A marina is essentially a facility that caters to the needs of boaters. Marinas necessarily have docks or protected ports, with equipment that small boats usually need. They can offer a wide range of facilities. Marinas can be managed by private companies, municipalities or individuals. The fee charged by a marina would depend on the type of services it provides to its customers. It is not uncommon for some marinas to offer a couple of moorings free of charge to charities.
A very useful service provided by a marina is mooring. Those with boats can rent some space along a buoy or deck to moor their boats when they are not in use. Marinas can also provide additional services such as dry storage of boats when not in use, and slipping of boats into the water with the help of cranes or slipways, etc.
Other services often provided by marinas include refueling facility, keeping a stock of items essential to the boat, repair services, and other similar services. There are marinas with recreational facilities and restaurants for the convenience of its clients and other visitors. Some marinas offer the possibility of car rental for visiting sailors. They may also have various arrangements with hotels and restaurants to make reservations, dry cleaning, as well as provide basic medical facilities.
Marinas charge their customers who like to store their boats. Charges would vary with length of storage. Then certain marinas give their patrons the added ease of docking their boat at another dock in the neighborhood for short periods of one or two days. Charges for dry storage are additional as it involves additional work for marina personnel.
Boat safety is another of the services provided by marinas. Cameras are often installed for that purpose. There are also security arrangements for members who wish to spend a night on their boat. Security guards ensure the safety of these boaters. The minimum security a marina can provide is the provision of secure gates, which can only be operated by members with the proper keys, thus preventing any unauthorized entry to the docks.
If you are considering taking a long boat trip, planning and locating marina stops along the way is a must. You would be looking for marinas that offer at least the basic facilities, such as those provided by your regular marina. It will be of great help to get a marina with enough space available for rent. You must also have electrical power available at the berths. Without a doubt, the marina must have the facility to refuel the boats and have technicians on duty that allow users to deal with any emergency that may arise due to the malfunction of any component of the boat. It also helps to sponsor a traveler’s marina with a shop offering the usual food and toiletries.
