Negotiating Price or Amenities with Marina

T

townvet

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 24, 2009
Messages
136
Reaction score
2
Points
0
Location
New Castle, NH
In this day and age where boating has become less popular up here in the Northeast (due to fuel prices, economic down turn etc...) most of the marinas are needing to work harder to have their slips full each spring.

Has anyone tried negotiating with their marina? I am thinking of negotiating amenities with my current marina prior to giving them my deposit for 2010. There are certain items of upkeep that need attention, dock repairs etc... I may try to make these items part of the contract.

The waiting lists at marinas up here are shorter, the desire to remain full still exists and I think it is high time boaters benefited from these times.

Any thoughts?
 
Negotiating

I'm had some success cutting a better deal last year. If your slip holder in good standing you can probably get a better dockage rate and a discount on fuel.

As far as the dock repairs, etc. I would expect them to make the repairs and tell them so.
 
I negotiated a lower winter storage rate last season-
Basically told them if they lowered it to XXXX dollars I would store the boat there for winter and have XXXXX service performed-
Worked for me-
Tim
 
Are you very happy with the marina and slip you have, service, etc.?

If not or so-so, shop around NOW before you do deposit, ask buddies in other marinas if they like it, then if you are so - so you have a negotiating position to be in before you do the talk. Or just walk thru other marina an dtalk to anyone on a boat.

Then you can walk, and lock up a deal at other marina. When you go to other marinas, say you are shopping for a new place to dock and are on a budget.

Be careful how you approach your marina, especially if you like your place and want to stay many more seasons, it's boom or bust in this business, when boating comes back around, and it will, and people will pay under the table (again) to get a rental slip, your marina manager may not be so inclined to be nice to you and care less if you left - and treat you accordingly. THere are more than one way to get you out, w/o asking you to go.

So if you go in and they say "take it or leave it", what will you say and do?

For other reasons, I was in a similar situation several years ago, I left and found a much better place, glad they did put the screws in me otherwsie would have not left. Pay more now, but content. Only latest 2 season in previous marina, they used the first year to see what I was good for ($$) beyond storage fee, found out I wasn't, so screwed me into a slip too small for my boat and noisy near an outdoor bar, 3rd season color me gone. They were expecting it, I imagine that was their plan.
 
I am happy where we have our current slip. I get along well with all the neighbors and the marina staff is nice. My only issue is one of "grass is always greener". We have another marina which is a 10 minute further drive by car, but is right at the ocean rather than 15 minutes up river like we are now. The marina itself is much higher end with my boat being one of the small guys. The fees are a bit higher (but I will come out equal in one season on fuel savings from not having the trip up river each outing) and the facility is light years nicer. Not sure what the boaters are like, but I suspect they are just as nice.

I will play it safe with both places and see what mood strikes me in the end.

Townvet
2008 232 Gulfstream w F350
2009 336 Canyon w T-F350's
 
Before you do this make sure you have another option, you need a backup amrina to go to, depending on the manager of the marina they might think it is an insult and it could backfire and they could ask you to leave or give you slip away, most will not care, some will say no others will be willing to do so. It really depends on how much competition the area has where you are, as well as if they have open slips or a full marina, if hes full chances are be can get someone to pay regular price and fill the marina, if he has open slips hes more likely to deal to keep you as a customer, less is better then not at all. My marina has a waiting list of about 40-50 boats each year and they have guys come each year to get on it, it does not carry over from year to year and guys sleep in trucks overnigh tto get in my marina, but it is well protected and super clean, also county maintained with good lighting and police patrol every 30-45min. If you were in my marina I'd say don;t even waste your time, but some of the area marins I'd say go for it, plenty of marinas that used to be filled now have empty slips, problem is their location is less then ideal and they all need upkeep, those are the types of marinas where you can likely get in for cheaper or for what you used to pay. Sounds like your marina is sort of like this, hopefully it works out well for you, let us know how it works out, and hopefully your fotunate enough to get a better rate.
 
Seems like the OP has reason enough to move, now is the time, wait and you loose the opportunity. Timing is everything.
 
Better Deals

I would ask but be sure your the customer they want back.

Then:

1.) Ask the right person.
2.) Be professional about it.
3.) Have a reasonable expectation of what you want.

A friend of mine cut a 10% discount on a house he rented the last 5 years for a month in FL.

I've been able to get a lower slip rate ($100 ft. vs. $118), waive the minimum length (27' vs. 30') and get a 5% fuel discount. It is a short slip on a big boat dock with a transformer on the end (noisey) but I don't stay on board.

It doesn't hurt to ask if you do it the right way!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.