Mooring Lease or buy

[alpgulden]

Hey Guys,

First time boat owner. I have registered a mooring space at Hingham, MA this year. I have been told that all moorings in the Inner Harbor required to be installed by one of the authorized mooring service providers. they are charging 1000 for leasing and 1500 for building one to own it.
I am not sure what is the norm in terms of mooring. Logically it doesn't make sense to pay 1000 buck every year. Can you help me understand how do you moor? do I need a launching service. Can I build my own mooring instead paying 1500.
thanks

[Shrew]

You'd have to call the mooring service provider to see if they'd inspect, sign off, and install one you built yourself. Usually the reason the harbor master requires a mooring service is they are following a standard for material and build specs and sizing based on the vessel. They will also be installing based on mooring field spec for distances.

Mooring gear needs to be inspected on a regular basis and components require periodic replacement.

Some mooring fields have launch services. They also typically have a dinghy dock. Whether you can long term store your dinghy will vary by location.

How to moor? Pull-up.....grab the pandant(s)......tie it(them) to a cleat.

[alpgulden]

Thanks.. I mean do you rent or buy the mooring. What is the prefered way in general?

[Boatguy30]

Firstly, I would assume there would be a years long waiting list to have a space assigned where you could lay your own mooring. Cost will be way more than $1500 for a new mooring unless for like a 20’ boat.
A $1000 annual rental is pretty cheap for a mooring or a bit expensive for an annual license, for you own say 4K mooring plus probably $500 a year or so for maintenance

[alpgulden]

I think the price differs every mooring site. I got my spot already. marina communicated me for leasing and I have done some research for buying. but I was not sure about the price they gave me. thanks for the response.

[Shrew]

Originally Posted by alpgulden

Thanks.. I mean do you rent or buy the mooring. What is the prefered way in general?

I heard you, however you're going to need to read between the lines. The direction was provided. Nobody can answer that question.

Rent it and have someone else be responsible for inspection and service

OR

Buy it, and pay someone to periodically inspect and service it.

$1,500 to buy or $1,000 to rent doesn't seem to add up.

[kenbo]

I've owned my mooring for about 20 years now. Every mooring field has different requirements and specifications based on bottom characteristics, boat size, and field layout.

If you are either going to stay in that location for 4-5 years or you can sell your rig to person next, then buying is the way to go.

As a new boat owner I wouldn't recommend building your own mooring rig. Let the mooring field operator supply one spec'd for the field. Ask if the rig is new before you buy it and not just used but "certified". The other question I'd have is how do they anchor the rig, if by mushroom and it has just been set it'll take a while to work it's way into the bottom. If it's by helix you should be good to go.

If you're set on building your own, get the harbormaster's mooring specs and follow them to the tee and get them to check and certify before installing.

[kenbo]

Originally Posted by Shrew

I heard you, however you're going to need to read between the lines. The direction was provided. Nobody can answer that question.

Rent it and have someone else be responsible for inspection and service

OR

Buy it, and pay someone to periodically inspect and service it.

$1,500 to buy or $1,000 to rent doesn't seem to add up.

It might add up and make sense if the harbor requires pulling the rig every fall or dropping the chain every fall and putting on a winter stick. Then you have to either pay to have it pulled and have a diver attach a winter stick to the mushroom and then reattach the ball in the spring. I was completely self-service but I had to pay for a yearly inspection/certification.

If your renting that $1k may be the full cost.

[sagablu]

Originally Posted by kenbo

It might add up and make sense if the harbor requires pulling the rig every fall or dropping the chain every fall and putting on a winter stick. Then you have to either pay to have it pulled and have a diver attach a winter stick to the mushroom and then reattach the ball in the spring. I was completely self-service but I had to pay for a yearly inspection/certification.

If your renting that $1k may be the full cost.

Yes, Kenbo provided the correct information. The mooring may need to be pulled every year, You can't leave the ball in the water over the winter. Ice will drag the ball and the mooring with it. Further The chain needs to be inspected at least every other year and the ring on the Mooring anchor also needs to be looked at. The pendants also need to be replaced at least every few years, and certainly inspected every year. If you buy it you're either going to be doing this yourself or paying somebody. If you're paying somebody for each of these services I doubt you're going to come out ahead. Certainly may want to ask these questions before committing one way or the other. Look at it this way, if something goes wrong and you didn't follow the guidelines your insurance company may try to weasel out of the claim.
Sorry, I know it sounds like a lot but just another cost of boat ownership.

[kenbo]

Another thing to consider with a mooring is if your insurance company will allow you to stay on the mooring during named storms. Many are now requiring you to be hauled and will foot 50% of the bill to a capped limit. If yours does require being hauled better have arrangements with a yard that has some protection from storm surge. Being on the hard during a high storm surge is worse than being on a well designed and planned mooring.

[alpgulden]

Thanks you all for the information.
I think I will learn more about the service fees and for the first year at least it make sense to lease it.

[keyway]

I have installed and used my own mooring and I have
Leased municipal moorings for around 1200 a year. I liked having my own “free” mooring.When the city took over the anchorage and put in their moorings I had to move or pick up one of theirs. They city will provide pump out services and mooring maintenance , launch services and will not allow anyone to anchor in the field. The do require that I carry liability insurance in case their mooring fails and my boat hits something. I just consider it all a cost of boat ownership. The other thing about leasing is oftentimes you can jump to another mooring if you like. With permission of course

[joelhemington]

Originally Posted by sagablu

Yes, Kenbo provided the correct information. The mooring may need to be pulled every year, You can't leave the ball in the water over the winter. Ice will drag the ball and the mooring with it. Further The chain needs to be inspected at least every other year and the ring on the Mooring anchor also needs to be looked at. The pendants also need to be replaced at least every few years, and certainly inspected every year. If you buy it you're either going to be doing this yourself or paying somebody. If you're paying somebody for each of these services I doubt you're going to come out ahead. Certainly may want to ask these questions before committing one way or the other. Look at it this way, if something goes wrong and you didn't follow the guidelines your insurance company may try to weasel out of the claim.
Sorry, I know it sounds like a lot but just another cost of boat ownership.

Once again, as we don't know where the OP is, ice may not even be an issue so the ball could sit here all year long in a place like Florida. The big key here seems to be getting an allocated space to place the mooring as most mooring fields are fairly well structured.

[Dsanduril]

Originally Posted by joelhemington

Once again, as we don't know where the OP is...

Originally Posted by alpgulden

...I have registered a mooring space at Hingham, MA this year.....

The full mooring regulations for Hingham are available online. They do not allow the normal mooring bouy to be in place over the winter, but they do allow the use of a spar bouy in its place.

http://ma-hinghampolice.civicplus.co...ons-PDF?bidId=

[SeaStory]

Originally Posted by joelhemington

Once again, as we don't know where the OP is, ice may not even be an issue so the ball could sit here all year long in a place like Florida. The big key here seems to be getting an allocated space to place the mooring as most mooring fields are fairly well structured.

OP told us exactly where they are.