Marina prices = Top Secret?

[J Clark H356]

If you are outside the bridge in Destin, there are few options. I stayed at Boshamps, a restaurant, when I was there in the fall of 2013. They only have a few slips and were open about a year with a private dock. I think it was $2.50 per foot. I don't know if they are even renting slips now.

Pensacola has several marinas, Palafox being a very nice one and listed in Active Captain at $1.50 per foot. I stayed there in 2007 and it is floating docks and very nice area at the southern end of the city.

Browse Active Captain and if the price is not listed, give them a call.

[Leo Ticheli]

We travelled from Annapolis, down through the Keys, and up to Pensacola, stopping at Marinas every night except when we crossed from Tampa to Pensacola, and the one reliable aspect of Active Captain was the marina price.

We found no variations from the Active Captain listed price at any marina, although all of them gave a BoatUS discount.

I really can't imagine not using Active Captain, but do not mean to imply that the marina amenities listed are accurate or the user reviews are anywhere near up to date or accurate.

Fair winds,

Leo

[denverd0n]

Originally Posted by SURV69

...since they usually don't know how to update their website in a timely fashion.

I'm sure that is a big part of it, if not the whole explanation. Nonetheless, those businesses are not going to survive in the long term. The younger generation expects to be able to get all the information they need, to make their buying decisions, in a matter of seconds, using their phone. If they can't get that information from your business, in the way they want, they are going to take their business elsewhere.

Adapt or die. It really is that simple.

[Tony B]

Bill


How you be?
Glad to see you are travelling.
The only place in Ms. that I would recommend is Gulfport Small Craft Harbor. It is absolutely beautiful at night. If you walk through the marina and past the bait shop, there is a small beach that is usually deserted.
Most places in Ms. charge $1/foot for transient or $300/mo. for a monthly rate.
All of these photos were taken in the Gulfport Small Craft Harbor

[adlib2]

Originally Posted by capn_billl

I still don't understand why marina prices are so tightly guarded secrets, but does anyone have a list of current prices on the gulf coast?

I'm planning a trip from Texas to Florida, and would alike a list of places to stop along the way that won't break the bank.

A competitive business !! You won't get a quote over VHF, but should over cell phone.
As mentioned, 'Active Captain' is a great Resource.

[secrabtree]

Originally Posted by denverd0n

I'm sure that is a big part of it, if not the whole explanation. Nonetheless, those businesses are not going to survive in the long term. The younger generation expects to be able to get all the information they need, to make their buying decisions, in a matter of seconds, using their phone. If they can't get that information from your business, in the way they want, they are going to take their business elsewhere.

Adapt or die. It really is that simple.

It sounds like you said they don't want to call to get the price, they want to use the phone (CALL?). I think you meant they want to use the internet as it is gotten by their smarter(-than-me) phone. Not all of us are so young that the word "phone" is understood as "a smaller than tablet computer that, incidentally, can also be used to make telephone calls".

[Cap Erict3]

Originally Posted by RTB

The cheapest marina was Shell Morgan in Louisiana. A good place to fuel up and spend a night. $20.00. Shell Morgan Landing Inc. | Abbeville, LA | Waterway Guide Marina Listing . Morgan City is also $20.00/night I think. Houma, La. is $25.00/night.

Figure $1.00-$2.00/ft. per night for the rest of your trip. Weekly rates are usually less.

We've done it both ways, and probably have receipts, but would take some time to go through everything. Maybe figure out the places you would like to stop, and give them a call?

Have fun. When are you leaving? We're heading back that way in October.

Ralph

Recommend having fender boards for places like Shell Morgan and Morgan City municipal.


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Looking for another pretty place to work on the boat.

[RTB]

Originally Posted by Cap Erict3

Recommend having fender boards for places like Shell Morgan and Morgan City municipal.


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Looking for another pretty place to work on the boat.

Yup. Pretty rough, but no anchorages nearby that I could find.


I agree with Tony B about Gulfport Small Craft Harbor. That's a nice stop. Don't miss having some great food at Big Mike's Speakeasy, a block away.


Last trip back, we skipped the marina, and anchored out at Ship Island on Mississippi Sound. It's nice to have an option if the weather is settled.

[capn_billl]

Originally Posted by secrabtree

It sounds like you said they don't want to call to get the price, they want to use the phone (CALL?). I think you meant they want to use the internet as it is gotten by their smarter(-than-me) phone. Not all of us are so young that the word "phone" is understood as "a smaller than tablet computer that, incidentally, can also be used to make telephone calls".

I haven't been able to find the "make a call" menu on my phone in weeks.
Maybe I need to download a new make a voice call app. You mean they still make voice calls?

[capn_billl]

I'll have to check out the Gulfport small craft harbor.

I'm gong to leave for Lake Charles by Memorial day. I was going to leave it there a month, (If I can get a good marina, so far no one has answered the phone).

Then head for Destin, and leave it for the summer. Also dependent on a reasonable price <$300.00.

I'm flexible between Pensacola, and Panama city. But the price isn't so flexible.

[RTB]

Bill, we always call to see if there is a slip available. I'll check about the price to be sure too. Sometimes, marinas don't respond to vhf calls, either because they are busy, or just not monitoring the radio. Not often the case, but does happen.

Ralph

[capn_billl]

We're heading back that way in October.

October is peak hurricane. I was going to wait until the last major one, (or the cold fronts push them south), and go on to Tampa this winter in prep for a Okeechobee crossing next summer for a Bahamas fling.

[RTB]

Originally Posted by capn_billl

We're heading back that way in October.

October is peak hurricane. I was going to wait until the last major one, (or the cold fronts push them south), and go on to Tampa this winter in prep for a Okeechobee crossing next summer for a Bahamas fling.

Yep. We'll be watching to see how hurricane season goes this year. We left Kemah in Nov. 2012. That's too late, and we froze before getting far enough south. We're still kicking around some plans. Maybe leave sooner and hang out in the Port St. Joe/Carrabelle area for the end of the season. Who can say where to be? We could get hit here in Rockport easy enough. Gotta be somewhere.....


Man, the weather has been brutal this spring! It was blowing 35 gusting to 47 for 6 hours overnight. Mother Nature sure is being fickle this year. Beware out there!

Ralph

[denverd0n]

Originally Posted by secrabtree

I think you meant they want to use the internet as it is gotten by their smarter(-than-me) phone.

Well, yes. I meant use their phone to access the internet to find out what they want to find out.

Originally Posted by capn_billl

I haven't been able to find the "make a call" menu on my phone in weeks.

The research that I've read indicates that, for those with "smart phones," voice telephone calls represent around 5% of the total use of the phone. So, if you are a typical user, 95% of the time you don't care about that "make a call" app. No wonder that you might lose it!

[captlloyd]

Try Marinas.com. They provide basic information and some prices plus the web-page information for most marinas. Go to the web-sites and get what I would say about 75-80% of the dockage prices. That leaves just a little calling to do. Not bad.