Keaton Beach Marina

[The Fish]

I was at Keaton Beach Marina this past weekend. On Sunday morning I noticed a guy that works the marina placing locks on a couple of boats parked at the marina dock. Anybody know why?

[RodBow]

The boat owner's wives paid him.. It must be past slip dues time..?

[redbelly7]

There's a new sheriff in town.

[slayer]

after my recent trip to Keaton, I tried to "communicate" with the new owners.....when I 1st planned my trip I tried to schedule my stay at the Marina....well lets just say, after the nice lady explained all the charges...$109.00(plus tax) + $5.00 for an extra 12 year old + $11.00 for the boat slip(per nite)...that adds up to $125.00 per nite plus tax !!!!!!

we opted for the "Best Value Inn" in Perry.....2 nites with the extra for the additional person was $120.20(tax included) plus 2 days of the Keaton public ramp was $10.00, so thats a total of $130.20 for the whole trip.

When I tried to communicate with the Marina, there response was "due to the large amounts of upgrades" a price increase was warranted,,,,

When I run the numbers by them and also mentioned that all the money I normally spend for gas/bait/tackle/snacks/drinks/beer/ice ended up going to walmart and the bait store in Perry, well lets just say that the "communications" ended there.....

by the way, plenty of space for boat trailers at the Best Value Inn.....

I choose to use my dollars wisely, hate to say it, but Keaton Beach Marina has been scratched of the list until they find a cure for "Cranial Rectumitis" (head in ass syndrome)

[red_yakker]

After my last experience with the horrible service at the Keaton Marina, I decided to start using Sea Hag marina in Steinhatchee. Their prices/service are sooo much better! Plus, the owners are locals, and really seem to know what they're doing.

[slayer]

Ummmmmmmm......Keaton Beach Marina is owned and operated by Sea Hag now........they are the people that I was "communicating" with......and they are the ones that jacked the prices up at KBM, ....only show in town gives ya a lot of leeway I reckon...

[red_yakker]

Bwahahaha. I wondered how long before someone responded to that. You just got trolled
Actually, the Keaton marina is not owned by the Sea Hag folks, they just operate it. It's owned by Foley Land & Timber Company.
I don't ever actually use the marina, cause I have a little boat, nor do I need to find a place to stay, cause I live about 15 minutes from Keaton. Just thought I'd be an arse hole first thing this mornin

[zload]

I'm curious how does one put a lock on a boat at a dock? Chain to the bow eye and locked to a post? Is there a boot to cover the prop? Never seen that one before...

For what its worth the Sea Hag people may simply be passing on a cost increase from the owner of the property and what it takes to run a reasonable operation. I think most people would agree the former management team did not keep the place as well stocked as many people would have liked, fuel, bait, tackle etc. was hit or miss on a regular basis. The people were always pleasant to deal with and had me logged in before I could get out of the truck and the lift guys always tried to get my wife picked up quickly in the cart while I got the boat ready. Have not been over to KB since the new mgt. took over so can't say much about how they are operating but there is a reason there is new management and I suspect it is largely because the old management couldn't keep the place running. I can appreciate not wanting to pay more than what was paid in the past but they seem to run a pretty nice operation in SH so I doubt they are really on a rape and pillage program in KB.

I've tried to buy shrimp from the Ideal Marine store right across from the Steinhatchee public ramp 3 times in the past month or so at what I would call reasonable fishing hours like 6:30 - 8:00 AM and they had not gotten their supply in yet. Went down to to Sea Hag and got all I wanted, cost me an extra $5 per hundred but saving $5 on shrimp that are non-existent doesn't do much for me when I want to go fishing. I also paid $102.50/night for a condo room (not a Sea Hag cottage) so the room rate may be higher than in the past but it does not sound like it was way out of line especially for being on the coast.

Disclaimer - No connection to Sea Hag other than they got some money from me last few times I bought shrimp and ice there...

By the way the little grocery store on the road to the ramp in Steinhatchee is now a Marathon station and they have non-ethanol fuel @ $4.07/gallon last weekend.

