What Type of Marina Should You Build?
Marinas are indispensable facilities for harbouring small boats and yachts. If you are considering building a new marina, plan effectively for construction because marinas are usually a significant investment, so it's important to get it right the first time. Many factors dictate what the ideal marina is and at the centre of these factors is the type of marina to be built. Different marina types are suited for different wave environments, water depths, and boaters among other aspects. For this reason, you need to know the kind of marina that will suit your needs before construction begins. Here is a detailed description of the basic types of marinas.
Types of Marinas Based on Location
Location or site is crucial when it comes to building marinas. Your options when it comes to choosing a marina based on the site to build it include off sore marinas, landlocked marinas, and recessed marinas. Weighing the pros and cons of each of these three options will help you make an informed decision on the right one to build. First, as suggested by the name, offshore marinas are constructed off the shores. They are preferred because they require minimum dredging and land take, which means they have the least impact on the environment. Construction of offshore marinas is also relatively cheaper compared to the other types, making it an ideal option when the budget is a top priority. However, offshore marinas are vulnerable to weather and the water currents.
If you are looking to maximise the frontage for yacht and boat slips, a landlocked marina would be the ideal option. This type of marina also offers maximum enclosure for the yachts and boats, which can enhance security. However, unlike their off-shore counterparts, landlocked marinas require extensive dredging and a large bulkhead. What's more, they are the most expensive to build.
Recessed marinas are for those looking for the best of both worlds because they are built half in the water and half on land. For this type of marina, the land has to be evened out, meaning some level of dredging is needed. Besides, manoeuvrability or navigation problems are typical of recessed marinas, especially for the passing boats.
Types of Marinas Based on Configuration
When it comes to configuration, you can go for either a floating or a fixed marina. With the latter, the vessels are usually secured to the piles by timber wharves. While the piers don't move with the tide, construction has to allow for tidal making, and this can sometimes affect the convenience of access to the vessels. For the floating marinas, piles are used to secure them to the seabed. However, they are built with pontoons that allow for the marina to rise and fall with the tides. You can use lightweight or heavy systems to access floating marinas. The latter is often preferred because they are more robust than their lightweight counterparts that move when you walk on them.
For more information, contact companies like The Jetty Specialist.
