Guilford Marina Commission
2009 Rules and Regulations
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SECTION I: Assignment of Slips and Moorings
A. Policy
Slips and river moorings shall be open to the public and assigned in accordance with the rules
and fees set by the Commission. Priority for dockage within the Town-dredged Marina shall be
given to Guilford residents or taxpayers and open to the public if not so filled. Slips and river
moorings will be assigned in accordance with wait list priorities. A nonresident surcharge is
added to slip and bulkhead assignments to reflect provision of Town services.
B. Definitions
1. For purposes of assignment within the Town-dredged part of the Marina, "resident" means a
person registered to vote in Guilford at the time of receipt of application. "Taxpayer" is a
person listed as a real estate property owner on the Town Grand List. In the case of co-ownership
of a boat by a nonresident and a resident, priority is given only if registration and
insurance show Guilford eligibility.
2. Commercial Fisherman: Vessel owner issued Tax Exemption Certificate in accordance with
Sections 12-81 (61) and 12-412 (mm) of the Connecticut General Statutes and regularly uses
vessel for commercial fishing. A vessel owner in the first year as a commercial fisherman who
is in the process of obtaining a Connecticut Tax Exemption certificate is eligible for slip
assignment fees and rules applicable to Commercial Fisherman. During this first year, the
vessel owner will be designated as a Provisional Commercial Fisherman. Failure to obtain the
Connecticut Tax Exemption Certificate by the end of the calendar year will be cause for
discontinued status as Provisional Commercial Fisherman. Renewal of Provisional status will
only be considered after written application to, and appearance before, the Marina Commission.
C. Application Procedure
1. All renewal applications, slip, river mooring or waiting list, accompanied by a check or money
order (no cash) made to the Town of Guilford for the full amount due, must be filled out
completely and received by mail or in person by the last day of February of each year. All
renewal applications must be accompanied with the documents specified in I.C.2. The
Commission schedules three public sessions that month for receiving applications. Wait list
applicants may sign up for more than one wait list category, paying the appropriate fees for each
wait list.
2. Renewal applications from slip or mooring users of the previous year for the same boat/size
classification must be accompanied by current Connecticut Boat Registration, current insurance
policy with minimum $300,000 liability coverage and full fee. Seasonal insurance policies must
indicate that the policy will be in effect during the season in which the marina operates. All
previous charges must have been paid. There will be no new multiple slip/mooring assignments
for residents, taxpayers and nonresidents. Boat owners may be on multiple wait lists, however,
no individual will be allowed to have more than one boat on a mooring or slip in the marina.
Slips will not be assigned to an individual if they are listed as a registrant on the Vessel
Registration of another vessel already assigned a slip or mooring. Multiple slip/mooring
assignments for commercial vessels will be addressed separately by the Commission on a case
by case basis. Applications received after the last day of February will have no priority other
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than as a new application and will be placed on the appropriate waiting list as of the date
received.
3. New applications for slips will be received at any time by the Dockmaster in person or by mail.
If no suitable slip is available, the applicant’s name will be placed on the appropriate waiting list
maintained by the Commission in accordance with size of the boat and date and time that the
application was received. You may sign up for more than one wait list.
4. Size Classification for Assignments: Measurements including all extensions (such as platforms,
rudders, pulpits, drives, props, outboard engines) are determination of classification and for fee
schedule. Note: Slip assignments for vessels assigned to a slip for the first time are not final
until the Dockmaster has measured the vessel and verified that it is suitable for the slip assigned.
Should the Dockmaster determine the vessel size is not appropriate for the slip, the vessel will
have to be removed and the applicant required to re-apply via the appropriate wait list.
a. Class 1: slips for boats up to 19 feet (C-D and D-E basins)
b. Class 2: slips for boats over 19 feet up to 26 feet (A-B, B-C, E-F and F-Bulkhead basins)
c. Class 3: slips for boats over 26 feet up to 38 feet (Outside slips A – F docks)
d. River Moorings: 19 to 38 feet unless otherwise approved by the Marina Commission.
e. Commercial: Bulkhead
5. For the long-range safety and benefit of the Marina the Dockmaster, with the approval of the
Marina Commission, may assign a boat to a slip not in its proper classification.
