Port hopeful boaters will boost economy

Given the mushrooming cost of gasoline and diesel I inquired about the impact of prices on services and sales at Cap Sante Marina and in Anacortes businesses. As you might expect, the answer to the question is not simple.
Based on Port records, guest boaters spent an estimated $1.3 million on moorage during a recent 1-year study period (October 2020 to September 2021). Over the same period, total revenue from marina fuel sales was $3.3 million. Based on guest boaters’ share of moorage, fuel sales by guests accounted for approximately $850,000 in revenue.
Fuel costs, notes Port Executive Director Dan Worra, are simply one variable in analysis of marina activity and the “ripple effect” of boaters spending money in the community.
At the top of “other” variables is weather. A wet Spring, for example, has a stifling effect on boater traffic. Another variable besides high fuel costs are the costs of boat maintenance and repair. Also having an impact are COVID-related border crossings.
Bottom line: the Port is in “Let’s wait and see” mode.
“Everything has changed the last two or three years,” he said. “We might not see the kind of record year we saw last year, but I think we will still have plenty of boating activities here.”

(More to come on positive effects of marina activity on the local economy.)