Winter Boat Storage Fees Going Up

The Harbors and Waters Board raised the winter boat storage fees by 50 cents Monday night from $3 per square foot to $3.50. The increase will cost boat owners about $200 more for large boats and about $100 for smaller boats to store their boats for the winter in town lots.

Harbormaster Charles Dalferro proposed the increase to match a rate hike already set by the Marblehead Trading Co., which operates the town's storage and its own private storage facilities.

"We don't like to be lower than what Marblehead Trading Co. charges," Dalferro told the board.

Marblehead Trading is a full-service boatyard with three private facilities on Marblehead Harbor. It offers painting, rigging and repair services in addition to hauling and storage. Its fuel dock, marine store and office are next to the Town Landing.

The private storage company has raised its annual fee to $3.50 per square foot at the Redd's Pond storage facility.  In its other private facilities, Marblehead Trading raised its rates from $4.35 to $4.75 per square foot.

The square footage of a boat is determined by multiplying the length of the boat by its width.

"It is really not that much," said Gloria Ledberry, who manages the town's boat storage accounts for Marblehead Trading.

A boat that is 32 feet by 11 feet last year cost about $1,056 to store for the winter.  This year, the same boat will cost about $1,232, Ledberry said.  Owners of smaller boats will see their fees rise from about $600 to about $700 per year.

The town has facilities to store about 200 boats for the winter, she said.

The fee increase was approved without discussion.