12 TRIANGLE BERTH BROKERS


Marina Deportiva del Puerto de Alicante is on Spain’s Costa Blanca.


British company celebrates 30 years T


riangle Berth Brokers is celebrating its 30th year brokering long leases and annual berths for sailors,


marinas and yacht captains in the UK and Europe. Based in Hampshire, the company is owned and operated by Nic and Marie Parton. This year has been particularly


busy for Triangle Berth Brokers as Covid-19 has substantially increased the number of boat-owners returning to their home waters.


Boat-owners return home “Quite a few British sailors are bringing their boats back to the UK due to travel restrictions,” said Managing Director Nic Parton. “They just want to get a berth sorted out. We do that for them.” The business of berth brokering hasn’t changed much in the last 30 years. It offers a no-nonsense, time- saving approach for those looking for berths. The company can collate, for example, all the annual berthing quotes on the River Hamble, instead of an owner having to listen to a


MARINA INDUSTRY • AUGUST 2020


potentially time-consuming sales pitch from each marina. “The boat market is full of diverse people, including those who are cash-rich, but time poor. We help save time,” stated Nic. In the past few years, Triangle Berth Brokers has worked with owners looking to move to the Mediterranean. Whilst Greece has always been a popular destination, it has witnessed a big increase in enquiries for marinas in Montenegro, Spain and Turkey. The company


draws on its years of experience to guide owners into the right marina for their needs, whether for an annual rental or long lease.


Long-lease berths The company also offers independent advice to those wishing to invest in long-lease berths. That advice includes marina locations, best deals and opportunities for gaining returns – like sub-letting. Long-leases were snapped up by owners, who spotted their potential


when they first came on to the market as marinas started offering them in the late 1960s. Since then, they’ve been a well-kept secret, changing hands through companies like Triangle Berth Brokers. “It’s like buying a house,” said Nic, who first encountered the long-lease boom when working for a marina on the South Coast of England. “After the initial investment, people have to pay an annual service fee, but they get security and feel like part of the marina. Owning a long lease helps you fix your berthing costs and it doesn’t take long to make good savings compared to paying annual berthing fees.” He added that longer leases


are also popular in Europe, with berths on the Côte d’Azur and Balearic Islands pretty much 100% leased. “The marina operator effectively


Nic Parton. Marie Parton.


becomes a service charge company, administering berths,” explained Nic. “The only way to guarantee a berth in the most popular ports of the Med is buying one. For instance, if


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