Most Catamarans have wider beams than monohull sailboats per linear foot which made me wonder if marinas charge them more. Are the marina fees the same or different? So I did some research and found the results to be fascinating. I included commentary with opinions from both catamaran owners and Marina owners.
Is a Catamaran Charged Extra at a Marina Because of its Width (wide beam)? The answer that in many cases, catamarans pay up to 50% more than monohulls because of the width, but not always and the amount charged varies from marina to marina.
How Are Marina Docking Fees Calculated?
Marinas charge a boat for a slip based on its size (price per ft). Traditionally size was determined by the actual length of the boat and not the advertised length. The difference of the two measurements can vary greatly. In general, marinas are going to have slips made for longer boats and slips for shorter boats. A 36 ft monohull will pay one fee. A 76 ft monohull will pay approximately double. Pretty simple and straight forward, right? Well, enter the catamaran.
Why are Catamarans Different Than Monohulls?
So before I go on, I want to mention that there are exceptions to every rule. If I don’t mention this, there will be comments about how this isn’t true. In most cases, however, monohulls are more narrow per linear foot than catamarans and other multihull vessels. That being said, most catamarans have a wider beam than most monohulls. An example of this can be a 2018 Lagoon 450 F. It has a LOA of 45’ 10” and a beam of 25’ 6”. The beam is more than half of the length. Compare the Lagoon to a 2017 Catalina 425 monohull vessel (Cruising World’s 2017 boat of the year) which has a LOA of 41” 8” and a beam of 13’ 8”. The Lagoon has almost double the width of the Catalina.
Length defined: Length Over All (LOA)
When considering the length of a sailboat, it can get complicated. What is the real length of a boat. In the comparison above, we are using LOA or Length Over All – not Length of Hull or Length at Water Line, all of which are different for most boats. Boat marketers seem to come up with new terminology to define the length of a boat to make it look bigger in the specifications and marketing literature. When comparing boats, it is therefore important to use apples to apples length specifications. In this case, LOA.
What Do Marinas Charge for Docking (Slip) Fees?
Fees charges by marinas vary greatly based up size of boat, boat type, payment terms, geographic area and location within the geographic area and how conveniently located it is, amenities offered and condition of the marina. Look at the chart below for an example from one marina.
Note -the fee examples may change from time to time are used for demonstration purposes only. Do not rely on the fees shown in this blog post for trip planning purposes. Contact the marina directly for current rates.
Why Do Marinas Charge More for Catamarans and Multihulls?
So this one should be obvious by now. In general, marinas charge more for catamarans because they take up more space than monohulls, at least that is what they want you to think! In some cases catamarans do take up more space, plain and simple. But sometimes a cat will fit into the same size slip as a similarly sized monohull, yet the marina rules dictate charging a premium of 50% or more.
Is it Fair That Marinas Charge more for Catamarans and Multihull Boats?
Well, this one depends on who you ask. I thought is was a strainght forward question with a straight forward answer, but the more I looked into it, I found some gray area as well as good arguments on both sides of this isse.
Is it Fair to Charge Cats More – A Marina Owners Point of View
So it is fair that caramarans are charged more than multihull sailboats for marina fees? Well from the marina owners point of view, they only have a limited amount of space available. It is fair if the catamaran takes up more space by having to occupy both sides of a slip or a requires larger slip than a monohull because the marina owner could lease out that slip to a larger boat which would pay more based on the LOA. In the example of taking up two slips, the owner is out 50% by only charging a 50% premium VS what he could have charged for two boats that each have a 10’ beam. In the second example, if the Lagoon 450 with a LOA of 45’ 10” has to occupy a slip that will accommodate a 75 ft monhull, then the marina owner would potentially lose money by charging the Lagoon for 45 ft at monohull prices instead of charging the 75’ rate. Remember, if a boat (that goes for a catamaran or any other type of boat) has special needs that cost the marina more money, either the individual boat ower will need to pay more or the marina will need to raise their rates and spread out the costs over all of the slips so everyone will pay a portion of it.
Is it Fair to Charge Cats More – a Catamaran Owners Point of View
So as you might expect some catamaran owners have a different point of view on what is fair. In one case, a cat owner (of a 38 ft vessel) commented in a sailing forum that they are often charged the 50% rate, even though they fit in most standard slips. Many marinas have policies where all catamarans are charged the premium no matter what. The marina workers have to follow the policy even when it doesn’t make any sense. Another case made by catamaran and multihull owners is when they are charged the 50% premium when the marina is only half occupied. Even though they are using up more space, there is no other boats being turned away because of it and the marinas are not losing any money. They are also using the same basic services as the equally sized monohull.
