What’s new at Chesapeake Bay marinas these days? We talked to several marina managers and came up with some common threads. Many are upgrading, such as replacing old slips and facilities, expanding capacity, or adding amenities in hopes of turning their properties into “destination” marinas that attract boaters who want a place to have fun ashore rather than just renting slip space. Marina managers put in long and varied workdays, and sometimes they run into the darnedest situations. Click to our online marina directory to find the right marina for you - many you can book directly with Snag-A-Slip!
Betsy Neitzey: Manager, Castle Harbor Marina in Chester, MD
What’s new at your marina this year? We’ve been doing a lot of things to improve our facilities. We got a new spa with a freestanding hot tub. We have a large pool and a wading pool as well. We put in a couple of bulkheads along A and B dock. And we re-did the bathhouse recently. We’ve always been a family-oriented marina.
What would surprise people about your job? I don’t think they’re aware of how many balls you have to keep in the air when you manage a marina. You have to keep everyone happy and keep everything going forward at the same time. It keeps you very busy.
Give us an idea of a typical day at the marina. That assumes that there is such a thing. The first thing I do is open the fuel dock and get the pool ready. Then, I go down to the office. After that, I spend much of the day answering people’s questions and showing them our slips and facilities. I’m involved in every bit of it, because I know what’s going on.
What have you learned on the job that you could only have learned on the job? Because everything that happens here is individual, nothing is normal. You never know what’s going to happen on a particular day. I just deal with it as it comes. But I had to learn everything on the job. You can’t master it any other way.
If you could create the perfect slipholder, what would this person be like? Better communication. I think the perfect slipholder would be someone who communicated with us when there’s a specific problem or if they think something could be better. If we know that something needs to be done, we address it. In my conversations with people, they usually will tell me. As soon as we know of a problem, I’ll be there to fix it.
Did you encounter any surprises this past year? Two things: a waterspout and a tornado. The waterspout came in from Love Point, directly into our channel. I got to the office and went over to Queen’s Landing. It could have been really bad. It was large when it came in, but all it did was rip up a sign at the entrance to the channel and then it dissipated in the grocery-store parking lot. The tornado came on a different day. It took a hard-bottom dinghy off its rack and carried it into the pool. Luckily, no one was hurt.
Anything else you’d like to share with our readers? Marinas are a customer-service business. Most marinas really want to make their customers happy.
Mark Andrews: General Manager, Bay Bridge Marina in Stevensville, MD
What’s new at your marina this year? We’re realizing that we’re more than just a marina; we’re really a resort facility. So we’ve been expanding, and we’ve been expanding the kinds of services we offer and raising the quality level. We improved Hemingway’s, our on-site restaurant. We built a big fire pit outside, and we’re expanding our meeting facilities for business meetings, wedding-related events, and boat shows. We also started discount programs and special events for slipholders, such as wine-pairing events and other special occasions.
We’re now home to six boat brokerage operations, and we’ve enabled them to display their boats around the property; we have hundreds of boats on display. And we’re planning to include more shopping facilities and peripheral businesses that provide services such as boat loans electronics. We want to become a one-stop-shopping place for boaters.
What would surprise people about your job? The fact that it’s so much more than just managing a marina. We’re a bigger property, so it has far more to do with guest experience than just how many slips are occupied. We’re offering experiences, not just a product. We want to provide a lot of options for slipholders.
Give us an idea of a typical day at the marina. There is no typical day. Every day is different. One minute I’m working with our managers on how to enhance their departments; another I’m busy helping to stop a boat from sinking. It’s all part of the job.
What have you learned on the job that you could only have learned on the job? That the Chesapeake Bay is a unique environment with many different levels of boater interest, and in order for us to succeed, we have to be listening to the boaters and the community. It’s important to take that seriously.
If you could create the perfect slipholder, what would this person be like? To me, the ideal slipholder would be somebody who has a real love not only for boating but for a boating lifestyle, someone who appreciates their time with their loved ones and families and has come here to relax.
Did you encounter any surprises this past year? Probably the most unusual and exciting challenges that we’ve had has been the weather. The tornado missed our property by less than a quarter of a mile. Just being responsive to the various weather experiences provides a different challenge every day.
James B. Wagner: General Manager, Regent Point Marina in Topping, VA
What’s new at your marina this year? We’ve had a very big year for investment and capital improvements. We bought a 35-ton Travelift so we can haul larger boats, and that required a lot of other changes. We had to do some dredging, and we had to buy a six-acre property next to the marina where we could deposit the spoil. We built a seven-foot berm around that and filled in the land, and we added a new driveway for the Travelift. We’ve restructured the electrical service to F dock. There are a lot of pieces in this puzzle, but it looks great and enables us to improve our service.
What would surprise people about your job? How much more intricate it is than people realize. The Travelift project is a good example. It involved state agencies, county regulators, and engineers. It took us almost a year to acquire the Travelift. It sounds pretty simple, but there’s a lot of stuff involved.
