Marina Dock Age

Marinas depend on the longevity of their products. Whether it's docks, dock pedestals or pumpout systems, most suppliers will outline a maintenance plan to help marinas make their products last.

In today’s rough economic times, maintenance of existing equipment takes on greater importance at marinas and boatyards across the country. Marinas are spending extra time and effort so they can prolong and protect their existing assets.  To achieve this goal, facilities are depending more and more on their suppliers for guidance on proper maintenance procedures.

Docks and decks

Steve Ryder, project development manager, southeast, for Bellingham Marine Industries, believes that maintenance has taken on a much greater role in today’s economy than in the past, and this is good for both marinas and suppliers.

“As suppliers, we encourage customers to maintain their products because our products are our best salespeople,” Ryder said. “If the product is not properly maintained, however, there is the perception that the product is not very good.”

From the marinas’ viewpoint, maintenance is one of the major factors they consider when purchasing dock and deck equipment. To help marinas maintain their docks and decks, most suppliers provide their customers with a maintenance manual detailing specific inspections marinas should make during the first and second years after the docks has been put in place. If marinas spot any problems, they should report them immediately to the suppliers, and expect a satisfactory repair or replacement.

Although manufacturers may build the greatest products with the greatest materials for the marina industry, these products still need to be properly maintained. Ryder noted that docks are constantly moving and being attacked continuously by rains, winds, pollution, hurricanes, tornadoes and Nor’easters. “This constant wear and tear on the docks is pretty hard on its parts and components,” Ryder said.

While marinas are cutting back on their dock and deck expansions and replacements, they are not cutting back on their efforts to extend the life of their equipment. “They want to make the product last as long as possible,” Ryder said. The key to this effort is visually inspecting the docks and decks to find cracked wood, failing concrete and corroded bolts, and getting them fixed or replaced as quickly as possible.

Although suppliers offer preventive maintenance contracts to marinas, few take them because they are expensive, and most dock and deck maintenance is simple to perform. Ryder warned, however, that most marinas are working with fewer people and as a result, sometimes leave dock and deck maintenance to one time at the end of the boating season. Ryder urged marinas to avoid this pitfall and make weekly or semi-weekly inspections to keep their dock and deck equipment up and running with a minimal expense.

Dock pedestals

Christopher Dolan, marina application engineer for Eaton Power & Lighting, Williamsburg, Vir., said that there’s been a real change over the last five years or so in the way marinas approach electrical maintenance.

Four or five years ago, if a marina found a faulty piece of equipment, it wouldn’t hesitate to replace it with a brand new product. Today, however, if it’s a simple loose wire or a faulty connection, marinas are on the phone to the supplier’s technical support center to ask questions, get answers to their problems and find out how to make their existing products last longer.

To help marinas properly maintain their dock pedestals, Dolan said that deck pedestal suppliers provide brochures or manuals with detailed operating and maintenance procedures. “In our case, we provide the customer with a 16- to 20-page detailed operations and maintenance manual,” Dolan said. “It offers specific preventive maintenance programs for marinas. We urge marinas to do their own troubleshooting of equipment because it’s fairly simple.”

Annual inspections of marina electrical equipment are not just part of the providers’ manuals, the National Electrical Code also requires them under the National Fire Protection Association Code Section 303 on the safe operation of electrical equipment at marinas. In addition to these inspections, Dolan urged marina staff to replace any faulty equipment as soon as they spot it.

Eaton offers a warranty program on its parts and housing, but it requires marinas to perform some simple maintenance tasks, such as cleaning the housing two or three times a year, to enjoy the warranty’s stipulations.

Pumpouts

Maintenance is important for the proper operation of pumpout systems, but many marinas have so many things to do during their daily operations that they don’t spend as much time on pumpout maintenance as they should, according to Peter Burlison, vice president of Edson Pump Division in Bedford, Mass.

When it comes to pumpouts, Burlison pointed out that it is simply not cost-effective for pumpout suppliers to have field service staff to provide maintenance. As a result, Edson has a group of dealers that provide maintenance services, some even offering preventive maintenance contracts for customers. He added that Edson provides all of its customers with maintenance and operations manuals and provides parts and service information on its Web site.

Pumpouts are different from docks, decks and dock pedestals in the sense that most marinas and boatyards are not concerned about their cost, Burlison pointed out.  That’s because marinas use CVA grants to pay for most of the pumpouts they install.

When it comes to pumpouts, Burlison noted, marinas focus on their reliability, durability and service availability. “Nobody is in love with pumpout systems,” Burlison said. “On the other hand, marinas know their customers need pumpouts, they have to provide them, and they need to avoid downtimes.”

Because pumpout systems have undergone rigorous testing as part of the CVA Grant program, marinas feel confident that the marina pumpout systems are very well built and will last for several years with proper maintenance.

If marinas expect suppliers to uphold warranties if problems arise, marinas need to make sure they follow the maintenance guidelines set up by the manufacturer.

The major pumpout systems failings are with hoses and couplings, not the pump itself, Burlison noted. If the pumpout system is down, however, the marina wants it fixed as soon as possible, so speed is essential. “We can supply all parts and services within 24 hours,” Burlison said.

In building pumpout systems, Burlison pointed out that suppliers have to make a judgment call that balances flexibility, durability, user friendliness and costs. He added that marinas can get the most out of their pumpout systems by following the supplier’s guidelines and calling the supplier for needed parts and equipment.

Better results

If marinas and boatyards want to keep their equipment lasting longer and performing more reliably, they would do well to heed the maintenance guidelines offered by their suppliers. Although there’s no guarantee that the equipment will be more durable and not need replacement, the sure way to shorten their lifespan is by neglecting proper maintenance.

