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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

General Sailing Forum

$H¨ª©à or get off the pot - Decision time

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Prospector
Master Marine Consultant

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Canada
3159 Posts

Initially Posted - 10/27/2010 : 06:14:40

Since the season is done and all boats have to be out of the harbour by Monday, I have been asked by the club executive to hurry up and tell them whether I'll be accepting a slip next season or not. I have until Monday to make up my mind.

I hate being cornered like this so early. In the next 6 months I am looking at adding a kid to the family and possibly a new address - which could be anyplace between Lake Ontario and Lake Simcoe.

I asked if I could offer a best guess as to what I am doing, firming up my decision in January or December. The response was that it would be unfair to other folks who are waiting for a slip.

I told the club I would take a sabbatical for one season with the option to reverse my decision if anyone else committed to a slip and backed out. From where I'm sitting it seems like this is waaay too early to force committments, but I know other marinas are forcing early decisions on the lake and our exec is just trying to make sure our slips are filled. This sucks. I don't want to end up high and dry next summer.

It goes against my principles to commit to a slip and then back out, since that would rob another member of the chance to take a spot. I do expect others will do exactly that though. The whole do unto others before they do unto you mentality - something I have never been much good at. Oh well, maybe a summer off will give me a chance to get some work done on the boat - or maybe it will force me to jump into bigger water. Apparently it takes 6 hours to sail from Newcastle across to Sodus Point... That could make for a fun weekend trip. Time to really get the Excel spreadsheet humming with options for new places.

"Iris"
1984 FK/SR #4040
http://frosthaus.blogspot.com/

Take a minute to register your boat with the association!!
http://www.catalina-capri-25s.org/owner_questionnaire.htm

Edited by - on

jerlim
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
1484 Posts

Response Posted - 10/27/2010 : 06:36:13

I suggest that none of us can predict the future...go w/ how you feel now. If circumstances change, then they change...

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PCP777
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1225 Posts

Response Posted - 10/27/2010 : 06:42:15

I suppose a congratulations is in order. A baby does pretty much consume your resources and any chance of sleep!

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Sloop Smitten
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1181 Posts

Response Posted - 10/27/2010 : 07:30:06

If slips are hard to find I would reserve one and if you find your circumstances do not allow you to use it, then back out. If they are hard to find the club should not have a problem filling your vacancy.

If slips are available rather easily I would consider holding off on the decision. In that circumstance you should be able to postpone your decision until the situation and its affects are more visible.

I know from experience with a baby under a year old your ability to drop everything and go sailing will be seriously compromised. I'd give some serious thought to taking a sabbatical. You can always use the time to tackle those projects you never have time for.

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Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9080 Posts

Response Posted - 10/27/2010 : 07:39:58

This "waiting list"... How is it that it wouldn't produce a customer in January but it will produce one in November?? How would you be "doing unto others"? Are you being asked for a significant, non-refundable financial commitment? If not, take it and decide when you decide.

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Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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USA
5902 Posts

Response Posted - 10/27/2010 : 09:40:08

I know some places don't allow sub-letting of a slip, but others do. Can you make a committment to rent a slip, and, if you can't use it, you should be able to sub-let it, if slips are scarce.

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Prospector
Master Marine Consultant

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Canada
3159 Posts

Response Posted - 10/27/2010 : 12:31:43

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Stinkpotter
 This "waiting list"... How is it that it wouldn't produce a customer in January but it will produce one in November?? How would you be "doing unto others"? Are you being asked for a significant, non-refundable financial commitment? If not, take it and decide when you decide.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Our club gets a reduced rate on slips at the municipal marina. As a member, you get a % reduction over the general public for use of the same dock.

Many people are on the waitlists of the marina and the club.

The marina awards its portion of the slips in late December. Our club wants to let people know whether it has a spot for them (at a considerable savings) before they are forced to sign on the line for a slip at full price. So yes, the waitlist will still exist whether I take a slip now or later. Imagine how pissed off you would be if, after signing a contract and paying full price for a slip, someone came and told me one had opened up at a reduced rate, which I was forced to pass on, meaning that next year, I would have to go back on a waitlist again, pay full price again, and gamble to get a slip again.

