Dry stack project delivered in Switzerland. C M Y CM DELIVERING RELIABILITY AND EFFICIENCY We combine GH Cranes & Components' cutting edge technology alongside Drysta's expertise to develop high performance dry stacks projects. Crane MY CY CMY Boat Hoists Marine Jib Cranes Dry Docks Motorized Boat Trailer K Want to know more about how can we help you increase boatyard capacity and improve client´s service? Launcher motion@ghcranes.com www.motion.ghcranes.com MARINA VISIT SPONSOR If it’s on water Cascais, PORTUGAL +351 214 692 024 Barcelona, SPAIN +34 933 601 101 Rio de Janeiro, BRAZIL +55 21 3942 8828 Vigo, SPAIN +34 986 906 770 w w w . l i n d l e y . p t
DRYSTACK STORAGE Alex Pares, Drysta Development: The drystack solution is clearly the most efficient way to maximise space, especially in overcrowded marinas, where a larger number of boats can be stored on the same space. In addition, each space that is released from the wet slips can be used for larger boats, generating greater profitability for the marina. In the last few months, we have been working on a number of projects around the world, both for marinas that want to reorganise their moorings and for new facilities that are planning to incorporate drystacks from scratch. After the pandemic and due to the need to connect with enjoyment, the outdoors and recreational activities in general, many projects started up again and we are seeing significant activity in our sector, as in other outdoor-related sectors. Obstacles: Projects for new marinas, as well as their refurbishment, take a long time to plan and are highly subject to regulation by the authorities. Drystacks are no exception to this reality, which means that decisionmaking takes a long time. Inflation and interest rate increases, as well as the price of steel and other materials, together with rising labour costs, have led to an increase in investment analysis, but as drystacks involve a much more efficient use of labour and materials per boat unit, due to the incorporation of vertical moving Drysta and GH Cranes worked together on their first European drystack project at Port Corsier in Geneva, Switzerland. equipment such as bridge cranes and shore elevators, we come out ahead in the investment analysis, with returns on investment in the order of 20 to 25%. Future growth: The economic benefits for marina operators, the space efficiencies due to overhead storage, the user experience of 24/7 availability of boats in a matter of minutes, and the savings in wear and tear, ensure that we will see many drystacks in marinas in the coming decades. Greg Weykamp, Edgewater Resources We are seeing several trends in the drystack market, including increasing demand in the central and northern United States where drystack has historically been less prevalent, and increasing interest in automated drystack facilities. In particular, we are seeing a significant increase in demand for drystack storage across the Great Lakes region, which is in response to a number of factors. First, increasing environmental limitations on the expansion of existing and/or development of new wet slip facilities is limiting the ability to respond to market demand for either more wet slips or larger wet slips. In response, marina developers are trending towards building larger wet slips within limited developable areas and moving the smaller boats into adjacent drystack facilities. This allows the facility to greatly expand the number of slips it can provide at a much lower environmental impact, which further reduces permitting delays. Additionally, providing smaller, lower cost drystack slips can be a profitable way to meet local community demand for boating access to the water for residents at lower income levels, which can be helpful in obtaining local zoning approvals. As boaters are moved from wet slips to drystack facilities, we have found it very helpful to provide more community gathering spaces within the marina to maintain the social aspects of marina life, such as fire pits, grills, play areas and restaurants. Another trend driving demand for drystack facilities in northern climates is the simplicity of winter storage of the boats already in the racks, and the ability to use the aisles of the facility for supplemental winter storage. Many more boaters, in particular those with higher value centre console boats in the 35-45ft (11-14m) length value the additional protection from the elements. These facilities are also providing a much higher level of concierge service in terms of fuelling, maintenance, cleaning and provisioning that further increases profit margins. Automated drystack facilities offer a range of benefits in the Great Lakes region, especially in areas where space is limited and there are concerns over emissions and noise from beeping, diesel-powered forklifts. All electric automated crane systems are quiet and reliable, and can stack larger and heavier boats on all levels of the facility for much greater efficiency and effective use of the interior volume of the structure. They can be taller, which allows for more boats in a smaller footprint, and can offset their demand for electricity through the use of solar panels on the rooftop. If sufficient battery back-up systems are employed, the facilities can continue to operate even during power outages. While southern markets for drystack facilities are more mature, boaters in the northern and central US are beginning to see the benefits and marina owners are building more and more of them in response. The only major challenge is in the architectural design of the facilities, in particular in areas within historic maritime districts or other sensitive areas that require a high level of care in the design and detailing of the structures to avoid blocking views and negatively impacting the scale and character of the waterfront with a building grossly out of scale for its context. www.marinaworld.com – <strong>May</strong>/<strong>June</strong> <strong>2023</strong> 23
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