Does parking come free with your moorage payment?

Don't know why this popped into my brain, well... actually I do. In the link below is where I used to live (only look at it during light hours PST), its a live link so if you look at it at night, it will be dark.

[You have to hit - Watch this video on Youtube]


So the marina you can see in the distance is owned by a guy who loves to fleece his patrons. How does he get away with it? He's the only show in town. See many, most of the boats at that marina are" run abouts," commuter boats. The people who keep their boats there live around the bend, to the left where there is no road access to their homes.

So those residents with no road access not only keep their boat at the marina but their car as well. And, it is not at all unusual that the family is a two boat, two car family. So dad eats breakfast, jumps in the boat, goes to the marina, jumps in the car and drives to work, then mom. Then the school boat picks up the kids and brings them to the public wharf you see in the forefront of this live feed.

So not only do these people pay stupid rates for their boats, but also pay for there cars. Now I think this is the only marina in the lower mainland (greater Vancouver) that makes people pay for parking.

Then I started wondering about other marinas around North America.

No, but I have been in marina's that limit cars and frown heavily about 'storing' cars in the parking lot.

This marina seems a little different. You say they have multiple boats, but there must be situations with multiple cars parked for long durations. Normally if you're home and your boat is in the marina, your car is not.

Unfortunately you either buy land somewhere else. Buy land on the mainland, go somewhere else. Or pay for the services rendered.

Some marinas here is in Sidney charge for a guaranteed parking spot with your name on it, all others take their chances finding a spot.

The Nanaimo Port Authority marina does not provide any parking. You can park in the paid lots in the area run by a private company (Robbins Parking), or pay to park on the street (City collects). When we would go out for any period of time, I would drive the car home, after loading the boat, and park the car in the garage, then take the bus back to the marina. Reverse the procedure when coming home.

We don't pay for parking but we're limited to one car in the convenient lot right next to the docks. Additional vehicles need to park on top of the hill. Visitors also need to park up there, and that causes conflicts from time to time when people think their guests are "special" and just ignore that rule.
BD

Parking pass for one vehicle comes with moorage, an extra pass would cost more. Visitors are supposed to pay if they're heading out on someone's boat, but I don't know how many actually do. Lots of parking along the main road with a short walk to the marina.

rsn48 said:

So the marina you can see in the distance is owned by a guy who loves to fleece his patrons. How does he get away with it? He's the only show in town. See many, most of the boats at that marina are" run abouts," commuter boats. The people who keep their boats there live around the bend, to the left where there is no road access to their homes.

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I object strongly to the premise of "loves to fleece his patrons." He charges for services and they choose to pay. Without him, they'd not have access to these services. Looked at another way, he saves them, he provides for them. Whether his pricing is reasonable is a matter of whether they're willing to pay.

As to charging for parking, it's a real cost and some marinas just wrap limited parking into their slip fees while others choose to price it separately. Often in municipal marinas, the parking isn't even managed by the marina and the fees charged don't go to the marina operator. This, however, is another example of costs that many be included in the basic slip fee or may be charged separately, but are most definitely real costs. Marinas often pay dearly for the land they have.

When you rent a slip, you can expect to pay for slip usage, electricity, cable, water, trash, parking, restrooms, laundry, and various other amenities. Some are lumped into a basic fee, some charged separately.

My Yacht Club in Vancouver in is in Stanley park at Coal Harbour. We have free parking for 4 days at a time. If I want to stay longer I take a bus to the boat and leave the car at home. Parking is included in the moorage.

When my sailboat was at Sewell's, it was great as I could leave my car in parking lot and go over to Nanaimo (foot passenger), be picked up and come back days latter the same way.

The rates for the guy "fleecing" is much higher per foot. The people in the homes can't go else where other than to sell their home. I often wonder if they can get fire insurance for their homes.

This marina seems a little different. You say they have multiple boats, but there must be situations with multiple cars parked for long durations. Normally if you're home and your boat is in the marina, your car is not.


Either your boat is at the marina or their car.

The public wharf you see in the forefront in the live feed is popular as friends who come to visit often will be picked up there then taken to the boat owners home.

That public wharf is were the "wife" in Double Jeopardy (the movie) is arrested at the beginning of the film. Also this community is where some of "Cedar Cove" is shot for the tv series. Most of the people who visit on boats are locals as Washingtonians when they come up stay in False Creek to visit downtown Vancouver.

There are many small marinas in Georgian Bay (Ontario) that service island home owners. Most that I've been to charge for parking. I suspect that it's an important part of their revenue, which is very seasonal.

We are able to park free because our boat docks behind our house. But to say marinas ase screwing slip holders isn’t exactly correct. They have to make a certain amount of money in order to stay in business. Or else they could sell the waterfront property to a condo developer. They can charge for parking or raise the slip fees. Same difference.

