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Westhaven now not wanting berth holders with permits to park at marina


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So I bit the bullet, and am now renting a berth at the marina, although my boat isn't launched yet, I launch in a matter of weeks and wanted to secure a berth for the summer.

 

I am on holiday at the the moment and have been parking at Westhaven, displaying my permit, and going sailing on a mates boat.  Went up to Gulf Harbour couple nights, sailed back this evening.

 

I get back this evening, after the marina has closed, and their is a letter under my windscreen wiper.

 

It starts off like this:  "We noticed that you parked your car before leaving Westhaven to go elsewhere".

 

Really? You noticed wrong, idiots. I was sailing, you know, out there on the Waitemata, that place full of saltwater.

Are they hiding in the bushes at 6:30am sussing out people".

 

It goes on... "Although you are a berth holder, and displaying a permit, we wanted to let you know that under out terms and conditions, permit holders , and all using the Carparks at Westhaven, are only entitled to while they are here for Marina related activities".

 

Well, actually I was.  But - even if I went off somewhere else - what business of it of theirs, and more importantly - where is their proof?  So, that presumably means you can't wander off to Swashbucklers and have a beer and a meal after a days sailing because that would presumably not be classed as "Marina related activities"?

 

What the f**k is going on here? We pay these buggers ENORMOUS amounts of money each month to rent a berth, and now they are trying to scare off people who are entitled to park their with a permit from not being able to park there!

 

If they were to start ticketing berth holders displaying their permits - then I think they would have holy hell to pay.

 

By the way, this week there have been ACRES of parking spaces, both permitted and unpermitted - at least when I arrived.  In fact, during the week I don't recall seeing the place anything other than practically deserted during business hours.

 

I really am not sure I want to continue renting a berth with these people if they are going to start acting like Nazis to people that actually have a godammned parking permit!

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Have you raised it with them?

 

I sometimes leave my car for a day while I'm not undertaking "marina based activities" - because I have been known to have too many rums after wednesday night racing and not be able to drive home.  It's then a logistical nightmare to get up and collect the car before work so I tend to do it after.  Wonder if I'm about to start getting letters too?

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Yup welcome to Westhaven.

The marina that makes you feel all snuggly and warm to know that you are being charged just a infinitesimal amount of bitcoins to be able to park anywhere near your superyacht.

Try it out on my pier.

Parking is maxed out by cafe customers and the new traffic management system is to no longer tow but ticket.

Come on Westhaven management think about the customer the sea creatures ie berth holders.

Imagine how bloody mad the whole place will become when the commercial building platform develops.  

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Have you raised it with them?

 

I sometimes leave my car for a day while I'm not undertaking "marina based activities" - because I have been known to have too many rums after wednesday night racing and not be able to drive home.  It's then a logistical nightmare to get up and collect the car before work so I tend to do it after.  Wonder if I'm about to start getting letters too?

 

Heh yeah good point raz.

 

My concern is this: I am going to be sailing lots. Sometimes off for week or two or more. So of course as a bertn holder I want to be able to leave my f*&king car at the marina that I pay GAZILLIONS per month, while I am off sailing.   So, what happens then? "Oh yes, he has a permit, but where is he?....oh, we will just presume he is not doing marrina based activities, so lets ticket or tow him....."

Jeezuz, If I get this nasty letter again I really am going to go to another marina, even though less convenient.

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Just had a call at midnight from Westhaven security reading me the riot act for allowing someone to sleep on Sundreamer on the piles. It’s only for a couple of days and no I wasn’t aware it was against the rules as I’ve seen many people out there overnighting.

 

Anyway he’s logging it and he can log it up his arse for all I care

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Just had a call at midnight from Westhaven security reading me the riot act for allowing someone to sleep on Sundreamer on the piles. It’s only for a couple of days and no I wasn’t aware it was against the rules as I’ve seen many people out there overnighting.

 

Anyway he’s logging it and he can log it up his arse for all I care

Really? That's very interesting given someone posted in the Westhaven Boat Shed FB group (for buying, selling, and making connections with other Westhaven berth holders and crew) that they are going to be living aboard a swing mooring while studying.

Now I'm not completely sure that it's a "swing" mooring in Westhaven but thought it was a bit odd if it wasn't given where the comment was posted. 