[slayer]

up until this trip I have ALWAYS stayed at the Marina...at either one of the cottages or small rooms.....but to go from 69.00 per nite for the small room, to 109.00 and no discounts for children 12 or under anymore, no free boat slip with room rental anymore......69.00 turns into 125.00 plus tax.......so what are the improvements that "warrant" the price increase?? THATS AROUND A 75% INCREASE by the way.....I understand that prices go up and very seldom go down, and IF they were rooms that had the amenities of a regular hotel chain thats one thing....BUT its a 1960's era room thats located at an end of a road @ a FISH CAMP!!!!!

per Sea Hag,
1) still no daily room service(clean towels upon request)
2) no television (for new/weather updates)

again, these are just my opinions, and I'm sure the rooms will stay occupied all the time(not really) and yes there will be those that are will to even pay the "scallop season" price that they told me about...but after filling up my bay boat with gas, tank and a half of diesel getting from Atlanta to keaton, I'm not paying a 75% increase to stay there......

But since a business is all about the Benjamin's ......more power to them and the best of luck.....


ps.....Ive been going to Keaton long enuff to remember using the boat ramp by the original marina/bait shop and remember when the new marina opened with the lift, so please dont assume that I am basing my comments on one trip to Keaton.....everything has a price-point, and I personally feel that the Marina has went well past that price-point

[Sun Daze]

I'm curious how does one put a lock on a boat at a dock? Chain to the bow eye and locked to a post? Is there a boot to cover the prop? Never seen that one before...

For what its worth the Sea Hag people may simply be passing on a cost increase from the owner of the property and what it takes to run a reasonable operation. I think most people would agree the former management team did not keep the place as well stocked as many people would have liked, fuel, bait, tackle etc. was hit or miss on a regular basis. The people were always pleasant to deal with and had me logged in before I could get out of the truck and the lift guys always tried to get my wife picked up quickly in the cart while I got the boat ready. Have not been over to KB since the new mgt. took over so can't say much about how they are operating but there is a reason there is new management and I suspect it is largely because the old management couldn't keep the place running. I can appreciate not wanting to pay more than what was paid in the past but they seem to run a pretty nice operation in SH so I doubt they are really on a rape and pillage program in KB.

I've tried to buy shrimp from the Ideal Marine store right across from the Steinhatchee public ramp 3 times in the past month or so at what I would call reasonable fishing hours like 6:30 - 8:00 AM and they had not gotten their supply in yet. Went down to to Sea Hag and got all I wanted, cost me an extra $5 per hundred but saving $5 on shrimp that are non-existent doesn't do much for me when I want to go fishing. I also paid $102.50/night for a condo room (not a Sea Hag cottage) so the room rate may be higher than in the past but it does not sound like it was way out of line especially for being on the coast.

Disclaimer - No connection to Sea Hag other than they got some money from me last few times I bought shrimp and ice there...

By the way the little grocery store on the road to the ramp in Steinhatchee is now a Marathon station and they have non-ethanol fuel @ $4.07/gallon last weekend.

Some of that is misinformation. The previous management actually leased the property from Foley as does Sea Hag. Jerry had enough and there wasn't a profit to be made. Jerry decided to not renew his lease, Foley didn't force him out is what I was told. I had my camper and pulled it out short,y after the MASSIVE price increases. I was there a few weeks ago and some of the same employees are there but they are operating under extremely different guidelines.

I understand the need for price increases, but what's happened at the marina is ridiculous. The money from the RV spots alone covered a lot of overhead, but there was only 2 there 3 weeks ago.

[MudDucker]

If you didn't know Shorty and Ms. Thelma, you are a new comer. At least now, Shorty is not out back digging a new open cesspool when the drains clog up.

The prices seem steep, but only the market will tell. I used to stay in Perry whenever the rooms were full at Keaton and I woke up one morning to find my battery stolen with the cables cut and another morning to find someone had tried to remove my seats off of my pedestals. So, all might not be rosy in Perry.

And just think, I gave Shorty the devil about charging $30 a night for those dump rooms.

[slayer]

Its funny that the campground was mentioned...mad me think back to our last trips to Keaton.....campers lined up from the edge of the canal, all the way to the cottages...this time I was able to point out the cottages and motel rooms to my son, telling him "thats where we usually stay".....and now that it was mentioned, I dont recall seeing a single camper there.......so did those rates go up so high that all/most pulled their campers??????