Do you ever wonder what customers are looking for when they’re going through the process of selecting a marina for their prized possessions?  Well, if you’re not concerned, then the odds are you’re missing out on some worthwhile customers. Knowing what your customers want and need is critical to your success.

To help marinas better understand what their prospective customers desire, here’s a checklist provided by Wayne and Joan Church of the Cape Coral, Fla., Power Squadron and augmented by the editorial staff.

_____Is the facility well maintained, attractive and sanitary?

_____Are the restrooms clean and neat?

_____Does the marina have signs on their docks for potable water and trash containers?

_____Are the docks clean and free of obstacles?

_____Is the electrical system up-to-date, approved by NFPA and powerful enough to meet the electrical needs of the largest boats?

_____Are ground fault circuit interrupters provided on all 15-20A and 120V receptacles?

_____Is all hardware hardwired and not using extension cords?

_____Are the docks, ramps and decks wide enough to meet ADA standards?

_____Do the slips have handrails?

_____Are cleats and pilings in good shape?

_____Is the dockbox suitable for your needs?

_____Is there adequate fire protection, including fully charged fire extinguishers, throwable ring buoys throughout the dock area and signs posted on what to do in an emergency?

_____Does the marina have a pumpout station?

_____Is there adequate parking?

_____Is the area well lit at night?

_____What type of security is provided?

_____Is the rental agreement reasonable, spelling out rules and regulations regarding pets, noise, cooking and fishing?

_____Does the marina have liability insurance?

_____Does the marina have berths for transient boaters?

_____Can you bring in an outside contractor to work on your boat at the marina?

_____Does the marina offer diesel and gas fuel?

_____Is the ship’s store adequately stocked?

_____Does the marina offer wireless connectivity to its customers?

_____Does the marina provide what it advertises?

If the prospective customer obtains satisfactory answers to all these questions, that individual will probably be quite satisfied in keeping his boat at your marina.

Whether it’s the clear, crisp sunrise on a sunny day overlooking Puget Sound or the damp, rainy clouds of spring and fall, the marina staff at Swantown Marina & Boatworks, is a real leader in keeping the waters clean. The marina does this through:

• Clean Marina practices
• daily attention to environmental hazards
• strict vessel requirements for leases
• environmentally conscious boatyard practices
• fostering customer cooperation.

Clean Marina and beyond

The Port of Olympia owns and operates Swantown Marina, a Washington state Clean Marina. The state Dept. of Ecology and Natural Resources, the Northwest Marine Trade Association, Washington Sea Grant, the Puget Soundkeeper Alliance and the EnviroStar Cooperative offer the program to marinas, boatyards and retailers, and Swantown Marina is among the 10 percent of all facilities in the state to receive certification, according to an article in The Olympian, the local newspaper.

In addition to being a Clean Marina, Swantown is one of the few marinas (2 percent of all marinas in the state) that received the Leadership Award granted by the Puget Soundkeeper Alliance, a Seattle-based watchdog group that monitors and patrols Puget Sound in search of polluters. This group has inspected the marina three times in the past year leading up to the award. Swantown Marina has passed each inspection with the highest numbers.

Vigilant effort

Ever since Swantown Marina & Boatworks, a 700-slip facility, opened in 1983, the marina has been a leader in keeping Puget Sound’s waters clean. The “vigilant cooperation” among its enlightened programs, dedicated staff and cooperative customers all contribute to the marina’s efforts to be environmental leaders.

Swantown Marina’s efforts begin at sunrise and continue until dusk. Twice a day, everyday of the year, marina employees visually inspect each of the nearly 700 and more vessels moored at the facility. The employees are looking for electrical problems, faulty bilge pumps and fuel leaks that could cause a boat to sink, catch fire and pollute Budd Inlet, where the marina is located.

The marina also uses four golf carts and two electric trucks to patrol the grounds. This saves the marina about $2,800 a year in fuel costs and reduces emissions into the atmosphere.

Lease requirements

Swantown Marina’s efforts to keep Puget Sound clean begin with the leasing process. Before the marina accepts a vessel for moorage, it must:

• pass seaworthiness and overall condition inspections
• have a working, onboard sewage system with a holding tank.

“If they don’t pass, they are rejected,” Bruce Marshall, port harbor director said.

Swantown Marina has approximately 70 liveaboards, and each one of them is fully aware of their responsibilities to stop pollution of the water. Although the port pumps holding tanks on the boats of liveaboards twice a month, it also records tank conditions to ensure worthiness. The marina encourages all liveaboards to use freshwater and a sponge to clean their vessels at least once a week.

Practices in the workyard

The environmental programs at Swantown Marina & Boatyard include proper painting procedures. All sanding and painting must be done in a contained section of the marina and is limited to the 25 percent of a boat’s above water surface.  The marina requires boaters to perform larger jobs at a permitted boatyard.

Customer cooperation

Although the marina staff is vigilant in its pollution efforts, it also realizes that it could not be successful without the cooperation of its customers. No one knows when and where an emergency will occur, and to help customers deal with these emergencies, Swantown Marina:

• has a water pump and oil absorbent pads on its 12 docks
• supplies tenants with brochures, posts signs on the dock and distributes placards for their vessels about measures boaters must take to keep pollution out of the water
• promotes practices like the use of  freshwater to frequently clean boats so boaters don’t need to use soaps and degreasers.

Cooperation takes the effort of two, and the marina recognizes that convenience is essential to getting boater cooperation, so it:

• provides garbage bins and recycling stations near the docks
• sets aside two places for the recycling of used motor oil
• provides specially marked collection stations at the adjacent Swantown Boatyard, so boaters can properly dispose of the hazardous waste generated onboard their vessels.

