The suggestion that you will save pots of money by buying a trailer and storing your boat at home to avoid marina fees is often incorrect. Once all the associated costs have been tallied up, it becomes clear that mooring your boat at the local boat club isn’t going to be much more expensive than trailering it around, and what’s more, it’s going to be a whole lot easier to get your boat out. Often, boaters find that getting the trailered boat to the water requires such an effort that much of the joy is lost simply getting the boat to the water. This article is aimed at boaters who want to maximise their time on the water.
EASE OF USE
This is probably the biggest selling point for using your local marina to moor your boat – it’s very convenient. When you decide you want to spend a day at sea fishing with friends, simply head on down to the marina and off you go. Marinas also offer many added services such as storage facilities, maintenance options such as slipways and dry docks and cleaning facilities. Having your boat moored at the marina makes it easily accessible at all times.
TIME IS MONEY
Is it possible to save money by outlaying extra cash for marina fees? Well, think of it this way. Time is money. Then factor in the petrol to and from your home to the water, trailer maintenance, a tow vehicle, wear and tear on the tow vehicle, and the list goes on. It can cost a pretty penny to outfit yourself with a proper towing rig for your boat. On the other hand, if your boat is docked at the marina, you simply have to show up and use the boat.
PROTECTING YOUR BOAT
There is an increased risk of accidents when trailering your boat, much more so than when you have your boat moored at the marina. Let’s say it takes one hour to get your boat ready and tow it down to the marina. It is then safe to say that you will be doing the same when your day is complete. That equates to a lot of preparation time and a lot more time that your boat and trailer spends on the road with increased risk of accidents.
DRIVEWAY EYESORE
For many boaters, having their boat taking up the entire driveway or front lawn can be highly irritating for your spouse and puts a damper on your relationship. Your spouse likes to look through the large lounge windows at the wonderful fl owers in bloom in the garden and not at the side of your boat which you aptly named “Cirrhosis of the River”. Do everyone a favour and get your boat into the closest marina quickly before you incur the wrath of your loved one.
SAFETY AND SECURITY
Trailering a boat is no easy task and of course you need a tow vehicle to do it. Apart from getting your boat to the public slipway, you also need to be able to negotiate the busy slipway where others boats are being put into and you need to worry about the safety of your vehicle and trailer when you are out on the water. Pulling a boat is no easy task, and you have to know how to drive a big vehicle pulling a large trailer. There are many benefits to mooring your boat at the local marina. Yes it may cost you a bit more, but you will certainly have more time on your hands and you’ll have way less to worry about, particularly the glares you get from your wife when she can’t get to her garden because “Cirhosis of the River” is parked in full view.
