I am re-entering the world of cruising. It has been a number of years. My
base is New England.

In the last few days I have been brought to the point of absolute insanity
by two of the local marina's near me.

Today, I called a marina to inquire how much it charged to step a mast. I
explained to the woman on the phone that a boat hauling truck would be
bringing my boat [ I don't own the boat yet, I was seeking the info so that
if I make an offer I would know what the charges would be ] to the marina
where it would be launched.

At first she seemed evasive. She didn't seem to want to answer my question.
She kept saying she was looking for her "paper". Finally, she said it would
be $6 per foot of the boat when the boat was dropped off and another $6 per
foot of the boat when the boat was put in the water. I asked, why are you
charging twice. The truck is bringing the boat, it will go right in the
water. She then said "you are upset by how much it cost". I tried to
explain "I can't be upset since I never knew what the cost was to begin
with".

After she started telling me how I feel about issues I never asked her
about, I asked what was the charge to step the mast. She said around $400
dollars. I almost fell over backwards.

Then, I hung up the phone.

Is this the way of the world in cruising? Have all the marina's become
thieves?

On Fri, 27 Jan 2006 00:35:14 GMT, "Thomas Wentworth"
wrote:

After she started telling me how I feel about issues I never asked her
about, I asked what was the charge to step the mast. She said around $400
dollars. I almost fell over backwards.

Get used to it Tom, that's just the beginning.

BOAT =

Break

Out

Another

Thousand

That's why there is no such thing as a free boat. They all cost about
the same to work on, might as well get a good one.

The most reasonable prices are further south in my experience, no
bargains in New England. The marinas there are going out of business
left and right as the land becomes too valuable, and the ones
remaining can charge almost as much as they want.

Wayne,,, if you are right, and you probably are; then boating is doomed. I
suppose I will read in the paper any day now that we, the US Taxpayer, is
building a new yachting facility for the people of Iraq.

==================




"Wayne.B" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 27 Jan 2006 00:35:14 GMT, "Thomas Wentworth"
wrote:

After she started telling me how I feel about issues I never asked her
about, I asked what was the charge to step the mast. She said around $400
dollars. I almost fell over backwards.

Get used to it Tom, that's just the beginning.

BOAT =

Break

Out

Another

Thousand

That's why there is no such thing as a free boat. They all cost about
the same to work on, might as well get a good one.

The most reasonable prices are further south in my experience, no
bargains in New England. The marinas there are going out of business
left and right as the land becomes too valuable, and the ones
remaining can charge almost as much as they want.

Thomas Wentworth wrote:


Is this the way of the world in cruising? Have all the marina's become
thieves?

I didn't quite follow your story, but your reaction mirrors mine. Here
is one of my stories:

I put into Cape May due to some gales when I was sailing south one
November. I was weathered in. Beats me if that was a factor, but the
place charged me $248 / night for my 42' sailboat. Left a very bad taste
in my mouth as you may guess. No, it wasn't a resort marina - just an
end tie with no amenities.

Couldn't you anchor, or something? That is crazy!


"Paul Cassel" wrote in message
. ..
Thomas Wentworth wrote:


Is this the way of the world in cruising? Have all the marina's become
thieves?

I didn't quite follow your story, but your reaction mirrors mine. Here is
one of my stories:

I put into Cape May due to some gales when I was sailing south one
November. I was weathered in. Beats me if that was a factor, but the place
charged me $248 / night for my 42' sailboat. Left a very bad taste in my
mouth as you may guess. No, it wasn't a resort marina - just an end tie
with no amenities.

Maybe she didn't know what 'stepping the mast' meant.

"Thomas Wentworth" wrote:

I am re-entering the world of cruising. It has been a number of years. My
base is New England.

In the last few days I have been brought to the point of absolute insanity
by two of the local marina's near me.

Today, I called a marina to inquire how much it charged to step a mast. I
explained to the woman on the phone that a boat hauling truck would be
bringing my boat [ I don't own the boat yet, I was seeking the info so that
if I make an offer I would know what the charges would be ] to the marina
where it would be launched.

