14 NATCHEZ ON THE WATERFRONT


than a joy, either it or its owner’s days in boating will be numbered. There will always be a certain


number of ‘water rats’, who may well find as much joy in tinkering with the boat to keep it working as in the actual use of it, but that is a fairly limited market. Most owners are looking to sail as a way of getting away from it all and are not looking to spend all of their precious free time working on the boat. Unfortunately, as boats have


more and more features packed on board, they are becoming more and more complicated, with more and more opportunities for things to go wrong. This is at a time when the


boating population worldwide is getting older. Another way of putting it is the younger generations are not getting into sailing and many in their late 20s to 40s try it and quit because the boat would not work when they wanted to use it. The cost of operating a boat


is expensive, reliability of usage is much lower than many other recreations (there may be a mechanical problem preventing use), it is more weather-dependent that most other sports activities and the family may prefer to spend their leisure time doing something else. In addition, financial strains


and uncertainty for the future are factors, but the boating industry would be well-advised to take note of what both the automobile and hotel industries have done in terms of keeping and attracting customers. The cost of entry into boating is high and rising, so buyers now have an expectation that it will work and there is little that they have to do and, more importantly, it should be easy to operate without any training (similar to a new car). The cost of a top performance


car or luxury hotel suite is high. Most automobile manufacturers now have lower cost models and most hotels offer lower price rooms. This is done to attract traffic converting into customers, who can be upgraded over time. While both the boat and car industries have warrantee programs, the automobile industry seems to be


MARINA ASIA-PACIFIC • MAY 2016


moving towards including the cost of normal service in the purchase price. The automobile industry is also continuing to move rapidly towards interchangeable and more generic parts. This is not entirely an altruistic decision as it allows a reduction of a manufacturer’s inventory and reduces the time needed to obtain replacement parts. To improve customer loyalty, marinas should create a concierge service for boats, allowing the asilor to call the day before and have the marina/boatyard check out the boat and make sure everything is running properly. There is nothing more likely to convince a sailor to leave boating if, having paid thousands to hundreds of thousands of Dollars for a boat then it fails to work properly after boarding it with friends, family or a customer. It is usually something simple that could be fixed in a few minutes such as a dead battery or damp spark plugs, so having a mechanic on duty at the busiest time of boat usage – usually weekends and holidays – solves many of the simpler problems that are the largest cause for people to give up on boating. The automobile industry is


now going out of its way to make customers feel special and to keep


them appraised of service if more than just a simple fix. Boatyards should do a lot more in that regard, including inviting customers to see work in progress at night or on the weekend, sending e-mail updates and pictures, as well as updating them on the status of repairs and anticipated time of completion. Most important of all is trying hard to minimise the overall down time. Follow up calls go a long way to making a sailor feel appreciated and more than just a paying customer. Monthly or every other month during the boating season, it is also good practice to check out customers’ boats. Create more interaction with


customers – post notes and pictures on social media of the good things that customers’ boats are experiencing. Marinas should also organise


regattas, races and other boating events such as customer appreciation days, boat shows and try-a-boat opportunities, as well as work with the local groups, clubs and their municipality to hold events at the facility. The casual visitor of today may well turn out to be the valued customer of tomorrow. Seeking to lure potential


customers into or return to boating has given rise to the niche ‘club’


boating market, which is still in its infancy with limited boating choices, but the appeal is that they can secure a boat at specific marinas and in other holiday locations. Make the facility more inviting


and picturesque – empty rubbish bins on a regular basis to prevent overflowing and make sure the bathrooms are cleaned frequently, particularly on days of heavy boat usage.


What the boating industry has


not yet accomplished is to elevate sailing to become the ‘in thing’. The next generation must be attracted to buy a boat and enjoy the boating lifestyle. If not, there will be less active sailors, fewer people attending boat shows to choose their craft and marinas will ultimately be left asking, “where have all the sailors gone?”


*Dan Natchez is President of Daniel S. Natchez and Associates Inc, a leading international environmental waterfront design consulting company specialising in the design of marinas and marina resorts throughout the world. Your comments and enquiries are invited on Tel: +1 914 698 5678, by Fax: +1 914 698 7321, by E-mail: dan.n@ dsnainc.com or on his Website: http://www.dsnainc.com


Fewer people attending boat shows will ultimately affect marinas.


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