There is much confusion about marinas and yacht slips in the San Diego area, so this article is an attempt to shed some light on the topic and inform readers regarding what they may expect. Understanding what is available for your boat, how much it costs, how long you may need to wait to get it and what you may do with the slip when you do acquire one – all of these questions are addressed.

There are over 20 marinas in the greater San Diego area representing roughly 8,000 slips. Each marina, most owned by large corporations, set their own policies governing the rental of slips dealing with issues such as fees, tenant desirability, security deposit, tenant responsibilities, insurance, yacht title, etc. You, as well as your boat, must meet the marina’s criteria before they will rent to you. For example, some marinas will not allow wooden boats in their facilities. Also, you are not able purchase slips as personal property in San Diego, as is possible in some other cities. All slips in town are rented.

The marinas do not own the land they are on, but lease it. On San Diego Bay all water access land is controlled by the San Diego Port Authority. The businesses/marinas leasing from the port are expected to keep up or improve their facilities on the land they lease. If they do not, lease renegotiation at renewal time may be difficult. Among the many things regulated by the marina’s agreement with the port are the number and type of slips as well as the number and type of commercial operations operating out of each marina. If your intention is to offer charters, you should mention this before you get a slip. The type of commercial operation you wish to engage in may not be allowed.

Simply getting a slip for your boat may not be as easy as you think. Generally, the larger the boat you have, the longer the wait to acquire a slip. This means that for a 25-foot boat you may only have to wait a month, but for a 50-foot boat the wait may be a year or more. Obviously, the duration of the wait depends on several factors such as:

o The demand at the particular marina you are applying to, as some marinas are in higher demand than others

o The state of the local economy, as the demand for slip space as well boats often follows economic trends

If you are hoping to live aboard your boat, this is going to be a hurdle as well. Each marina only allows a certain number of live aboard type slips. Thus, even if a slip is available for your boat, it may not be designated as a live aboard type.

Hopefully this article has drawn your attention to the fact that you must plan ahead. Being in the position of having a boat and no place to put it would not be wise.