Long-term customers of the South Whidbey Harbor will soon see increases in the rates they pay to moor their boats.

This week, Port of South Whidbey commissioners approved the hikes, which were recommended by a consultant who completed a report earlier this year on the marina located in Langley. However, since most of the harbor’s 42 slips are reserved for transient boaters, the new rates affect a limited number of customers who stay for a longer period of time.

Annual moorage and seasonal lease moorage will both change from $11 to $12 per month per foot of length overall, while month-to-month moorage will go from $11.50 to $12.50 per foot of length overall. The live-aboard fee will also increase from $60 to $80 per month per person and annual dinghy moorage will jump from $110 to $140 per year.

In an email, Angi Mozer, the port’s executive director, explained that the rate increases are happening to accommodate higher costs due to inflation, to stay within market rates in the region and to help break even financially. Mozer said the harbor’s net revenue was $10,000 in the negative in 2023 and projected to be about $7,500 in the negative for 2024.

To determine the appropriate rates for long-term moorage customers, the port used information from a report comparing the South Whidbey Harbor’s rates to others in the region, excluding Seattle. The report found that the marina in Langley charged lower monthly and annual rates than the average rates of comparative harbors.

Mozer said annual moorage is extremely limited because of the Washington State Recreational Conservation Office grant used to build the marina and to expand it with the outer breakwater. The funds are dedicated to recreational boating, hence the port cannot infringe on this to accommodate additional year-round moorage in the marina.

However, from October to April, the port has permission to allow customers to moor for a longer period of time as long as 25% of the marina is available to transient boaters. This is known as seasonal lease moorage.

Rates did increase earlier this year for transient boaters.

(Photo by David Welton) The South Whidbey Harbor in Langley.