All the programs that the marina implements are part of a proactive stance toward the environment, and the marina’s boaters know this.  “Generally speaking, boaters care about the environment,” Marshall said. “We just want to make it easy for them to comply with the marina’s environmental program.”

In 2008, the city-owned River Street Marina in Port Huron, Mich., was operating at a $200,000 deficit and had been for years. Then, it hired the firm Acheson Ventures to turn things around. With the management firm’s experience operating other facilities and the attention to detail by Dave Brown, Acheson’s director of marine operations, River Street Marina turned an $18,000 profit its first year as a public/private partnership between Acheson and the city.

Experience

Brown brought extensive experience to River Street Marina. He grew up in the marina business as a dock attendant. After college, in 1980, he became a managing partner and owner of Bridgeview Marina in Ontario, Canada. In 2005, Brown began operating Sarnia Bay Marina, which functions much like River Street Marina as a joint venture with the city of Sarnia, Ontario, and in 2006, he joined Acheson Ventures. “I’m a self-confessed workaholic,” said Brown, who has also been overseeing Acheson’s other facility, Desmond Marine, in Port Huron, Mich., since 2005.

Equal partnership

The public/private partnership at River Street Marina runs like an equal partnership. Acheson Ventures maintains the facility in terms of management and administrative and maintenance and repair costs, while the city handles major capital improvements. Acheson did fund part of the original upgrades when the firm took over management to support the influx of change it hoped for the marina. In the future, the marina has plans to upgrade its electrical service, which the city will fund.

The River Street Marina revitalization ended in 2009 with an almost $70,000 profit its second year under Acheson management. And in the public/private partnership, Acheson and the city of Port Huron split those profits equally.

As a marina operator, Brown wears many different hats – owner and management firm operator of private and public facilities. Fundamentally, though, he doesn’t see a huge difference in how any of the facilities are run, as long as they’re maintaining his standards of excellence.

In terms of the public/private partnership with the city of Port Huron, the marina has the added support of the city. “Once they see you have the passion and desire to improve the boating community in their area, then city managers and mayors will get behind the whole aspect of improvement,” Brown said.

He also said it’s important to note, “You don’t do that overnight.” If marinas sustain progress over time, local governments will buy into their passionate plans for running the business, Brown said.

In terms of working with the government, “The word that comes into play is patience,” Brown said.

The turnaround

When Acheson took over management of River Street Marina for the city of Port Huron, Brown quickly identified some glaring problems that had prevented the facility from running profitably. “The labor costs were somewhat suspect with very little control measures,” Brown said. “We brought entrepreneurship into play. We really know the dos and don’ts, as they relate to repair and maintenance and strict budgets.”

Cost control

In terms of managing labor costs, Brown views the marina operation in two distinct periods – prime time and non-prime time. Prime time days, Brown said, are Fridays, Saturdays and sometimes, Thursdays, during which the marina makes sure to properly staff for these busier periods. During the rest of the non-prime times, the marina doesn’t require as many dock attendants.

The other aspect to controlling labor costs relates to the seasonal business. While the marina opens April 15, Brown said it doesn’t require a heavy staff until the end of May. The “skeleton crew,” as Brown calls them, working skeleton hours does a lot to control labor costs.

Standards of excellence

“I’m at the helm to make sure the ship is going in the right direction,” Brown said, but he puts a heavy burden on the marina staff to live up to what he calls the “standards of excellence.”

For Brown, his standards of excellence relate in part to adding amenities for boaters. When Acheson took over management at River Street Marina, it renovated the bathrooms, including adding air conditioning and new fixtures, and repaired the docks. While Brown knew boaters would appreciate these amenities, his objectives reach far beyond the services of the marina.

Brown doesn’t try to micromanage his operations, but “As the conductor, I really emphasize the standards of excellence, whereby the interaction with the boaters are held in the highest regard,” he said.

“When a boater arrives at the slip, he’s welcomed with a handshake and trained attendants that know how to tie up a boat properly,” Brown said. The River Street Marina staff will also make reservations for boaters, pick up their garbage and hand deliver newspapers or coffee. He calls it the 5-star treatment. “You look at the best hotels, and customer service is superb. We emphasize that on an extreme basis,” Brown said.

Ambassadors

Dock attendants or ambassadors, as Brown calls them, are paramount to the marina’s standards of excellence. However, training the River Street Marina staff to understand the standards of excellence and practice them everyday did not happen over night. “When you take over a place where complacency has set in, you have to make changes in the mind set of people,” Brown said.

The dock attendants are the first people that boaters meet and the last to see them as they leave. “On a day to day basis, we train these attendants to think the way we think. We assist whenever we can,” Brown said. When Acheson took over management, the current staff was given time to buy into the concept, but those that didn’t, no longer work at River Street Marina.

Perseverance is also important. “Quite often owners will start something and let it slack off. I just won’t let that happen, and everyone knows it,” Brown said. He is by no means a dictator at his marinas but a quiet observer who will immediately address issues with his managers.

Proactive marketing

Another important factor to Acheson’s success relates to its interaction with the local community. At Sarnia Bay Marina, Brown’s other public/private partnership, he started a Welcome Mat Ambassador Club, where he partners with local merchants, hotels and other retail operators in the area to extend the standards of excellence into the community.

As members of the Welcome Mat Ambassador Club, vendors provide vouchers for their services, and the marina provides complimentary shuttle service for its boaters to the members’ establishments. Merchant partners get Welcome Mat decals for their front doors, and the response has been tremendous, Brown said.

After some adjustment time, River Street Marina is now ready to implement the Ambassador program in the Port Huron community. Already the marina offers its boaters a pocket folder with information about local merchants and vouchers that give boaters incentive to visit them. “I didn’t want to start the [Ambassador Club] before we were ready,” Brown said. Now that River Street Marina exemplifies his standards of excellence, he plans to start a complimentary shuttle service next season.

