Marina Fires – Reduce Risk, Minimize Damage
February 13, 2012
A sturdy concrete dock system can give firefighters a safe platform from which to fight a marina fire.
A recent survey asked marina operators what kept them up at night. A common response mixed with the stresses of managing the day to day operations was fire. The concern was elevated in the off-season with boats left unattended and heaters running, but the reality is, the risk of a fire is always present.
The question is what can you do to reduce the risk of fire at your marina?
To reduce your risk of fire you must place your focus on preventive maintenance and staff and boater education. You need to work towards building a community that understands the benefits associated with practicing routine maintenance and proper use of equipment and has a common goal of keeping the marina safe. The more eyes you can train to spot potential hazards the safer your facility will be.
Trends in Marina Design – Looking to 2012
December 21, 2011
Looking ahead to 2012, customization continues to be a growing trend in marina design.
Looking at Bellingham Marine’s many different projects across the globe, gives unique insight into the worldwide trends in marina design. The company’s clients are diverse and offer a great cross section of the industry – from commercial fishing facilities in Alaska’s remote reaches to the sophisticated super yacht facilities that dot the Caribbean.
A trend that continues to grow in direct correlation with increasing boat size is the general design and layout of the marina. Bigger boats require longer and wider berths, larger fairways and deeper basins. Many also want higher freeboard and wider walkways. Larger boats require more power and often more services. This trend is nothing new for the marina industry and continues to be the driving force behind many marina renovations.
In addition to the increase in average boat size, is the increase in mix of boats. More and more marinas are being asked to cater to a broader range of boaters, which encompasses everyone from kayakers to mega yacht owners. With growth in vessel diversity comes the need to offer a greater variety of moorage and water access options. Where once standard 16” to 20” freeboard was appropriate for all boats in the marina, marinas are now looking to incorporate into their facility low freeboard areas for kayakers, rowing clubs and junior sailing programs, “standard” freeboard for mid-sized boats, and extra high freeboard docks for larger vessels.
Another trend that’s on the rise is customization. Many marinas are looking to set themselves apart and create a unique experience for their tenants. Modern marina designs reflect playful use of architectural design and color that lead to a sophisticated and polished look.
Bellingham Marine – Best of 2011
December 19, 2011
2011 brought with it the completion of a number of unique marina projects. Bellingham's Best of 2011 list pays tribute to several such projects.
At the end of each year it’s nice to look back and reminisce about all that took place that year. Time goes by like a blur and after a couple months it’s often hard to recall all that was actually accomplished over the years’ time.
Below are the projects that topped Bellingham Marine’s Best of 2011 list.
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle…
December 16, 2011
Salvaged from a nearby marina, the Unifloat pontoons at a Wynyard Public park offer a great example of how a concrete dock can be given a second life.
We’ve all head the phrase reduce, reuse, recycle. Reduce our level of consumption, reuse a product for another purpose rather than just throwing it away, and once a product can no longer be used recycle it.
When I was young my mom would save every glass jar that came into our house — relish jars, mayo jars, peanut butter jars, pickle jars you name it. If it was glass, once the contents has been devoured she’d carefully remove the label, wash the jar and place it in the cupboard where it awaited its next life. If it was a “good” jar it would become one of our drinking glasses, if it was a big mouthed jar it was used for canning (those must have been the bad jars). If it didn’t fit into one of those categories she inevitably found a use for it somewhere around the house – cotton ball holder, money jar, and my favorite – caterpillar home.
You may have heard someone boast about the hundred different uses for duct tape. My mom had a hundred different uses for glass jars. She was creative in her thinking and was never bound to the confines of the jar’s origination.
I recently received some photos from a gentleman in New Zealand. The pictures were of a public park in New Zealand’s Wynyard precinct. What stood out to me was the park’s creative landscaping. Carefully integrated throughout the park were old Unifloat® concrete dock modules that had been cleaned up and strategically placed. Some were used to provide seating areas around the basketball court and other general gathering spaces; while others were functioning as retaining walls. They did not look out of place but rather purposeful and intriguing in their use and placement.
Preventative Maintenance: avoid problems in your marina before they occur
November 30, 2011
Keep an eye out for damaged electrical equipment.
Preventative maintenance is an easy way to keep things running smoothly and to identify issues before they become a problem. We perform preventative maintenance on our cars, our houses and even our teeth.
The ideal preventative maintenance program includes a schedule of planned maintenance actions aimed at the prevention of problems before they occur. Among the industries that benefit most from a proper preventive maintenance program are the electrical and mechanical industries. Studies show that the failure rate of electrical equipment is three times higher for components that are not part of a scheduled preventive maintenance program as compared to those that are.