[zload]

Jerry had enough and there wasn't a profit to be made. Jerry decided to not renew his lease, Foley didn't force him out is what I was told.

Ding Ding Ding we have a winner.

If no profit one of three things has to happen: shut down, expenses go down or prices go up. Sea Hag apparently thinks they can increase prices and the market will pay them. I guess we'll see how it looks when scallop season kicks off... I've been told by several local businessmen that scallop season can make or break them for the year... hopefully the marina will survive in some manner as I like going over there when I get the chance, if not the market has spoken and the county ramp is still there.

I did check with a local Perry resident re: the motel Slayer stayed at as I'll make a long weekend stay over trip sometimes... they suggested that I would not want to stay there with my wife with little to no explanation and I didn't ask beyond that.

Now lets hope the dang rain stops while the gulf is still salty

[Sun Daze]

I paid $250 per month to keep my camper there. Not sure what the spots right at the docks went for I was told the most expensive was $350 but will not swear by that. I do know this for a fact, some lots were going to be $1500 per month. I counted over 25 RVs (permanent) and when I was there a few weeks ago, there was 2. Also, when I went to stay in my camper, I didn't have to pay dockage fees, nor did anyone who rented a motel room or cabin. Now they do charge. I understand the need to be profitable as I am a business owner too, but the way they are doing it, it don't like.

I see it this way about the permanent campers, 25x250=6250. That covers quite a bit of overhead and they aren't getting that income and are trying to offset it via HUGE price increases. I spend a lot of time down at KB, but doubt I will be spending the kind of money I used to spend at the marina anymore. There is only one gal there that I have seen, that was there when Jerry had the marina.

I've stayed in the Hatch and was never impressed with the lack of personal interaction at the Hag, so I tried to use the other marinas there that were more personable and cordial. I think the owner (never met him/her) of the Hag, so I don't have an axe to grind with them, need to rethink a few things about what they're doing at KBM. What works at the Hag in Hatch, doesn't necessarily work at KBM. I used to be able to pull up to the lift, and they knew who I was.. I ran a tab all weekend and paid the bill when we left. Now, they want my CC# on file before I could do that the last time I was there. Sorry, I'm not giving ANYONE my CC info for them to keep a hard copy of. Another thing, coffee used to be free, they just had a contribution jar and I always put some cash in it, now everyone pays. To me, some of the things the new people are doing just doesn't coincide with the small town atmosphere that draws me to KB.

I seriously hope the powers that be at the Hag read this stuff and take it to heart and make some changes. If not, there are other places to get bait, ice, beer or whatever I may need.

[Sun Daze]

Jerry had enough and there wasn't a profit to be made. Jerry decided to not renew his lease, Foley didn't force him out is what I was told.

Ding Ding Ding we have a winner.

If no profit one of three things has to happen: shut down, expenses go down or prices go up. Sea Hag apparently thinks they can increase prices and the market will pay them. I guess we'll see how it looks when scallop season kicks off... I've been told by several local businessmen that scallop season can make or break them for the year... hopefully the marina will survive in some manner as I like going over there when I get the chance, if not the market has spoken and the county ramp is still there.

I did check with a local Perry resident re: the motel Slayer stayed at as I'll make a long weekend stay over trip sometimes... they suggested that I would not want to stay there with my wife with little to no explanation and I didn't ask beyond that.

Now lets hope the dang rain stops while the gulf is still salty

Just to be clear..... The economy is why Jerry had enough. There are A LOT of people who in the last 5-6 years that just don't have the kind of disposable income they used to have. I think Jerry is a very stand up guy, and wasn't willing to rape those who loyally patronized him to make a profit. I'm sure it was a very difficult decision for him and Donna, who had just opened her gift shop. I believe they were truly invested in the marina, but at some point everyone has to watch for their own best interests, and I believe that's what Jerry & Donna did.

BTW, Jerry called me by name EVERYTIME I saw him. That's what I liked about going there, now I just don't see that type of personal interaction.