Marina Dock Age, April 2004

A Marina’s Role in Promoting the Boating Experience
Facilities are Crucial to Growing the Industry
by Dennis P. Kissman

Many of us are beginning to thaw out from a very long winter, and once again are confronted with the challenges of how to make another summer season successful. As with most seasonal businesses, there is only a short window of opportunity that can make or break your season. The way to keep your existing boaters coming back year after year is a direct function of the condition of your marina, your level of service, and your location. The more pressing and difficult question is how you attract new boaters to your marinas and, equally important, how do you introduce non-boaters to the joys of recreational boating?

There are both active and passive ways of introducing non-boaters to the joys of recreational boating. The passive approach is to say that it is the job of the boat manufactures to market new boaters. That approach is short sighted, and may eventually affect your livelihood and, in turn, your lifestyle. We as marina operators have the waterfront facilities with the access to the water. We are on the front lines and understand what our local market does with their boat. So, why is it not at least partly our responsibility to attract new boaters?

If we recognize that marinas are key components to the whole recreational boating experience, then we as marina owners must take an active role in promoting the industry in order for it to expand. The Marina Operators Association of America (MOAA) understands the importance of promoting recreational boating and is doing an excellent job by promoting its National Marina Day, which will be celebrated this year on August 14. The question now is, what are we, as marina owners and operators, doing to promote the expansion of recreational boating, particularly to non-boaters?

Opportunities abound

Through our consulting with marina owners on operational issues and working with potential buyers of marinas, we have an excellent opportunity to learn what is being done at these facilities to promote recreational boating to the non-boating public. Except for marinas with boat dealerships, I would say that very little, if anything, is being done to promote recreational boating to non-boaters. When asked why they don’t do more, there are usually one of two typical responses. First, the marinas say they are full, so why waste time and money. The second response is that most marinas actually do not believe anything they do can make a difference. So again, this group feels that any promotional efforts are a waste of time and money.   Continue »