Report Review
This is a great facility. Proximate to town. Well designed slips and a less desirable wall. The floating docks are preferable generally to the wall as the wall is much higher and generally rougher.
Abbey has been here for years and is very accommodating and helpful. I made the reservation a few days before on Dockwa and expressed a preference for the end of a tee dock on a floating dock. I know there are no guarantees on slip allocation.
The day before I called and spoke to Abbey. She confirmed the T-end on the call. Again, I know no guarantees as marinas do have to do their best to fit last minutes boats in to maximize revenue and fill slips.
As I approached I saw the T slip looked occupied by two smaller boats (I am 72’) they were a 40+ and a 30+. I called by cell and asked if they were leaving. Here is where it went sideways. I was told by the young man answering the phone:
1. Your boat won’t fit at the end of the T. [Wrong - Ive docked at the tee multiple times and was told by Abbey that would be the slip]
2. The Tee is not available. You are on the wall [OK, but that’s not an honest answer explaining what happened].
All I really want is not to have smoke blown at me and an honest explanation. So I went up to the office and asked. I was told that the two boats at the t-slip came in the day before because of the forecasted rain and they only had the T slip and they were staying another night. I suspect that was only half truth, I suspect they came in on short notice, saw the wall and wanted the convenience of the T slip and were given it despite my prior reservation and request. Admittedly one was a lower freeboard height so the wall would have been less convenient. If that’s the case I am OK with that but why all the evasive answers? And why does the last minute customer get priority over the reservation?
In business honesty is the best policy. The young man needs a learning moment. Be direct the first time and tell me “They came in the day before unexpectedly and one of the boats was not suited to the wall so we had to switch you out”. Boaters are an accommodating group and want to help others fit into a marina. It could be us next time. Marina’s need to be honest and forthcoming.