Anna Townshend is senior editor of Marina Dock Age. She can be reached by phone at 847/647-2900 ext. 1308 or via e-mail at: atownshend@prestonpub.com.

In just the last few years, the Internet has exploded in almost every industry, changing the way companies do business and how they market to their customers. The Internet has not only made customers more knowledgeable, it has also given them a voice in the marketing arena.

To take advantage of the Internet’s wide scope and give boaters an easy way to interact with the boating community anywhere at anytime, Karen and Jeff Siegel started ActiveCaptain, an online interactive cruising guidebook. Now, they want to partner with marinas to provide them access to ActiveCaptain’s thousands of boaters and a risk-free, flexible marketing opportunity – called the Co-Op.

Bringing boaters and marinas together

As active boaters, the Siegels know the value of interacting with the boating community and sharing information and experiences. “When we would pull into a marina, we quickly sought information from other cruisers. Boaters are so friendly and open to sharing this type of information,” said Karen Siegel.

Additionally, all the Seigels had out on the water were the many established guidebooks, and they noticed some problems – missing or incorrect information. “Many smaller marinas were left out altogether,” said Karen Siegel.

To find a way to systematically share information with other boaters on the Web, where they can update and interact in real-time, ActiveCaptain was born five years ago. It’s what Siegel calls the “virtual dock” version of their many conversations with other boaters.

While the Web site is a powerful planning tool used by boaters before leaving the dock, Siegel said, ActiveCaptain has also integrated with marine navigation software companies, which allows boaters to take the information out on the water. Having ActiveCaptain data on a boater’s navigation screen “offers a powerful way for marinas to access boaters at just the moment they are nearby,” said Siegel.

How Co-Ops work

To help marinas access the more than 100,000 boaters that interact on ActiveCaptain, the Siegels started the Co-Op program in March. Through the ActiveCaptain Web site, marinas set up a Co-Op account, which allows them to market offers to boaters in their area.

Marinas decide what to offer boaters and enter the information through the Web site. ActiveCaptain approves all offers to ensure they are true deals. “This benefits all participants, as it keeps boaters interested,” said Siegel. Co-Op offers are time sensitive, so marinas select the Co-Ops they would like to activate and provide the start and stop time for the offer.

Marinas pay nothing upfront to offer Co-Ops to boaters. When boaters see a Co-Op in which they’re interested, they obtain a code and present that to the marina. ActiveCaptain later contacts the boater to see if the Co-Op was redeemed, and if so, the marina pays a $1.99 fee to ActiveCaptain. The marina only pays if the Co-Op is redeemed.

The Co-Op vs. traditional advertising

The Seigels have spent more than 25 years creating technology companies and think “if you’re not using the Internet, you’re missing the number one way to reach and market to customers,” Siegel said.

The Co-Op takes advantage of the Internet’s real-time community to match boaters with marinas at just the right time. Here’s why ActiveCaptain thinks the Co-Op is the new generation of marina marketing:

• Risk free – Marinas only pay a fee to ActiveCaptain if boaters use their Co-Ops. “Large upfront payments put all the risk on the marina. We think this is wrong and foolish in the quick world of communication,” said Siegel. With many marinas tightly watching marketing expenditures, the Co-Op allows marinas to test various offers without jeopardizing budgets.
• Measurability – Unlike guidebook and print ads, and even Internet advertising like banner ads, with the Co-Op, marinas know instantly what’s working and what’s not. ActiveCaptain provides marinas with statistics about what Co-Ops boaters requested and what ones they actually used.
• Flexibility – With real numbers about boater interest, marinas can remove Co-Op offers that boaters aren’t interested in, as easily as they placed them. And at no cost.
• Right place, right time – “The idea behind Co-Ops is simple: offer boaters information that they actually seek out, unlike many traditional advertising methods, which are simply something consumers put up with and ultimately, ignore,” Siegel said.
• Targeted marketing – Boaters receive special offers for areas, in which they’re interested. Co-Ops are presented to boaters when they’re doing trip planning, “reaching targeted boaters at the moment they are making their purchasing decisions,” Siegel said. Additionally, with integration in navigation software, boaters can receive Co-Ops at the precise moment that they’re approaching a marina.
• Immediacy – The Internet is all about real-time immediacy, and marketing should reflect that dynamic. With Co-Ops, there’s never a long-term commitment, and marinas can customize offers to meet current customer needs – monthly, weekly, daily and even hourly.
• Desirability – “We wanted to design an exposure medium that boaters would actually seek out and want to use,” said Siegel. Boaters are already on the ActiveCaptain Web site seeking information about destinations, and they receive special offers related to those interests.
• Partnerships – Co-Ops simply provide more for customers. “When you solve the problems of a customer, you’ll have that customer for life. When you make it easy for them to do business with you, they’ll find more ways to do more business,” Siegel said. Co-Ops can also be way to partner with other local businesses. For example, combine slip rentals with discounts on local car rentals.
• Cooperation – The term Co-Op comes from cooperation. “We view this program as a cooperation between marinas, boaters and ActiveCaptain. By cooperating we can bring more benefit to all of us,” Siegel said.
• Experimentation – At no cost, marinas can experiment with what works best. Find a unique way to provide boaters with a special incentive to come to the marina. For example, if Tuesday is historically the slowest day of the week, marinas could offer “Laundry Tuesdays” – free laundry service with a slip rental.

