What' important to you at your marina?

[Pete Meisinger]

List from about 1 through 10 what is important to you at a marina you like. #1 being highly important to you down to #10 which doesn't really matter that much.

It can be your permanent home port or one you select for a season or two.

List things like amenities, cost, staff, location, price, etc.

Unless the moderators don't like the idea I don't see any reason you can't mention your marina by name.

I'll start it with my list in the post following this.

pete

 

[rslifkin]

My list for choosing my home-base marina is below, although I'm not really sure if I can put a strict order on some of the requirements.

1. Good dock layout (both items like cleat placement as well as ability to get in/out on windy days)
2. Adequate depth (minimum 6 feet at low water)
3. Ability to dock port side to, either a face dock or backed in
4. 50 amp power available (either single 50A 125/250V or twin 50A 125V)
5. Allowed to do DIY work on the boat (in water and on land)
6. Water available close to slip
7. Decent parking
8. Haulout and winter storage available either on site or somewhere close
9. Marina able to do or contract for work that I can't do myself
10. Reasonable price for the area

Here are the reasons for a few of these:

2: Boat draws 3'8" fully loaded (lowest point is the props), but even at 6 feet, I stir a good bit of mud off the bottom while maneuvering.
3: Boat is designed for port side to docking (power ports, midship step point through the rail and side cabin door are all only on the port side, stbd only has an aft step point). Backing in is easier than backing out in my mind (although I'm fine with either as a transient). Plus, the water fill as on the aft deck, so I don't have to uncoil as much hose if I'm backed in.
4: Boat has plenty of power-sucking 120v equipment, so it's not hard to draw 40+ amps at times on each of my 50A legs.

 

[jleonard]

Good neighbors
Clean bathrooms
Good staff
Good price
Wifi
Adequate electricity and water and parking
Good protection from currents and wind
Not overly picky about rules

 

[Pete Meisinger]

I have kept my boats, more or less permanently at nearly a dozen different marinas. Lake Superior and Lake Michigan.

Here is what is important to me:

1) Staff, particularly the owner and department heads.
2) The other residents, I don't like snobs.
3) Location, I don't like to have to drive more than a couple hours from my dirt home. Also don't like to have to listen to endless sirens, factories, dirty air, freeway or airport traffic.
4) Clean bathrooms !
5) Cost of services. Free services at my marina include towing from about 20 miles or so, free pump outs, Loan of certain tools, free unlimited credit, free jack stand or cradle storage, free advice, use of the owners jeep,etc
6) Dockage and storage price.
7) Moderately clean water in the slips, sidewalks free of goose ****, regular garbage and recycling pickup, dogs around the marina must be a pleasure to be around.
8) Annual events. July 4th party, fitting out party, chili contests, etc.
9) Nearby restaurants, shopping, services. We are now getting near the bottom of the list, these items don't carry much weight.
10) Floating docks which don't wobble.

There might be more things but I think these mostly cover it. None are really "deal breakers" except maybe #1, the owner and his top staff. I am at "HiSeas Marina" in Oconto, WI and the owner, John and #1 man J.C. really make the difference!!!

pete

 

[rslifkin]

3) Location, I don't like to have to drive more than a couple hours from my dirt home. Also don't like to have to listen to endless sirens, factories, dirty air, freeway or airport traffic.

That's a really good one I forgot about. I'm a bit spoiled right now, as the boat is a 6 - 8 minute drive from the dirt house (depending on traffic).

 

[O C Diver]

Good floating docks protected from currents, waves, and wind as much as possible.

Day and night time security.

Clean restrooms.

Ample paved parking near the docks.

Modern well maintained shore power pedestals.

Municipal water.

Convenient pumpout facilities.

Good night time lighting of docks, walkways, and parking lots.

Ted

 

[Pete Meisinger]

Good point rslifkin, "Not overly picky about rules".

It goes both ways. I'll overlook your "yappy" dog for a while and you can forgive me for taking most of the prime parking while I am working on a project.

pete

 

[Codger2]

Good floating docks protected from currents, waves, and wind as much as possible.

Day and night time security.

Clean restrooms.

Ample paved parking near the docks.

