The recent post about cost of moorings or slips got me to thinking back a
few years.

The first yacht club I belonged to in the early '60 was $30 mo. membership
and $.25/ft/mo. for slip rent, in San Diego.

Then I get to think about the most practical and least expensive marina and
that would have to be in Middletown RI, the old Stone Bridge Marina..
Nothing fancy, in fact, just the bare essentials.. A long fixed dock
extending out several hundred yards into deep water.. Adjacent to the dock
were pilings about 30-40ft off and spaced every 16 or so feet. No floating
docks. You just backed into your slip, dropping the bow lines over either
piling. Continue backing until you could pass your stern lines to the dock
(always someone there to help out). BTW, if the adjacent boat already had
his line on the piling, you slipped your line through his eye and then over
the piling.

To get on and off you pulled your boats stern into the dock and climbed a
wooden ladder.. Much the same as you would if your were Med-Moored.

Yes, we had water and electric but now shore side head or shower and you had
to search out a place to park on the public street..

Except for a mooring field and dingy dock, I think this is the most
efficient form of marina.. Cost of building and maintaining it is minimal.
Plus this type of mooring is the easiest on the boat.. No dock along side
saves potential damage since the boat is held off everything by the
centenary of the lines. Each boater leaves a couple fenders over in case
someone has trouble getting into his slip.

Cost, in 1972 dollars, was $35/mo for a 35ft slip.

The obvious draw is the boat access. That vertical ladder that was sometimes
wet and slimy at low tide and at extreme low tide, might have barnacles on
it.. Well that's the price you payed for a very secure and practical
mooring.

I would like to suggest that this arrangement is only for the fit and
dedicated boater.. Ladies in skirts and high heals and those who can't climb
a slippery ladder should probably stay at home.

Ahh! for the good ole days. The simple life and simple boats.

Steve
s/v Good Intentions

x-no-archive:yes


"Steve" wrote:

The recent post about cost of moorings or slips got me to thinking back a
few years.

The first yacht club I belonged to in the early '60 was $30 mo. membership
and $.25/ft/mo. for slip rent, in San Diego.

Then I get to think about the most practical and least expensive marina and
that would have to be in Middletown RI, the old Stone Bridge Marina..
Nothing fancy, in fact, just the bare essentials.. A long fixed dock
extending out several hundred yards into deep water.. Adjacent to the dock
were pilings about 30-40ft off and spaced every 16 or so feet. No floating
docks. You just backed into your slip, dropping the bow lines over either
piling. Continue backing until you could pass your stern lines to the dock
(always someone there to help out). BTW, if the adjacent boat already had
his line on the piling, you slipped your line through his eye and then over
the piling.

To get on and off you pulled your boats stern into the dock and climbed a
wooden ladder.. Much the same as you would if your were Med-Moored.

Did you have no one who came in bow in? If we go stern in, we either
have to duck under or climb over the dinghy on the davits.

Our boat was docked by the PO stern to but he had the dinghy on deck.
He got off by walking across the swim ladder which was on the stern.

I fell in once by backing off the end of the dock, and I could not get
up the dock ladder because it had only one rung, and the rung was over
my head by about a foot from the water at low tide. The lower rungs
had been rotted away from water immersion.

For that reason, we always have our swim ladder partly down so it can
be pulled all the way down if someone is in the water.

Yes, we had water and electric but now shore side head or shower and you had
to search out a place to park on the public street..

Except for a mooring field and dingy dock, I think this is the most
efficient form of marina.. Cost of building and maintaining it is minimal.
Plus this type of mooring is the easiest on the boat.. No dock along side
saves potential damage since the boat is held off everything by the
centenary of the lines. Each boater leaves a couple fenders over in case
someone has trouble getting into his slip.

Cost, in 1972 dollars, was $35/mo for a 35ft slip.

The obvious draw is the boat access. That vertical ladder that was sometimes
wet and slimy at low tide and at extreme low tide, might have barnacles on
it.. Well that's the price you payed for a very secure and practical
mooring.

