Why is 30' the "magic" price point?

[Bertie68]

Originally Posted by Lizzy Belle

....
I'm in what is an expensive marina for the Netherlands, and I pay around $1700 per 12 months (in the water) for a 30' boat. That's including showers, fees etc - everything but the electricity I use (which isn't much on a small, basic boat ).

Here in Spain, you can expect from 2.500€/yr to 3.600€/yr for a 8-10m slip...

[hamburking]

Originally Posted by jeepbluetj

Dana Point, Southern California. About $520 for a 30' slip. Not allowed to even think about living aboard.

Yes, that's absolutely outrageous. Maybe I should move to the Netherlands.

Confederation Basin, Kingston ONT Canada:
$2500 for the season (like $74/ft plus 13% tax)
Includes water, but power is another $482.
I pay for 30' because thats the LOA of my boat...but my dock is only 25' long.

We pay by the season, about May to October depending on when you launch and haul. However, the actual monthly, weekly, and daily rates are much higher. Really there are only 3 good months of sailing in there.

As for winter, by the time you pay for haulout, launch, storage, winterizing, etc, its about the same amount for the winter too. So maybe $5000/year for a 30' boat. But thats before you do any maintenance, pay for paint, charts, new lines, fuel filters, or even insurance.

I'm usually very private about boat costs. But this is a boating place, and it needs to be said. I prefer to be on the hook. But its also nice to have an empty dock to come home to when the forecast starts looking bad.

[Lizzy Belle]

those are some numbers!
And to think we complain about how expensive it is here in the Netherlands ...

[a64pilot]

I think maybe that is why they call the Panhandle of Fl, the forgotten coast?
I'm in the expensive marina, in a tourist town and a 50' slip is $300 a month. There is about a $100 I think live aboard fee, but not sure as I don't. $200 slips with no live aboard fee are common.


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[Tayana42]

I guess the greater Los Angeles area isn't a forgotten coast. In San Pedro, California my 42' boat (LOA 44.5') in a 45' slip cost $760 USD per month plus electricity plus 40% for live aboard if you could get it. No, I can't believe it either and I'm paying it!


S/V B'Shert

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by Lizzy Belle

Ah, I sees

I saw prices as high as $500 a month excluding fees (also worth a couple of hundred $) etc - for monohuls under 40'. I spilled my coffee when I first read that, haha!

I'm in what is an expensive marina for the Netherlands, and I pay around $1700 per 12 months (in the water) for a 30' boat. That's including showers, fees etc - everything but the electricity I use (which isn't much on a small, basic boat ).

You have to be careful comparing daily, monthly and annual prices.

I've noticed a pattern. If you mulitply it out to get an annual cost:

Monthly rates are usually 25-75% higher than annual rates.
Daily rates are usually 2-3 times higher than monthly rates.

Several times, we've paid the monthly rate then left after 2-3 weeks because it was cheaper than paying the daily rate.

Obviously, location and ammenities mean the prices can vary wildly. Ie: NYC for a 30' boat could easily get to $1700/month but in an out of the way place you might find an annual slip for $1700.

Sounds like the Netherlands is still cheaper but the margin isn't as big as it sounds when you compare monthly to annual rates in the states. I suspect the shorter season is partly to blame. Up in Michigan the rates are usually lower than South Florida. Then again, sounds like we might start pushing north in the spring to eventually visit your fair country. We paid $3100 on the spanish med for the year (10m cat), which really is pretty similar to what we are used to paing in the states.

I will say european marinas make it more complicated. In the states, if you fit in the slip, they typically charge based on the length period end of story. In europe, they have different rates by month of the year and they seem to enforce the extra fees for catamarans (even though we are only 15' beam and fit in most slips). Not horrible but adds another layer of complexity.

[darrelweb]

30 foot is just a point in the air, but one thing no one has mentioned is the price to maintain and put the vessel in a nice marina.

I went from a 23' Ericson to a 30' Catalina based on two things: interior volume and cost to maintain. Here in the PNW it seemed to me there was a cost saving in staying under 32' for marina costs and it is just less costly when you pull the boat out of the water to do the bottom.

My 30' Catalina has all the comforts of home, has interior space for 2 to 4 people, and the boat has been set up so it sails and handles well for me. I do not race so speed is not a consideration here. 130 ginney and a battened main) I have had the boat for over 10 years and do all my own maintenance and upgrades. I do the bottom paint every 2 to 3 years.......and it is just a lot nicer to let someone else prep and paint the bottom.

Lots of 30' Catalina's have been built and the info for maintenance and upgrades are huge. My boat has been used in the PNW and has traveled from Olympia, Washington to Juneau, Alaska and seems to be fine for me.

Just remember, you need to buy a boat you can first afford and then enjoy.

Also, this is my two cents worth, so everyone, don't kill the messenger.
darrel

[stefano_ita]

Originally Posted by roland stockham

A useful 'rule of thumb' is that maintenance cost double with each 3ft increase in boat length. It works well as long as the boats are relatively similar. but not if one is a heavy weight cruise and the other a weekend racer.

Interesting point of view (as i am choosing and blowing my brain between a 39 ft just to be used by me and gf and a 48 ft with 4 spares cabin to be chartered legally, in italy for 42 days a year)

PRICE from the best boatyard in north adriatic sea, price in euro, multihull are 40% MORE, add 22% of vat

haul in -out one operation / hull cleaning with pressure washer/ antifouling

37/39ft 240 96 900
40/42ft 290 110 1000
43/46ft 350 120 1100
47/49ft 400 132 1250

cradle renting for hard storage

120
172
197
242
295

on open yard, on hard, no coverage

annual cost (much more difference in case of 6 month contract):
2250 euro for the 37/39 to 3200 euro for the 47/49ft...

regarding marina price in italy there are big step as 10-12 mt then 12 Superior (wider more than 4 meters, max 4.15 meters) then often directly to 15 meters...

4350 12meter
4600 12 meter Superior
5950 15 meters

i can confirm 8-10meter 500 euro difference then 10-12 meter almost 30% more than 10...


How does according to you the difference of price in mantaining a 48 ft vs a38/ 39 max 40 ft?
Above the marina expense (travelling much, staying at the anchor),
-sails, standing rigging and engine, all new after 15 years (420 euro difference every year)
-30 days of marina while travelling, at the most priced (1900vs 2500, 660 diff euro a year)
-extra like new gps in case of failure, autopilot, and so on let's say 100 euro a year (gps will cost the same, autopilot price different,windvane same price, many electronic things cost the same)
-extra whatever get broken/ordinary mainteniance, like new windlass, anchor, rusted chain, let's say an average of 200 euro year (like every 5 year something that cost 1000 euro in difference will get broken like a 800 euro windlass for the 39 vs 1800 euro for the 48ft windlass..)zinc anodes, prop repair, sealing, engine mainteniance, ecc
-extra antifouling- coppercoat-gelcoat- various cosmetic extra 150 euro difference a year.
-fuel usage of 800 hour/year about 1000 euro a year (averaging 0.90 euro /liter, neither 1.40 euro/liter of italy, neither 0,50 cent of canada or 0,17 of egypt)
-insurance 150 euro difference

Total 3500-3700 euro of difference just during travelling, being conservative and pessimist (i have no counted for marina, more fuel while chartering as i don't pay them ), included 1 haul in/out every 2,5 years...and NEVER having a fixed marina place...otherwise another 1500 euro of difference

Did i miss something?

Very interesting topic
Thanks
Stefano