Modern well maintained shore power pedestals.

Municipal water.

Convenient pumpout facilities.

Good night time lighting of docks, walkways, and parking lots.

Me too! Same order.

 

[Solly]

#1 Wind, waves and current.
#2 A couple liveaboards on the dock who will look out for the boat when we aren't there.
#3 Friendly management and staff who actually walk the docks and check things out.
#4 Where the rowdy slip holders are weekend warriors. We go mostly thru the week.

 

[twistedtree]

Wasn’t there a thread along these lines recently?

One key question, which I think you answered but it’s worth confirming.... are we talking about a home marina or someplace you will stay for multiple months. Or are we talking about transient stays. The answers get quite different.

 

[cafesport]

We have a home slip which apparently wouldn’t meet a number of the criteria mentioned so far. When we’re not there we are mostly anchored. If we do stay in a marina it’s usually for provisioning repairs or hiding from storms.

 

[tiltrider1]

Do they allow liveaboards.

 

[menzies]

Concrete dock in a fixed water level lock protected lagoon.

Channel directly into the AICW.

One minute walk from the back door.

That about covers it.

[The food at the "restaurant" could be a bit better though!]

 

[menzies]

Wasn’t there a thread along these lines recently?

That was about yacht clubs.

 

[GFC]

Important stuff:
1. Well constructed, secure floating docks in protected waters
2. Water and 50A 240V and 50A 125V
3. Dock security at night
4. Close to home (ours is 10 minutes from our dirt home)
5. Friendly dock neighbors
6. The microbrewery that's right at the top of the docks


Not so important:
bathrooms, showers, nearby stores,

 

[O C Diver]

Concrete dock in a fixed water level lock protected lagoon.

Channel directly into the AICW.

One minute walk from the back door.

That about covers it.

[The food at the "restaurant" could be a bit better though!]

Nope that doesn't work for me. I don't want to listen to some fishhead lighting off the diesels at 5AM. I like serenity in my backyard when enjoying the pool with an adult beverage not a**holes racing up and down the AICW trying to wake the dead.

Ted

 

[SoWhat]

My home marina is a 5 minute walk. Everything else is optional.
Transient marina, place to tie up. Everything else is optional.

Note: I reserve the right to board a neighboring boat to tie off their slapping halyards after 10PM.

Worst marina: Many years ago in Gloucester Harbor with numerous fish processing plants going 24/7, hot humid night with no wind. Absolutely suffocating. Amenities ceased to matter.

 

[BandB]

We keep our boats at a location that doesn't really fit the bill of a true marina, but serves our purposes well.

1. Covered, basically indoors, so protects from weather.
2. Lots of walking space and storage space.
3. Get fuel by delivery and save considerable on fuel.
4. Hurricane protection.
5. Good electric and water.
6. Private

Now we also use many marinas on a transient basis. For them it is,

1. Quality and condition of docks.
2. Depth of approach and at docks.
3. Availability of trash disposal and of pump out.
4. Quality electricity and water.
5. Proximity to those things we want to do or see. Easy access by water and land.
6. Cleanliness.
7. Type of customer attracted. We like small or large boats, liveaboard or not. We don't like derelict vessels or drunks roaming the docks. Looking for places a lady or gentleman will be comfortable.

Now, I didn't list restrooms or showers or laundry facilities as important as they are not directly important to us. However, indirectly their condition and cleanliness is in that they'll often reflect the same things as the overall marina. What are the odds the place with out of order restrooms will also have issues with their pump out? The place with filthy showers will often have poor security of the entire premises.

First class doesn't mean fancy, doesn't mean expensive, doesn't mean yachts, but it means maintained to a proper level in all ways, including selection of tenants. It's a place you'd be comfortable bringing children.

 

[menzies]

Nope that doesn't work for me. I don't want to listen to some fishhead lighting off the diesels at 5AM. I like serenity in my backyard when enjoying the pool with an adult beverage not a**holes racing up and down the AICW trying to wake the dead.

Ted

Nope. Short video my wife and I did on our little set up!

Our dock faces the lock!