6. Size Classifications for Waiting Lists - annual renewal required by last day of February.
a. Waiting List #1: up to and including 19 feet
b. Waiting List #2: over 19 feet up to and including 26 feet
c. Waiting List #3: over 26 feet up to and including 38 feet
d. River Mooring: 19 to 38 feet unless otherwise approved by the Marina Commission
e. Commercial
7. Charges: All previous charges must have been paid prior to renewal application. An overdue
account of more than 90 days is cause for removal from the Waiting List or Marina assignment.
D. Assignment Procedures
1. Slip assignments will be made by the Dockmaster on or about April 1 st . Applicants may request
a specific location, but assignments will be made to serve the best use of the facilities. No
carryover of same slip assignment from year to year can be assured. In case of change, fee
adjustment may be required. The Commission reserves the right to reassign or reject any
applicant for reasons of rule violation or potential of hazard to Marina, moorings or other craft.
It is the applicant’s responsibility to evaluate the slip assigned to verify that its depth and size is
suitable for the applicant’s vessel and to notify the Dockmaster before July 1 if the applicant
thinks that it is not suitable.
2. Priority will generally be given holders of same boat/size assignments the previous season in
accordance with original application date, preference and limits cited in D.1. above. Applicants
on the waiting list will then be assigned in accordance with date and size classifications.
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Waiting list applicants who receive assignments must pay fee immediately. They must present
registration and insurance proof within 30 days and before their boat can be put in the Marina.
3. Slip assignment for vessels assigned to a slip for the first time after becoming eligible from the
wait list are not final until the Dockmaster has measured the vessel and verified that it is suitable
for the slip assigned. Vessel owners are required to contact the Dockmaster as soon as the
vessel is berthed for the first time. Should the Dockmaster determine the vessel size is not
appropriate for the slip, the vessel will have to be removed and the applicant required to reapply
via the appropriate wait list.
4. A waiting list applicant who rejects a preferred slip assignment will be allowed to maintain
priority on the list for one year. If after one year, the applicant again rejects the preferred slip
assignment, the applicant will be removed from the list and will forfeit fees already paid. The
applicant may reapply as a new applicant at the end of the waiting list.
5. A boater who is called up for a slip after May 1 may refuse it without penalty the first time.
After that, the first and second refusal rules apply (sec. I.D.3.). The cost of a slip assigned after
May 1 will be prorated for the time the slip will be available. Slips assigned after August 1 will
not have any carry over privileges.
6. An assignment paid for and not used will be refunded only if the Dockmaster can rent the slip.
A refund of one half the fee will be made for an assignment rejected or emptied by June 1,
nothing thereafter. Boat owners first occupancy of a slip during a season must be called to the
attention of the Marina Dockmaster staff during posted hours when the staff is on duty. Any
space assigned but either not used or occupied by a non-operational boat by July 1 will be
reassigned and no refund given. Boat owners are required to have begun, or commissioned,
work on their boats early enough to permit occupation of the assigned slip by July 1. Requests
to the Marina Commission for short-term extensions, not to exceed 15 days, due to
circumstances beyond the boat owner's control must be received in writing during business
hours at Guilford Town Hall, or by an on-duty Dockmaster by July 1, with the date and time of
receipt noted by the receiving official. Slip holders will be assessed a fee of $10 per day for
each day of the approved extension. If a slip is not occupied as required and a request for
extension is not received, the slip holder will forfeit the slip assignment and all monies paid.
7. An assigned space holder who sells or loses permanent use of owned craft will have first
priority for 30 days during the summer season to meet new boat requirements for the same
space. Extension may be granted by the Commission in accordance with Section IV. Minimal
changes in boat size in an assigned space require revised application, Dockmaster approval and
must remain within previous Sec. C-4 size classification. Classification changes require waiting
list priority.
8. Qualification for slip assignment is achieved only by coming up through the wait list, unless one
came into slip assignment as a surviving legal spouse as described in Section II C.2.
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SECTION II: Use of Slips, Moorings and Marina Area
A. Summer Season
April 1 to November 1. All boats except those holding a commercial license or staying for
Extended Season must be removed by November 10. A transient fee from November 1 will be
charged if the boat is left in past November 10. River moorings must be emptied by November
1 to avoid transient fee thereafter, but users may move at no charge to open slips in the Marina,
where available, after October 15. Holders of a commercial license docked at the Marina who
wish to use their boats pre- or post-season may apply to the Dockmaster for assignment.
