Marinalife, a cruising concierge company, predicts a very active 2009 spring and summer boating season. Marinalife reported a 30% increase in online marina reservations in the U.S. and Bahamas during these first three weeks of January in comparison to last year.But as boaters begin returning to their boats this year and in years beyond, what will they find at the dock? We decided to ask some of the top names in marina construction and development what they thought. Their answers were fairly wide-ranging, but there was some consensus.
“We deal with all different kinds of boating, from small boats on small lakes to the largest megayachts that visit marinas in this country, so we have a broad perspective,” said Scott Stevenson, Executive Vice President of Westrec Marinas, the largest owner and operator of marinas in the United States. “As we look to the future and how [marinas] are used, we see a greater usage of the boats while they’re in the slips and so it becomes all the more important to create a friendly, safe environment where people can have access to the boats and the amenities that they want.”
“Like real estate, it’s location, location, location,” Stevenson continued. “It’s no surprise that here in Chicago, people want premier locations. In terms of demand and amenities, as boats get larger and more complex, the need to update utilities and adapt to the new boat designs is important. . .
The marina of the future, therefore, will have the utilities, great access, great amenities like washrooms and ship stores and parking and those things that are necessary for boating access.”
Of course, despite the changes that will likely take place at marinas, it’s the people who use them that make them special. “Skipper Bud’s marina managers have noticed chemistry and a bond between their marina boaters that cannot be broken even if a family grows out of their boat and has to change docks,” says Betsey Arvai, Skipper Bud’s marketing director. “A new boat cannot even break up longtime dock mates. If someone on the dock has to move because the new boat doesn’t fit on the dock, Skipper Bud’s staff notices a gradual progression where a whole group will move to the bigger dock or buy a bigger boat so they can move to the bigger dock as well. On the sales side of things we have people tell us all the time that they are looking for a new boat but it has to fit in my 45 foot slip, they don’t want to move.”
What follows paints an optimistic picture of the future of marinas around the lakes. The experts foresee amenity-rich and environmentally-friendly marinas that offer much more than a place to moor your vessel. So, though things might be tough right now, the future of marinas is something to look forward to.
Marina Vision
Gregory J. Weykamp
As our economy has shifted over the years from manufacturing and industry towards service and tourism, many waterfront communities on the Great Lakes are faced with new challenges and opportunities. Environmentally aware boaters want to be reassured that marinas are sensitive in their design and operation so that their boating activities can contribute to the preservation of the natural resources that are required for enjoyment of their pastime.
The most precious asset of any place is its local distinctiveness. This intangible quality is the main attraction for visitors and boaters looking for a rich and authentic experience. The concept of “destination stewardship” requires that we protect and preserve the uniqueness of a place, conserve its natural and cultural heritage, minimize negative impacts and ensure that benefits for transient boaters are shared with the people who live locally.
Because every waterfront site is unique, every one of EDAW’s projects is tailor-made to capture the essence of the place. In an increasingly competitive marketplace, marinas that express the distinctive character of their community will fire the imagination of the boater. Taking inspiration from the site and the community and cultural history, we create resorts and marinas that become enduring elements of the local landscape. As many boaters think of the harbor experience as a weekend getaway, we take advantage of opportunities to enhance the quality of time spent at the dock and nearby.
We believe that boaters are deeply concerned about the quality of the waters they visit and that the boating experience is greatly enhanced when the waters are healthy and shared with wildlife. Many boaters use kayaks and smaller craft to explore the local waters near destination marinas, and we propose collaborative efforts with local communities that clean up waterfront sites and expand opportunities for improving local wildlife habitat. We imagine early morning excursions where kids can fish and view migratory or nesting birds at sunrise, and later in the day sail and race each other away from larger boat traffic. We imagine evening gatherings of boaters in a marina environment where “dark-sky” lighting techniques ensure they’ll see the glow of every star instead of the glare of lights near the ground.
