Marina experiences

[MacGyver]

Hey everyone!!

Just last Wednesday, I was in a meeting and was made the Harbor Master for the marina that I work at. This is a Co-Management position now though, where I work with, as a equal to, a Business Manager. I am really happy with their decision and the structure of the decision itself as it spreads the load still allowing me to work with the other employees keeping me in the field for the most part.

With this change I am in a better position to make changes and as I am eager to try to help build our marina up, as we are experiencing a steady decline, i'd really like to hear your experiences, like services your marina offers, construction of the docks, and buildings you are able to access, etc. Even the possibly insignificant things to you, like maybe how they helped you one time or maybe the quality of employees, uniforms, appearances, etc.

In addition to this, I really want to hear about the costs, and also the contract lengths. With that information I will need to know the location so I can see how they compare to the marina I am at, as well as I would like to look it up on Google maps to see where it is located compared to large cities and such. My main goal with that information is to see how maybe changes could be made to remain within a certain cost range.

I am 33, so I have a long time to work yet, therefore making it a big concern of mine to get to work on the marinas future. I have some data already, but I want a bigger cross section to help me better understand what all is available in this realm to people.

Thank you all for the input, You can PM me, or use my Email, if you'd prefer, which is in my profile.

Mac

[TedStrat]

Hi Mac
Congrats on the new position and responsibility. Sounds like you will do well with your strive to make it better. 
I have some limited experience on marinas from "the outside" .. As a commercial real estate broker I sold a few marinas and got into the numbers and the guts of an operating business. The two things that always stood out were; 1) it's a services business and customers (the boaters) want well run marinas which keep up with their maintenance and repairs and provide outstanding service 2) the costs per foot are incredibly site specific. On Long Island for example, summer dockage averages about $85 p/f but on the east end it's $125 p/f.  For another comp, Winter  storage in Huntington is $35 p/f outside and $65 p/f in the shed (where my eclipse will be going) out in Montauk , outside winter storage is $65 p/f.
Start a newsletter with your clients informing of new repairs and capital improvements- that went over well on one marina I sold and got positive feedback. That's all I can think of for now. Good luck and congrats again

[Jon898]

Congratulations, Mac!

As a consideration for the marina, I would suggest that the shower/WC block can be one of the most important facilities...particularly the ladies' side...and should not be overlooked.  A noisesome, dirty, bug-infested place is not going to endear the experience to many people.  The best one I came across (on the Chesapeake's eastern shore) was at a place owned and run by a woman who seemed to "get" the idea...cleaned multiple times a day at the weekend, well lit and (according to the Admiral) even fresh flowers on the ladies' side.  As you can imagine, going there was more popular than the other nearby ones with used towels on the wet floor and giant spiderwebs on all the lights.

Jon

[SMITH]

MAC:
Have you familiarized yourself with the safety standards?  Especially those of the American Boat and Yacht Council, and the National Fire Protection Assn.  ABYC covers boat repair and modification.  Working to their standards (revised annually) and having ABYC certified technicians on staff has kept many marina operators out of court.  The NFPA standards, especially section 555 of NFPA 70 (a.k.a. the National Electrical Code) is the wiring standard for marinas.  If you guys sell fuel, Section 11 of NFPA 30A, (the code for fuel dispensing facilities and repair shops) covers marine fuel docks and boatyards.  NFPA also offers generalized safety standards for marinas, docks, piers and boats.  They are sold online, regularly updated, and many are available for instant download. 

Use of these accepted standards can help keep your insurance costs low, and can help keep OSHA and DNR off your back.  Letting your customers know you subscribe to and utilize these, is an excellent marketing tool.  Another important consideration is  this, it can put you in a defensible position when something unexpectedly goes BOOM or BANG in a very unpleasant way.   Learning and implementing the standards and regulations is a great education for you and your staff, and a very good investment.  Good luck.
SMITH

[alsantini]