The endless possibilities

The number and type of Co-Ops that a marina could offer are as wide as the seas to explore. ActiveCaptain provides a few suggestions, such as:

• $1 per foot Transient Price for May – ActiveCaptain boaters enjoy $1 per foot/per night for the entire month of May 2010. Electricity not included. Based on availability.
• $0.10 Discount on Fuel – ActiveCaptain boaters receive a $0.10 discount on all fuel purchases. Come in to our convenient floating docks. We’ll help you tie up and get you quickly on your way.
• Spend Two Nights, Detail Your Boat – Come in and spend two nights at My Marina and receive 30% off your slip price. In addition, receive 50% off the cost of detailing your boat. Requires reservation 48 hours in advance to schedule boat detailing.
• Dock and Dine – Come into My Marina and receive a free entrée at My Restaurant for each nigh reserved. Try My Restaurant’s short ribs or settle into our famous crab cakes. But save some room for our pies baked fresh daily.
• Provisioning Thursdays – Come in on Thursday and fill your galley. Receive 30% off your overnight slip price and use our courtesy car to fill your galley at the nearby XYZ grocery store.

For more Co-Op examples on the ActiveCaptain Web site, click here.

“Shake off old notions, seek to be different and don’t be afraid to try something new,” said Siegel about creating Co-Op offers. She recommends taking a hard look at the marina’s strengths, capabilities, environment and other businesses in the area. “Listen to your customers to find out what attracts them to your marina,” said Siegel, who also said marinas can always ask them for help.

Marinas can enroll in the program by contacting Karen Siegel at: Karen@activecaptain.com.

Industry organizations can be an invaluable tool for sharing ideas with others. Together they can solve common problems and promote the development and growth of the marina industry.

One example of such a group is The Pacific Coast Congress (PCC) of Harbormasters and Port Managers. They are commercial and recreational marina professionals from Alaska, California, Oregon, Washington, and even British Columbia that have been meeting together since 1974.

Groups like PCC offer its members:

• organized meetings that address the changing industry
• continued growth and development through education and training
• networking opportunities with other marina professionals
• a chance to raise important issues and find solutions

Networking

A main goal behind PCC and its conferences is networking and making contact with people that can help now and in the future. “Having somebody that you can trust, that you can get a straight answer from is huge,” said Tami Hayes, harbormaster of Port of Friday Harbor in Friday Harbor, Wash., and PCC president.

Fowler said, “PCC is a ‘we’ thing. It’s the people that go there.” Members go for the mutual benefit of exchanging with each other. With lots of handshakes, smiles, and eye-to-eye contact, the PCC conferences help build professional relationships on a friendly level.

PCC holds two conferences a year. Each begins with a unique networking exercise called “Call of the Ports.” At the first main session, members introduce themselves and their facilities, as well as the issues they’re interested in discussing or specific projects on which they’re focused.

In addition to introductions, this helps connect those members with similar problems or connect the problems with solutions. Dale Fowler, marina manager of Cap Sante Boat Haven in Anacortes, Wash., and former PCC president, likes to jot down notes during these introductions. “Maybe somebody has a problem I can address, and I can catch them later,” he said. Similarly, he looks to connect with those who have his same concerns or even better, solutions.

To help facilitate those connections, members attend “Lunch with a PCC Friend,” the next day. Members can join specific roundtable discussions on the important topics brought up the previous day and lunch with others interested in the same discussion. “There’s a lot of smart, innovative people in our industry, and don’t be hesitant to copy what they do or modify it to make it better,” said Fowler.

Roundtable discussions are only one of the ways PCC members connect and learn from each other. The conference also includes:

• formal presentations by experts
• case studies and featured port presentations
• workshops and seminars
• fieldtrips
• hands-on demonstrations.

The conference also focuses on broader managerial issues. For instance, PCC brought in motivational speakers to do presentations on public speaking and HR and legal professionals to focus on the practice of hiring. Others sessions often concentrate on management and leadership training, such as sessions on anger management or dealing with difficult employees or customers.

Staying fresh

Hayes is a firm believer that she works in an extremely evolving industry and wants the conferences and its topics to always reflect that dynamic. “Things change all the time,” she said. “You constantly need to keep yourself adaptable.”

PCC tries to plan conferences that are a reflection of its members concerns. At the beginning of each conference, members receive a feedback sheet to indicate what sessions they liked, what they didn’t like, and what they’d like to see in the future.

One of the most valuable tools outside of the conference for identifying those important issues is the PCC e-mail discussion group. Even away from the conferences, PCC members are never far from each other. Members can post questions and answers for each other in an open forum format. “It’s extremely well-used,” said Hayes. “It keeps the whole group together.”

PCC also places all its conference presentations online. Members can get information from sessions they missed or just refresh their memories on important topics anytime.

Diversity

The members of PCC and the facilities they represent are very diverse – some public, some private, some big, and some small. To cater to that diversity, PCC holds each conference at a different host facility. “Most of us in marina operations are so busy we don’t have time to visit other facilities,” said Fowler, who said he’s gotten good ideas from every facility he visited.

“When you go to different regions, you focus on different topics,” Hayes said. For example, the group travels far north to Kodiak, Alaska, this fall for the next conference. Hayes said the state of Alaska is unique in how they operate in the marine industry, such as their maintenance practices during the winter. Also, because of their remote locations, facilities in Alaska do a lot of things internally that other marinas can bring outside agencies in to do. “We can learn a lot from that,” Hayes said.

Also, the board of directors represents all the different regions of the group, and PCC actively recruits newer members for elected positions. “Because you’re different and maybe we haven’t heard from you, we want to,” Hayes said.

The group includes commercial marine businesses as well. “PCC aggressively solicits product vendors in the industry to become members and have that close contact with marina managers and operators,” said Fowler. In a casual environment, facilities have the opportunity to talk to vendors about new products or concerns with products they’re already using.

“I think our sustaining members, the vendors, they’re in the industry but not on the same side of the issues. They bring something else important to the mix,” said Hayes.