B. Extended Season
Slipholders wishing to remain in the Marina beyond November 1 may remain until November
30 under the following conditions:
1. Arrangements will be concluded with the Dockmaster after August 20 and the non-refundable
Extended Season fee paid before November 1.
2. Slip space will be assigned by the Dockmaster and may not be the same slip assigned for the
summer season.
3. Boat owner's insurance as required by Section I.C.2. of the Marina Rules and Regulations
will be maintained while remaining in the Marina during the extended season.
4. Non-commercial boats will not remain in the Marina after November 30.
5. Vessels not removed from the Marina by November 30 will be charged transient fees.
C. Holders of slip assignments
1. Holders of slip assignments may not transfer use of space. The Dockmaster must be notified if
space will be empty for two or more nights so that transient use can be made. The Dockmaster
shall make periodic checks to assure optimum use of space. It is recommended that a cruise
plan be filed with the Dockmaster.
2. Upon the death of an assigned slip holder, an interested legal spouse may retain the slip
assignment. In the absence of an interested spouse, a next of kin may continue to keep the boat
in the marina for the balance of the season. The following year, priority for slip assignment will
be determined by the Marina's standard wait list application and slip assignment procedures.
D. Marina Rules
The Dockmaster, and where necessary the Guilford police, will enforce the following:
1. All boats shall be operational, properly and safely tied and moored. Boats will be in a safe
condition so as to not pose a fire, environmental or other safety hazard to other boats or Marina
property.
2. Slip holders may affix rubber, plastic or composite material such as fenders, dock bumpers,
molded strips, corner wheels and like materials to docks, bulkheads and pilings, provided that:
a) All such devices and fasteners have been approved by the Dockmaster or his representative
prior to installation. b.) The material applied is manufactured and sold specifically for the
purpose of boat/dock protection. c) All such installations affect only the slipholder's boat and
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affix the material are easily removable without damage to pilings, docks or bulkheads. Stainless
steel screws must be used where possible. e) It is the responsibility of the slipholder to remove
any installations within seven days of notification by the Dockmaster.
3. Sailboats shall use alternate means of propulsion for operation within the Marina and sluice
channel.
4. Living aboard is not permitted.
5. No boat rental is allowed. Charter operations for hire are allowed only at the Marina
Commission's discretion and alternate price for docking to be determined by the Commission.
6. Fires, whether for cooking, illumination or heating, are prohibited in the dock area. See the
Dockmaster for designated barbecue areas.
7. No lobster pots, fishing gear or boating equipment are to be stored on the floating docks. Clean
lobster pots and associated equipment may be stored on the designated commercial dock under
conditions set by the Dockmaster or the Commission. A six-foot walkway must be left open on
the commercial dock at all times.
8. Breach of the peace, consumption of alcohol on Town property or violation of other local or
state laws is prohibited.
9. All local, State and Federal water pollution regulations must be obeyed.
10. Fishing, crabbing or swimming is prohibited within the inside basins.
11. Dressing of fish on the docks and/or disposal of fish parts in the waters supervised by the
Marina are prohibited.
12. Rafting of boats within the Marina is prohibited, except under conditions set by the Commission
or the Dockmaster.
13. No "For Sale" signs are allowed on boats berthed or stored at the Marina.
14. No dogs allowed in Marina property unless on a leash and under the control of their owners or
keepers; owners or keepers are required to remove the animal's defecation immediately and
dispose of it in a proper manner.
15. No hazardous and/or bulky waste shall be disposed of on Marina property. This includes paints,
motor oil, solvent, other chemical waste, large pieces of wood, rubber and plastic, and
household trash, as well as discharge from portable toilets.
16. All battery chargers used on boats must be of the marine type.
17. You are required to read 'The Guilford Town Marina Procedures' for boat sinking in the Marina
as posted in the Dockmaster's office.
18. Boat owners are responsible for the normal maintenance of their boats, to include properly
securing their vessel and pumping out water. Such maintenance when done by the Dockmaster
to prevent environmental harm or damage to other vessels or marina property may result in a
special service charge to the boat owner. The Dockmaster will, when practicable, first attempt
to contact the boat owner.
