"%$% !& #
&#"$&#%
Above: Bayview Yacht Harbour also has invested in covered slips.
Inset: This is one of Bayview's storage buildings showing how boats
can be accessed during the winter.
to do the work so that the boats are located and stored in a way
that allows them access. Michael commented that runabouts
are so much easier to work on. They're able to set up inside
storage for 10 to 15 cottage boats, organized and staged for
winter service access.
Another thing is that they can sublet interior and canvas
work through the winter.
Queens Cove also has subcontractors looking for winter
work to support their staff so an incentive can be offered on
that as well.
Michael saves the big boat work to the end of the winter
due to the fact that big boats are often in the shop longer. In
other words, he gets the big volume of small boat repairs out
of the way first and then moves to the larger boats. Where he
could have had up to 15 runabouts in the shop, it may only
accommodate three to five big boats.
Michael also commented that the changeover with a big
boat means that you have to open the doors for a long period
of time to move them and this cools the shop off.
He has five people in his shop and there has to be a selection of boats to work on in order to keep them all going
because sometimes you're waiting for parts or customer authorization. His goal is to fill the building up with enough boats
that there are two jobs for each person in order to keep them
all going.
Queen's Cove is different in many ways. For one, they have
many covered slips where boats can be stored in the winter and
this enables them to do some repairs on the ice. The covered
slip also shelters the boat and keeps its appearance up much
better than boats that are exposed to the sun and weather. They
feel that being the only marina on Georgian Bay with covered
slips has helped maintain higher levels of occupancy compared
to other marinas in the same area.
Some boats do get shrink-wrapped at Queen's Cove but to
maintain access, they invariably add a door at no charge for
every boat so that they can access it.
When Peter Lyons built the mechanical storage shops they
added extra insulation and infrared heating systems in the
shops so that even if they have to open the doors to move a
boat out, the shop can get back up to temperature in as little
as half an hour.
Staging and organization is very important. Queen's Cove
has two off-site heated storage buildings where they can do
work through the winter. Adding heated storage for their customers has increased the potential for winter work and getting
a head start on jobs prior to the start of the boating season.
Sales Techniques
Having facilities like a pool at Queen's Cove helps attract
upscale customers.
20
Boating Industry Canada
AUGUST 2016
The key technique that Andy uses at Queen's Cove is that they
write out a report on each boat when it comes out of the water
at the end of the season.
The process starts with their technicians making a few
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Boating Industry Canada August 2016