Coastal concepts: re-imagining marina potential

Among the world’s most breathtaking views, the waterfront for many is a destination and experience unlike any other. The expansive blue water, the crisp, clean air, and the echoes of nature give waterfronts a sense of peace that cannot be replicated elsewhere.

Marinas offer many benefits to a waterfront destination that improve the area surrounding it. From social events to important industries, building a marina is invaluable to its neighbourhood and community. Many changes have come to the marina industry, even within the past decade. Focusing on the future trends of the industry in terms of technology and design, builders and owners should consider many factors when installing or improving upon what they already have. Starting the process of planning with future potential in mind is the key to a successfully operating marina.
To understand how marinas can look to the future, it is important to examine the trends that are driving the current marina design industry. Multiple factors are involved when creating well-crafted designs that lead to fewer complications during construction. Harnessing advancements in technology and using them to create dynamic plans for your marina is a must. Drones and imaging technology, for example, can precisely create dynamic maps of the water and land making specific aspects of the marina design less likely to fall on the side of error.
Currently, modelling structures account for traditional two-dimensional floor plans. With marina planners steering towards 3D modelling, the capabilities of design software will be used to more accurately predict the weight of a floating structure. And, as AI is integrated into design technology, calculations and modifications are going to become easier and more precise.
In addition to the physical considerations of marina planning and design, we are seeing a revolutionary shift in the management and operation of marinas in the US and around the globe. US based company, Dockwa, for example, a specialist in marina management software, is pioneering the integration of marinas and technology. With much more data to manage now than ever before, automating processes makes life easier for boat owners, dockmasters, dockhands and others. For example, from July 2019 to July 2023, the reservations made on the Dockwa mobile app jumped from 56% to 66%. In addition, over 300,000 boaters use the company’s technology to manage their boating logistics while more than 600,000 vessels have information stored in their data.
As society moves towards an app-based lifestyle, the boating industry and waterfront life will continue to shift with it. Dockwa hypothesises that boaters are tending to lean more toward mobile accessibility in their logistic management. Utilising the data collected by software companies can bring your marina to life and help you stay ahead in the future.
Popular marinas are more often functioning as a destination rather than a boat parking lot, and there is untapped potential that a floating marina can unlock. Including floating structures in a marina design is an innovative way of bringing the amenities that people need and use to the boaters. Floating buildings and platforms bring interaction with the local community, giving public access to marinas and opening accessibility to the waterfront that did not always exist.
When considering adding floating structures to a marina, one of the primary decisions is the type of marina being built. For example, will the marina host fishing tournaments such as the Wharf in Orange Beach, Alabama or Seabreeze Marina in Charleston, South Carolina? Is the marina a service marina, like Safe Harbor Rybovich in West Palm Beach, Florida? Or perhaps it functions as a luxury destination, like the Town of Palm Beach’s marina. When designing a marina, understanding the complexities from riparian rights, government regulations and environmental permitting are key in developing active and living waterfront destinations. For the success of a waterfront destination, the local points of interest in the surrounding area or lack thereof should be considered in the initial marina design. If a marina is constructed in a more remote region, amenities should be included in the concept to draw people to the area.
Boating trends also dictate the ever-changing landscape of marinas. Within the past five years alone, the boat community has shifted dramatically. More active than ever, boat registrations are still in a constant upward trend. As more boaters are now on the water than before, marinas are becoming a point of entertainment for people from all over. In the past, marinas were often under-designed as they were budget driven and were viewed as just a mooring place for vessels. But what brings engagement to the water? Entertainment! Party spaces, restaurants and nightlife engage both the public and the boaters to enjoy all that a marina has to offer. Safe Harbor Ventura Isle created party platforms on its docks, complete with comfortable furniture, to give its members a place to gather and celebrate on the water. As land use becomes more restricted and/or prohibited, marinas can turn to the water for more liveable space, and floating buildings and platforms bring both utility and entertainment value. Consider the Naples City Dock in Florida where the dockmaster’s office, laundry, gazebo and restrooms are all housed over the water.
The future of marina construction is grounded in ever-changing waterfront trends. As the world continues to advance in technology, the most successful leaders in the boat industry are going to be those who can adapt and partner with forward-thinking companies around them. Choosing a partner who has experience in marina design and installation will ensure you get the right solution for your marina investment. How will you innovate the blue waterfront?
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