19. Use of electricity must be kept to minimal maintenance services and occasional hookups. The
Dockmaster shall collect a charge, as set by the Commission, for regular use. Tampering with
electrical hookups is prohibited.
20. All river mooring clients must have their names on their dinghies.
21. All vessels must be operated by an individual who has obtained a Connecticut Safe Boating
Certificate or a Certificate of Personal Watercraft Operation.
22. The Dockmaster may request proof that a current boat insurance policy is in effect with
minimum liability coverage of $300,000 while the boat is in the marina.
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23. Vessel maintenance that may, in the opinion of the Dockmaster, have an adverse impact on the
marina environment or neighboring vessels is prohibited.
24. The Town property between the restaurant and the bulkhead may be utilized by commercial
fishermen for the purpose of loading and unloading their vessels. Parking is not permitted
adjacent to the restaurant when the vessel is not in its berth.
25. Lobster pots will not be stacked more than three (3) high on the commercial dock adjacent to the
restaurant or restaurant patio.
26. Hull scraping, any underwater process to remove paint and power washing of hull bottoms is
prohibited.
27. Vessel owners berthed on a river mooring are required to remove their tag lines upon removing
their vessels at the end of the boating season. Tag lines not removed by the vessel owner will be
removed by the marina staff and owners will be charged a Special Service Fee in accordance
with the Marina Rates and Fee Schedule.
Violators of any of the above are subject to forfeiture of docking privileges and/or prosecution.
SECTION III: Parking and Launching-Ramps
A. Permits
The Dockmaster shall issue permits for ramp use, to be prominently displayed as directed by the
Dockmaster, for a fee as set by the Commission. Permits for reserved or overnight parking,
displayed as directed by the Dockmaster, shall only be issued to vehicles registered to slip and
mooring users. Temporary permits for guest parking may be loaned by the Dockmaster. A
record will be kept of all permits issued.
B. Storage
No overnight storage of boats or trailers is allowed in the ramp or parking areas. Short-term
placement must have the approval of the Dockmaster.
SECTION IV: Appeals
Appeals from any of the orders of the Dockmaster or from the enforcement of the Commission's
Rules and Regulations may be presented to the Commission in writing or in person. If a written
appeal is received by the Commission Chairman or Secretary at least one week before the next
regularly scheduled meeting, the Commission will review it and render a decision at the meeting.
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RATES and FEES
Marina Classifications / Rates:
Class 1 (Inside Basins C-D, D-E) $811
Class 2 (Inside Basins A-B, B-C, E-F and F-Bulkhead) $1104
Class 3 (Outside slips, A thru F) $1445
River Mooring $730
Commercial (inc. year option) $41 per foot
Dinghies of river-moored boats may be stored at no charge in the Marina. Storage of all other
dinghies is allowed for 24 hours with permission of the Dockmaster. All river-mooring clients must
have their names on their dinghies.
Extended Season Dockage: November 1 through November 30 $50 (See Rules Section II B.)
Non-Resident Rate: Double all above fees except river moorings.
Launching Ramp: $70 Season pass (April 1 through March 31) or $6 per day
Hand-Launched Boats (no vehicle parked on ramp; boat must be hand-carried to/from ramp):
$20 Season pass (April 1 through March 31) or $5 per day (maximum of 2 hand-launched boats per
transport vehicle in parking lot)
Transient Fees:
All slips / bulkheads /river moorings Overnight until noon: $3 per foot of overall length
Hourly (for each full or partial 4 hour increment): $15
Weekly Rates (7 day minimum increments):
Outside slips A thru F and bulkhead $25 per day
Inside basins on A thru F docks $15 per day
Other Fees:
Regular season use of electricity $120 per cord per season.
Vacant slip used by river moorer $15/day, $75/week, free from Oct.15 until November 1
Wait List $10 per year; 100% to be credited towards slip fee
after being assigned and accepting a slip
Special Service Fees Material costs plus $30 during normal staff duty hours
Material costs plus $65 during off duty hours
All fees are due when bill is rendered. Please make checks payable to the Town of Guilford. There
will be an interest charge of 1 1/4% per month on all overdue bills, plus possible wait list priority
loss (sec. I C-7). A $25 fee will be charged for returned checks.
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