GL: Fuel Prices vs. Marina Prices

[joe]

I checked prices before deciding on Brunswick Landing Marina.  A months
dockage can be significantly cheaper than the daily rate for a week.  In my
case 200 less than 1.5 weeks.  Of course no refund for unused days.  The
landings offers easy walking to historic Brunswick and free laundry electric
and (no pump out as always seems full. There is no current as is a dead
which beats Two Way for sure.  There are many nice anchorages along there
but watch the gnats.  Also don't even try two ways fuel dock with anything
like a trawler or sail  boat.

Currently at anchor in the Cooper River (behind Hilton Head) after a nice
all day run off shore.  (PS would have been a great sail for ya and will
tomorrow for the next several days going north.

Joe

"Carolyn Ann"
Great Harbour -37


-----Original Message-----
From: great-loop-bounces+joseph.pica=gmail.com at lists.samurai.com
[mailto:great-loop-bounces+joseph.pica=gmail.com at lists.samurai.com] On
Behalf Of M S
Sent: Saturday, June 07, 2008 9:55 AM
To: FloridaKeyz at aol.com; great-loop at lists.samurai.com
Subject: Re: GL: Fuel Prices vs. Marina Prices

We don't pitty the marinas, and we do anchor out about 50% of the time, but
the Admiral is much happier at a dock where she doesn't have to coordinate a
shore expedition with me. If the Admiral is happier, I'm happier. 
   
  We understand supply and demand, but we refuse to stop at marinas over
$1.50/ft and hesitate when it gets to $1.25/ft. 

  It's strange: I've noticed lots of empty slips also, but based on the
difference between the skipper bob marina book and the prices we get when we
call, I would say the average price has gone up around 25%. I have a couple
of ideas:
   -  It's a short term spike before the fall. In order to keep income up as
boats leave and buy less fuel, they increase the slip price, but this leads
to more boats leaving, so they have to increase the price more. The question
is: when will they drive enough customers away that the price increase can't
make up the difference and they go bankrupt. The question that follows could
be scarier: will it be new marina folks coming in, to buy on the cheap and
provide reasonable marinas or will it be condo developers? 
   - Boats sit in thier permanent slip since the fuel prices are so high
they don't travel. Slips set aside for transients sit empty and don't make
as much money, so they get transients for as much as they can. Depending on
the situation, I know some marinas have to set aside a percentage of thier
slips for transients (Michigan municipal marinas are partly funded by the
DNR as ports of refuge, so they are required to provide transient slips).
   
  We've had some luck by looking for weekly rates. Coming up the east coast
of florida, we've been able to keep the cost to $1/ft or less in a few
places (titusville $5/wk but need new breakwall, St. Augustine $7/wk).
   
  Mike & Tammy
  Valhalla II (Gemini 3400)
  
FloridaKeyz at aol.com wrote:
      Possible solution? Quit going to Marina's, anchor out. let the
overpriced SOB's Starve. If they have empty docks long enough, they will
EVENTUALLY get the message and lower prices.
   
  This may happen anyway, due to the lack of cruisers because of fuel
prices.
   
  I see this happening in Florida, what little marina space we have left
(due to Friggn Condo's) is usually very empty.
   
  Marina's get no pity from me!    
  
See you on the Waterway
Capt. Sterling
MV SterlingLadyIII
Key Largo, Fl. 




    
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