Congrads Mac.   Actually I have experience in two marinas.  I am currently in BayView Marina in the town of Fox Lake, Illinois.  We are located on the Chain of Lakes in Northern Illinois and the marina is on Pistakee Lake.  Owned by a really nice guy who watches over the boats since he lives on site.  It is a real bare bones operation.  Probably 50 slips on floating docks.  A porta-potti on site, no electric, no frills, nada.  I pay $1050/season and I sail.  OK with me but my wife will not go into the porta-potti and that says it all.  I guess it is up for sale at this point. The marina not the porta-potti. I would not be opposed to paying more and getting more.  Water and maybe electric on site plus a real bathroom with a shower for when I spend the night would be wonderful.  We have maybe 17 sailboats, and 8 powerboats.  Lots of empty slips.  Owner does no advertising and makes no attempt to lure in additional boats. I suggested a BBQ in the Spring so owners could get to know one another but nada.   Problem is obvious.
Now the opposite.  My good friend is in ParkSide Marina in Holland Michigan with a Precision 21.  Water and electric at the slip, a nice bathroom and above all else a group of sailors who get together every Wed during season for a BBQ.  Owner supplies propane for the grills and everyone brings something to grill and a dish to pass.  A typical Wed brings in half of the slip renters and it is wonderful.  These people all know one another, correspond during the off season and their spouses like the place too.  They have a well into the Lake and will launch boats, store them off season shrink-wrapped, and store trailers during the season.  One fee covers take out, clean, shrink wrap, store and launch next season. ($700) Slips go for about $1400 for a 21 fool boat (April through beginning of October) If Parkside was closer for me I would be there and my wife would be with me.  The owner is a woman who understands what women want and provides it.  The place is clean, neat and well maintained.  There is no repair work available, but she allows owners to perform basic repairs on site.  It is not the Ritz but it is filled year after year.  I think it is the comrade-re that keeps people coming back.  Sure, the facilities are important and the services but if everyone has a good time they will come back year after year and look forward to the experience.  Spouses hold the keys to the kingdom.  With them the marina remains vibrant and has filled slips and maybe a waiting list.  Without them you have empty slips.  Sailors want to have their spouses involved, at least I do, but with a dirty porta-potti, no water and electric at the slip, my wife is not participating much.
Good luck with the new job.  My best to you.

[Bob23]

Congratulonzo, Mac:
   I don't have much marina experience personally except the one that hauls and splashes my boat every year. Long Key Marina is  a real blue collar, PBR place but run very efficiently. What I do like is they price fairly and don't nickel and dime the customers to death. They actually treat the customer like a human being, not like a money machine. Contrast that with the marina where my friend stores his Morgan 30- the owner will charge and extra just to move the stands while he bottom paints. That would drive me crazy.
  Someone above mentioned clean restrooms. When my friend Kathy came to sail aboard the famous racing yacht "Koinoina", she remarked how spotless the ladies room was. All the facilities including the showers are spotless.
   Best to you, my friend in this new endeavor. I might suggest cup holders on the main floating dock so some sailors who are enjoying some late night drinks and story telling have a place to put their drinks!
Bob23

[rbh1515]

This is a very difficult question to answer.  You really can't easily compare marinas in different parts of the county.  Some are open all year long, some are seasonal.  Some are full service with haul out etc, others barebones.  You really need to look at your competition.  Price will be based on your competition.  I think that cleanliness is very important, and you want everything in great condition.  Our large public Marina has an organization of the slip tenants that works with the county to figure out issues.
Rob

[brackish]

Congrats Mac, or maybe sometimes condolences if you are now the "complaint window".

Bay Springs Marina is the only marina on Bay Springs Lake, (North East Mississippi) but is surprisingly well run despite the lack of competition.  Located on a finger off the main lake it has five main docks with maybe forty slips per dock, all floating docks with water and power, (except for the small sail boat dock, no water but free to move to a transient slip for washdown), most covered for powerboats.  Each dock has a covered common area for social gatherings. Nice laundry and bathroom facility with showers, always clean and well maintained.  They also have a equipped rec room that used to be a restaurant that didn't make it.  The Marina owner lets the boat owners have it as long as they handle the furnishings and such.  Fuel dock for non ethanol gasoline and diesel.  They have a tami-lift setup to lift boats from the water.  No owner maintenance on the yard, but whatever you can get done on the water.  At any given time the marina is about 80% full.  My 23 cost me $1435 per year if I pay in advance and have a years contract.  Month to month is that divided by 12 plus 15%.  They have a trailer storage lot no additional charge with an annual contract, or with a month to month rental, space available. 

This a transient Marina on the Tenn Tom portion of the Inland Circle route so a  lot of seasonal boats either going north or south depending on the time of year.  Many stay a few days or a week.  The Marina provides a van for the use of the transients.

The one thing I remember from other marinas I wish they would do is provide dock carts for carrying supplies to your boat.  What we have now is a pile of I'm sure stolen grocery store carts, and for some reason each owner thinks they need to chain their stolen cart to a tree so no one will steal it.  Go figure.  In Gulfport (MS) harbor the harbor master made every one take them home and they provided about five per dock which worked out well.

The other thing I would prefer would be a better rate with on trailer, mast up storage that would let me launch at their ramp but keep the boat out of the water on the trailer.  They would have to reroute an overhead power line in order to do that for any volume of boats.  Don't think that will happen.

And, of course it is in the middle of nowhere on an undeveloped, Corps of Engineers managed lake and that is both good and bad.  Very quiet off season, but certainly no place to sail to get a meal or drink.  It is also 35 miles from my house, and I hate that drive even though it is on the Natchez Trace Parkway.

This is an older picture taken before the fifth dock was in place.  It is now to the far left past the fuel dock.