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Prospector
Master Marine Consultant

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Canada
3159 Posts

Response Posted - 10/27/2010 : 12:32:23

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Steve Milby
 I know some places don't allow sub-letting of a slip, but others do. Can you make a committment to rent a slip, and, if you can't use it, you should be able to sub-let it, if slips are scarce.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

No sublets. Good idea though.

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dmpilc
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4593 Posts

Response Posted - 10/27/2010 : 13:06:21

Our club operates out of a municipal-owned marina and the only discount is a month free if we pay for the year in advance, essentially an administrative bookkeeping discount, and it's available to any slipholder there whether a club member or not. Residents outside the city limits, i.e. the whole county, are charged extra. I'm sure there are some city council members who would cry foul if the club members were given a discount.
We are lucky in that we can leave boats in the water year round.

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GaryB
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4304 Posts

Response Posted - 10/28/2010 : 10:41:19

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Prospector
 <blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Stinkpotter
 This "waiting list"... How is it that it wouldn't produce a customer in January but it will produce one in November?? How would you be "doing unto others"? Are you being asked for a significant, non-refundable financial commitment? If not, take it and decide when you decide.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Many people are on the waiting lists of the marina and the club.

I would take the slip for sure if there was the possibility I would have to get on a waiting list to get back in.

The marina awards its portion of the slips in late December. Our club wants to let people know whether it has a spot for them (at a considerable savings) before they are forced to sign on the line for a slip at full price. So yes, the waitlist will still exist whether I take a slip now or later. Imagine how pissed off you would be if, after signing a contract and paying full price for a slip, someone came and told me one had opened up at a reduced rate, which I was forced to pass on, meaning that next year, I would have to go back on a waitlist again, pay full price again, and gamble to get a slip again.

In my opinion, if someone in the club backed out of a slip the right thing for the marina to do would be to contact the first person in the club that did not get a slip and offer them the discount. If no one else wanted a slip, offer the discount to the first person that signed up at full rate.

To bad doing the "right thing" never gets done!<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

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osmepneo
Past Commodore

Members Avatar

USA
1420 Posts

Response Posted - 11/02/2010 : 17:26:25

My club will fill moorings if the "owner" backs out and provide the "owner" the rental income. That's nice. Regardless, I'd take the slip, and rent it to someone else if I decided I didn't or couldn't use. Of course, your rental agreement will specify if and how you go about sub=letting. One sadvantage of sub-letting your slip, is that it is your slip and available for your use next year.

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jbkayaker
Captain

Members Avatar

USA
299 Posts

Response Posted - 11/04/2010 : 08:49:24

The two class system and the unneeded requirement for leases when demand exceeds supply are creating the problem. Since you apparently have to play by rules you can't change just do what's best for you. If you take the slip and back out then somebody is going to take it. Does it really matter that he/she isn't the same person who would get it if you cancel now or three years from now ?

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Prospector
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

Canada
3159 Posts

Response Posted - 11/05/2010 : 06:53:52

I *think* I have found a club on Lake Ont. that fits my needs, only kick in the pants is that they are on moorings, but the basin is well protected, and the mooring field is very small - like ridiculously small. On google earth, the entire field measures 400' by 600', with a concrete knee wall on every side, and a narrow opening out to the lake. Apparently teh harbour used to be a shipping basin for great lakes freighters, and was converted to a club. the long and short of it is that you can store your dinghy on teh edge of the basin, load it fron your car parked on teh knee wall, and be at teh boat in a couple seconds. We already have an OB, but need the dinghy.

SWMBO and I are going to their "Commodore's Ball" at the end of the month to see how we like the place, and then will decide whether to join or not.

I already applied for a sabbatical for one year from my home club. This place's membership fees and moorage combined are less than my dock alone at our existing club... and get this - they have facilities!!

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