A short drive north of Stockholm, lies the small town of Waxholm. The town is a connection hub for the many ferry lines to the islands in the area, and is known for its large fortress, sea front restaurants and bustling boat life in the summer. In 2016 we met with Sofia Janson, one of the harbor masters to learn more about their experiences with their newly installed boat wash machine.
Can you tell us about your reaction to the boat wash system?
It is the perfect system for our customers, says Sofia. Most of them call and book ahead of time, and some of them come by for a drop-in. The procedure takes only 15 minutes which makes it very easy for everyone – they just stop by, get their boat washed and drive off.
What is the reaction from the customers?
We have actually only had positive ones so far, and I am hoping it will stay like that. When people call us back, they tell us they do 7 – 8 knots faster than before the boat wash. This is a remarkable change. Also, the use of fuel is a lot less, about 15 – 40% less.
What has Drive-in Boatwash meant to the Waxholm Marina?
As I have been here for 7 years, and this being the first year with the boat wash, we have absolutely seen an increase in the audience around the boat wash. It is amazing to see how [the machine] attracts people – they are very interested in seeing how everything works.
We also have a lot more boats coming into [the marina] wanting to wash their boat. And as a small marina it’s important to get more people in here. We want them to spend their day in Waxholm as well. The boat wash has absolutely dragged in more fish from the sea.
Sofia explains that the machine has helped increase the traffic to the marina and consequently increased the revenue.