Give us an idea of a typical day at the marina. That depends on what season it is. From the fall through early spring, it’s boatyard time. In the summer, you have a lot more interaction with slipholders. I like to share as much knowledge as I can about places to go cruising. If a slipholder asks, “I’m thinking about going out to such-and-so this weekend, what would I see?” I want to be able to provide a good answer.
What have you learned on the job that you could only have learned on the job? A lot of that is technical stuff. I’d been a boater and a sailor for most of my life, but that didn’t necessarily mean that I knew very much about boating when I started in this business. My knowledge of boating is a lot deeper now. As a boater, you take your boat, you tie up your boat, and you go home. As a marina owner, you’re involved in a great deal more, such as storm preparation, and the like.
If you could create the perfect slipholder, what would this person be like? Somebody who uses his or her boat frequently, who has reasonable expectations, who appreciates the facilities for what they are, and who is not a penny-pincher. Someone who understands the value of services and is willing to pay a fair price. For example, if you have to change a water pump, that involves removing five bolts or so, and it takes about an hour. But if you come across one bolt that proves hard to get off, it could take a lot more time. You never know until you get into a marine repair job what it will be.
Did you encounter any surprises this past year? We always have a lot of cruisers who are heading south, but this year we had a good percentage who were going north. It was nice to have them come back and share their experiences.
Anything else you’d like to share with our readers? We’re seeing a lot more people from the northern part of the Bay around Annapolis, coming our way. The slips and prices are way cheaper down here, and you get a more relaxed sailing experience. We’d love to have them.
Cathy Bramble: Owner, Tolchester Marina in Chestertown, MD
What’s new at your marina this year? We’ve made lots of improvements in our physical plant: renovating, replacing bulkheads, and installing floating docks. We’ve also added a cooking facility and another bar. We have quite a transient business because it’s so easy to get into the Bay. We’ve become a lot more focused on being a destination rather than just providing slips. We already have a beach and a swimming pool. We have a big deck out there and more entertainment. We have a national act three times a year.
What would surprise people about your job? The number of hours it takes. Last summer, I worked 80 hours a week all summer. As the owner, I’m one of the first people here, and usually I’m the last to leave.
Give us an idea of a typical day at the marina. I’m not sure there is a typical day. Every day is different somehow.
What have you learned on the job that you could only have learned on the job? We have a lot of slipholders and transients who have been coming here for several years, and a lot who are new. Many are interested in getting to know us as a family. They look out for us.
If you could create the perfect slipholder, what would this person be like? Patient. Loyal and patient. People who actually take an interest in our operation and offer good suggestions and who are happy to see progress and help us improve. We have quite a few of them.
Did you encounter any surprises this past year? We’ve had a couple of windstorms, with everybody scurrying around. Everybody jumps in and helps everybody else. Not only does the staff help, but the patrons do, too. It’s a nice feeling.
Anything else you’d like to share with our readers? We appreciate their loyalty, and we’re always glad to see them come back.
Eric Bradley: Vice President for Marine Operations at Oasis Marinas, Harbor East Marina in Baltimore, MD
What’s new at your marina this year? We’re wrapping up an $8.5 million reconstruction in which we’ve torn down and completely rebuilt the marina. We’ve widened the slips and installed finger piers and electricity. We’ve upgraded the power, installed wireless capability, and built new entertainment spaces and canopies. Everything is much more user-friendly now, and we’re right next to lots of shops and major attractions. Our goal is to provide hotel-level concierge service, with people to help you carry gear, go to stores, and get you in and out of your slip.
What would surprise people about your job? How busy we are in the winter. I’m as busy now as I am any time of the year. There are are moments where you get up and see what you’re doing and you say, “Hey, this is pretty cool.”
Give us an idea of a typical day at the marina. Everything starts with a walk of the property to see what condition it’s in, that all the boats are where they’re supposed to be, that nothing happened overnight. Then I check on which boats are arriving that day and which are checking out. By mid-day, boats are rolling back in. There’s also a lot of office work. We’re a team here. Our managers are doing anything from cleaning the bathroom to paying bills. No one is too good for anything.
What have you learned on the job that you could only have learned on the job? How much of the job really is understanding what customers are looking for. And how to react to the weather.
If you could create the perfect slipholder, what would this person be like? Passionate, friendly. It would be easy to say that I like a boater to pay me and not do anything, but it breaks your heart to see a boat just sit there all summer. Also, you’d be surprised at how many people come into a marina and don’t have their lines ready.
Did you encounter any surprises this past year? There’s always weird stuff. This past year, a raccoon built a nest in the cockpit of a sailboat, down in the well, where you couldn’t see it when you walked by. Getting that raccoon off that boat proved to be a bit of a chase.
Anything else you’d like to share with our readers? A marina is a great place to work. I’ve spent 20 years of my life on it. Marinas are my favorite place in the world.
