Wet Slip Fees

[FredL]

Hey all:

My wife and I are about to buy our first sailboat. We've been told by some that marinas will only charge you based on the listed length of your boat and don't add on footage charges for bowsprits or swim platforms etc., that can obviously add quite a bit of length. One boat we're looking at has this awesome bowsprit and pulpit, but it's about 7-8ft long. If we're going to get charged for that added length, it's going to get pretty expensive, so please, what's the real deal on how the marinas charge?

Thanks!

FredL

[Ex-Calif]

Depends on the marina - but if the bow sprit requires you to go into a "big" slip. You are definitely gonna pay.

You really gotta ask the marina where you intend to keep it. They probably even specify in their website.

[Capt Phil]

Most marinas I've been in over the last 50+ years charge you for LOA which is the end of your bowsprit to the end of your pushpit. Over hang takes up space in the slipway and compromises manuevering, particularly for the inexperienced. Phil

[FredL]

Thanks, Phil. I thought they would.

[sapient sue]

Hi

Good on you buying your boat. However, being the bearer of bad tidings may save you some money. All overhangs are usually counted in our experience and we have travelled around the Pacific for the last 18 years. In Canada they actually measure the dock space taken and charge appropriately. In Aus we find pens are usually 12, 15 and greater than 15m pens and charges of course vary as the size grows. The bigger the boat the more expensive!!!!

Cheers Sue

[HansSolo]

We pay by LOD not LOA at our marina. For us thats a 10' difference. Its probably best to talk to some one at the yard face to face. We have found that, around here at least, it pays to be friendly and personable.

[Pau Hana Daz]

Like others have said, it depends. We've stayed at marinas that have charged by LOA (measured, including bowsprit and dinghy/davits) as well as those who charge documented length. The marina we're at right now charges LOA or slip size, whichever is greater. Over the last few years we've paid for 38 feet (documented length) up to 47 feet (measured including bowsprit and dink), east FL and the Keys seem to use LOA while more on the west coast to use documented length.

[cal40john]

As everyone said it depends. Here in the PNW there's a marina that charges for the length of the finger you take, so you can put a 30' boat in a 40' slip and you will be charged for 40'. The boat can not be longer than the slip, so you can't put a 41' boa in a 40' slip.

Another forum discussing slip fees, someone posted that in a California marina they charged by the length of the boat and the boat had to be longer than the finger. His boat didn't qualify as it didn't extend beyond the length of the finger enough and it was suggested to him that he add a swim platform or davits.

I've heard some marinas are charging by the square foot to address multihulls.

[tenchiki]

Around here (SF Bay), in all of the marinas that I have checked, you are charged the longer of overall length or the slip length. Some marinas are very picky, and will measure your overall length themselves. Some marinas allow overhang into the fairway, some don't, some it depends on where you are; it is at their discretion. I know of several people who had a wind vane overhanging into the fairway where it was damaged.

[rgscpat]

Similar to what Tenchiki mentioned, different marinas will have different policies on overhang; some, for example, might allow your pulpit, anchor, etc., to overhang a certain small number of feet or percentage of slip length. Some marinas charge the greater of the LOA or slip length. And a couple of marinas I know even allow owners to have part of the slip converted into a deck/patio area, which reduces the usable length of the slip.

[Tayana42]

In SoCal the charge is generally measured LOA. In a very few places we have been charged based on our reported LOD because they didn't come out to check.


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