I won the Marina Lotto :)

[Phillbo]

We spent a couple nights up lake and returned to the marina yesterday afternoon. I was walk down the dock and ran into a couple we met a few years ago. They invited us to join them on their houseboat for happy hour snacks. I told them I needed to step into the Office to sign a rental agreement and would join them soon. He smiled at me and said 'Follow me first'... We walk out to the end of H dock where his houseboat is slipped. He pointed to the slip next to his house boat and told me he knows the owner and they will not be returning until the spring so the slip will be unused. He also told me that he and his wife will be living aboard their boat until the crowds return in the summer so he could keep an eye on my boat as well.

SWEET!!! Saves me $400.00 a month for the next 3 months... The slip is farther out than I wanted but it's worth having to drag our stuff out with a rolling cart when the golf cart shuttles stop running at the end of the month.

So here I sit waiting for the Wife to return from her shower so we can unload and close the boat up and return home knowing it's in a safe slip where some yahoo is not going to bounce off it trying to navigate the finger and it has a watchful eye on it. The slip is made for a 72' houseboat so my cruiser fits in it without the stern sticking out ...

We'll be back up in a couple weeks to join a bunch of friends from Hawaii that are renting a houseboat for a week....

Life is good on Lake Powell

[PJHoffnet]

Sounds like a great deal, but I've got to ask ....

What is your marina's policy about 'filling' empty slips, including those under contract - (like the one next to your friend's houseboat) with transients?

I know my slip contract has this paragraph - grammar is there's not mine

"Temporary absences. In the event the vessel of Vessel Owner is to be absent from the marina for a period greater than two days, whenever possible, Vessel Owner shall provide two-days advance notice to Marina of the departure date and the intended return date, so that the slip can be made available to others. Vessel Owner should provide a written float plan to Marina or to others. Marina may temporarily license, rent, or otherwise use any empty slip at its option."

Yes, it seems like a really good deal for the marina, and we found it common to every slip contract we read while looking for a new home marina after we retired a few years back.

So, while it seems like you've got a great 'free' deal - you might want to ensure you're not going to get a knock on your door from the marina staff asking you to move or pay up.

Again, if it's a good deal, good for you, but at least be forewarned so you don't run into problems later.

[mmwjr]

I believe the marina I used to be at had similar verbiage in the contract. Now that I’m living in a waterfront house I only have myself to deal with.

[Phillbo]

I believe that does not come into play here. These slips are owned , not rented. Think HOA. You pay a fee to the marina each month for the services they provide but you have to purchase the slip and have a right to sub lease if you choose.. Besides, this time of year transient slips are not in great demand. The marina pretty much shuts down. Basic maintenance and cleaning of the shower / restrooms is about it.

The restaurant will close soon as well.

I'm not 100% on the contract details but am not concerned... I know most of the employees and they could care less.

As of the end of Sept the Dangling Rope Marina starts to shut down and stops getting resupplied. It's why I like being on the lake this time of year . We own it.

[shrew]

I've spent many years renting a variety of slips from various owners at Dockominiums. The contract is through the slip owner, not the association. The association typically only requires that they have boat and contact information on file along with proof of insurance.

[PJHoffnet]

Originally Posted by Phillbo

I believe that does not come into play here. These slips are owned , not rented. Think HOA.

Copy - definitely a sweat deal for you.

[Phillbo]

The marina office manger knows me and all my info is on file so she is cool with the situation. Plenty of transient slips if needed (which they wont in the off season).