FAQ-on-buying-a-marina-berth

FAQ on renting a yacht berth

We often get asked questions about rental berths for yachts so we thought we’d put them all together in one handy FAQ document.

If you have a question that isn’t covered, please get in touch and we’ll try our best to answer it.


Why are some yacht berths more expensive than others?

This is a question we often hear from new boaters. Prices of yacht berths can vary enormously in similar stretches of water. This can be down to a few reasons.

Marina facilities

The facilities available at a marina will be one of the main indicators as to the cost of a yacht berth.

At the higher end of the scale will be full-service marinas. These will have a wealth of facilities for both the yachts in the marina and the sailors upon them.

Examples include;

Boat lifts and yards to allow you to work on your boat on the hard

Well maintained and regularly replaced pontoons

Dredging work is undertaken on a regular basis

Fuel services

Chandleries and other boating shops for speed and ease

Bars, restaurants, cafes for you to enjoy when you aren’t on board

Security to keep your yacht and you safe and sound

An on-site team. Keeping an eye on your boat even when you aren’t there

Bathroom and shower facilities for you to use

Washing facilities for your laundry

Car parking facilities

Swimming pools / gyms / berth holder lounges

If you are looking to berth with a marina group you may also have access to other marinas. Sometimes this will be included in the price you are already paying for your berth. At other marinas, you may be able to moor at a reduced cost or with extra benefits.

Location

It goes without saying that where the marina is situated will play a factor in yacht berth costs. It’s similar to when you rent a house – if you are close to popular facilities and transport links, you’ll be paying a premium.


Sublet marina berths

As berth brokers, we work with individuals who own the lease to their marina berth. If the lease allows then we are often appointed as an agent to sublet their berth.

Depending on which marina it is in will dictate the price we are able to offer these berths at. What we tend to find is that whilst we cannot undercut the marina rate, we do not have to charge tax on the rental. Therefore you can rent a berth at a lower rate.

Infrequently we are asked by annual renters to sublet the remainder of their rental term. We are only able to do this if the marina they are in allows these to be sublet. So we work with the renter and the marina to see how we are best placed to help both parties.

You can read more about renting lease berths in this article.


What about mooring options for tighter budgets?

If you are on a tighter budget then you may want to consider alternative options to moor your yacht. These could include renting a mooring buoy, a river mooring or by joining a yacht or sailing club and using their facilities.

If you look carefully, there are sometimes options close to popular sailing areas that may work out better value for you. Generally, they won’t have as many facilities. Perfect if you never use the showers and won’t be looking to lift your boat for the winter. You may need to snoop around to find these marinas, as you can bet they are not spending money on advertising. Maybe take a look on Google satellite maps to discover these marinas and then ring or pay them a visit.

Depending on where you are in the world the options above may offer you a more cost-effective option. Although you may need to factor in any extra costs that may come with mooring your boat.

These may include:

Having to store a tender ashore for you to be able to reach your mid-river or boat on a buoy. This may be at an additional cost.

If you don’t wish to do that you may have to pay for a water taxi to take you to and from your boat.

You may not have ready access to marina facilities. However, if they have availability you can pay to visit a local marina as a guest and take advantage of the facilities when you need them.

The journey times to where you are looking to cruise may add time onto your day and make short days out on the water, less achievable.

Likewise, if your berth is a long way from the cruising ground you need to factor in extra costs for fuel.


Is there a rating system in place to help me find accredited marinas?

The Yacht Harbour Association, which is part of British Marine offer a membership scheme to marinas in over 26 countries across the world. They have then developed standards where they accredit marinas and issue Anchor Awards.

The YHA helps boat owners to find good quality marinas whilst helping marina businesses improve their services and operate to high, modern standards.


Are there other options besides renting a marina berth?

Yes! If you weren’t aware, Triangle sells long lease marina berths. This means that you can buy a lease to own a marina berth for a set period of time. Interested in knowing more? Then read this article.


 

Why not take a look at the marina berths we currently have listed for rent?

We hope that we have answered some of the questions you may have had on renting a marina berth. Please feel free to contact us if you have other questions, or can help with your next marina berth rental.