monthly association costs for the slip and a little extra.

Whenever we wish to return, they make the slip available. When there is a long term renter, we sometimes take another slip when it’s just a couple days in the marina so that we don’t lose the renter. This works reasonably well, but of course you need to make the investment first.