Sold Boat

[DrWatson 203]

Was in France 2 weeks ago and checked out the local marina which is claimed to be the biggest in the med it is about 50% bigger than westhaven . Was very surprised to see some of the biggest private boats on the planet on one side of the marina and the other side had literally 100s of sub 30 foot yachts and trailer yachts of very pedestrian design and value with the odd pogo here and there .

 

The dock setup was really different and way simpler than here (cheaper?) , wide modular plastic dock with no fingers or piles between berths and boats stern to the dock , bows were tied off to two mooring lines per boat that were attached to a massive chain running parallel to the dock on the sea floor . The bow lines were long enough to be tied off to the dock when not in use . Even in the budget part of the marina there was power and water every 5-6 metres and by budget imagine Noelex 22s and Tasman 20s etc . The most surprising thing was that Monaco was only 10 or so miles up the coast and Cannes 5 miles the other way yet it’s afforable to keep a 5 grand trailer yacht in a great marina . I’m thinking our marinas are overbuilt and the space is under utilised and the rental is far-ken unrealistic

 

In our marina, everyone gets a finger. Finger is 9m long, but i've seen the other kind of stern-to setup with the forward mooring lines - usually in the Med. 

 

It's not that the weather is more benign and the marina is built more lightly. There are 7m tides and 2-4 50-60knt blows per winter where we are.

 

https://goo.gl/maps/Wqf3znpb4Xzup5Ts8

 

You can even see Peter Blake St., just there on the left...

[Priscilla II 244]

Bit rough on Kevin. If he wasn't doing the job someone else would. Panuku,ACC,Guvmit are responsible for this trampling of the underdog(s). As stated all boaties are rich beyond description in the eyes of most non boaties. Perhaps a bit of openness,honesty,transparency and understanding of how the other 90% live would help. Fat chance !

Bit ruff on Kevin Lidgard bullshit.

In his own words it was his personal call to ratchet the berth rates that tipped us to sell.

BP you are most right with your comment about the poor state of the local marine service industry.

Got a friend who has been absolutely rodgered by a prominent Auckland marine company in Beaumont St so much so that it has wiped out any interest in retaining ownership of their long term adventure machine.

Complete absolute muppets accepting no responsibility and charging like wounded bulls to erode any confidence my friends had that their craft had been sorted and was fit for purpose on the high seas.

It is only out of courtesy to them that I will not name the company but it is absolutely appalling the way they have been treated.

[wild violet 31]

Couldn't even sell mine just swapped it for a 4wd,hopefully that's easier to sell.Shes a rich man's game owning a yacht now. Unfortunately I think the golden years of cruising are gone in NZ to many rules and regulations.Am selling everything and moving down west coast.

[Priscilla II 244]

Oh that is sad. Sorry you have joined my Club. Maybe IT is going to have to create a Forum for us "have been" boat owners where we can reminisce and tell stories.[/quote

Wheels I am with you.

Had 18 years of great family times adventures beyond description.

Sailing for us has always been a microcosm of life in general great lulls of peace and serenity closely coupled with intense chaotic storms and tempests.

However the storms do pass and the sun does shine.

I grew up on the sea and it is so intrinsically woven into my DNA but I am not going to compromise the financial well being of my whanau to fill the coffers of Panuku.

[lateral 107]

I've gone back to the mooring right into the teeth of mid-winter to equinox NW/SW gales.

First thing I see is a boat upchannel listing 30°. 

Maybe a false economy.

[armchairadmiral 238]

OK Priscilla...I give in. Certainly when I knew him that didn't seem to be in his DNA. Still he who pays the piper calls the tune !

[Priscilla II 244]

Crikey Armchair if you had got of your tuffet and journeyed to the last rare public outing of the Panuku road show at the Ponsonby Cruising Club you could have witnessed the petulant arrogance of Kevin in full flight.

He has assumed by default Tom Warrens role and I will tell you that contrary to his families boating historical contribution you smell and feel the building of a personal fiefdom which is business as usual behaviour for Panuku.

[madyottie 55]

Sheesh, you lot are making me pleased that I just ventured back down traileryacht terrace.

 

I've still got a mooring, but it's probably best removed, having suffered multiple failures since the last service/overhaul.

 

At least now I'm mostly just concerned with wheel bearings.

 

Really sorry to hear that people are being priced out of their recreation activities.

[Tamure 348]

Crikey Armchair if you had got of your tuffet and journeyed to the last rare public outing of the Panuku road show at the Ponsonby Cruising Club you could have witnessed the petulant arrogance of Kevin in full flight.

He has assumed by default Tom Warrens role and I will tell you that contrary to his families boating historical contribution you smell and feel the building of a personal fiefdom which is business as usual behaviour for Panuku.

 

For those with relatively abundant disposable income Westhaven rates are trifling to bearable to uncomfortable. For those blue collar sailing addicts that have boats now worth 20-50k sitting on 10 and 12m rental berths, its painful to impossible. There is no justification for the marina rates as I see it, sure for an accounting exercise it can be justified but essentially there is a massive profit being taken because they simply can. No competition and no alternative marina so if you want to be there then you need to pay, they know it and basically as I mentioned they base the rates on berth occupancy. Lidgard is a nobody, any manager would do the same, they are no friend of the grassroots clubbie, I can assure you. 

 

The  14,16 18m + berths dont care as much about rates but the small guys do and the small boat guys should be looked after by management. If you are an active  yacht club member then you should get a discount and if you are a long term renter you should get one as well. Larger berths should pay a premium and the pricing model at Westhaven should not be about extracting max profit. 

[harrytom 242]

Westhaven and other marinas,simple really ,You own a vessel want walk on walk off,You pay!  End of story. 

 

Often wonder around looking various vessels shapes n size on marinas,some get used most sit there as a status symbol,some neglected why would you pay the exorbitant fees? But as mooring areas disappear and the insurance bites being on a mooring no wonder trademe is full of give aways.

 

Yet the one area that seems stable is the trailer fizzy,take home little maintaince motor service $500? 

 

Got asked a week ago to go for a sail on trailer sailor,take boat to ramp,rig up 3hrs sailing,unrig take home 10hr day for what?maybe if there were compounds to leave rigged but At $300pm another killer + muck around at ramp, 

 

So is yachtshare/syndicate the way to go ?