Congratulations! You have decided to install a mooring buoy instead of renting a slip in a marina.
The next important decision to make is whether or not you are going to build the mooring system on your own or if you are going to purchase one. Both come with advantages and disadvantages in terms of costs, maintenance, peace-of-mind, and, most importantly, safety.
Costs
The average cost of mooring installation is roughly CAD $2,500-$4,000. A DIY mooring buoy can be done with cheap materials and a range of installation costs depending on the size of the system and your accessibility to installation equipment (crane, barge, utility dock etc.).
You also need to factor in the likelihood of a mistake being made when you are building your mooring ball. If a mistake were to happen, how much, on average, would it cost?
Maintenance
For a mooring buoy, you will need to regularly inspect the system’s components or hire another company to do this for you. When you install a mooring system yourself, you will need to ensure that the mooring buoy follows proper regulations and that you have resources for maintenance.
Professional mooring buoy installers will provide a user manual including a maintenance schedule with the installation. This makes it favourable to purchase a system with a company that has the equipment required for the job.
Peace-of-Mind
When undertaking a DIY construction project, it is important to ask yourself: “Do I trust myself to build this?”. That is, do you think that you are as good or better at building it than an average professional mooring buoy installer?
Going with professional installers can give you the peace-of-mind that a personal construction project often can’t. When a storm is running through your area, you don’t want to be constantly worried about the safety of your boat. Installers will give an exceptional experience and high level of care to your product that will ease your worries.
Personal Preference
Do you freeze at the thought of an at-home construction project? Or do you take out your measuring tape, nails, hammer, and screwdriver with passion? Depending on your answer to this question, it can say a lot about your preference towards the “Do-it-yourself” mooring system.
The more comfortable and ambitious you are with a construction project, the more likely you will be to choose the DIY version of the mooring ball. Make sure to take some time to calculate your own estimate of costs or contact us before you reach a decision.
If you go DIY, please visit the “Resources” section that we have made available in the home menu.
Stay safe and responsible!