Commonality

For all the diversity that PCC represents, its members come together for a common cause. “After first attending PCC, I quickly figured out that the other people attending were just like me, people trying to make their marinas or their ports work smoother,” said Fowler.

For every difference PCC members can find among themselves, they find just as many commonalities in the best ways to do business.

“I really look forward to going to each conference, especially because there’s a lot of longevity in the group,” said Hayes. “It reminds me why I enjoy my job.”

Anna Townshend is senior editor of Marina Dock Age. She can be reached by phone at 847/647-2900 ext. 1308 or via e-mail at: atownshend@prestonpub.com.

With the new Boat.Fish.Live at National Marina Day event less than a month away, celebrations should be well planned at this point. That doesn’t mean marinas have done everything they should or there still isn’t lots to do. Many of the ten host marinas and many seasonal marinas preparing to open, are putting together National Marina (NMD) celebrations with less time this year, as the new earlier June 12 date quickly approaches.

Marinas should make sure to focus on the big picture. Events don’t have to include everything under the sun, just show support for the boating industry. To make sure the little things don’t throw you off track in the coming days, here’s some planning tips.

Timeline

AMI provides marinas with a suggested planning timeline in the NMD resource kit, available online to registered marinas. Here’s what AMI suggests should already be done:

• 4 months before – Register your marina on the NMD Web site (www.nationalmarinaday.org) and receive the valuable resource kit with templates for everything from press releases to radio ads to letters to customers. (There is still time.)
• 3 months before – Order promotional material, including buttons, t-shirts, and key chains.
• 1.5 months before – If you plan to use Coast Guard or PowerSquadron at your event, contact those resources. Approach local radio stations and schedule production and airing of NMD ads the week before your celebration. Contact local newspapers and/or regional boating publications to publish a NMD print advertisement and send local or regional marine/marina magazines or newspapers a NMD news release about your event.

Here’s what’s left to do:

• 1 month before – Anything you should have already done! Better late, than never. Also, send your customers a personal letter, inviting them to the celebration. Don’t forget to tell them why it’s so important! Begin to place fliers and signage publicizing your celebration around the marina.
• 2 weeks before – Send NMD press release to local newspapers, radio stations, and television stations. Make sure you call to alert everyone it’s on the way. Call again afterwards to follow up and answer any questions.
• The day before – Call media outlets and remind them about the event. (See other last minute suggestions in the next section.)
• National Marina Day – Present your employees with an appreciation letter. (See the sample letter in the AMI resource kit.) Have fun and enjoy the day!
• Ten days after the event – Apply for the NMD Awards. Visit the NMD Web site for more details about the awards program.

Last minute organization

As the even approaches, most major plans should be in place, but the little things can get lost in the rush. Here are ten last minute things to think about:

1. fact kit – Because the day is meant to educate people about marinas, AMI suggests putting together a fact kit, including marketing brochures, information about the marina’s services, maps of the property, promotional items, or goodies from your suppliers/vendors. As visitors arrive, hand out the fact kits at a registration table. Give visitors something, and they’ll be more likely to leave their information with you. You’ll also get a chance to talk with visitors one-on-one.
2. talking to the media – In addition to reaching out to specificnewspapers, magazines, radio stations, etc., don’t forget your tenants. They may have connections that could help.
3. getting volunteers – In some cases, rounding up volunteers may be as simple as asking around town. If that falls short, go into the community, especially to non-profit organizations. Give these organizations a free place to reach the public, and they bring extra hands.
4. sprucing up – The week leading up to NMD can be a hectic cleaning time. In addition, marinas can spruce up with new landscaping, new paint, new flags, and moving boats around to make it as open as possible.
5. rain plan – What will happen if it rains? If there’s no indoor space available, have a quick, clean up plan instead.
6. layout – Marinas with lots of activity will have lots of people to organize that day. Do this ahead of time with a detailed chart of the marina. Everyone knows ahead of time where the band will be and where the cook out will take place, and each participant can choose a designated booth number.
7. jugs of water – With the earlier June date, the hot sun might not play as big a factor as it did in August, but it couldn’t hurt to have extra just in case.
8. seating for the elderly – There’s a lot going on, and someone might need to take a rest.
9. extra portable toilets – If your marina doesn’t have a lot of restrooms, consider bringing in some extra.
10. more meetings – Marinas should hold NMD meeting throughout the planning process, and those meetings should increase with frequency as the event approaches. Make sure to keep everyone involved up-to-date.

NMD goals

When the planning gets hectic, it’s important to keep in mind the overall goal. “The goal of NMD is really to get people who don’t know anything about marinas and boating to come and learn,” said Wendy Larimer, Association of Marina Industries (AMI) legislative coordinator. Each marina will take a different spin on the overall goal of education and support for the boating industry. Here’s how some marinas define their goals for the celebration:

• “We open our doors to get people down to the waterfront. If we can get new people into boating, that’s great,” said Sal Gugliar, harbormaster at New Rochelle Municipal Marina in New Rochelle, N.Y.
• “We try to get input from the community each year. Those are the people that we’d most like to get involved,” said Bump Elliot, event coordinator for Callville Bay Resort & Marina in Las Vegas, Nev.
• “We’re in a very small town. It’s really more of a customer appreciation day,” said Susie Hamblem, administrative assistant at Brisbane Marina in Bribane, Calif.
• “I always tell my staff that we’re creating memories. That’s what we do for a living,” said Jim Ruscoe, general manager at Anchorage Marina in Baltimore, Md.

Anna Townshend is senior editor of Marina Dock Age. She can be reached by phone at 847/647-2900 ext. 1308 or via e-mail at: atownshend@prestonpub.com.

Shields Marina in St. Marks, Fla., built a new ship store in-house with low maintenance materials.