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I'm missing something here. You pay for a berth and with it goes a carpark. I would have thought that's the end of it. You park your boat while you go work ? You park your car because that's what you pay for ? The exclusive use of a marina berth and ditto for carpark. Don't have that problem in the Waikato. Don't see the difference between parking to go sailing and parking to go to work. Surely working to pay for the rent is marina related ?

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Tried to parked with a trailer there on weekend for 2 hours and got a little stir up from one of the staff, tried to argue that nowhere on the signage says you cannot do it but that was going nowhere but he let us in the end.

Are you allowed to part a trailer does anyone know?

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I'm missing something here. You pay for a berth and with it goes a carpark. I would have thought that's the end of it. You park your boat while you go work ? You park your car because that's what you pay for ? The exclusive use of a marina berth and ditto for carpark. Don't have that problem in the Waikato. Don't see the difference between parking to go sailing and parking to go to work. Surely working to pay for the rent is marina related ?

100% agree Armchair. 

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I'm not a fan of rules and regulations, but there is no staying aboard on the piles at all. Thats the deal, as for the parking its probably a mistake as you are not allowed to park n' ride so to speak, using the marina as a carpark while you wander of to work, so if no boat yet on the berth they may think youre abusing the system. 

 

As for the cost or renting, its a bitch but its worth it- for now!

 

And so how would they determine this? How would they know if you are sailing or not?  I don't recall filling in my car rego details on their forms - are we going to get to the stage now where berth holders are going to have to line up at the marina office and "check in" like little school children?

"Hi there Dear Marina Sir - I am parked here today, with my PERMIT, because I PAY YOU for my berth, which COMES WITH a parking permit - but I am off sailing so PLEASE do not put nasty little letters under my windscreen wipers.

 

It's a crock of sh#t.  Yeah sure, non-berth holders parking in the white areas all day - yep ticket 'em.  They are not customers of the marina. They don't pay a cent. No problem hammering them.

But berth holders displaying their parking permit? No bloody way should they be hassled.

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You pay for the guarenteed berth space, not a guarenteed parking space. Weswthaven has a much nigher ratio of parking spaces to berths than most places, although I can imaging the north side is under a lot more pressure than the south.

 

I can see both sides of the argument, common theme seems to be the comunication. A friendly word at the appropiae time is far more palatable and effective than notes under the wiper which in being faceless tend to wind people up.

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No parking issues at Weiti. Nice friendly club too.

And you don't have to go down the ditch past all those nasty wharf extensions and dodge the commercial shipping just to start sailing somewhere nice either. But don't tell anyone, we wouldn't want the word to get around and inadvertently create a parking problem.

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No parking issues at Weiti. Nice friendly club too.

And you don't have to go down the ditch past all those nasty wharf extensions and dodge the commercial shipping just to start sailing somewhere nice either. But don't tell anyone, we wouldn't want the word to get around and inadvertently create a parking problem.

Two questions on Weiti, Fish - is there not a long waiting list for piles?  And is not entrance a little hairy at times?

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I just got a ticket!!! I have no idea what for as I have a current permit and i recall the day clearly as it was my birthday. I was parked in the correct place.

Please do follow up and let us know.  Sounds like this Marina is hell bent on pissing off berth holders.

So much for customer service.

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Two questions on Weiti, Fish - is there not a long waiting list for piles?  And is not entrance a little hairy at times?

I can't comment on the wait list as I don't know, but the Club manager has been known to lurk around here, or can be contacted on 09 424 5905. I wouldn't have thought it was any longer than the wait list for a 14 m berth at Westhaven though....

 

On the entrance, no, not hairy at all. There is never any swell or breaking waves unless there is a full gale outside from the East, when you wouldn't want to be going out, or would have been back in for a long time. There is a bar that restricts deeper draft boats at low tide. We draw 1.8 m and the general rule is we can't cross 2 hrs each side of low tide (but it changes for neaps and springs, we have a tide program and can tell down to about 5 min if we have enough water to get over).

 

The channel is well marked with posts and lights on the key bits, the deepest line is between two lit channel markers so is straight forward even at night. The bar is nice and soft. I've got stuck on it playing silly buggers and its not a problem to just sit there and have a cup of tea (or another rum, which may or may not have been the cause of getting stuck in the first place).

 

Depending on the use of your boat, the bar and restrictions on crossing would be a hassle if you draw much more than about 2 m. I think Black Panther draws 2.5 m and happily lives up there, but he thinks racing is silly and just goes cruising, so can choose his tides without trying to make the start of a race.

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