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The Boatyard has been sold to our neighbours, Dolphin Boatyard who operate across the water from Dartside Quay. The new owners intend to invest in services and infrastructure on the site and have years of experience in boat building, refit and repair. The new owners intend to expand the services provided to all customers including MDL berth holders and berth holders will continue to have access to all the lifting services they have today. Disposal of Dartside Quay also allows MDL to re-invest funds in new products, sites and services for our customers.
It is important to MDL that our customers are able to continue to enjoy lifting services on the river Dart. An opportunity to build a new relationship with our neighbour presents an opportunity for us to do this with confidence, working with a partner to enhance services for our customers. The new owners, Dolphin Boatyard are expanding and this was the right time for Dolphin Boatyard and MDL.
Over the course of the last two years, MDL have been evaluating how we can provide the widest and most cost-effective range of boatyard services to our customers. Across the business, this has included subcontracting boatyard services to third party providers or reducing / removing services where more comprehensive services can be provided by a sister MDL Marina. Operating boatyards is very capital intensive and MDL only provides lifting and launching services, not refit, engineering or build. In line with this model, we believe that our customers benefit more from having a wider range of services available at larger boatyards. Consolidation of our boatyards also helps MDL to repurpose land for other customer benefiting uses.
MDL don’t offer boatyard services as part of the annual berthing agreement, the agreement is for berthing of your boat in a marina for 12 months of the year. However, we do offer preferential rates and storage ashore as benefits at MDL boatyards and these will be retained for your current contract year.
You can continue to use Dolphin Boatyard and enjoy your MDL benefits during the current contract year including 20% off lifting services up to 31st March 2024. From 1st April 2024 until 31st December 2024, Freedom berth holders and Otium customers benefit from 8 weeks storage ashore. Owners are welcome to keep their boats ashore after 31st December 2024 and will be charged the standard tariff after that date or when their 56 free days have been used, whichever comes first. Otium members will also be able to use their loyalty points at Dolphin Boatyard from 1st April 2024.
Lifting MDL’s berth holders is critical to the success of the new owners, as such, Dolphin Boatyard have agreed to review the benefits they offer MDL berth holders annually. MDL will work closely with the boatyard to ensure that each year the best deal is available and will market these services to MDL berth holders directly. In time, customers may also benefit from MDL negotiating lifting deals for MDL berth holders at Torquay and Brixham with other local providers.
Our staff are critical to the success of the MDL business and we are proud to have such a long standing and dedicated team at Dartside Quay. All of the staff will transfer to the new business and we are sure you will enjoy seeing the friendly and helpful team at your next lift out.
No, unfortunately the new owners are unable to offer Otium points to Otium customers but instead offer a 20% discount on lift, launch and wash.
Yes, you can use any MDL boatyard where MDL provides lifting services, you will need to check with the marina about their storage ashore as some marinas have local restrictions in place.
Yes, if you use another MDL boatyard you will earn points on your lifting as normal but you will not receive discounts on your lift out as well.
In purchasing the business we have to transfer some existing customer information to the new owners, this is undertaken confidentially and within GDPR rules. During the first few weeks, Alex Warner the Boatyard Manager will also be on site working with the new owners so that they can get to know our customers boats, the team and the yard.
When booking or making payment for your services, you will be able to access your MDL account through the MDL Portal on our website, in there is a copy of your contract and you will use this on your phone to evidence you are a Torquay or Brixham berth holder.
Unfortunately, the new owners are not offering discounts and storage ashore to berth holders at other MDL marinas at this time, however, if you contact the new owners directly and discuss your requirements with them we are sure they will be able to assist you.
The new owners are very much looking forward to providing services to MDL berth holders and are looking forward to meeting with you. You will be able to see them on site by contacting them directly and we will in the coming weeks be arranging an MDL online forum where you can ask questions of the MDL and Dolphin teams / owners.