Saturday, August 22, 2009

Find the Right Marina



OUR DOG ENJOYIN' A LIVEABOARD LIFESTYLE


“Four steps to achievement: Plan purposefully. Prepare prayerfully. Proceed positively. Pursue persistently.”

- William Arthur Ward


Let the Adventure Begin:


Where do you want to live, ocean front or lake front? Will you dock your boat at a private marina, municipal marina, or yacht club marina? Answer these questions and you are on your way to finding the right boat and the right marina.


FINDING A MARINA: LEARN MORE

Where do you want to live, ocean front or lake front? Will you dock your boat at a private marina, municipal marina, or yacht club marina? Answer these questions and you are on your way to finding the right boat and the right marina.
Marina Finder Link


Online Marinas Directory



Once you've decided what size and type of boat you want to buy, you must choose a marina at which to dock it. Most marinas allow liveaboards, but those slips are limited and usually filled. Call around and see what size liveaboard slips are most plentiful and gear you boat purchase toward that size. Around our marina, anything under 50' is recommended and about 35'- 45'will give you the widest choise of liveaboard slips.

Find several marinas in the area of your choice and get on their slip waiting lists ASAP. Buying a boat, and having no place to dock it is a nightmare. If you do locate an available liveaboard slip that seems the right size, take it! You can always move to another marina later.


It shouldn't take more that a few months to find your boat, and most dock masters will work with you to rent out your empty slip to transient boats on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis.

Once you locate the area where you want to live, first call the various marinas and if they do have liveaboard availibiliy or an open waitlist, visit and check it out. Ask the dock master if you can walk the slips and get a feel for the marina. Getting non-responsive, or curt answers to your questions is a sign of a bad dock master and the marina is only as good as its dock master.
If the slips and the boats look in need of upkeep or repair, be very cautious. A marina that allows its facility and its boats to become rundown is a red-flag as what to expect from your new neighbors as they will likely reflect the neighborhood.

Private or Public Marina

There are differences in how public vs. private marinas accept and deal with liveaboards. They are more flexable in a private or yacht club marina than they are in a public or municipal marina. We have lived aboard at public, private, and yacht club marinas.



Public marinas usually have many more slips than do private marinas, so your chance of securing a slip is at a higher ratio. However, many public marinas also restrict the number of slips alloted to liveaboards. Rules, that cannot bend or be manipulated also abound. Public marinas are governed by the rules of the municipality in which they reside. Squabbling among the City Commissioners can also create problems for liveaboards. Some think we are not "green" enough, and add to the pollution of their waterways. Nothing could be further from the truth, as liveaboards actually live in the marina and we are not about pollute our own neighborhood. Always be sure you check the environmental rules at any marina.






Private marinas are most prevalent at hotels in our area. Hotel marinas are terrific and offer the same amenities the hotel guests receive. Many do offer liveaboard slips, but you will have to go on a waiting list. They may also charge more per foot for slips, but the liveaboard fee should be in line with public marinas. They usually offer such fun stuff as room service right to your boat, free laundry facilities, pools, spa, concierge service, and of course restaurants and bars. You should be alloted free parking with your slip and most of these hotels also have shuttles to and from shopping centers, the airport, and tourist attractions. Lots of fun here, if you can afford it.


Dock Search Link


Yacht club marinas; don't overlook them. We have enjoyed our public marina slips, and loved our slips at hotel marinas, but the per foot rate became too much, so we looked into joining a yacht club. Not all yacht clubs charge an exorbitant fee to join; do your due diligence and you will discover, as did we, that there are many reasonable priced yacht club memberships. We bought one from a member who was moving away and got it for less than $1, 500. Prorated over a period of months, it's quite reasonable. Most clubs want new members and will be most accommodating in membership fee negotiations.

Now for the big surprise! Yacht club marina slip fees are usually less than half of all other marinas in your area. Even when you add in the monthly dues, their slip fees are a true bargain. Most of the marinas in our area charge from $18-$28 per foot for slips, the yacht clubs charge from $6-$10 a foot. Yacht club marinas usually do not set a hard and fast rule as to the number of liveaboards, and again will work with you. We joined our yacht club in December and by February, we had a liveaboard slip.

Outside of low slip-rental fees, and a great social life, another benefit of a yacht club membership is reciprocal moorage agreement with other yacht clubs. You can dock your boat for several nights at low, or usually at no cost at other clubs with reciprocal privileges. This reciprocal docking privilege is a great way to spend your cruising time. Plan ahead, make arrangements with the other yacht clubs, and you have your slips for almost no cost. When we feel like cruising around for a week or two, we take advantage of reciprocals; our only cost is the gas for the boat. Sailing boats can make these trips for next to nothing.



Our yacht club offers many of the same amenities hotels do. As our club has a restaurant, we can get meals sent to our boat, or go to the restaurant. We have a pool, wireless internet, laundry, and best of all, a great social life connected to all the club's activities. Yacht club marinas make a great homebase for the liveaboard family.

Yacht Club Finder


Importance of the Dock Master

The dockmaster is the liveaboard's best friend as he is the person you will to go to when you have boating questions or problems with the operation of the marina.



A good dock master has a thorough knowledge of boating and makes sure the marina operates professionally. He should have a small assistant staff who offer special services, such as helping you with lines when you cast off or dock your boat at the marina. A good dock master is also responsible for the safety of the marina, the tenants, and their boats. He and his staff are responsible for the facility upkeep and repairs.

Most dockmasters appreciate their liveaboards and know they are good for the marina, especially in terms of safety when the marina office is closed. Liveaboards are a close-knit group and will keep a close eye on things and alert the dockmaster if suspicious situation arises.


Must Have Marina Facility Amenities

  • Dogs on Leash

  • 30 & 50 amp electric/Water

  • Ample Parking

  • Showers/Laundry Room

  • 24 Hour Security

  • Gated Dock Entry

  • Concrete Dock and Finger Piers

  • Cable TV, Phone & WiFi at each slip

  • Courteous staff

  • pump-out System

  • Swimming pool

  • Nearby Fuel Dock

  • Dock Boxes

  • Green Areas for Dog


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