Environmental and economic concerns can be addressed head on by thoughtful redevelopment of abandoned waterfront sites into high quality marina facilities.
Public-private partnerships and boating-infrastructure grants can provide funding, and successful marinas can replace lost jobs and be a catalyst for local economic growth and recovery. Best of all, this can all be accomplished in an economically, socially and environmentally responsible manner that preserves and restores what is most special about our communities and waterfront.
edaw.com
Marinas Not Just for Boats Anymore
Jim Clemons
It’s hard to pinpoint exactly what or why, but the fact is that you enjoy some marinas better than others. Your friends and family feel the same way. And the feeling returns each time you return.
Well, just like the good feelings you get when you’re in a beautiful home or building, a marina’s design and construction contributes greatly to your enjoyment of it. We’re talking about more than nuts and bolts, mind you. We’re talking about meaningful ideas and engineering approaches that result in a more pleasurable and safer marina experience for boaters and non-boaters alike. But aren’t all marinas built the same way?
“Not exactly,” said Dan Adams, vice president of Atlantic-Meeco, which builds about 300 marinas a year. “First and foremost, a marina is essentially an extension of land into water. So the first thing a marina should deliver is the comfort of firm footing. The decks and platforms should feel solid underneath you, even though they’re floating. Boats might rock and sway in the waves, but with the exception of extreme weather, a marina absolutely should not.”
We’ve all heard the expression one size fits all. When it comes to marinas, Adams takes issue.
“For comfortable and safe boardings, it’s very important for decks to have the appropriate freeboard for the boats they nest.” Adams also addressed the types of decking. “While we build lots of wooden and concrete decks, we try to lead our customers toward the advanced new green decking materials,” he said. “They’re soft to the touch, so they are comfortable even to the bare foot. They don’t splinter or crack or create other safety issues for people, and the range of colors supports visual interest.”
Boaters today want connections for water, electricity, telephone, television and high-speed Internet to support their active lifestyles—and a good marina offers these connections at dockside.
“More and more people think of their boats as second homes,” said Adams. “They might go to their boat to have lunch or dinner, watch a big game on TV and never pull out of their slip. So for years now, we’ve integrated utility chases below the decks in all of our marina designs. Boaters today want all the comforts of home, and we engineer our marinas to make that possible.”
At one time, marinas were built almost exclusively in natural harbors. The placid waters in these harbors were serene and comforting to boaters, and protected boats as well. But as more marinas have been built, undeveloped natural harbors have become scarce. The solution is a wave attenuator, a long floating “wall” that stops damaging waves to create a protected harbor for marinas and the boats that rest there.
Through new construction, expansion or remodeling, Atlantic-Meeco’s name can be attached to marinas throughout the Great Lakes. The company’s newest projects are at Sturgeon Bay on Lake Michigan, along with the Bailiwick Bayside and Glass City marinas on Lake Erie.
atlantic-meeco.com
Marina Improvements Benefits Boaters
Vincent Alex Brown
Successful marina development must effectively accommodate the needs of many interested parties.
Boaters’ concerns revolve around location and the marina experience as a sense of place, as well as available targeted dockside and upland amenities. Owners expect to make a return on their investment. Operators must provide the boaters with the experience they expect and enjoy while finding new and clever ways to stay in business. Navigating these differing interests can sometimes be akin to walking a high wire.
In its 25 years as a multi-discipline engineering, design and consulting firm,Applied Technology & Management (ATM) routinely manages large contracts and large teams. ATM is often brought into multifaceted, high visibility waterfront projects because of its unique approach to marina planning and development. As an example, ATM is providing the Québec Port Authority with marina consulting services for the proposed redevelopment of its facility at the Port of Louise basin.
The Port is currently operating a 415-slip recreational marina facility in a locked harbor on the St. Lawrence River. The existing marina facilities are aging and the Port is proposing to redevelop the marina in an effort to ensure the long-term functionality and profitability of the facility. In order to assist the Port with understanding the redevelopment potential for the site, ATM is employing its proven approach to ensure a result that both meets or exceeds boater expectations and provides for the facility’s pocketbook into the future.
