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Old 11-17-2019, 02:30 PM   #41
Descant
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Default Slips and sales

Quote:
Originally Posted by TiltonBB View Post
This is just speculation but it may have to do with sales. Many boat dealers on the lake are losing sales because people won't buy without a slip, and slips are like gold now. That was true in 2019 and I assume that 2020 will be no different

There is very little annual turnover and the sale and rental prices for slips are on the rise. Making more slips available may help dealers close more boat sales.

It may become the new normal that a dealer sells you a boat and rents you a slip and after one year tells you the slip is no longer available so that they can make room for next years sales.
I agree that, especially for boats that are too big for valet, slip availability may make or break the sale. We may reach that point with valet in some areas. Other lakes will have to pick up the slack where there really isn't a lot of commercial marina activity right now compared to Winnipesaukee. One thing that keeps the turnover viable is that used freshwater boats are in demand on the ocean where things are not as crowded yet. Perhaps we will see slips being rented at a premium for a week or two instead of by the year or season? Same for more boat club type ownership. Launch ramps for trailer boats already seem to be saturated. Where the state Fish and Game folks are trying to build new launch facilities, there is significant push back from locals. Witness Sunapee and Squam. Too bad that when zoning started in the 60's, towns just made all shorefront residential and did'n't add some commercial or mixed use.
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