Looking for a slip? How I found a beautiful one for our Uniflite 41 - Woo-Hoo!

My heart goes out to all those boaters searching for that perfect slip, (heck, ANY slip) because until last week that was US, too. On about every waiting list in our area (Seattle) but nothing except the usual "2-5 year wait & getting longer" routine. We were resigned to keeping her at her present moorage 40 miles away or maybe even anchoring out. Then on a whim I walked into the one place I'd ignored, the (really very nice) Marina. and casually inquired about how long their waiting list might be, and WALKED OUT WITH A BEAUTIFUL 50-FOOT SLIP!!!



"Just became available today" the lady at the counter said with a wink. (In the background, I could hear other employees taking calls from boaters looking for slips and being turned down...)


Well, after I picked myself up off the floor, I didn't ask too many questions - just paid up and signed on the dotted line!


So it pays to be a squeaky wheel and keep checking in with the places you want to tie up. Go there in-person, if possible. Unexpected things do happen. Be ready when opportunity knocks!

I think showing up in person is sometimes the best way to connect with folks, especially when on the wrong end of a supply/demand extreme. I called four places in my local area looking for a professional to splice our new anchor chain and rope. Three of them never called back (or returned an email), and the fourth had to wait a week to let me know whether they could do it in the next few weeks or in the fall! On a whim, I decided to take the chain/rope and just showed up at Brion Toss Rigging in Port Townsend. Likely the most famous rigging company in the USA. I never called them as I figured they'd be busier than everyone else.

Anyway, because they could see me and in a way quickly get to know me, they ended up taking my stuff and said they'd get it done in about a week. I'm convinced that had I called I would not have gotten very far...

Wow, people interacting with people. That's the world coming to? We have become so lost in our phones and computer screens that we think it's the world.

80% of success in life is the result of showing up.

I wonder how many people were on the 2-5 year waiting list that will have to continue waiting.

perhaps the word ignored should have been ignored in your post. The nice lady may be reading here.
Never understood the 2-5 year wait lists. WHY. There must be a lot of boats without slips to park in, maybe on the hard. Just seems they are parked somewhere and it should be musical chair as one moves and vacates another moves in.
Of course if everyone wants to be at the same places.

I would strongly recommend you having the moderators remove all reference to the specific marina. You just sorely compromised all the goodwill the lady showed you. I don't even want to imagine the trouble this could cause her and the marina.

BandB said:

I would strongly recommend you having the moderators remove all reference to the specific marina. You just sorely compromised all the goodwill the lady showed you. I don't even want to imagine the trouble this could cause her and the marina.

Click to expand...

Especially since this is a government marina and what has just been written is some one breaking government policy.

twistedtree said:

Wow, people interacting with people. That's the world coming to? We have become so lost in our phones and computer screens that we think it's the world.

Click to expand...

This online post drips with irony

JLT said:

On about every waiting list in our area (Seattle) but nothing except the usual "2-5 year wait & getting longer" routine. We were resigned to keeping her at her present moorage 40 miles away or maybe even anchoring out.

Click to expand...

A 2-5 year wait list doesn’t translate to a lot of boats without moorage. It just means the estimated turnover of annual moorage spaces has enough people on a list to take up those spaces.

As previously mentioned, (many?) names on the list are duplicates from multiple marinas and many in more expensive, monthly moorage, or inconvenient locations.

Even JLT’s boat had an existing spot, just not a convenient one. Many buyers in our area are in that position; grab the moorage with the purchased boat and hope to find something closer.

For the marina, it’s just so much easier to sign up a walk in, than waste time with a phone list.

Fortunately JLT was thinking for himself; a lost human trait

Totally agree. Good old-fashioned face to face contact just can't be beat!

I don't really understand how wait lists work, either. Seems there are different kinds for different situations...

JLT said:

I don't really understand how wait lists work, either. Seems there are different kinds for different situations...

Click to expand...

If its in the South Marina and a 50' slip chances are its one of the old skinny slip docks. I think its 30' wide for a shared birth. There are not very many 50' boats that are under 15' wide and that still gives no wiggle room for fenders. So yes there is a wait list, but if your over 14' wide they will not squish ya into the slip. They kind of sit and wait for the right boat combo's to show up. Don't quote me but I think a 41' Uni is about 13-6 wide.

Lucky. The marina is pretty busy. We inquired about a 40' slip and were told 1-2 yr wait list.

localboy said:

We inquired about a 40' slip and were told 1-2 yr wait list.

Click to expand...

How was your enquiry made?

BandB said:

I would strongly recommend you having the moderators remove all reference to the specific marina. You just sorely compromised all the goodwill the lady showed you. I don't even want to imagine the trouble this could cause her and the marina.

Click to expand...

As this thread progresses I am wondering if she still has a job. How many more are on the long wait list going to read this before complaints start flying. Thread should be deleted.

soin2la said:

How was your enquiry made?

Click to expand...

Emails and phone call. We ended up not purchasing the boat.

Our State Park marina is full up. We bought another boat before we sold our old boat (don’t do this). Luckily there was another marina 40 miles north that had room on their “sale dock” . We let them list the boat and also got a small discount on the slip. It’s a pain driving up every couple weeks to clean and check on the boat, but it beats no slip at all .