You get one free pass and you pay for the second, you are not allowed a third although there are ways to get a third. The second pass costs $30 a month. This is a good way to control car storage while allowing family parking at the marina.

I have been a boater at three marinas that I wholly paid for - Sewells in Horseshoe Bay, Mosquito Creek in North Vancouver and Comox Valley marina. If you go by land value, comparing the above marina I discuss in the live feed in Deep Cove to Horseshoe Bay there is no comparison, the Horseshoe Bay land value, taxes, etc. are significantly higher than Deep Cove, yet the parking was unlimited up until my moorage payment ran out. Same in Comox, parking there while I am moored there. If I take my boat our for months on end, I can leave my car for that time.

There are many different rates charged for moorage and associated parking. It is all determined by supply v demand, not by the wants of any lot owner to "screw" their customers.
For example, in Ganges harbour there are many mooring bouys. The local marina that allows moored-out (Canadian for tied to a bouy) boaters to tie their dinghy, and when using their boat, to park their car, charge a market rate that is very high when compared to local marina charges for boat moorage on a $/ft/month basis. They get it because of the ratio of supply to demand and for no other reason.

RMYC Club Marina in Sydney has a " we`ll follow you home/take you back to the Marina" service to relieve the quite large carpark of cars left while the car parker is multi day cruising. I think they have a "drunk bus" service too, for those visiting the Club and enjoying a drink or 2.

Some marinas I have used issue the slip holder with two parking stickers. If additional parking is needed, there is a process for that.

I don’t think charging for parking is “fleecing” customers. As others have written, the Marina has to stay in business....

yes for two cars. We do pay $808.00 for a 47ft slip.

One free pass. If staying out more than a few days, they have personnel that will take the vehicle off site (no charge for the service or off site parking). When returning, call ahead and the vehicle will be brought back in time for arrival.

Freeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Wifey B: FRREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!

People get over it. It's not free....it's never free....why do you think it's free or think you deserve free? Bet you think Amazon Prime has Free Shipping and Walmart has Free Shipping. Do you think the dessert at the buffet is free? Parking is never ever ever ever ever ever free. Water is never ever ever ever ever free. Wifi is never ever ever ever ever ever free.

Things might be packaged differently but just because you're not charged separately by no means indicates they're free.

But I went to a marina by car where I do not moor and parking was free.

So if I get the jest of this thread, apologies if I'm wrong, there are no business people who want to take advantage of you, they are all loving people charging what they need to charge. Has that really been your experience in life. My experience is that most people try to do the right thing, but not all people do the right thing, again I could be wrong.

Supply and Demand
Whatever the market will bear.
Nothing personal.

rsn48 said:

So if I get the jest of this thread, apologies if I'm wrong, there are no business people who want to take advantage of you, they are all loving people charging what they need to charge. Has that really been your experience in life. My experience is that most people try to do the right thing, but not all people do the right thing, again I could be wrong.

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No, but charging you for parking isn't taking advantage of you. That's the gist of the responses. The jest is that you believe you are entitled to "Free" Parking. I'd suggest you look up the meaning of jest and gist before responding.

No business person can take advantage unless you let them, but business people do have a right to profits and returns on their investments.

You accused the marina owner of fleecing his customers with absolutely zero basis to say anything he was doing was inappropriate. I am among the first to turn on dishonest or unethical business people, but when one accuses one on such a flimsy basis, I do find it very bothersome and I do so as a businessman.

The problem is in the rates. The problem is that people became trapped, pay rates they know are too high or sell their house. This occurred when a new owner took over the marina.

I never really used the marina, the location of Deep Cove isn't ideal to keep a boat. To far to go until you can head to popular sailing destinations. Slower boats can take hours to get out into popular sailing and cruising areas.

What they did have there that I liked, wish I was near one now was a fuel pump, like a gas pump except it pumped kerosene. Many of the homes around the bend at one time had no to little electricity so lights were kerosene based. Jest and gist was a spell correct I wasn't paying attention to, I originally spelled it gest.

rsn48 said:

The problem is in the rates. The problem is that people became trapped, pay rates they know are too high or sell their house. This occurred when a new owner took over the marina.

I never really used the marina, the location of Deep Cove isn't ideal to keep a boat. To far to go until you can head to popular sailing destinations. Slower boats can take hours to get out into popular sailing and cruising areas.

What they did have there that I liked, wish I was near one now was a fuel pump, like a gas pump except it pumped kerosene. Many of the homes around the bend at one time had no to little electricity so lights were kerosene based. Jest and gist was a spell correct I wasn't paying attention to, I originally spelled it gest.

