Marina
:
For other uses of this word, see Marina (disambiguation). |
A small marina at Brixham, Devon, England. Note the several sturdy vertical pilings attaching the floating dock sections to the ground beneath the water holding all against wind, current, and tide. |
A
marina is a
port within a well-sheltered
harbour where
boats and
yachts are kept in the water and where basic services and facilities geared to the needs of
recreational boating are found.
They often have associated re-fuelling, washing and repair facilities at hand for use by all tenants, and often have small stores and restaurants catering to the needs of the boaters like ice, beverages, and fishing needs. Ship's
chandlers are often found at marinas.
Slipways, which are used to get a
trailered boat into the water. Many marinas offer a boat hoist well, a type of travelling
crane, instead of a more space wasteful slipway operated by service center personnel. Many marinas offer some out of water storage, which is useful out of season and important in latitudes susceptible to freezing waters. Marinas may include ground facilities such as
parking lots for vehicles and boat
trailers.
Boats are moored either or on
buoys or on floating walkways that are securely tied to an anchoring
piling by a roller or ring mechanism (
floating docks or
pontoons). Buoys are cheaper to rent but less convenient than being able to walk from land to boat. Harbor shuttles, also known as "water taxis", may be available to transfer people between the shore and boats moored on buoys. The alternative is a tender such as a small
inflatable boat. Facilities offering fuel, boat ramps and stores will normally have a common-use dock set aside for such short term parking needs.
In regions where the
tidal range is large, some marinas use
locks to maintain the water level for several hours before and after low water.
Many marinas are owned and operated by a private club, especially
yacht clubs — but also as private
enterprises or municipal facilities. They are most frequently located along the banks of
rivers connecting to lakes or seas and may be well inland, sometimes up to as much as twenty-five
kilometres) from the river's mouth.
They generally charge fees for almost every service, including the use of a slipway and parking. Fee based services like parking, picnic area,
pub, and
club-house, for a shower, use are usually bundled-in as part of any monthly long-term rental agreement package, but amenities bundled into agreements vary widely according to marina management preferences and local traditions. Visiting yachtsmen usually have the option of buying each amenity from a fixed schedule of fees, and arrangements can be as wide as a single use, such as a shower, or several weeks of temporary berthing plus perks. The right to use the facilities is frequently extended at overnight or period rates to visiting yachtsmen, schedules and space permitting.
One of the world's most luxurious and expensive marinas is located in
Monte Carlo.
In the United Kingdom the word "marina" is also used for inland wharves on rivers and
canals that are used exclusively by non-industrial pleasure craft such as canal
narrowboats.
*
List of Marinas*
Wharf*
Seaport*
Pleasure craft*
Marinas in the U.K.*
Marinas of the world
