VRS Special Notes for VRS Boats Over 28′

Special procedures for Valet Rack Service (VRS) boats 28’ and over, which supersede our normal published procedures:

Why are these Special Procedures for boats 28’ and over necessary?

1. Boat Length OverAll (LOA) 28’ and over makes safe, damage-free towing a major challenge, especially on windy days, and Dock Space once launched or upon your return to Rex at the end of your boating day is limited especially for large VRS boats.

2. For safety of our towing crew and our VRS client boats, ALL VRS Towing operations are suspended when a Small Craft Advisory has been posted by NOAA. Adding a Marine Weather app to your phone will keep you informed, Blue Whale makes an excellent one.

3. During periods of elevated winds but below threshold of a Small Craft Advisory, the VRS crew makes the decisions as to whether safe towing conditions exist.

4. Safe towing conditions variables include wind speed and direction, boat LOA, the mass/wind profile/’sail effect’ of the boat, and precipitation/visiblity. Conditions safe for a 18’ boat being towed a short distance within the marina may well be unsafe for a 30’ boat being towed a similar distance, for example. This is why you will see us tow a small boat on a windy day but decline a tow on a larger boat.

5. Therefore, there will be times when owners will be required to respect our ‘higher winds’ launch procedure by being present at launch and for owner to then operate boat away from launch area. This means you should expect a number of days during elevated wind conditions when vessel owner will be required to be present at our launching area during our VRS operating hours, ready to operate your boat away from launch area.

6. Our High Wind safe boat handling policy also means that unlike smaller VRS boats less than 28’ LOA, End of Day Launch requests for these larger boats will require your presence during VRS operating hours in most if not all cases when towing conditions during elevated wind events make towing unsafe. You will need to operate your boat after launch to a tie-up dock. We will come aboard to assist if you request our help getting your boat to our dock.

7. Likewise, to prevent potential damage to your boat and for the safety of our towing crew on elevated wind ‘no-tow’ days, upon your return to Rex you will need to operate your boat to the hauling dock if you wish to be hauled during normal VRS hours. We will gladly come aboard to assist your efforts to do so if you request.

8. If you tie-up at Rex after VRS operating hours, if elevated winds create no-tow conditons thru the next day and you do not return to Rex the next day to operate your boat to our hauling area, hauling for especially these larger boats will be delayed until lighter winds return to enable safe towing. This means your boat would remain in the water for one or more days until safe towing conditions return.

9. Dock space is limited to approximately 40 VRS boats, and our docks can be full, especially on weekends, affecting boats 28’ and up in particular. VRS boaters may inquire as to availability of a daily/overnight-fee finger slip; If such a Marina slip becomes available, we offer such slips to VRS boaters at 50% off our normal overnight dockage rates. When pre-arranged with Denise or our Lift Operator , you can return to  that slip for the period paid for. If no such slip is available, you may find it hard and perhaps impossible during peak demand times to find a place to tie up after-hours. (However, Monday thru noon Fridays, we normally have adequate dock space.)

10. If a suitable slip is not open upon your after-hours return, You will need to locate a tie-up slip off-site. This is uncommon, but can happen. To avoid a most uncomfortable situation caused by your boat by occupying a seasonally leased slip, do not use any finger slips on any dock unless clearly marked as Valet Rack Use or the slip has been assigned to you that day by the Lift Operator, as seasonal slips are 100% occupied/leased for the season. There are Two After-Hours off-site fallback tie-up locations, if no room remains at Rex: Gas Dock at Norwalk Cove Marina: free from 7pm/whenever gas dock closes thru 8am the next day, you must pick up your boat next day by 8am to avoid dockage or towing fees; or City of Norwalk Visitors Dock at Veteran’s Park, ¼ mile north of Rex Marine, subject to a charge of $1/ft for each 8 hour window, it is about a 5-minute walk to Rex. Rex will courtesy-reimburse you for an ‘Uber’ ride if docking at either location is required, and up to $30 to reimburse for offsite dockage.

11. To avoid 9 & 10 above, return to Rex during operating hours to allow your boat to be hauled. If you are boating the next day, we will re-launch your boat the next day per normal VRS policies.

12. For boats 28’ LOA and larger, It’s a good idea to touch base with the VRS Crew or Lift Operator before you leave our docks especially on windy days to ask if there is a recommended tie up location after launch or upon return. Our fine VRS crew will always do everything they can to assist you and your guests. V032822