MAINSAIL_low res-compressed

} Yacht Marina
Factors to consider when choosing a
Whether this is your first boat or your tenth, there are always various things which have to be taken into
consideration when choosing the Yacht Marina which you will use to berth your boat, as this will have a
significant impact on the enjoyment of your boat during the season.
Choosing the right Marina depends on
a number of factors ranging from the
size of the boat to your lifestyle. Every
boat is different and with it comes
different needs and requirements. Hereunder
we are going to list the main things which you
need to consider when choosing a Marina!
WEATHER EXPOSURE
When choosing a Marina, one of the first things
which you must take into consideration is its
safety against bad weather spells. You should
check that it is not too exposed, so that is not
affected both by strong winds and continuous
passing vessels. A Marina which is exposed
will also make it difficult to berth your boat
at the end of the day when returning. Also if
you like spending the weekends sleeping on
your boat at the Marina, you might find it
uncomfortable if your boat keeps moving and
bouncing throughout the night. This excessive
movement will also put a strain on your ropes
and cleats. Apart from this, your marina needs
to be safe enough for you to sleep at night
during bad weather spells, knowing that your
beloved yacht is safe and well looked after.
WATER DEPTH
Besides having to obviously have enough
water under your hull, water depth can have
an impact on the wave environment in and
around the marina, therefore an optimal water
depth is beneficial. Also, if the waters are too
deep, the mooring lines will be too heavy to
48 } Issue 10
put on and swell/ tides movements will have a
more adverse effect on your boat's safety.
BERTH SIZES AND FAIRWAY WIDTHS
The chosen marina needs to have the space for
your boat, but you also need to have enough
space to manoeuvre. Unfortunately gone
are the days where berths have ample space
between berthed boats. At the same time, one
has to keep in mind that having too much
space will make it harder to get the boat in
berth with a crosswind.
TYPE OF MOORING
Some marinas offer pontoon berths, others
are stern to jetties, and others have finger
pontoons. They all have advantages and
disadvantages. Pontoons generally sit lower
in the water, and while this makes it more
comfortable to get on and off your boat, these
are generally unstable during bad weather
spells and when the stern is moored directly
onto the pontoon - the whole pontoon and
the boats moored onto it, become one whole
wave movement, which can be unsafe. Finger
pontoons are the most convenient to moor
on and shipside cleaning can be much easier
to perform. However, these are the least safe
in bad weather spells as sometimes it is the
finger itself that can cause damage to the boat.
Mooring stern to a fixed jetty usually means
stronger mooring attachments, and due to
the fixed height of the jetty, getting on and
off the boat can get more difficult in low tide
situations, unless the boat is equipped with a
proper hydraulic gangway.
LOCATION
The location of the marina is a very important
factor when making your choice, depending
on your boating preference. Is it within easy
reach of the places you like to go to? Is it well
connected to amenities? You should look out
for good cafes, entertainment spots, a few
retail outlets to keep the less participating crew
occupied while you are preparing the boat,
restaurants, and hotels for visiting guests, and
of course somewhere where to have a cold and
refreshing beer after a day of sailing!
The location greatly affects the enjoyment of
your boat. Also worth considering is the distance
to your favourite bays as this does not only take
more time but will also have an effect on your
fuel consumption. An extra 20 minutes on a
motorboat can easily mean an extra Euros100
every time you go out on your boat.
ACCESS FOR UN/ LOADING AND
PARKING
The convenience of the parking and loading/
unloading facilities can really make an impact
on the enjoyment of using your boat. A lot of
Yacht Marinas have parking challenges, seeing
the proximity of the land to the sea and the
fact that it comes at a premium.
Of course, spending a very long time trying
to look for parking, or having to carry a large