I would like to suggest that this arrangement is only for the fit and
dedicated boater.. Ladies in skirts and high heals and those who can't climb
a slippery ladder should probably stay at home.

Ladies who are wearing high heels probably shouldn't be on the boat at
all. Skirts are not prohibited as long as they aren't too tight and
the person behind/below you is someone that is a SO or other person
that you don't mind seeing stuff that's normally hidden from view.

Didn't the slime on the ladder get the deck dirty?

Ahh! for the good ole days. The simple life and simple boats.

Steve
s/v Good Intentions


grandma Rosalie

x-no-archive:yes


"Steve" wrote:

The recent post about cost of moorings or slips got me to thinking back a
few years.

The first yacht club I belonged to in the early '60 was $30 mo. membership
and $.25/ft/mo. for slip rent, in San Diego.

Then I get to think about the most practical and least expensive marina and
that would have to be in Middletown RI, the old Stone Bridge Marina..
Nothing fancy, in fact, just the bare essentials.. A long fixed dock
extending out several hundred yards into deep water.. Adjacent to the dock
were pilings about 30-40ft off and spaced every 16 or so feet. No floating
docks. You just backed into your slip, dropping the bow lines over either
piling. Continue backing until you could pass your stern lines to the dock
(always someone there to help out). BTW, if the adjacent boat already had
his line on the piling, you slipped your line through his eye and then over
the piling.

To get on and off you pulled your boats stern into the dock and climbed a
wooden ladder.. Much the same as you would if your were Med-Moored.

Did you have no one who came in bow in? If we go stern in, we either
have to duck under or climb over the dinghy on the davits.

Our boat was docked by the PO stern to but he had the dinghy on deck.
He got off by walking across the swim ladder which was on the stern.

I fell in once by backing off the end of the dock, and I could not get
up the dock ladder because it had only one rung, and the rung was over
my head by about a foot from the water at low tide. The lower rungs
had been rotted away from water immersion.

For that reason, we always have our swim ladder partly down so it can
be pulled all the way down if someone is in the water.

Yes, we had water and electric but now shore side head or shower and you had
to search out a place to park on the public street..

Except for a mooring field and dingy dock, I think this is the most
efficient form of marina.. Cost of building and maintaining it is minimal.
Plus this type of mooring is the easiest on the boat.. No dock along side
saves potential damage since the boat is held off everything by the
centenary of the lines. Each boater leaves a couple fenders over in case
someone has trouble getting into his slip.

Cost, in 1972 dollars, was $35/mo for a 35ft slip.

The obvious draw is the boat access. That vertical ladder that was sometimes
wet and slimy at low tide and at extreme low tide, might have barnacles on
it.. Well that's the price you payed for a very secure and practical
mooring.

I would like to suggest that this arrangement is only for the fit and
dedicated boater.. Ladies in skirts and high heals and those who can't climb
a slippery ladder should probably stay at home.

Ladies who are wearing high heels probably shouldn't be on the boat at
all. Skirts are not prohibited as long as they aren't too tight and
the person behind/below you is someone that is a SO or other person
that you don't mind seeing stuff that's normally hidden from view.

Didn't the slime on the ladder get the deck dirty?

Ahh! for the good ole days. The simple life and simple boats.

Steve
s/v Good Intentions


grandma Rosalie

Remember, this was 30 years ago and a davits/dingy on the stern was not all
that common. Also this was a mix of commercial fishing and pleasure boats
(more commercial than pleasure). And even the pleasure boats were of the
'rough & ready' type.. Not to worry about slim on deck..

I think backing in was more of a custom since the fishinb boats had to get
there pots and gear on and off from the stern.. I didn't happen to have a
bowsprit on this boat but that would be another good reason to back in since
a bowsprit is worse than "walking the plank" when trying to pass the lines
to the dock and too climb on and off..

Another advantage to this type of mooring that I now remember, was the lack
of ice hazards when your boat is away from the dock. It just doesn't tend to
jam like it does with floating docks.

