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INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Evolving Nature of Marinas: Gone are the days of adding a flimsy line of floats and/or unplanned marina expansions. This is a function of many factors but two stand out – regulations and boater demands. Boats have been getting longer, wider and deeper, and have more and more stuff on board, particularly electric stuff. While years ago a 15 amp circuit was all that was needed, 30 and 50 amp service is becoming a standard for “average” marinas today, and it can range to 100 to 200+ amps for larger sized boats. Sturdier and attractive docking facilities are important, with increased flotation and widths for the various utilities and fixtures. Specialty marinas are more common than not for various clienteles, ranging from mega to super yachts to sports fishing, to powered racing boats, to various classes of ocean or lake racing sailboats, to whatever one can imagine. Many facilities are emphasizing maintenance and repair service, while others have done away with boat service and are focused on amenities. At the same time rack storage (available for boats up to 60 feet with cabins) and other types of in- water covered storage (available for boats up to 300 plus feet) are becoming more and more popular. When one understands the high cost of the boats and how infrequently many are used, it’s easy to see the increased appeal for covered storage and its ability to keep the boats cleaner, protect them from the elements and reduce maintenance. More than ever before almost
every marina has to find its niche to make it stand apart from other facilities, no different than the
hotel industry. One can find 5 star hotels in the same area with room charges ranging from $350 to over $700 per night. Why are people attracted to the different hotels? The answer is the value that is perceived by the customer. Many times a facility, whether it be a marina or other business, loses sight of the fact that their success or fate is based upon how customers perceive the facility and the value received compared to the price paid. Many marinas are also
changing and gearing themselves to becoming a destination both for transients as well as locals. Festivals, cookouts, social functions are no longer the anomaly at marinas. Today’s marinas are increasingly hospitality center oriented facilities for both boaters and non-boaters. And the boating community,
more than most reactional activities, is relatively close knit. They talk to and text each other. They can be your best advertisement or your worst enemy. Once in a negative mindset it is very hard to turn it around. That is the nature of the hospitality business. Catering to the demands of customers has to be a number one priority in the marina business.
Increasing Regulatory Environment: Big brother continues to create more and more challenges and issues for the marine industry, many times using computer modeling and matrixes. Bottom line is there are numerous regulations that the industry currently faces and they will continue to get tighter. However, a formula for working with neighbors and the various
levels of overview, from the concept stage through the design to approval stage, can be fruitful. Pre-application discussions with agencies and neighbors can go a long way toward explaining desires, alternatives and economic impacts, flushing out perceptions and issues of concern and how they can be mitigated, as well as showing how it can work within the regulations without setting a precedent. Doing one’s homework and
understanding the site’s benefits and challenges can help clear up perspectives within the minds of others. Keeping the various governmental officials involved in the process and making them your partners as opposed to your adversaries the greater your chances for success.
The Profit and Loss Columns: When all is said and done, the vision, the development and the operations end up at the P&L statement. If the facility cannot be profitable it cannot survive. Creating a meaningful business plan, finding the desired niche and operations are mandatory. Some facilities have built their market on service, some on specialty facilities, some on price. Although many customers might not believe it, marinas traditionally have been too reluctant to increase pricing. And the further one falls behind on pricing the harder it becomes to make the ongoing investments that allow for the continued success of the facility.
The key to pricing has to do with, as mentioned above, the PERCEPTION BY THE CUSTOMER OF THE VALUE RECEIVED FOR THE FEE BEING PAID.
DECEMBER 2016 FORE & AFT 55
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