Another example is the Forty 1° North resort marina in Newport, Rhode Island. In less than 10 months, ATM helped transform this tired facility that was once an iconic landmark into the premier yachting destination of the region, handling boats of up to 200 feet. From comprehensive inspections, to economic projections, engineering design, and construction oversight, the facility experienced a full face-lift. The facility opened on schedule and finished its first season with great success by providing an unparalleled marina experience—for the boaters and on behalf of the developers.
Similarly in Charleston, South Carolina, ATM assisted in the 10-year redevelopment of the Charleston City Marina, which resulted in greatly enhanced boater facilities (dockside and upland) and a revenue stream growth from $500,000 per year to more than $12 million per year (in less than 12 years).
“We provide unique professional services for owners with a primary focus on enhancing the boater experience, helping all parties involved to design a marina and a complementary marina village that truly works and one that brings a solid return on investment to the marina and the connected city,” says Sam Phlegar, senior vice president and director of ATM’s Marine Division. “A destination, not a parking lot. An experience, and not just a slip.”
Marina development success starts with proper facilities and amenities and service for the boater that is supported by solid financial performance for the owner as well as secondary economic benefits for the community. This is the win-win that results from ATM’s comprehensive approach to waterfront development projects.
appliedtm.com
Boating This Year and Beyond
Ronald E. Schults
I have been in the marina and boating industry for over 30 years, as a designer and developer of marinas and also as an avid boater. In this time, I have observed many changes in the marine industry. And while it’s obvious that the current economy and the recent high price of fuel have a major impact on the way people boat, it won’t necessarily have a significant long-term impact on the number of boaters. But what do current challenges and changes mean for boaters about the future design and construction of marinas?
At Edgewater Group, we’re finding that the old boatyard-type marinas with poor infrastructure are doing much worse (occupancy of 20% to 30%) than those providing a high level of amenities, or what I would consider a country club atmosphere, which are still in the 80% and 90% capacity range. This largely can be attributed to marina design that responds to discriminating boaters’ needs and wishes.
Despite the recently poor economy and the high price of fuel, boaters still use their boat an average of 20 to 30 days per season. The difference is that they don’t leave the dock as often. Thus, their boat becomes more or less a waterfront cottage and a destination weekend place to relax. These floating cottages put the emphasis on marina amenities and design quality at the dock. Amenities include items such as tennis courts, swimming pools, extensive landscaping with lots of beautiful flowers, security, more green space, trees, good underground utilities, good access to pump-outs, etc.
Boaters are also very concerned about the environment, pollution and related issues. Projects that support development of wetlands, habitat for fisheries and wildlife and clean water in the marina basins seemingly do much better than those where you drive into a “sea of asphalt” and find a parking lot with meager landscaping and poor overall design.
An additional marina development concept that I also believe will becomes popular is the construction of marinas that will literally serve as mooring locations for floating cottages. The trend is to build Coast Guard-approved floating barge structures and basically construct a cottage on top. Many simply look like a cottage and not like a boat at all! It may not even have an engine, but it would be designed under Coast Guard requirements as a moored vessel. This floating cottage would typically be accompanied by a smaller dinghy boat, skiff or 20-foot to 30-foot run-about for local boating trips, cruising, fishing or waterskiing. A floating barge and small boat can be in place for $300,000 to $400,000, versus the million or more needed to buy a land-based waterfront cottage, boat and slip.
In summary, marinas will continue to prosper, but they need to adjust to the market needs, namely the demands for environmentally clean facilities, eco-friendly design and improved amenities to allow further use of the marina and boat as a “cottage” destination, versus the old-fashioned, go-fast boatyard-type marina that is simply a place from which to depart.
edgewaterconsultants.com
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