At first she seemed evasive. She didn't seem to want to answer my question.
She kept saying she was looking for her "paper". Finally, she said it would
be $6 per foot of the boat when the boat was dropped off and another $6 per
foot of the boat when the boat was put in the water. I asked, why are you
charging twice. The truck is bringing the boat, it will go right in the
water. She then said "you are upset by how much it cost". I tried to
explain "I can't be upset since I never knew what the cost was to begin
with".

After she started telling me how I feel about issues I never asked her
about, I asked what was the charge to step the mast. She said around $400
dollars. I almost fell over backwards.

Then, I hung up the phone.

Is this the way of the world in cruising? Have all the marina's become
thieves?



grandma Rosalie

That's more than twice what you can get it done for in the Casco Bay
area of Maine. There are some excellent and very honest boat yards
and marinas but quite a spread in prices.

Even shopping around, a 30 - 35 foot boat is going to cost you $2,000
to $3,000 dollars a year with out fixing anything, replacing anything
that breaks, or making any improvements. Unless you spend about
$50,000 in that size range, you should plan on spending $3,000 to
$6000 additional the first year, assuming you can do a lot of work
yourself. If you have to have all the work done for you, triple that
figure, at least. After that, you'll easily find a couple of grand of
things to fix and improve each year.

Better go into it with your eyes open.

--

Roger Long



"Thomas Wentworth" wrote in message
news:6VdCf.5682$Jn1.898@trndny01...
I am re-entering the world of cruising. It has been a number of
years. My base is New England.

In the last few days I have been brought to the point of absolute
insanity by two of the local marina's near me.

Today, I called a marina to inquire how much it charged to step a
mast. I explained to the woman on the phone that a boat hauling
truck would be bringing my boat [ I don't own the boat yet, I was
seeking the info so that if I make an offer I would know what the
charges would be ] to the marina where it would be launched.

At first she seemed evasive. She didn't seem to want to answer my
question. She kept saying she was looking for her "paper". Finally,
she said it would be $6 per foot of the boat when the boat was
dropped off and another $6 per foot of the boat when the boat was
put in the water. I asked, why are you charging twice. The truck
is bringing the boat, it will go right in the water. She then said
"you are upset by how much it cost". I tried to explain "I can't be
upset since I never knew what the cost was to begin with".

After she started telling me how I feel about issues I never asked
her about, I asked what was the charge to step the mast. She said
around $400 dollars. I almost fell over backwards.

Then, I hung up the phone.

Is this the way of the world in cruising? Have all the marina's
become thieves?

On Fri, 27 Jan 2006 01:17:00 GMT, "Thomas Wentworth"
wrote:

Wayne,,, if you are right, and you probably are; then boating is doomed. I
suppose I will read in the paper any day now that we, the US Taxpayer, is
building a new yachting facility for the people of Iraq.


Welcome to Nova Scotia.

R.

On Fri, 27 Jan 2006 05:39:17 GMT, "Roger Long"
wrote:

Even shopping around, a 30 - 35 foot boat is going to cost you $2,000
to $3,000 dollars a year with out fixing anything, replacing anything
that breaks, or making any improvements.

Amazingly, that's about right. But I am in a major club in Toronto.
Some Maine wharf shouldn't be twice the price.

Unless you spend about
$50,000 in that size range, you should plan on spending $3,000 to
$6000 additional the first year, assuming you can do a lot of work
yourself. If you have to have all the work done for you, triple that
figure, at least. After that, you'll easily find a couple of grand of
things to fix and improve each year.

Better go into it with your eyes open.

I run a tight ship, so to speak, and your estimates are only slightly
over (I do two "projects" a year with the goal of making the boat
roughly contemporary instead of being stuck in the '70s in the next
three years or so).

I had some help reassembling my rebuilt Atomic 4, but other than that,
it's all me. But even a stupid replacement Nicro vent was close to 200
bucks. Replacing the fuel and exhaust system was about $550. A PCV kit
is $80. It mounts up, even on a basic boat. A quart of VC17 is $40.

And so on. It's a good thing people give me lightly used sails,
because if I bought a new set every three years like the racing
fellers, I'd be broke.

R.

"Thomas Wentworth" wrote in message
news:6VdCf.5682$Jn1.898@trndny01...
I am re-entering the world of cruising.

Based on this post, I think you should reconsider it.

Capt. Bill