2023 Prices

We have now published our prices for the 2023 season.

As our price increase this year has been higher than previous seasons, I would like to explain the reasoning to you.  As you can imagine, with the present high levels of inflation, we have seen a significant growth on our cost base.  Items such as steel (which we use a lot of in our moorings), fuel, waste disposal are amongst those that have seen significant increases.  In order to keep Dart Harbour a good place to work, and so retain our excellent team to give all river users the excellent service you enjoy, we have also given a pay rise consistent with inflation.

We have been investing significantly in Dart Harbour, and want to continue to do so.  2022 saw the replacement of the South Embankment ‘Yacht Club’ visitors pontoon.  In the next few months we will complete the replacement of the KP Fisherman’s pontoon, which will bring a much improved facility for these vitally important customers.  We will also see the return of our Yacht Taxi Phoebe, now rebuilt as a completely electric power boat.  Later in 2023 we will see further upgraded facilities – the first phase of the Double Steps pontoon rebuild, an upgrade of our mainstream moorings for larger ships and an upgraded pontoon in Stoke Gabriel.  We will be publishing our draft long term plans early in 2023 which will see more significant projects benefitting every part of the estuary.

All this comes at a cost.  Whilst we could reduce our service levels, and cut investment in the river, the board and I do not feel this is the right strategy, or in the interests of any of our customers or other stakeholders.  We also did not think it was the right approach to simply apply a blanket percentage price rise across all of our prices.  There have been many historic anomalies in our prices, with some moorings being very cheap compared to other similar locations, and others more sensibly priced.  We  have therefore reviewed all of our prices, looking at the standard of each location, prices for equivalent moorings from other providers on the Dart and elsewhere in the South West, and the lengths of waiting list for each type of mooring.

We are very aware that many of our customers are feeling a financial pinch themselves, so have also taken steps that we hope can help mitigate our price rises for you.  Firstly; we have made the smallest price increase on our cheaper moorings.  Secondly; we will bring in the option of payment of your bill in installments.  Full details of this scheme will be announced in the new year.  Thirdly; we are offering customers the option to ‘downgrade’ their mooring to a lower cost option, subject to availability.  Finally; we have reduced restrictions on taking a boat holiday for those that may be interested in this option.

This was not a lightly taken decision, but we do think it is the right decision for the future. Even following these changes, Dart Harbour is still one of the very cheapest locations for boating in the South West, and we believe we offer excellent value for money

Paul Britton

Harbour Master & CEO

A summary of our 2023 price changes follows.  The full price list is available on this link.

• Annual harbour dues rate for residential customers is unchanged at £21.32/m, however there is a change in the prompt payment discount to 25%
• A new frequent visitor harbour dues rate of £15.00/m
• Visitor harbour dues and mooring prices increased by around 10%
• A new charge for longer stay visiting dinghy berthing, which we will now make available at certain facilities by popular demand
• 5% increase on most trot moorings, as well as mud moorings
• 12% increase on swinging moorings and very large trot moorings
• 15% increase on most Kingswear pontoon moorings, with a smaller increase on shallower KX moorings
• A complete restructure of the prices on DA, DB and LWL moorings, to more accurately reflect the wide variety of berths, and the great popularity of these moorings
• 10% increase on private mooring licenses and fundus occupancy
• A new small charge for the use of Dittisham Mill Creek Foreshore as a winter lay up berth
• 5% increase on almost all local commercial vessels.  A reduction in passenger dues for visiting domestic passenger vessels.
• A complete restructure of fees for larger visiting vessels, including cruise ships to bring us in line with other ports, and increase our revenue from this growing market section.  This includes a new regular customer discount, to encourage repeat business.
• Retention of the same (£1 inner, £2 outer) yacht taxi fares, however the withdrawal of concession tickets during the season, and their replacement by a contactless payment option
• No change to waiting list fees.
• No change to renewal fees – this is still £200, taken off the main invoice, and does not apply to mud, tender and dinghy moorings.
• No basic change to the use of the drying grids, however the same fee will now be applied to the North Embankment beach, and a new charge if the facility is left with excessive detritus after use.