[mattman]

Congrats Mac, I have had many marina experiences some great and some not so good. The main focus for me good friendly service at a fair price. Particularly I look for the following; is the marina welcoming to nonrenters, I really hate checking in only to get a "what size boat do you have" and an application or copy of the contract. What I really want is a "thanks so much for considering us, feel free to walk around and talk to the locals or I can take you around right now if you prefer, if you like what you see I can introduce you to the service folks, here's my card and number call me anytime btw I will be here until xx oclock...."', I look at the boats and if they are getting used or rotting away-wondering how much stray current is moving around; generally most docks have been in pretty good repair but I do check for a mid finger pier cleat and cleat sizes in general,  I check for abandoned boats or boats that the marina has taken over- what are they doing with them and how are they priced if selling-fixed or as is...I look for a for sale board I want to know that I can hang a sale sign on my boat if I desire, (my favorite way to buy a boat is walking the dock and getting numbers off a sign),  I also don't want a limitation for how many nights I can stay on the boat per week. These are just a few considerations. My best experience was a small out of the way marina in Florida-friendly older harbarmaster who was there all the time-would call you if there was a problem with your boat - chances were he already fixed it- a nice sense of community between renters with informal gatherings most evenings, and an open atmosphere where there were few restrictions or rules- we simple policed ourselves. The worse case was a marina with many nitpicky rules, bathroom keys, limits on staying on board, parking decals, parking places, limits on guests, lots of signs explaining the rules..... well you get the picture, oh and it had the most empty slips with the highest prices... go figure... Hope this helps.

[Toolman]

So we have a new Harbor Macster!

Congrats!  Since Carlyle is the closest good lake for sailing, Debbie and I consider you guys to be our "Home" marina.  We have noticed a little "slippage" over the last year, but nothing serious.  The set-up with The Galley is fantastic, and unique to West Access in our experience.  I think everyone else has hit it on the head... Cleanliness, Cleanliness, Cleanliness!  Friendly personalities in the office (there's that slippage I referred to) are essential.  They are the first contact current or prospective clients have with the marina.

If you ever get down to Kentucky, check out Green Turtle Bay Resort and Marina.  They don't have anything like The Galley, but the cleanliness, friendliness, neatness, and fresh paint are really impressive.

The only other improvement we'd like to see is the re-opening of the restaurant, and that's not on you!

You'll do well, Mac... I'm counting on it!

[Gerry]

Hi Mac,
   When I retired from education I took a job as assistant dockmaster at our local marina.  I found a couple of attributes helped make our   dock the preferred marina in the area.
           1.  Clean, good looking bathrooms.  Hired help do not clean well.  Start the day with a professional and have the help stay on it all day.
           2.  Courteous, helpful assistants that are really interested in showing the boaters that marina employees work for them.
           3. A good website...showing services, locations, lots of pictures, layouts and prices.
           4.  Merchandise.  Hats, sweats, t-shirts, burgees.  People love to be associated with marinas.  Keep prices low.  This is advertising.
           5.  Free coffee, lounge area, dock parties.  Provide a social life to make boaters want to be part of the marina. 
Hope this helps...and good luck.

Gerry

[MacGyver]

I really appreciate all the encouragement and experiences here. Thank you all greatly.

I do understand that prices will be different all around, and services, etc, and that was my process was pricing in what part of the country (using a scale for myself versus modifications I was going to figure out to justify the total costs, I am a math geek in the way that I love numbers and solutions)
From what I have read, and know, especially thanks to Toolman and others that have talked with me personally, that there is a issue with customer service in my marina. I know of the issues, been that way for a long time and I am hoping by taking care of some hard feelings from that person for others that maybe it will brighten that side of the business. But I really thank you for being honest on that because it is a serious issue in any business model really. people don't like being treated poorly, or like they are just a walking wallet.

That being said, it seems like my marina offers a number of services, and maybe that information is not conveyed well enough to the customer, which I felt was a issue as well when I started having a boat out there myself. My wife was bringing up these things constantly as well especially customer service as she was treated roughly several times herself. I will be focusing on a number of things mentioned here by you all, and I encourage any of you to message me with ideas or anything else you might like to say on this.

Thank you so much,
Mac

[HeaveToo]

One of the better marinas that I have been to on the Chesapeake Bay is Spring Cove Marina:  http://www.springcovemarina.com/

I have taken transient slips in it numerous times.  It is just in its own bracket.

1.  Cleanliness.  It is super clean every time I am there.
2.  Friendliness.  The staff is helpful, friendly, and most are fellow boaters (lots of fellow sailors).
3.  Private Showers and baths:  There are several bathrooms, each is a bathroom and a shower.  They are air conditioned, heated, and very clean.
4.  Amenities:  Wifi, free rental bikes, ice on site, small ships store, and a nice pool (it has underwater speakers with music playing).
5.  Lounge:  It has a nice lounge for people to visit to plug in the laptop and they even have a library in it (small one).
6.  Location:  My favorite haunt, Solomons Island, MD.  Also it is easy access to the shopping area and it isn't too far from a grocery store.

Another really nice one is Zahniser's Marina:  http://www.zahnisers.com/
It is comparable to Spring Cove Marina.

If anyone has the opportunity to visit Solomons Island, I HIGHLY recommend it.  I have been sailing there for most of my life and cruising to it for the past 12 years or so; every year.

You have to LOVE Chesapeake Bay Sailing!