The modern marina invests heavily in its electrical system. Large facilities operate as miniature distribution centers managing expensive equipment and with it huge amounts of electricity. On average, a large marina catering to mid-sized boats will require approximately 10,000 amps to service all its slips; for those catering to mega yachts it’s closer to 22,000 amps. In comparison, the average home requires just 200 amps.
By setting up an electrical preventative maintenance program, marinas can potentially save themselves hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage and lost business, and may also qualify for lower insurance rates.
Perseverance, Determination and a Passion for all Things Boating
September 29, 2011
A groundbreaking ceremony was held at Alamitos Bay Marina on September 17, 2011.
If you’ve ever been involved in a laborious permitting and funding process you know all too well the feeling of victory and the heavy sigh of relief that comes once you receive your final OK to proceed. You’ll also know that without an iron will and a true passion for what you’re doing you’ll likely be eaten alive.
Anyone who’s spent much time at all with Mark Sandoval, Long Beach Marine Bureau Manager knows he’s a man of integrity and determination. After 10 years of planning and three years of delays, Sandoval received his final OK from Long Beach City Council to move forward with the first phase of his planned $90 million dollar renovation of Alamitos Bay Marina in Long Beach, CA.
A Rebuild can Offer an Opportunity to Reconfigure your Marina
August 31, 2011
A rebuild can create opportunities for a marina to improve their revenue streams.
North Harbour, a city owned marina in Powell River, British Columbia, Canada recently completed a rebuild and reconfiguration project that effectively increased the marina’s moorage space by 19% from 7,943 feet of chargeable moorage space to 9,500 feet.
The goal of the rebuild was to address failing infrastructure and a growing waiting list for larger berths. According to the City of Powell River, there had been an increasing demand for larger berths in the area, and there was a large waiting list of boat owners with vessel 28 feet and larger wishing to moor at North Harbour.
Single Source Contracting: What is it and what is the benefit?
August 31, 2011
Appointing a single source contractor can save a developer time and money.
Building or renovating a marina can be, and usually is, a long and complicated process. One of the major obstacles these days is the permitting procedure. In order to obtain the necessary permits to move forward a good deal of time and money is required to complete concept designs, impact studies and environmental assessments.
Permit approval brings a developer only to the starting line of a project and the next stage will usually involve a complicated mix of marina consultants, architects, engineers, contractors, sub-contractors and a whole host of “experts”. Apart from the obvious cost of all these experts, a huge amount of the developer’s time is required to define their input, coordinate their work and assess their recommendations. The result of this process is a specification or tender document, which is then sent out to various marina construction companies who spend more time and money reworking the designs to suit their particular dock systems. This can involve cutting corners and interpreting specifications to allow the very minimum possible so as to ensure a competitive bid.
This is not an ideal situation for a developer who wants a quality marina. There is no doubt that this tried and tested system works; however, it comes at a cost of both time and money.
Update your Marina by Making Small Improvements
August 31, 2011
An aging marina can be updated with a few small improvements.
If you have an aging marina, and a complete replacement is not feasible there are a number of things you can do to update and beautify your property without taking on a comprehensive rebuild.
Lido Yacht Anchorage, located in Newport Beach, Calif. had originally planned to replace the marina’s aging timber docks with a modern concrete floating dock system and upgrade their utilities. However, a comprehensive renovation would require dredge work and replacement of the marina’s seawall as well as an upgrade in the marina’s shore power. After further evaluation, this option was determined not practical for the marina at the time.
So, rather than take on a comprehensive renovation project, the owners decided to focus on repairing and beautifying the marina they had. This decision not only increased the service life of the marina’s docks but gave the tenants and property owners a facility they were proud to show off.
Green Labels: tips for marinas looking to purchase green products
August 16, 2011
Green words are seeping into our everyday vocabulary but do we know what they really mean?
We are entering an era where green and environmentally friendly products and practices are more in demand than ever before. Nowhere is this truer than in the marina industry. Marinas operate in some of the world’s most sensitive habitats and are often found in the environmental spotlight. Around the world, federal, state and local agencies among others are pushing marinas and ports to become more environmentally conscious.
Developers, marina owners and port districts are stepping up to the plate and are looking for solutions to be better stewards of their environment. Specifying “green” or “environmentally friendly” products is becoming a more common practice in the marina industry.The challenge for many on the purchasing as well as manufacturing end is navigating the wilds of green advertising. Continue reading →