QUESTIONS ABOUT YOUR BOATYARD

[John Stone]

I have a couple questions for as many Cape Dorians that care to respond. I have had an interesting experience at the boatyard this year where we tackled the Far Reach's bubbled paint. This was of course a DIY project. Life was so much eaiser when the Far was in our back yard. A round trip to work on the boat went from 70' to 70 miles!

So here are the questions:

1. What would the fees be in your boatyard to store a 36' boat on the hard for month with one 15 amp power cord (monthly vice daily rate)? What region of the country?

2. Does your boatyard charge you any additional fees for you to work on your own boat? If so, how do you feel about it?

3. If the answer to #2 is yes, did you attempt to negotiate the price down and we're you successful?

[Chrisa006]

$1200 for the winter
I can work on my own boat with no charge.

[Sea Hunt Video]

At the yard I use (have used) the following are current rates for a Cape Dory 36:

Haul out and splash $400

Pressure clean $77

First seven (7) days $46/per day

After seven days $54/per day

These amounts include electric and water

The yard does not charge a fee for DIY work. You can also hire your own specialty - mechanic, Alwgrip, bottom paint, etc. They have to be licensed and insured and "registered" with the manager.

It's open 0700 - 1800 every day

The one thing that has always bothered me is that you MUST buy your supplies from them. I use Sea Hawk Tropikote bottom paint. The marina charges almost $100/gallon more than I can buy from a local retailer. I objected to this several times and was told that buying from them insures that only quality products are allowed onto their yard. I think that is BS. They don't sell or stock Awlgrip products so when the topsides were done by a pro she brought her own supplies, etc.

The yard itself is clean, reasonably secure and the staff is knowledgeable and pleasant. The above are all recollections from my last stay at the yard - July 2016, exactly one year ago. It may be different now. The daily rates, etc. are current 2017 rates.

[John Stone]

Roberto/Chris
See edit to original post. I clarified the question by specifying monthly vice daily rate. Thanks much.

[Sea Hunt Video]

John S.

The rates in my post are daily. The yard I have used does not have a monthly rate. I am naïve, gullible and a very trusting soul without an ounce of skepticism in my body but I have this sneaky suspicion that not charging a monthly rate allows the yard to make more money.

I have to make a correction to my earlier post as well. The yard apparently now charges $2.50/day for electrical in addition to all of the other charges.

[tjr818]

Good grief! To think that I was complaining about paying $78.00 per month for dry storage. We are allowed to do any work we need except removing bottom paint. This is a very common rate here in nice warm Saint Louis, where it was over 100 degrees all of last week and heading for 101 today.

[rorik]

Recently hauled my CD28 at Swantown in Olympia WA
~$400 for round trip haul, pressure wash & environmental fee and our wonderful state sales tax of 10.1%
I was only there for 36 hrs for bottom paint so I'm not 100% clear on the daily fee but I think it was ~$25/day two years ago
No fee to do your own work - just adhere to the enviro regs scrupulously
Contractors have to be licensed/bonded - no sign in
You can live aboard on the hard as long as no liquids emanate from the sink or head
I've spent a week there every year for the last 5 years - except this year - moving/replacing thru hulls/seacocks, standing rigging, paint, engine, prop...

[Sea Hunt Video]

John S.:

I noticed that you changed your post and added "region of the country". I am in Miami. The marina is on the Miami River. The prices are reasonably consistent with other Miami marinas.

I will parenthetically observe, as I did in a post 2-3 years ago, that many of the Miami and Fort Lauderdale marinas are getting out of the business of hauling and servicing sailboats. For reasons I do not understand they are only interested in large mega yachts. Sadly, in addition to this, several South Florida marinas have been sold to large corporations that are taking portions of the marina land and building $1 million condos. The marina is then only accessible by the condo owners. Very sad.

Hurricanes are one reason I want out of South Florida. The lack of concern for sailboats and sailors is another.

