Mac said: When a marina slip charge based upon total square footage becomes acceptable to catamaran (and other) boaters, that may become possible. Gary responds: I don't know of any marinas who use area in leu of length measurements. Are there any now? If not, is there some pressure to change them? Mac also said: But remember that a marina owner can charge basically the same amount for THREE monohull slips occupying the same total amount of width that TWO catamaran slips would use up. Gary replies: I will only quibble about the precise numbers. Generally I take a double slip, and pay for one-and-one-half or two, depending. Marina owners are NOT going to move the fingers around on their docks to accomodate changing slip sizes unless it shows up very clearly on their bottom line. Remember, monohulls need those fingers to tie off the side of their boats, while catamarans with their extra broad backsides (my boat is just like me!) can tie their transoms to the dock without using dock fingers at all (sorta like a med tie, but without the kedging anchor). In transit I always have a side tie, often on the hammerhead at the end of a dock, usually held for larger boats. Like Henry said above, I have never had any real difficulty getting a transit dock, and only a couple of times have they asked for more $$. Mac asked: Were you the marina owner and aware of the limited market for cat slips, which way would YOU go? Gary answered: No question, they will all stand pat. I'll guess that catamarans (sail and power) comprise less than one percent of the dockable boats hereabouts. We're a novelty, not a big problem. Since the vacancy rate is pretty high here anyway, the marinas are generally willing to dicker about me using a double slip. The way I see it, extra slip costs are just part of the price I am glad to pay to have a power catamaran. Gary Bell

Or as many successful catamaran crusiers do you might just try anchoring out, going to the dock only on occasion - it opens up a whole nother world! Tim Askins > Date: Mon, 25 Feb 2008 12:01:13 -0800> From: tulgey@earthlink.net> To: power-catamaran@lists.samurai.com; k2gkk@hotmail.com> Subject: [PCW] The popularity of Catamarans> > Mac said:> When a marina slip charge based upon total square footage becomes acceptable to catamaran (and other) boaters, that may become possible. > > Gary responds:> I don't know of any marinas who use area in leu of length measurements. Are there any now? If not, is there some pressure to change them? > > Mac also said:> But remember that a marina owner can charge basically the same amount for THREE monohull slips occupying the same total amount of width that TWO catamaran slips would use up. > > Gary replies:> I will only quibble about the precise numbers. Generally I take a double slip, and pay for one-and-one-half or two, depending. Marina owners are NOT going to move the fingers around on their docks to accomodate changing slip sizes unless it shows up very clearly on their bottom line. Remember, monohulls need those fingers to tie off the side of their boats, while catamarans with their extra broad backsides (my boat is just like me!) can tie their transoms to the dock without using dock fingers at all (sorta like a med tie, but without the kedging anchor). In transit I always have a side tie, often on the hammerhead at the end of a dock, usually held for larger boats. Like Henry said above, I have never had any real difficulty getting a transit dock, and only a couple of times have they asked for more $$. > > Mac asked:> Were you the marina owner and aware of the limited market for cat slips, which way would YOU go?> > Gary answered:> No question, they will all stand pat. I'll guess that catamarans (sail and power) comprise less than one percent of the dockable boats hereabouts. We're a novelty, not a big problem. Since the vacancy rate is pretty high here anyway, the marinas are generally willing to dicker about me using a double slip. > > The way I see it, extra slip costs are just part of the price I am glad to pay to have a power catamaran.> > Gary Bell> _______________________________________________> Power-Catamaran Mailing List