 

[markpierce]

And at least a couple of good restaurants within easy walking distance. And if a liveaboard, a nearby grocery store and convenient public transport.

 

[Lou_tribal]

We keep our boats at a location that doesn't really fit the bill of a true marina, but serves our purposes well.

1. Covered, basically indoors, so protects from weather.
2. Lots of walking space and storage space.
3. Get fuel by delivery and save considerable on fuel.
4. Hurricane protection.
5. Good electric and water.
6. Private

Now we also use many marinas on a transient basis. For them it is,

1. Quality and condition of docks.
2. Depth of approach and at docks.
3. Availability of trash disposal and of pump out.
4. Quality electricity and water.
5. Proximity to those things we want to do or see. Easy access by water and land.
6. Cleanliness.
7. Type of customer attracted. We like small or large boats, liveaboard or not. We don't like derelict vessels or drunks roaming the docks. Looking for places a lady or gentleman will be comfortable.

Now, I didn't list restrooms or showers or laundry facilities as important as they are not directly important to us. However, indirectly their condition and cleanliness is in that they'll often reflect the same things as the overall marina. What are the odds the place with out of order restrooms will also have issues with their pump out? The place with filthy showers will often have poor security of the entire premises.

First class doesn't mean fancy, doesn't mean expensive, doesn't mean yachts, but it means maintained to a proper level in all ways, including selection of tenants. It's a place you'd be comfortable bringing children.

I join you on some point here, especially cleanlyness, quality of the docks, and the people roaming on the dock. In my previous marina, some bums living nearby were roaming on the dock and it was a bit annoying. Ok let me be clear, I don't care about people walking on dock and adept of boat porn, I do this myself, but when these guys are drunk, barely able to walk or talk and annoy people around well... I do not blame it on the so called bums as for me people responsible were the ones leaving the gate open because they were not able to remember a 4 digits code ( especially after the sunset).
About dock quality I would add that when water/power tower on the dock seems flimsy cause the marina owner do not want to spend 10c on a screw to fix it properly well the conclusion is easy on everything else.
Up here for trash disposal and pump out it is pretty much standard everywhere same for electricity and water.

I would add also a marina who know how to care about boats (based on my recent experience).

L

 

[Comodave]

I agree that a great staff is important, but the dockmaster here is a bozo, or so my wife says... we keep our boat at our home.

 

[menzies]

I agree that a great staff is important, but the dockmaster here is a bozo, or so my wife says... we keep our boat at our home.

How's the restaurant?

 

[mvweebles]

Reasons I've been disappointed with marinas or bypassed entirely.

Too many liveaboards. A handful of quiet sneak-aboards is cool.

Rickety Docks with lousy cleats and inadequate dock boxes

Inadequate wifi or cell phone service especially if wifi is supposed to be included in slip fee.

Surge or wake traffic.

Single finger Docks.

Lousy parking (unless there is a good reason - middle of a city for example).

Cheap ownership. Manifested by dumb fees, poor maintenance, low quality bathrooms, etc.

Nothing nearby. Doesn't take much - sandwich place, place to grab ice, etc. .

 

[menzies]

What about short (~15 feet) fingers with piles for your bow line?

 

[Comodave]

How's the restaurant?

It is outstanding. Really great food and excellent service.

 

[menzies]

It is outstanding. Really great food and excellent service.

I hope you tip well.

Me? I just give full access to my wallet!

 

[SteveK]

All the good points have been mentioned.
What I like best about my marina is that it does not need locked gates to access the docks

 

[Pete Meisinger]

Great way to look at it "mvweebles" . a different way to look at basically the same thing.

Also, I intended this post to be about your more or less permanent home marina. Maybe I should start a thread about what we look for in a transient slip. Im sure there is a huge difference. I am much less picky about a transient slip, If i don't like it I just fire up and leave, I'll be leaving anyway.

On my original post I neglected to add: 11) Decent WIFI. I guess I am so used to lousy wifi at marinas I am just expecting it nowadays.

pete

 

[timb]

i guess i'm not as picky as most . . my budget is most likely less also.
mine for my home slip are
1.safe
2. clean
3.affordable
4. full finger pier
5.able to live aboard in case i ever get to.