Given the choice and comparable fees in todays dollars, I would go for this
type of moorage since I just don't need all that convenience for my winter
moorage.. During summer, I'm off sailing or at anchor.. As a matter of fact,
if I could get good deal on a protected dingy dock, close to an all weather
anchorage, I would anchor all winter as well..


--
My opinion and experience. FWIW

Steve
s/v Good Intentions

Remember, this was 30 years ago and a davits/dingy on the stern was not all
that common. Also this was a mix of commercial fishing and pleasure boats
(more commercial than pleasure). And even the pleasure boats were of the
'rough & ready' type.. Not to worry about slim on deck..

I think backing in was more of a custom since the fishinb boats had to get
there pots and gear on and off from the stern.. I didn't happen to have a
bowsprit on this boat but that would be another good reason to back in since
a bowsprit is worse than "walking the plank" when trying to pass the lines
to the dock and too climb on and off..

Another advantage to this type of mooring that I now remember, was the lack
of ice hazards when your boat is away from the dock. It just doesn't tend to
jam like it does with floating docks.

Given the choice and comparable fees in todays dollars, I would go for this
type of moorage since I just don't need all that convenience for my winter
moorage.. During summer, I'm off sailing or at anchor.. As a matter of fact,
if I could get good deal on a protected dingy dock, close to an all weather
anchorage, I would anchor all winter as well..


--
My opinion and experience. FWIW

Steve
s/v Good Intentions

x-no-archive:yes


"Steve" wrote:

Remember, this was 30 years ago and a davits/dingy on the stern was not all
that common. Also this was a mix of commercial fishing and pleasure boats
(more commercial than pleasure). And even the pleasure boats were of the
'rough & ready' type.. Not to worry about slim on deck..

I think backing in was more of a custom since the fishinb boats had to get
there pots and gear on and off from the stern.. I didn't happen to have a
bowsprit on this boat but that would be another good reason to back in since
a bowsprit is worse than "walking the plank" when trying to pass the lines
to the dock and too climb on and off..

In the boats that I know of with bowsprits (Gozzard for instance) when
they are docked at fixed docks with short finger piers, they normally
climb on and off via the bowsprit. Even boats like ours with just a
bow pulpit, people climb on and off through the bow. I don't like to
do it, but it is commonly done. I don't know what difference a
bowsprit would make in passing the lines to the dock.

Another advantage to this type of mooring that I now remember, was the lack
of ice hazards when your boat is away from the dock. It just doesn't tend to
jam like it does with floating docks.

I do not understand this advantage, but I have not had to deal with
ice at the docks (fixed or floating).

Given the choice and comparable fees in todays dollars, I would go for this
type of moorage since I just don't need all that convenience for my winter
moorage.. During summer, I'm off sailing or at anchor.. As a matter of fact,
if I could get good deal on a protected dingy dock, close to an all weather
anchorage, I would anchor all winter as well..

grandma Rosalie

x-no-archive:yes


"Steve" wrote:

Remember, this was 30 years ago and a davits/dingy on the stern was not all
that common. Also this was a mix of commercial fishing and pleasure boats
(more commercial than pleasure). And even the pleasure boats were of the
'rough & ready' type.. Not to worry about slim on deck..

I think backing in was more of a custom since the fishinb boats had to get
there pots and gear on and off from the stern.. I didn't happen to have a
bowsprit on this boat but that would be another good reason to back in since
a bowsprit is worse than "walking the plank" when trying to pass the lines
to the dock and too climb on and off..

In the boats that I know of with bowsprits (Gozzard for instance) when
they are docked at fixed docks with short finger piers, they normally
climb on and off via the bowsprit. Even boats like ours with just a
bow pulpit, people climb on and off through the bow. I don't like to
do it, but it is commonly done. I don't know what difference a
bowsprit would make in passing the lines to the dock.

Another advantage to this type of mooring that I now remember, was the lack
of ice hazards when your boat is away from the dock. It just doesn't tend to
jam like it does with floating docks.

I do not understand this advantage, but I have not had to deal with
ice at the docks (fixed or floating).