After growing up at a family-owned marina that always did its own construction, Brett Shields, co-owner of Shields Marina in St. Marks, Fla., went to college to get a degree in construction and returned to the family business with a contractor’s license. He got his hands dirty early on and learned a lot about what materials last and what materials require high maintenance down the road.

Shields has built everything for his marina from docks and seawalls to bathrooms and dry storage buildings. Most recently, Shields Marina completed a new 6,000-square-foot ship store. He chose low maintenance materials that would stand up to regular wear and tear and the waterfront elements.

Low maintenance materials

Shields’ tips for selecting construction materials really boil down to one thing – paying more upfront for materials that won’t need maintenance later on will save time and money in the long run. Maintenance costs in the future can really add up, if materials aren’t chosen wisely. “Pay the price upfront, and get something that’s long term,” Shields said.

No wood

In the Florida climate, Shields Marina has a terrible termite problem. Even without infestation issues, Shields recommends not using wood, as most marinas must also contend with moisture issues on the waterfront. Wood may be a cheaper material than some of the alternatives, but it’s high maintenance. The rot, the splinters, the splitting, the wear and tear, and the slip factor were all reasons Shields quit constructing with wood some time ago.

Shields also raised questions about the long-term effects of pre-treated wood on fasteners. “I think a lot of people are on the fence as far as what these chemicals will do in the long term,” Shields said. Specifically, he’s concerned about the chemical eroding fasteners and compromising the integrity of the structure.

Concrete and steel

“With wood, you’ve got the labor and the upkeep. With concrete, you do it once, and you’re done,” Shields said. Low maintenance for Shields really means no maintenance, so he chooses concrete and steel as the building materials for his marina.

The concrete and steel docks at Shields Marina, some built as far back as the early 90s, have seen little work, if any, since then. Concrete and steel do cost more, but as Shields explains, “Concrete is cheap for what you get for your money.” Concrete is incredibly sturdy and only continually getting harder over time. Additionally, it won’t breakdown in the harsh, saltwater environments.

Tilt-wall construction

Shields chose tilt-wall construction because it's quick and sturdy.

To build his new concrete and steel ship store, Shields used a tilt-wall construction. Shields coordinated the construction, and his marina staff did the work of molding the 65,000-lb. concrete slabs that they stood up one by one with a crane.

The work required precise coordination, but it was a quick way to construct a sturdy building. “On a tilt-wall building, the best thing to do is have a big lot with parking all around the building, where you can utilize the parking area as casting beds to pour the walls,” Shields said. His site, instead, was plagued with not a lot of room, which is where the intensive coordination comes into play.

Each 65,000-lb. concrete panel must be poured and laid out (or stacked on top of each other, as was often the case at Shields Marina) in precise order, so the crane can work efficiently to erect the walls. In order to find the best placement, Shields drew a building design to scale with 65 pieces of paper that represented the concrete panels. With the right plan, the crane only had to be reset about a dozen times to construct the ship store.

Compared to masonry, tilt-wall buildings are about the same price, but the one solid piece of concrete is much stronger. Masonry work is also not as quick and much messier.

Build to the bedrock

The new ship store and all the dry storage building at Shields Marina are built upon the bedrock foundation twelve feet below the surface. The bathrooms, which Shields built in 1994, were the only buildings not constructed by drilling down to the bedrock, and they have sunk about two inches.

To construct a caisson, on which the foundation of the building could rest, Shields used an 18-inch drill auger to reach the bedrock and then filled the hole halfway with concrete. “You do that because the ground underneath is so saturated with water, the concrete prevents the hole from filling back in,” Shields said. Rebar then goes into the concrete, all the way down to the bedrock. Once the caisson is filled the rest of the way with concrete and a pile cap is poured, “You get a substantial foundation footing,” Shields said.

This flood resistant interior with stained concrete flooring and a corrugated tin ceiling also has a stylish look.

Hot-dipped, galvanized steel

Nearly everything Shields constructs is made of concrete and hot-dipped, galvanized steel (not just steel). It costs about 35 percent more, but the value is significant in the future. With a painted system, it will require maintenance to fix rust and flaking, or, “You pay upfront, and you’re done with it,” Shields said.

All the steel Shields uses is hot-dipped, galvanized with the exception of the seawall. The galvanization is a coating, Shields explains, and if that coating is breached, it starts to peel. Often times, when sliding the tongue of one piece of seawall into the groove of another piece, the galvanization can be damaged.

Interior

Shields Marina has seen its share of hurricane damage and floods and wanted an interior that could withstand some water damage. In addition to building the new ship store 18 feet off sea level, Shields constructed the interior using flood resistant materials that have a natural look and are also low maintenance and sturdy.

Shields retained the concrete flooring and added a dark blue translucent stain to polish the look. “It’s a nice alternative to carpeting and tile,” Shields said. There’s a slight amount of r value (the measure of the resistance of building material to heat flow) in concrete, which also helps with utility bills.

The concrete flooring is flood resistant—an important characteristic of much of interior materials. Inside the walls, Shields used closed cell insulation, as opposed to open cell, which he describes as a sponge. For the extra cost, the closed cell insulation won’t absorb water in the event of a leakage, and it also has a higher insulating value. “The problem with open cell is if you have a leak, it will hold that moisture. Often you can’t tell it’s leaking, until the ceiling falls in,” Shields explained.

Shields expertise in construction allowed him to manage the $1 million project to build the new ship store, and all the work was done by marina employees over a three year period.

Also, to protect against leaks in ceiling, Shields used a corrugated tin for the ship store. “I wanted that rustic look,” Shields said, “And I wanted it to be durable.” The corrugated ceiling is made from exterior grade tin and is resistant to water leakage.

