Falling economy, rising fuel prices slowing boaters at Lewisporte Yacht Club
Boaters are feeling the pinch of higher fuel prices, and the Lewisporte Yacht Club is also feeling the squeeze.
Atlantic Canada's largest marina, with 240 docks, has seen its numbers increase in recent years, especially since an expansion project in 2014.
But this year, the club has added only 10 new boats to its membership — just half of its target number, and the cost of fuel is a big reason.
"Some of the boats we can fill up here with gas or diesel can take upwards of a thousand dollars in fuel," said club manager Todd Manuel. "If you increase 20 cents on gas, that's a lot of money."
Fuel prices last week were $1.265 per litre — a penny less than the same period in 2015. Prices dipped as low as 94.2 cents per litre on Feb. 25, well before the Liberal government's tax hike saw prices increase 18.65 cents in June.
Boats from far away call Lewisporte home
A slowing economy and the Fort McMurray forest fires have also played a role, Manuel said. Many boaters who tie up at the club had long been working in the oil patch, an industry that saw 40,000 jobs gutted due to economic downturn.
Many of those affected are now choosing to lay their boats up for the summer instead, Manuel said.
International traffic is also down by about 20 percent, Manuel said.
The club, formed in 1990 to showcase the Notre Dame Bay region, annually draws in boaters from around the world. Boats from as far as Australia and New Zealand cross the ocean to call Lewisporte their home base while they explore Newfoundland.
"In recent years we've seen many people that have came here and used this as a kickoff point for the Northwest Passage, and we were hoping that traffic would increase. But for some reason, we're seeing those numbers are down."
On the positive side, there have been some redeemers for the club, such as the food fishery extension and the upcoming Mussel Bed Soiree.
"That's helping us," Manuel said. "We're seeing more boaters going out for (the food fishery), but we're definitely seeing more that are going out the bay less."
Choice location
Lewisporte became home to the largest marina in Atlantic Canada after it expanded to 240 docks in 2014, with $1.5 million in government funding.
The club still has plans to expand by another 60 docks, but money for that has yet to be approved so no timeline is in place.
The marina's central location in Notre Dame Bay is an asset, giving boaters the chance to explore, with destinations like Exploits Island seeing a revival in recent years.
The Lewisporte club also works with other marinas in the region, creating a network for boaters to tour around.
"That's probably the biggest thing with this marina, is Notre Dame Bay," Manuel said.
"You've got 20 nautical miles you can travel before you hit the open Atlantic. There's hundreds of islands in between there and people can sail around there for two or three years and not see everything then."