I think you're right. Our 41 is really the 36DC with the factory 5-foot hull extension (it's the Yatchfisher model) so her beam is a tad under 13'. Now I understand why I got the slip so easily...

localboy said:

Lucky.The Marina is pretty busy. We inquired about a 40' slip and were told 1-2 yr wait list.

Click to expand...

After doing some research and talking to other folks, I think the reason I got it so easily is because of the 15' beam limitation in this part of the marina. They actually had 4 openings in that category. Guess it pays to be skinny!

That may well be the reason it was available. I now remember the first question they asked me was "what's your beam?" but I didn't think anything of it at the time... (Full disclosure - they had 4 available, at various places around the marina! Go figure...) Our 41 "Yatchfisher" is really the 36 double cabin with the factory 5-foot hull extension, hence her moderate 12' 6" - ish beam.

Moonfish said:

I think showing up in person is sometimes the best way to connect with folks, especially when on the wrong end of a supply/demand extreme. I called four places in my local area looking for a professional to splice our new anchor chain and rope. Three of them never called back (or returned an email), and the fourth had to wait a week to let me know whether they could do it in the next few weeks or in the fall! On a whim, I decided to take the chain/rope and just showed up at Brion Toss Rigging in Port Townsend. Likely the most famous rigging company in the USA. I never called them as I figured they'd be busier than everyone else.

Anyway, because they could see me and in a way quickly get to know me, they ended up taking my stuff and said they'd get it done in about a week. I'm convinced that had I called I would not have gotten very far...

Click to expand...

Excellent. You certainly found the best place for the job and it is something that they could squeeze in pretty quickly between other jobs.

Pack Mule said:

Our State Park marina is full up. We bought another boat before we sold our old boat (don’t do this).

Click to expand...

We did that twice. After the first time I said "never again". Of course I'm old and forgot.

Moonfish said:

I think showing up in person is sometimes the best way to connect with folks, especially when on the wrong end of a supply/demand extreme.

Click to expand...

twistedtree said:

Wow, people interacting with people.

Click to expand...

Its not any better on the east coast, I called over 120 marina's between Wilmington and Savannah and could not find one to stay at for over 30 days, couple days, no problem, but over 30 days, big problem. Finally found one in Myrtle Beach where were parked now, will start looking again in a few months for a place in Jacksonville.

RonR said:

If its in the South Marina and a 50' slip chances are its one of the old skinny slip docks. I think its 30' wide for a shared birth. There are not very many 50' boats that are under 15' wide and that still gives no wiggle room for fenders. So yes there is a wait list, but if your over 14' wide they will not squish ya into the slip. They kind of sit and wait for the right boat combo's to show up. Don't quote me but I think a 41' Uni is about 13-6 wide.

Click to expand...

I had to turn down slips at my Yacht club because my 40' sailboat was too fat for the available slips. So I was on the list, but other folks behind me on the list were able to grab slips before me since their boats didn't have the same middle age spread my sailboat did. Nothing untowards about it all.



FWIW, my 43' power boat has a foot less beam than my 40' sailboat did.

dhays said:

We did that twice. After the first time I said "never again". Of course I'm old and forgot.

Click to expand...

i don't know how you do that. I used to think I forgot something but could not remember what.

DegoRed said:

I called over 120 marina's between Wilmington and Savannah and could not find one to stay at for over 30 days, couple days, no problem, but over 30 days, big problem. Finally found one in Myrtle Beach where were parked now, will start looking again in a few months for a place in Jacksonville.

Click to expand...

I am told that slips are presently available at Ortega Landing Marina: https://www.ortegalanding.com

twistedtree said:

Wow, people interacting with people. That's the world coming to? We have become so lost in our phones and computer screens that we think it's the world.

Click to expand...

When in the Caribbean headed for Trinidad we called the Trinidad and Tobago Yacht Club to see if a slip was available. The manager said he didn't have any slips right now but suggested we anchor off the marina and come in to fill out a slip application. When we came in by dinghy and met the manager at the bar, after a round of drinks he said you can bring your boat in to slip number xxx either this afternoon or tomorrow morning, your choice. Looking a gift horse in the mouth, I asked him why he had originally said he didn't have any slips available. He laughed, called for another round of drinks and said, "I never have any slips available until I meet the people!" There wasn't any "application" either, we just paid for the slip and that was it.
Turned out to be a great, inexpensive place where we stayed for a couple of months and subsequently went back twice after cruising to Venezuela and beyond. Didn't have to do the anchor out dance again either, just call, say hello and get a slip assigned to us.

Tom.B said:

This online post drips with irony

Click to expand...

Ha, it sure does. I totally missed that...

DegoRed said:

Its not any better on the east coast, I called over 120 marina's between Wilmington and Savannah and could not find one to stay at for over 30 days, couple days, no problem, but over 30 days, big problem. Finally found one in Myrtle Beach where were parked now, will start looking again in a few months for a place in Jacksonville.

Click to expand...

I don't know where you're parked in Myrtle Beach but could have told you one there with space. If you said "liveaboard" then you may have scared many, but "cruiser" spending extended time generally doesn't. Also don't know what size or type slip you needed, but there are transient docks available in those areas. Permanent slips, more difficult.