Has anyone ever had problems finding somewhere to berth their boat on
Sydney Harbour?

I originally started looking in 2004 for somewhere to berth a Sundancer
275 sports cruiser, but because we were going to start a boatshare
company marinas were not allowing us to berth their, due to their
policy of one dealer only to each marina for the sale of Motor boats.
This is not always the case; take D'Albora Marina at the Spit, they
have two motor boat dealers, but we couldn't get a space there for our
boat, as they said they already had a Boatshare company there. So we
were excluded again.

Does anyone else feel that a little more liberation and competition
might be in order? Marinas might do better by opening up a more free
environment, rather than trying to manipulate the mix of their marina..

Some marinas on Pit****er, wouldn't entertain a boatshare company on
their marinas as they felt it might disturb their dealerships. One club
had a 'policy' against boatshare. Which I am please to say has since
changed! and a boatshare company is now actually on site. Others
blocked our wanting to rent space, in favour of a pure motor boat
dealership.

But boatshare is becoming so big now that many boatshare companies
bring in more boats and more people and more servicing work than the
boat dealers themselves. Think of it one boat, may bring in up to 10
families. Think of the opportunity for a marina that might bring,
especially if you are also selling sail or motor boats or selling
coffee or maitenance or anything.

In time I suspect those who were defensive will see that Boatshare
doesn't pose a threat to Marina business, but will become a positive
benefit to it.

Markets change and attempting to limit or prohibit or inhibit new
ideas, will invariably rebound on those without the foresight to
embrace change.

Robert
www.parkerboatshare.com