Tim Dowling, Trident Marine Group
The new senior vice president of Trident Marine Group, Tim Dowling, since the age of 16 has spent his career in recreational and commercial boating operations, asset management, and training, most recently as the vice president of operations for Coastal Properties Management. For Trident Marine Group’s properties (Chesapeake Harbour Marina, Nabbs Creek Marina, Annapolis Capital Yacht Club, and Orchard Beach Marina), Dowling will focus on a high level of customer service and investing in the best personnel, as well as expanding the business.
What are the top challenges of marina management? Keeping up with the changes in the expectations of the industry. In the past eight to 10 years, there’s been a change in what customers expect and how marinas operate. Before marinas were a place to park your boat; now they’ve come to be more of a lifestyle. The expectations for amenities and customer service have changed. You used to jump on your boat and go boating; now you may just hang out on your boat at the marina with neighboring boaters. That sense of community is an important part of the lifestyle.
What do you love about your work? I’m outside a lot. The wonderful thing about our business is that when people are on their boats, they’re relaxed; they’re in good moods; their workday stresses melt away. As a community, boaters are a fun and energetic group of people to be around.
What might surprise your customers about what you do? The complexity of compliance and paperwork that is required to keep a boat in the marina. I think that is a real change from 10 to 20 years ago, and while they’re good changes (from protecting the water of the Bay to increased security and insurance), staying on top of that is a fulltime job in itself.
What are your goals for Trident Marine Group? Our goals are to grow and expand, and more specifically we plan to maintain the core values of a well-run marina and marry it with today’s higher expectations for customer service: a good blend of the old and the new.
Joanna Haaland, Bert Jabin Yacht Yard
We reached out to Joanna Haaland, senior coordinator at Bert Jabin Yacht Yard (BJYY), to learn a bit about its Clean Marina Initiative and what was new at the marina, boatel, and full-service boatyard nestled up Back Creek in the “maritime hub” of Annapolis.
Can you describe a few of the things that Bert Jabin YY has done for its Clean Marina status? We’ve been working diligently to promote clean boating and best management practices among our clients and contractors, some of which include the use of oil absorbs in bilges, recycling of used oil/filters and antifreeze, shrink wrap recycling, utilizing pump-outs when needed, and the use of green products on and off the water. We also work hard to maintain a clean and orderly facility in an effort to mitigate any potential sources of pollutants in storm water runoff. Being a Clean Marina, to us, is more than just a certification or an advertising perk; it’s a standard of awareness and action to both protect and improve water quality and marine habitat at the source of our business, and our recreational enjoyment, the Chesapeake Bay.
What do you wish more people knew about the Clean Marina Initiative? The steps involved in becoming a Clean Marina are many, but the willingness to complete them, to me, is commendable. As a boater, I appreciate the effort that other Clean Marinas put into completing the process, because it is a lot of work. It takes initiative, drive, determination, and motivation, and from there, a continued commitment moving forward in order to make a difference. Achieving certification is just the beginning! I can only hope that other boaters recognize when efforts are being made in that regard, and applaud facilities that are going through or have already completed the Clean Marina certification process.
When it comes to clean boating best practices, what should an ideal slipholder do? Boaters and slip holders should try to do their best to contain trash, recycle, control onboard oil/fuel, pump-out and rinse holding tanks regularly, and be responsible and courteous both on and off the water. Most do go above and beyond in their efforts, which is fantastic! On the contrary, though, nothing can ruin your day on the water faster than coming across someone who doesn’t.
What’s new at Jabin’s? The newest news at BJYY is the remodel/rebuild of our mechanic’s shop. We now have the capability of servicing and maintaining our 75-ton Travelift indoors, which for us is huge.
Herrington Harbour
Less than an hour’s drive from Annapolis, you’ll find Herrington Harbour North and South, two marinas on Herring Bay offering a combined 1200 slips, a full-service boatyard, and resort-style amenities from swimming pools, tennis, private beaches, and beachfront lodging to the little things we transient boaters love, such as free dockside pump-outs and 24-hour ice. A few PropTalk staffers visited Herrington Harbour South recently and came back excited for all that was new, including the rebuilt F Dock and the upcoming restaurant opening. We called Melissa Kapper at the South office to hear more. Here’s what to look for on Herring Bay soon:
- The new restaurant, Ketch 22, is on track to open to the public in mid-March by the pool (where Mangoes was). Run by the same owners of the popular, award-winning Point Crab House and Grill on Mill Creek in Arnold, MD, it will offer fresh food at reasonable prices, great happy hours, and capacity for 200 customers.
- Slipholders and regular customers may attend a winter seminar series February 24 and March 3.
- Also in March for customers, the marina will host a sock-burning to celebrate the spring equinox. Click to the website for this and other events.
- To welcome boating season, Herrington Harbour will host a customer get-together in April on the beach (date to be announced).
- The big celebration for Herrington Harbour’s 40th anniversary will unfold June 24 from noon to four. Herrington Harbour customers and friends should stay tuned to PropTalk for more.
by Captain Art Pine