Master the Mooring Process

What to ask before you choose a berth, how a mooring arrangement is put together, and what we confirm in writing at Wild Star Harbor.

Arrangements We Can Talk Through

These are the usual ways a boat is kept afloat or ashore. Which of them can be arranged for your boat, at which location and on what terms, is stated in our written reply. We do not assume that a type exists at a given berth just because it exists elsewhere.

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Assigned Slip

A berth reserved for one boat, usually on a floating or fixed pontoon with its own lines and fenders. The questions that matter are length and beam against the slip, depth at low tide, and how the dock moves in a swell. We note all three in the reply.

Quoted individually

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Mooring Buoy

A buoy in a mooring field, reached by tender. It suits some cruising boats and seasonal use, and it asks more of the owner: ground tackle inspection, a way to get ashore, and a clear plan for a typhoon. We describe what the owner is responsible for.

Quoted individually

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Short-Stay Visitor Berth

A berth for a few nights while you cruise through or try the harbor before committing. Ask us about the longest stay allowed, how arrival is arranged, and whether shore services are on the same pier.

Quoted individually

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Winter Lay-Up & Storage

Taking a boat out of the water for the cold season, or storing it ashore, outdoors or under cover. Where lifting and storage are available, we list who lifts the boat, how it is supported and what preparation is expected of you.

Quoted individually

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Fuel & Services Near the Berth

Fuel, water, shore power and a place to wash down are things owners ask for, and they differ from one pier to the next. We write down which of them exist at the berth we offer and which are reached elsewhere in the harbor.

Confirmed in the reply

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Typhoon & Storm Plan

Any mooring offered in Japanese waters should come with a storm plan: how lines are doubled, whether the boat should be lifted out, and who can be reached when a typhoon is forecast. We ask you to read it before you accept.

Part of every proposal

Prices are not published here. Any figure we give you is tax-inclusive (税込) unless the written quote says otherwise, and applies only to the berth, boat and period named in that quote.

Berth Types in Pictures

Illustrative photographs of the kinds of arrangement described above, not images of our own berths.

Covered slips and moored motor yachts between floating piers

Sailboats at buoys in a sheltered mooring field with a wooded shore behind

Wooden pier walkway between moored boats leading to waterfront buildings

Long covered storage hall with blue roller doors and boats parked inside

Low sun over wooden docks and moored motor boats in the early morning

Questions to Ask Before You Choose a Berth

A photograph shows a pier; it does not show how the berth behaves on a windy night. These are the points worth getting in writing from any marina, including us.

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Depth and Space

What is the depth at the berth at the lowest tide, and what clearance is there beside and behind the boat for turning and for lines?

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Shore Power and Water

Is there a power pedestal and a water tap at the berth, what voltage and amperage, and how are they charged?

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Security and Access

Is the pier gated, who holds a key, and is the berth watched? Ask what is actually provided rather than what the word "secure" suggests.

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Fuel

Where do you take on fuel, what grades are sold, and are there hours? A fuel dock near the harbor is not necessarily open when you need it.

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Parking and Trailer Access

Can you park near the pier, is there a slipway or a lifting point, and can a trailer reach it?

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Insurance Required

What cover does the harbor or yard require of the owner, and what does it not cover? Keep your own insurance current.

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Typhoon Plan

What do you have to do when a typhoon is forecast, who does what, and can the boat be lifted out in time?

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Waste and Wash-Down

Where may you wash the deck, empty a holding tank or leave rubbish, and are there rules on antifouling and wash-down water?

We do not claim facilities we have not described to you in writing. If a feature matters to you, name it in your enquiry and we answer yes, no or "not at that berth".

What Shapes a Berth Quote

There is no availability board on this page, because a table of free slips would be out of date within days. What we ask, and why, is below.

Factor	Why it matters	What we ask you
Boat dimensions	A berth has to fit the boat with room for lines and fenders.	Length overall, beam, draft, and air draft if there is a bridge.
Period	A weekend, a season and a year are different arrangements.	Start date, how long, and whether you may extend.
Season	Storm season and winter lay-up change what is sensible.	Whether the boat will stay in the water through the typhoon months.
Services	Power, water and fuel differ from pier to pier.	What you need at the berth and what you can do without.
Insurance and papers	Harbors and yards set their own conditions.	Registration details and a current insurance certificate.

The answer you receive states the berth or mooring that could be arranged, the charges for it (tax-inclusive, 税込) and how long the offer stands. It does not hold the berth until you have confirmed it in writing.

How a Mooring Arrangement Is Put Together

Five steps, each in writing. We do not give a standard timeline, because it depends on the berth, the paperwork and how quickly questions are answered on both sides.

You Send the Details

Use the enquiry form or write to inquiry@wildstarharbor.com. Give us the boat's dimensions and type, the period, and anything you cannot do without.

We Reply With Options

We tell you what can be arranged for that boat, where, on what terms and at what charge, and which questions remain open.

Visit, If You Wish

You can ask to see the berth and its surroundings before deciding. The place and time of a visit are given to you in writing.

You Confirm in Writing

The arrangement takes effect when you have confirmed the terms and we have confirmed them back. The storm plan and the insurance conditions are part of what you read first.

Arrival

Arrival instructions, whom to call and what to bring come with the confirmation, so that nobody is working it out at the pier.

Weather, tides and the condition of the boat can change a plan on the day. We cannot guarantee against damage from storms or from other vessels, and a mooring does not replace the owner's insurance.

Next Steps

Ready to Ask About a Berth?

Send an Enquiry