Business Advice for Web-design for Marinas

[Bepell1]

Hello everyone. I've been in the marina industry for a few years now where I worked designing and updating our website. I'm researching the idea of building websites solely for marinas. For example, having an interactive boat slip search, reservations, payments, etc...

Many of the marina websites are really old but wanted to know what are your thoughts. I know that when I go on sites, some marinas don't have adequate photos and it drives me crazy.

Just wanted to get peoples feedback.

 

[ranger58sb]

Compare/contrast your ideas with Dockwa and Snag-A-Slip, first. Maybe the Marina Life concierge service, too.

-Chris

 

[CharlieO.]

If I can't find a good marina map on their website I just pull up Google maps.

 

[PJHoffnet]

If I can't find a good marina map on their website I just pull up Google maps.

Same here, but that doesn't provide the letter of the freeways, or numbers of the slips. It's always great to know before entering the marina what slip you're going in (either from a phone call, or email) and then being able to look at the marina 'map' with fairways and slips clearly identified so you know the slip set up (finger pier length & side, position of the power pedestal, etc) and can plan your landing accordingly.

 

[SIBERNUT]

Look at the sites for RV parks too.

 

[CharlieO.]

I think the more information that is available is helpful when coming to a new port.

I did enjoy watching the videos by pacificNWboater on the different harbors and marina approaches and layouts on YouTube even though that is not our area.

 

[rslifkin]

The biggest things I look for on a marina website are a map to give the layout, info on pricing without having to pick up the phone, and some general information and pictures about the marina. I don't have a strong preference on how to make reservations (marina website vs Dockwa vs phone). Basically, the website should give me enough information to know if I want to reserve a slip there or not without having to waste a marina employee's time by requesting more information.

 

[twistedtree]

Hello everyone. I've been in the marina industry for a few years now where I worked designing and updating our website. I'm researching the idea of building websites solely for marinas. For example, having an interactive boat slip search, reservations, payments, etc...

Many of the marina websites are really old but wanted to know what are your thoughts. I know that when I go on sites, some marinas don't have adequate photos and it drives me crazy.

Just wanted to get peoples feedback.

I would offer up two very basic questions:


1) What's the problem you are solving? "A better web site" is way too nebulous for a business plan. There need to be much more specific and quantifiable problems that you are solving.


2) Related to the above, are these problems that the marinas (your customers) WANT to solve? A "problem" is in the eye of the beholder. If the marinas already see the problems and want to solve them, then you only need to sell them once on your solution. If they don't already see the problem, then you need to sell them twice, once on the problem and again on the solution. That's obviously a much harder sell.


There also is a generational thing here. It will pass, but can be critical to the market timing of any offering. Cruisers, who are the people who make transient use of a marina, are generally older. I would guess the center of the bell curve is 55-70. People need time and money to go cruising, and that happens later in life for most people. That crowd I think makes much more basic use of their phones, web sites, etc. I think people 40 and under expect to interact with the world almost entirely through their phone. But as you get to older people, they don't, and even actively resist it in many ways. You did mention a web site not an app, but just be sure that the users of your product want to do things via the web or an app. As I said, this will evolve over time, so really is a timing consideration more than anything.

 

[Hyperion]

Hello everyone. I've been in the marina industry for a few years now where I worked designing and updating our website. I'm researching the idea of building websites solely for marinas. For example, having an interactive boat slip search, reservations, payments, etc...

Many of the marina websites are really old but wanted to know what are your thoughts. I know that when I go on sites, some marinas don't have adequate photos and it drives me crazy.

Just wanted to get peoples feedback.

As I read your post I'm actually taking a break from coding the waiting list module for the marina management software I am building. As you have noticed, there are no good enterprise software offerings for marina's in the market so they are run with a hodgepodge of spreadsheets, paper napkins, modified accounting software, and parasitic solutions. Dockwa and its competitors give the marinas software to run their operations but they do so by having them make a devil's deal to share a piece of their marina business with them. After doing extensive research while Looping and talking to all the marinas we stayed in and seeing what they had, what works, what does not I decided to create a product. I am telling you this because what they need is not just a website, although better websites would certainly be welcome, but an enterprise tool to run ops that includes a web front end. That said. If I were going to do what you seem to want to do, I would not offer them a web design service. I would create a well designed web listing of all marinas while giving the owners of the marinas the ability to manage their info on it. How you would monetize this I do not know but that would be my path. Otherwise, find yourself a "customer zero" and make a fantastic site for them at no or minimal cost and then offer the same quality to other marinas.

 

[Shrew]

I'm researching the idea of building websites solely for marinas. For example, having an interactive boat slip search, reservations, payments, etc...

You are very, very late to market on this idea. The Expedia, Trivago, Booking.com, Priceline, etc have already matured in the hotel market.

Dockwa is currently leading in the marina business. There aren't nearly the number of slips as there are hotel rooms, so I don't think there is enough of the pie to slice up. Most marinas are already working with Dockwa.

 

[Prhugret]

Response to another Marina app.

I use the DOCKWA and have been very happy with it (as have the Marina managers I spoke with). Some things I think would be of assistance that I haven’t see on a regular basis include;
1. A dock/slip layout. Safe Harbor Essex Island has a great one on their web site. In today’s technical world, it’s possible to use Google Earth and (working with the Marina), label the docks and slips. A user could access this from the app. or marina’s web site.
2. I can get gasoline prices from apps in the area I am in while driving. This feature would be most appreciated if included in an app. The Marina would update/show price and date, with contact info for an update (phone vs VHF)
3. Dock staff hours and how many staff for the transient slips would be appreciated. My wife and I are in our late 70’s with a 43’ Jefferson which is way above a floating dock (we no longer jump off to secure our boat. Without dock staff, we’re cooked.
4. Takeout/eat-in restaurants within a 1/2 mile (with menus would be most appreciated).

If you could develop a requested slip system showing availability with services (power, water, TV, slip pump out (at slip or where available) and fuel hours, (without going to the marina’s website) it would be very convenient.

Good luck. I appreciate your involvement of the consumer in your plans.

 

[Shrew]

Good luck. I appreciate your involvement of the consumer in your plans.

You may.................however, I don't typically appreciate 'data mining' of our members on this site. This is just another level of spam. Kind of like "Pre-Spam".

 

[26permacraft]

Sounds like you've spotted a niche here for modern, functional websites for marinas. I agree outdated websites can be frustrating. Updating imagery is a must, but usability should also be a priority - intuitive navigation, interactive elements, easy reservations, and real-time slip availability could be awesome features.
If I were you, I'd dive right in and develop some prototype sites. Also, market research is critical. I use this AdSpy tool for my own business - it helps me understand advertising trends and what strategies competitors are using. Maybe it could help you, too, by offering an understanding of what marinas advertise and what customers respond well to.
Overall, your idea sounds promising.

 

[The Brockerts]

As you have noticed, there are no good enterprise software offerings for marina's in the market so they are run with a hodgepodge of spreadsheets, paper napkins, modified accounting software, and parasitic solutions.

I've been an application developer for more than 40 years. Do it both professionally and as a hobby. One might say I'm coding addict. The best application I ever wrote(and it ran commercially for 30 years) was developed after I did the job for several months. I was assigned an application for a utility companies delinquent accounts and the "collectors" they sent out in the field. I went and became a "collector" for several months. I did their job and listened to them everyday and developed an applications that did everything they wanted and more.

Advice: Go work in several different marinas for several months, then you will know exactly what is needed and your product will be worth more and last longer.

The Brockerts