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High mooring charges hit yachting in capital

ABU DHABI — Yachting, once a very popular hobby in the capital, has become almost an impossible luxury nowadays.

Not only the prices have gone up by 40 per cent this year for boat mooring, but there is also no space to keep yachts.

"It is really a sad situation," said Sally Megan, an American living in Abu Dhabi. "My husband and I have been thinking of buying a yacht since we are both keen sailors. But we have to pay thousands of dirhams per month to maintain it. In addition to it, we are not really getting any place for it in any of the Abu Dhabi marinas."

All four marinas here — Al Bateen Marina, Abu Dhabi International Marine Sports Club (ADIMSC), Marina Club and the Intercontinental Marina — are fully booked.

ADIMSC charges an annual fee of Dh400 per feet for boat mooring. Even though it has 200 wet berths and 20 dry ones, the harbour is fully booked, with a waiting list of 59 boats. According to its marina management office, it will take up to six months to get a space here.

Captain Greg Heinricks, owner of Arabian Divers in Al Bateen Marina, says the steep hike in prices this year is also affecting the leisure business. "Sadly, we have to pass this price increase for boat mooring on to the customer by increasing the charges for boat charting and other boat related activities," said Heinricks.

He added that the cost of diesel has also gone up dramatically. "In the past two years alone, the price of diesel has been increased from Dh2.20 per gallon to Dh9.20 per gallon."

• UAE