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Old 15-08-2019, 05:46   #181
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Re: Liveaboard Fees - again

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I’m curious if they have laundry or shower facilities. If they do do you use them?
Been here 3 weeks, have used the shower once and the coin operated laundry twice.
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Old 15-08-2019, 05:53   #182
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Re: Liveaboard Fees - again

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It's a steal compared to land living and all the utilities to pay there.
Is it really??????????????????

I own a 3 nice bedroom house in Jacksonville Fl that I rent out to my daughter form $500/mo and it costs about $150 for electric and water for the month. So that's $650/mo.

I really haven't found boat living to be less than land living. If anything the last 3 years I think it has been more to live on a boat. My house was pay off and the utilities and association fee were around $350/mo and it didn't need $500 in maintenance and repair each month.
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Old 15-08-2019, 05:55   #183
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Re: Liveaboard Fees - again

BTW - there's "free" wifi here in the marina and you can use all the internet you want to at the 0.5 mbps download rate
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Old 15-08-2019, 07:20   #184
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Re: Liveaboard Fees - again

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I see a general trend in many of the posts regarding discussion of justifications or lack of justification of the fees at marinas which discussions are being made from the perspective of the lessee / boat owner and not from the perspective of the lessor / marina owner. The reality is that perspective of justification that counts is the one involving the revenue perspective, not the cost side nor the fee payor side. The marina is establishing a price, it is up to the lessee to negotiate an alternative, if they can.
Well, of course it is up to the marina operator to establish the price, and based on whatever reasons of logic, set one which will maximize the income or profit and still maintain a decent occupancy rate. After all, it is a business.

But we, as cruisers can only focus on how much we have to pay, and since many of us are retired, and not in a position to set the amount of our income, most of us anyhow, we are feeling the pinch when the marina price goes up. Same as with the price of fuel, or food.

But one thing I'd like to mention: Some marinas are operated by municipal authorities, built with federal funds, on shoreline which may have been public lands or privately owned and acquired under eminent domain. Even private operators often have conditions applied on them by land and shoreline use agencies since the shorelines are usually considered as public and for public use. This puts a slightly different spin on it. If governments take land and public funds and build a marina for the benefit of the public, or allows a private developer to build and operate on those public shorelines, then we'd ostensibly think that fees would be set by consideration of the costs to operate, not simply what the traffic will bear. It's about providing a facility for the public good, not about how to maximize income for the operator.

But anyhow, like I said, we, as cruisers have little to say about it, and given the rarity of marinas, we basically have to pay it if we can, or leave marina usage to the wealthy. But we can grumble about it.
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Old 15-08-2019, 08:17   #185
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Re: Liveaboard Fees - again

The Marinas are Full in La Paz, MX...yet the Cruisers complain about the marina prices being too high (me included).
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Old 15-08-2019, 08:32   #186
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Re: Liveaboard Fees - again

the " liveaboard fee is a racket in my humble opinion. You can add this to the " environmental" fee some marina's charge.

I can remember the days when there was no such thing.

Some bright spark said...hey...here is an untapped revenue stream....the boater....what can we do to suck anuddah dollah outa dere pocket...and voila....the " liveaboard" fee arrived.

As boaters, we are " renters"...we rent the boat slip and marina's are in the business to make money. Slip fees are generally based on availability and convenience, but some marina's have taken a hit these past few years...and are looking at any way to conjure up mo' money. Desirable marina's can do this with ease. Less desirable marina's not as easy.

Besides all that, slip rental fees typically go up on a yearly basis...why ???....'cuz the marina wants mo' money.
I've been to marina's, where my dinghy in davits counts to overall boat length, to squeeze a few more bucks out of my wallet.

The " liveaboard" fee would be easier to swallow if it was made part of the dockage slip fee. A $150 fee amounts to about 0.12c/ft/Month for your average 40' boat.

I was just reading today about B'mas cruising " fees" going up. A B'mas official stating he thinks the boating traffic to the B'mas can most probably "absorb" the extra cost. These costs are political expedient and don't really have much to do with anything.
When I first started going to the B'mas, a cruising permit was around $20 or so, and a " fishing permit another $15 or thereabouts.
The day will come (When Cuba is opened to the US boating traffic), that the Bahamians will quickly really the folly of the " fees".
Can't come soon enuff !!

Folks may recall the so-called" Luxury" tax imposed on boats a while back. Almost overnight, the boat building industry died. The " Luxury" tax came about 'cuz some braindead politician thought it would be good idea to add revenue stream to the guv'mints coffers.

I fear all these " fees" will eventually spell doom for the marine industry. Sooner or later, people will say fuggit and move on.

On the other side of the coin, trying to build a new marina these days is an uphill permitting battle with State and Federal agencies. A marina typically is also on the hook for a " submerged land lease" and trying to " dredge" a marina involves more permitting I care to explain. Besides the water being " waters of the State"...the mud on the bottom also " belongs" to the State.

All in all, things are not looking very bright for the boater. I can remember the days, when come September time, the Canadian " snowbirds" could be seen chugging down the ICW. These days, I rarely, if ever, see a Canadian boat anymore.

I don't know what the answer is, but after 35 years on the water, I'm ready to hang it up.
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Old 15-08-2019, 23:03   #187
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Re: Liveaboard Fees - again

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Originally Posted by sailorboy1 View Post
Is it really??????????????????

I own a 3 nice bedroom house in Jacksonville Fl that I rent out to my daughter form $500/mo and it costs about $150 for electric and water for the month. So that's $650/mo.

