subject: Choosing Marina Berths: Find The Best Marinas And Boat Moorings [print this page] Many things will influence your choice of the most suitable boat mooring from the huge number of marina berths out there, assuming availability of course.
How often you use your boat and where you prefer to sail are key components for making the proper decision on your choice of marina. There is usually a balance to be achieved in keeping your boat near to your home if you are a frequent user, or making a lengthier journey to your marina when it provides access to better sailing and destinations.
It is crucial that you completely grasp right from the beginning precisely what basic fees there are for the basic marina berth, and what additional charges you might be expected to pay in connection with your boat mooring. For instance, access to the internet at your marina berth either by Wi-Fi or hard wired broadband is quite widespread now, but will there be a charge for the service?
You might think that the internet is not a key factor when deciding on a marina berth, and may be the very the reason you are going sailingto leave it all behind, but think about the key benefits of having access at your mooring. The Met Office, WindGuru, and tide predictions through UK Hydrographic are just an example of the invaluable internet sites that can enhance your sailing enjoyment and basic safety.
Access to the internet is only one illustration of an area where there can be added outlay for services and amenities. The more evident and crucial examples are electricity, sewage disposal and so on
Many of us use our marina berths as a bolthole, an oasis of calm far from the noise and the normal strains of every day existence. Will your marina give you the tranquillity that you are looking for? Think about the proximity of railways, main roads and airport flight paths.
Even then, when you have identified a marina that checks each of the boxes above, youre still not guaranteed to find the peace that you seek. Is the marina easily accessible to people? Do they have access to you? Nearby homes, nightspots and entertainment centres all create foot traffic, and even though it is useful for you to have dining places and pubs handy for your use, they can be a source of disturbance. What sort of security is there at your marina round-the-clock guards? CCTV? Electronic pontoon gates?
What happens if your marina lacks a clubhouse or restaurant? This is a major tick in the tranquillity box, but how do you need to go to find somewhere to eat and drink, and how can you get there? Is it walkable? Do you need a taxi cab? Are taxis easy to get hold of?
Finally yet importantly, the actual marina berth. Will you have direct access to your boat from the pontoon, and do you have unhindered access to the marina entrance without needing to request other marina users or the marina administration to shuffle boats around to help you get in and out?
Your boat represents a substantial investment in money, time and most likely love. You will need a marina berth which enables you get the most out of that investment, both in terms of capital outlay and in hours spent with your boat. Selecting the right marina and importantly, good marina management, is an immensely important factor in ensuring your sailing fulfilment and peace of mind.
by: Peter Flatman
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