How a Catamaran Can Pay the Lower Rate?
A few clever cat owners make it to the marina office to pay the short-term slip fee before the dock worker is able to inform the manager of the type of vessel – and pay the lower rate. That is not to lie about they type of boat, but instead they take the don’t ask, don’t tell approach. Times are changing with more and more catamarans entering the market, so being asked about the type of boat is getting to be a more standard check in procedure. This one probably only works with an overnight, temporary stay.
Another thing to do is to ask for the normal rate despite the size of your beam, especially if you have a good case for it. For example, if your vessel fits into the normal size slip or if the marina has a lot of vacancies. Remember you are only one vessel only using the facilities like bathrooms, showers, etc. of one vessel so state your case. Many marinas are reasonable and will accommodate when it makes sense to do so. Your odds of getting the lower rate will go down on holidays or during busy times.
2019 Multi- Hull & Wide Beam Rate Examples
The following 2019 marina rate chart is from the Charleston Bay Marina and Resort in Charleson, SC . The costs are broken down by slip size, payment type, length of stay and boat type.
In this example, Catamarans are charged premiums ranging from around 54% to 68% over monohulls. Ouch! Read on to see the list of amenities included in the above prices.
2019 Monohull Marina RATES
| Slip Size | *Annual Pre-Pay From | *Annual Monthly From |
| Dock Blocks 35′ | $8064.00 / $19.20 FT | $700.00 / $20.00 FT |
| Dock Blocks 40′ | $9216.00 / $19.20 FT | $800.00 / $20.00 FT |
| 33 FT | $6,435.00 / $16.25 FT | $561.00 (17.00 FT)/ $6,732.00 |
| 40 FT | $7,800.00 / $16.25 FT | $680.00 ($17.00 FT)/ $8,160.00 |
| 50 FT | $9,150.00 / $15.25 FT | $797.50 ($15.95 FT)/ $9,570.00 |
| 66 FT | $12,078.00/$15.25 FT | $1,052.70 ($15.95 FT)/$12,632.40 |
| T-Heads (annual contract only) | $24.00 FT | $25.00 FT |
| Slip Size | **2 to 5 Months From | ***6-11 Months From |
| 33 FT | $676.50 | $618.75 |
| 40 FT | $820.00 | $750.00 |
| 50 FT | $962.50 | $875.00 |
| 66 FT | $1,270.50 | $1,155.00 |
| Larger | $29.00 FT | $27.00 FT |
Multi- Hull & Wide Beam Marina Rates
| Slip Size | *Annual Pre-Pay From | *Annual Monthly From |
| 33 FT | $9,504 / $24 FT | $825 ($25 FT)/ $9,900 |
| 40 FT | $11,520 / $24 FT | $1,000($25 FT)/ $12,000 |
| 50 FT | $13,800 / $23 FT | $1,200 ($24 FT)/ $14,400 |
| 66 FT | $18,216 / $23 FT | $1,585 ($24 FT)/ $19,020 |
| T-Heads (annual contract only) | $24.00 FT | $25.00 FT |
| Slip Size | 2 to 5 Months | Annual Prepay |
| 33 FT | $1,237.50 | $1,097.25 |
| 40 FT | $1,500 | $1,330 |
| 50 FT | $1,800 | $1,600 |
| 66 FT | $2,376 | $2,112 |
Electricity is metered and not included in slip fees.
What Amenities are Included at Charleston Harbor Marina?
- 24 hour full service marina
- 24 hour security
- Protective breakwater and wide concrete docks
- Clean shower and laundry facilities
- The Marina Beacon Newsletter
- Access to the Harborside swimming pool
- Complimentary shuttle to downtown Charleston
- New high speed wireless internet access
- 2 Free Charleston Water Taxi tickets per month
- Free in-slip pump outs (Mon., Wed., and Fri.)
- Two annual marina appreciation parties
- Marina discount card
- Knowledgeable, friendly staff ready to assist
- Access to the Mini Mariners Children’s Program
- 10% off at the Marina Store & Estuary Spa
- Tenant Referral Program
- Free entry into resort events such as: Oyster Roasts, Bands Burgers & Brews, Smoke on the Harbor
- Ten cent discount on gas and diesel at the Fuel Dock
- 10% off all food and beverage at the Tiki Bar, Reel Bar, Charleston
- Harbor Fish House, & Bridge Bar
- Marina tenant parking