I will now, with great reluctance, step down from my soap box and enjoy a Guinness.

[Oswego John]

Hello my friend,

Parenthetically??

Reluctance???

Oy Vey. I cede.

"UNCLE" lol

OJ (Chilly and damp in NYS)

[John Stone]

Roberto,
Copy all. I am a big fan of John D. McDonald and his Travis McGee series. You know, S. FL, Bahia Mar, slip F18 and the Busted Flush.

I was just reading #6 "Bright Orange for the Shroud." It was written in 1968. The story opens with the death of McGee's friend who was trying to get a small marina and boat repair facility going. He was murder so a large corporation could acquire the land and develop it for a mega facility and luxury homes. The more things change, the more they stay the same.

I'm still hoping to hear from more Cape Dorians regarding the boatyards they use and understanding more about the questions posed at the top of the thread.

[Steve Laume]

I short haul every other year at the same marina where I keep Raven on a mooring in the summer and a slip through the winter. They haul the boat and power wash the bottom, then set her on stands with water (fairly long hose) and power (short cord) available. Last year, I paid $450.00. They generally consider two weeks to be a short haul but I usually go over that time and they have never charged me extra. There is enough room in the summer so that I can park up next to the boat and often spend the night on board so I don't have to make the drive back and forth to home. I do ALL of my own work and there has never been any talk of charging me for that privilege. The Marina does have a green certification, of some sort, so when you sand the bottom, you need a way of capturing the dust. I duct tape a one gallon shop vac to my Porter Cable random orbit sanders and that keeps everyone happy. This is Spicer's in Noank, Ct. There are some things I don't like about the place. Not enough dingy space, short hours on launch service, some poorly spaced mooring balls and they lay your rig out in open racks if you haul for the winter. That is about all I can think of and the positives far out weigh any negatives. They have very nice restrooms, one of which is heated and opened all winter. It is a great sailing location. You can do all your own work and they are easy to work with. There is a reasonably priced marine store for bits and pieces that I can walk to. A dock where I can come in to load the boat and take on water before a trip. The mooring field is reasonably well protected. The docks are very well protected concrete floaters with good wiring and generally kept in good repair. The owner is Bill Spicer and although the guy could probably buy us all, he still wears his work cloths and keeps busy around the place. He lives right on the point in a fairly modest but perfectly kept and bright yellow house overlooking his domain. I think yards like this are soon to be a thing of the past as bigger corporations seem to be buying them up and changing things to create bigger profits with little concern for the average boater.

I do like my boat yard, Steve.

[Sea Hunt Video]

Hello my friend,

Parenthetically??

Reluctance???

Oy Vey. I cede.

"UNCLE" lol

OJ (Chilly and damp in NYS)

OJ: Those $10 words are because of the GED English Level 1 class I recently completed. Your friend Fifi said she was proud of my grade of C-.

[Jim_B]

John

I've used this DIY yard in the past. The last time 5 years ago (they've changed owners since). In looking at the website it now looks like they charge a "non-storage work fee". Can't tell if that is in addition to the storage rates.

http://safecoveinc.com/

Fortunately, there's a DIY yard right next door - I haven't used it - but friends have. (this one also has a painting shed - but don't know if DIY-ers can use).

http://charlotteharborboatstorage.com/

Summer is too hot to work on boats in Florida.

[Sea Hunt Video]

Summer is too hot to work on boats in Florida.

Ain't that the truth. I just spent 2 hrs trying to do minor maintenance. I had to stop every few minutes for water and to climb down the ladder to go into A/C for a few more minutes. I know it has a lot to do with age. 50 years ago I managed well in hot, damp, heat, humidity and never had an issue. Now, every day I worry about heat stroke. It's a killer.

[Oswego John]

Roberto,

You must be careful, be very careful. It sounds to me like this is definitely Guinness time.

And then pizzolino time. (beauty nap time) :>)

It used to work for me. Now, I resort to power naps. lol

Take care.
O J