Given the choice and comparable fees in todays dollars, I would go for this
type of moorage since I just don't need all that convenience for my winter
moorage.. During summer, I'm off sailing or at anchor.. As a matter of fact,
if I could get good deal on a protected dingy dock, close to an all weather
anchorage, I would anchor all winter as well..

grandma Rosalie

On Sun, 29 Feb 2004 10:52:45 -0800, "Steve" wrote:

The recent post about cost of moorings or slips got me to thinking back a
few years.

The first yacht club I belonged to in the early '60 was $30 mo. membership
and $.25/ft/mo. for slip rent, in San Diego.

Then I get to think about the most practical and least expensive marina and
that would have to be in Middletown RI, the old Stone Bridge Marina..
....
Cost, in 1972 dollars, was $35/mo for a 35ft slip.

From the bottom coast (Gulf of Mexico)... About 1972 or 73 everyone
was complaining because the Parish (county) Marina went up from $50 a
_year_ for a slip, any length, to $75 a year. Today it's up to $900 a
year. 12 times as much, with the inflation index at 4.11. Still a
bargain these days at $75 a month. Electricity and water is separate -
one has to have them turned on, just like at a house. The only other
local marina charges $50 a month, including electricity and water, and
$100 a month for a covered shed for the powerboat crowd. An additional
$50 a month for live-aboard to cover the usual extra electricity
charges.

Back in '73 in NW Florida, lots of empty land to dinghy into, $0.05 to
$0.10 a ft for transient at the big marinas, "A couple weeks? Give me
$5 and talk to me if you stay longer." at the little ones behind gas
stations, stores and stuff. No idea of monthly charges. Today, $0.75
to $1.50 a ft plus a whole heard of "hidden" charges, such as $8.75 a
day for electricity, $3.95 for water, $10 for "underwater land lease",
etc. IOW, at least double the quoted price. Oh yeah, and wall to wall
condos, houses, camps and businesses.

Ahhhhhhhhh, for the good ol' days! :-)

Rick


S/V Final Step
http://www.morelr.com/coronado/

On Sun, 29 Feb 2004 10:52:45 -0800, "Steve" wrote:

The recent post about cost of moorings or slips got me to thinking back a
few years.

The first yacht club I belonged to in the early '60 was $30 mo. membership
and $.25/ft/mo. for slip rent, in San Diego.

Then I get to think about the most practical and least expensive marina and
that would have to be in Middletown RI, the old Stone Bridge Marina..
....
Cost, in 1972 dollars, was $35/mo for a 35ft slip.

From the bottom coast (Gulf of Mexico)... About 1972 or 73 everyone
was complaining because the Parish (county) Marina went up from $50 a
_year_ for a slip, any length, to $75 a year. Today it's up to $900 a
year. 12 times as much, with the inflation index at 4.11. Still a
bargain these days at $75 a month. Electricity and water is separate -
one has to have them turned on, just like at a house. The only other
local marina charges $50 a month, including electricity and water, and
$100 a month for a covered shed for the powerboat crowd. An additional
$50 a month for live-aboard to cover the usual extra electricity
charges.

Back in '73 in NW Florida, lots of empty land to dinghy into, $0.05 to
$0.10 a ft for transient at the big marinas, "A couple weeks? Give me
$5 and talk to me if you stay longer." at the little ones behind gas
stations, stores and stuff. No idea of monthly charges. Today, $0.75
to $1.50 a ft plus a whole heard of "hidden" charges, such as $8.75 a
day for electricity, $3.95 for water, $10 for "underwater land lease",
etc. IOW, at least double the quoted price. Oh yeah, and wall to wall
condos, houses, camps and businesses.

Ahhhhhhhhh, for the good ol' days! :-)

Rick


S/V Final Step
http://www.morelr.com/coronado/

These days, if you yelled "dip it" to the guy catching your line he
wouldn't
have the foggiest idea what you're talking about.

Okay, I'll be the dummy. I'm 44 and I don't recall hearing it. ??? If I had
to guess I would say dip the eye in the drink to soften it. ????