NATCHEZ ON THE WATERFRONT 19


People are looking for escape and boat sales since the


lockdown for the most part have been booming. The same is true for the RV industry, with many dealers noting sold- out inventories and long waiting lists.


Getting out on the water is a


super avenue and is being seized upon. As put by a Florida woman quoted in a recent NY Times article on the state of boating in the pandemic, who had just gone out this May and bought her first-ever boat, “If you go to an island, it seems like there’s no coronavirus and the boat itself is like an island. You’re separated from the stress of life”. People are looking for escape and boat sales since the lockdown for the most part have


been booming. The same is true for the RV industry, with many dealers noting sold-out inventories and long waiting lists. Many are taking funds set aside


for family vacations and trips, and using them to enter or go bigger into boating, whether it be to buy or rent. People are also looking for the


marinas to be clean, safe, friendly and provide a wide range of services. The friendlier the staffs are the more people are utilising their services. Marinas are increasingly using the web and social media to entice people back to boating and let people know how they are keeping their facility clean and safe, including the use of rentals. A picture is worth a thousand words and action pictures of enjoyment are now being widely used and continually being updated with new ones, whether photos of folks sitting in the stern of a boat having a snack or drink, to tubing, to sailing through the waves, to a skier or wakeboarder, to catching the one that did not get away. Providing those pictures to the local paper and media can further add to a marina’s exposure and help bring old and new customers into the facility. While the traditional regional and national boat shows for new and used boats have mostly been cancelled, including recently and notably the sudden cancellation of the Cannes Yachting Festival, as well as METSTRADE in Amsterdam, the marinas and dealers have come up with alternatives ranging from virtual shows with inventory being more prominently displayed, as well as with detailed descriptions and pictures and arranging safe ‘by appointment only’ local boat showings. The response suggests these efforts have been extremely effective. Those who offer rentals from jet skis to kayaks, sailboats, pontoons, houseboats, fishing boats and all sorts of other craft, both large and small, not only are displaying their offerings, but also communicating that the units are cleaned and made safe after each use, giving one a sense of security for using a fun outlet. In many areas, the rental market has also taken


DANIEL S. NATCHEZ and ASSOCIATES, Inc.


Environmental Waterfront Design and Consulting Company


An International


DESIGN


WATERFRONT


YOUR ONE STOP SHOP WHERE THE WORLD COMES TOGETHER!


ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTING


Master Planning - In-Water and Upland Integration Comprehensive Marina and Marina Resort Design Proficient Project Management


Functional Marine Services and Launching Facilities International in Scope


Site Evaluation and Economic Analysis Cost Effective Solutions Three Decades of Experience


DANIEL S. NATCHEZ and ASSOCIATES, Inc.


916 East Boston Post Road Mamaroneck, NY 10543 (tel) 1.914.698.5678


(email) dan.n@dsnainc.com www.dsnainc.com


MARINA INDUSTRY • OCTOBER 2020


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32