I really haven't found boat living to be less than land living. If anything the last 3 years I think it has been more to live on a boat. My house was pay off and the utilities and association fee were around $350/mo and it didn't need $500 in maintenance and repair each month.
A couple things: Of course, some liveaboard fees are crap made up to discourage riffraff, arbitrary or the like. Some extra is justified I think, how much you think is worth it is up to you.

So I'm telling you I'm here for 350 USD about a month. That's indeed less than 650 by quite a bit. And I'm also guessing you're renting your daughter that house at a discount; I also own a few houses I rent out in Colorado and Texas. My rents are 1500-2200 per month for the same size. Plus HOA. Not including whatever their utility bills are each month. Heating and cooling a 3 bed house, plus garbage plus water plus wastewater etc is sure as h@ll more than 150 per month where I own. For 500 a month straight up (no Dad discount) plus utils (150), you usually get a studio at best, in a crap part of town. For 350 I'm sitting here on a major greek island in a 53ft boat 2 min from the historic center, 3 min from the international airport, under an old castle filled with museum exhibits, bougainvillea and a private beach. The 600 USD last winter one was Mallorca. I gave up a slip this coming winter in downtown Palermo that was gonna be 500 bucks all included per month to be here in corfu instead for 300.

Speaking of, it's increasingly hard to find houses without HOAs. How is that justified? 200 and even 300 bucks a month for them mowing the neutral ground? I HATE HOAs because they don't give you jack except a constant source of complaints about your grass height. Liveaboard fees at least ostensibly are because the average liveaboard will indeed be heating and air conditioning and showering and laundering constantly vs transients (who often do pay metered rates and coin op laundry as well).

I totes agree marina managers should factor in the security function we provide. I helped many dozens of boats dock after hours last winter. We're a deterrent to people prowling around the other unoccupied boats, etc. That's a tangible service. But oh well, we can't exactly give them an invoice back can we?

And this doesn't include living on the hook most of the other six months for more or less free. So average that out over a year and you get 150 USD per month all in. If you tell me you can do that any other way, you're typing from a trailer in east wyoming 50 miles from the nearest town over 20 people

Repairs: 500 bucks a month... I don't know about that. I feel like I put that much into my home when I owned and lived in one. Garden stuff, painting, fiddling around, fridge craps out...sudden big bills can come on either way. Living without a car evens it out for me.

I hate stupid fees as much as anyone. And I'm not really defending them, except to say if the place is worth it to you, then the fee is worth it too. And it will still likely be the cheapest option.
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Old 16-08-2019, 00:49   #188
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Re: Liveaboard Fees - again

I know marinas aren’t hotels, but ...
As smart revenue strategists know, maximizing occupancy isn't their goal; maximizing profitability is, and that requires striking a proper balance between occupancy and rate. As STR numbers show, at most hotels there are diminishing profit returns once the property reaches a certain occupancy level, unless average rates are increased.
While an owner might like to see 98% occupancy every night, it's the revenue manager’s job to communicate how a slightly lower occupancy at a slightly higher rate actually puts more money into the owner’s pocket.
A 2015 HOST data analysis of performance metrics from more than 5,000 hotels concluded that the level at which gross operating profit hits its peak is higher than some would have expected—hovering between 75% and 85% for full-service hotels, and between 71% and slightly more than 80% for limited service.
HNN - Research: Maximizing hotel profitability potential
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Old 16-08-2019, 01:33   #189
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Re: Liveaboard Fees - again

This isn't about fees. You gotta pay for stuff, that's basic.
A lot of folks here talked about costs, and capitalism and stuff, its not about that either.

I think it's about buy 1 for $1, and by 10 for $20.

That's the inverse of capitalism, where bulk (usually) reduces per item price.
Sailorboy1 is right, it doesn't make any sense at all.
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Old 16-08-2019, 06:57   #190
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Re: Liveaboard Fees - again

I think the word " fee" is troublesome....it's a short jump to " fine"...
The word " fee" implies you are being charged for some unknown quantity....................like " goodwill"....
The word " cost" or " charge" or " add-on".. or something along those lines, might be more tolerable...maybe ??
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Old 16-08-2019, 11:06   #191
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Re: Liveaboard Fees - again

Pricing is best based on the value received

Costs should not come into it

If the seller is in a position to work that way.

From the customer's POV it should be take it or leave it.
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Old 16-08-2019, 11:14   #192
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Re: Liveaboard Fees - again

In a capitalist society, the economic laws of supply and demand apply. If it costs me $1.00 to produce something, but no-one is prepared to pay more than that for it, I won't make any of them. But if people are prepared to pay me $5.00 each, I'll produce loads! Similarly with marina fees.
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Old 16-08-2019, 11:22   #193
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Re: Liveaboard Fees - again

thread has become mumbo jumbo
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Old 16-08-2019, 11:35   #194
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Re: Liveaboard Fees - again

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Pricing is best based on the value received

Costs should not come into it

If the seller is in a position to work that way.

From the customer's POV it should be take it or leave it.
Like I said above, that's not always the case.
"Some marinas are operated by municipal authorities, built with federal funds, on shoreline which may have been public lands or privately owned and acquired under eminent domain. Even private operators often have conditions applied on them by land and shoreline use agencies since the shorelines are usually considered as public and for public use. This puts a slightly different spin on it. If governments take land and public funds and build a marina for the benefit of the public, or allows a private developer to build and operate on those public shorelines, then we'd ostensibly think that fees would be set by consideration of the costs to operate, not simply what the traffic will bear. It's about providing a facility for the public good, not about how to maximize income for the operator."
So, for those marinas, and there are many, which were built, or allowed on public lands, for the "public good", then cost should come into play.
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Old 16-08-2019, 12:29   #195
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Re: Liveaboard Fees - again

mumbo jumbo = liveaboard fee
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