On the walls, Shields also recommends high quality. For dry wall material, the new store used a thicker than normal, moisture resistant rock. “For a couple more dollars a board, you buy the best,” said Shields, who always does the same with paint. “To me the material cost is irrelevant compared to the labor cost down the road,” he explained.

Planning tips

Most marina operators do not also have the luxury and knowledge of a contractor’s license and must choose a construction leader, as well as materials. Shields said make sure a marina checks into a contractor’s background before hiring that company. Review its old projects. Also, let multiple contractors bid on the project. “If a contractor gets upset because your bidding with two other companies, then he doesn’t need to be on your team,” he explained.

In planning a construction budget, “Your material cost is not where you need to look at savings,” Shields said. “When you’re considering construction techniques, don’t consider only the initial price as your budget. Your maintenance down the road can eat you up.”

Anna Townshend is senior editor of Marina Dock Age. She can be reached by phone at 847/647-2900 ext. 1308 or via e-mail at: atownshend@prestonpub.com.

In September 2009, the BoatU.S. marine insurance division published a 24-page guide for marina and boatyard managers with proven techniques to reduce damage during hurricanes. Since location plays a key in how well facilities will weather a storm, the plan and best strategy for each facility will vary. The guide outlines successful strategies for the following scenarios:

• Floating docks with tall pilings—At most marinas, it’s the surge not the wind that does most of the damage, especially with fixed wooden docks. Additionally, wood pilings won’t hold up to the stresses that are encountered on a floating dock, which are often extreme when the dock rises during a surge. With statistical information on past storms from the National Weather Service, the likely surge heights and wind speeds can be predicted using past data. Make sure an engineering professional identifies the capabilities and limits of a facility.
  

  Boats at fixed docks—If boats must be left at fixed docks, adding more lines and longer lines to many different pilings is essential. Marinas can also reduce damage to docks and boats by moving boats to larger slips. The longer and wider the slip, the further boats will be from pilings.

• Moving boats to hurricane holes—For wet slip marinas that can take vessels to hurricane holes, this is the best option. Even if a facility can’t take every vessel to safer water, moving the larger vessels opens up larger slips for the smaller remaining boats. Marinas that have the option of moving many vessels to inland waterways should make arrangements with professional captains who can assist in the event of a hurricane.

Securing boats ashore—To minimize the damage caused from boats falling off jack stands, facilities should strap boats to the ground. Even if a jack stand topples, straps can help keep the vessel upright. In general, a secure, concrete surface with eyebolts or helical anchors screwed into the ground, along with straps that don’t stretch, work best.

• Moorings—As long as anchors don’t pull loose, moorings can effectively protect boats during a storm by allowing the boat to rise and fall with the surge. The helix screw anchor has been shown to withstand the greatest amount of pull, nearly 12,000 pounds. The other reason boats in moorings suffer damage is chafe. Using a polyester line from the cleat through the chock secured to an existing nylon line to the piling or mooring provides better chafe protection and helps absorb shock.

To download a full copy of What Works, A Guide to Preparing Marinas, Yacht Clubs, and Boats for Hurricanes visit www.BoatUS.com/hurricanes.

Even facilities that choose not to provide hurricane haul-out service in the form of pre-organized clubs, must still prepare long before a storm threatens. Determining the best configuration for boats and exactly how they will be stored should be in a written hurricane plan. Ideally, it should be part of the rental agreement and helps to legally cover marinas in the event that vessel owners’ boats are damaged or cause damage to other property. For other tips of the legalities of hurricane preparation, see the “Hurricane preparation: understanding your legal responsibilities,” in the April 2010 issue.

For additional tips from the BoatU.S. guide about hurricane preparation plans and examples of specific facility’s hurricane plans, visit Hurricane plan tips.

The BoatU.S. guide, What Works, A Guide to Preparing Marinas, Yacht Clubs, and Boats for Hurricanes, provides facilities with specific guidance about hurricane preparation plans. It includes tips about:

• Evaluating your marina—What is the storm-worthiness of your facility? Areas to consider: natural barriers that offer protection, the height of the facilities above the likely storm surge, the type of docks, and the age and condition of boat storage racks.

• Developing a Hurricane Plan—Every plan should account for the boats, docks, equipment, buildings, office, and office supplies. Put together a “Hurricane Team” – a list of former employees or boat owners who might be willing to assist your staff with hurricane preparation. Figure out exactly how many boats can be hauled in an hour, and with limited time to haul, prioritize which boats will be pulled first.

• Things to do in the off-season—Make sure the marina has the essentials for preparing for the storm and surviving afterwards, such as emergency generators and fuel, plywood, nails, flashlights, communication radios, batteries, and yellow caution tape. Make sure rental agreements spell out the boat owners’ responsibilities in the event of a hurricane, and review agreements with vessel owners every year. Finally, write down your hurricane plan, post it on your Web site, and include it with all rental contracts.

• At the start of hurricane season—Update all contact information for vessel owners. Take photos of facilities, inventory, machinery, and valuable tools for insurance purposes.

• When a Hurricane Watch is posted—Contact your Hurricane Team and review assignments, and contact vessel owners and remind them of their responsibilities. You may want to contact a rental truck agency and a storage facility in the event that you’ll need to evacuate computers, office equipment, and paperwork.

• When a Hurricane Warning in posted—Hook up and test emergency generators. Always respect city or county mandated evacuations, and finally, shut down electricity and water on the docks.

• During a hurricane—Good luck.

• After the hurricane—Rig oil containment boons around sunken boats, and photo document damage. Begin debris clean up and make two piles – debris that is reusable and debris that will be hauled away. If you must do any rebuilding, keep customers and suppliers apprised of your schedule.

For sample hurricane preparation plans from specific marinas and boatyards, visit www.boatus.com/hurricanes/marina_plans.asp.