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The business was likely sold because the old owners weren't making enough and the new owners thought they could do better. It's not their fault there are no alternatives. In fact it speaks to there not being enough demand there. Yes, when you're the only one around you may charge more but that doesn't mean it's all great because it may be a very limited market. If it was a huge moneymaker, more would move in. The fact people are in a difficult situation isn't the fault of the business that serves them. The marina struggles for the very reasons you mention. It's not an ideal spot but serves a limited clientele.

If the new marina owners don't find a way to be profitable, it will result in no marina there, no services. That benefits no one and yet that's the other choice. Why do airlines charge so much more to fly to small markets? If they didn't, you'd have no flights to those areas. I don't have a solution for the homeowners in the area as I don't know it well enough. However, don't turn on the one marina providing them services.

And I knew jest was likely a spell check you didn't catch and I've had my share, but still an ironic misspeak I felt obliged to point out.

Ours does, but it's limited-

Or current marina (Richmond Yacht Basin) is a relatively small affair on the James River, between Richmond VA and Varina. Parking is free, but it is protected by gated access so all visitors need to have the code to get in. We're at one of the few marinas that still have extremely reasonable rates for both liveaboard, transients, and day-boaters.

200$/mo for uncovered slips
250$/mo covered slips (I wish our Hatteras 43 DC would fit!)
+100$ for liveaboard after a long chat with the owner and a firm understanding of the rules and expectations.

Power is through Dominion, so you pay what you use just like at a shoreside home.

Parking is free, but limited space. It can get packed in nice weather, but also limited to one car (commuting/liveaboard) per boat, guests welcome but no long time stays for multiple cars.

Caveat: I've discussed storing my motorcycle under a bike-barn enclosure around behind the shower facilities, down a small dirt road on the property... He's happy to oblige, but with an additional small fee. Moving aboard in a few months for full-time liveaboard, I'll bite the bullet and go for it with my Ural. What can I say? I have expensive hobbies.

Granted, while we have parking, water, pump-out, laundry, bathrooms (2, it's a small marina) and a shower included in costs, internet is almost non-existant and there's very few entertainment/shopping amenities nearby... But it's still better than living in the city, and you can't beat the view from the water.

We're pretty spoiled with our tiny community and low prices, but we all make you for it in pitching in around the marina for upkeep and maintenance, where we can. Sweat equity goes a long way in making good neighbors and good living.

Eventually this profit-minded marina owner may sell to a condominium developer. What options will the captive homeowners have then? I know, the current zoning may prohibit residential uses, but when enough money is involved, zoning ordinances have a way of becoming flexible.

The concerned / affected homeowners might consider forming a cooperative corporation to 1) buy this marina, or at least to secure permanent access for the boats and vehicles, or 2) buy another property and build-out a facility that they and their successors can control.

Soo-Valley said:

Supply and Demand
Whatever the market will bear.
Nothing personal.

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Oh, did anyone mention the (first?) law of economics? Supply v Demand ?

Google maps shows Deep Cove having that marina, with some parking, the Deep Cove yacht Club, without any parking at all, and the Government Dock, also without any parking. Private residences along the foreshore have private docks, but no parking except for their own garages.
The terrain is steep, the road to the top of Seymour mountain begins its switchback journey to that ski hill mere yards from Deep Cove, and street view shows the steepness of driveways along Panorama Drive, the street that ends in the Marina.

It looks like demand will continue to exceed supply.

The harbour in our town is operated by the city. One parking pass comes with an annual slip renewal. There is paid parking available for non-slip holders. The same parking pass (that you can purchase for $75) allows you to park a truck/trailer combo after using the free boat launch in the center of the harbour. It took considerable pressure to get the city to cough up a "free" pass to the slip holders as we were essentially subsidising the boat launch.

Eventually this profit-minded marina owner may sell to a condominium developer. What options will the captive homeowners have then? I know, the current zoning may prohibit residential uses, but when enough money is involved, zoning ordinances have a way of becoming flexible.

This will never happen, Deep Cove wants a small town feel and development is restricted and followed up by citizens who will defend that feeling.

Here is the address to my past home there before I moved to Vancouver Island. Put it into Google Earth and check out the amount of "free" space around the Cove. That free space is designated park. I can guarantee you many a developer has looked with lust at this space for homes for the wealthy. This area in Canada comes in at around 7th on the wealth side.

So input this address into Google Earth then zoom out and see how much space there is, zoom out further and you can see the entire "Indian Arm" which is a fjord. Very popular with local boaters with very few Washingtonians going into this area, instead as I said before, the visitors are all anchored in False Creek.

4534 Cove Cliff Road, North Vancouver, BC