Marinas Industry Terminology

ABYC (American Boat & Yacht Council)

Industry standards body that publishes technical guidelines for safe design, installation, repair, and maintenance of boats and marina systems (e.g., electrical, fuel, LPG).

Are our dock electrical systems built to ABYC E-11; Require ABYC-certified technicians for warranty work; The marina follows ABYC fueling and ventilation standards

ADA Gangway Compliance

Designing marina access so people with disabilities can use it, typically by limiting gangway slope and providing landings and handrails as required by accessibility codes (jurisdiction-specific, e.g., ADA in the U.S.).

Does the new gangway maintain ADA slope at low tide; We added intermediate landings to keep the gangway ADA-compliant; The reviewer asked for ADA details in the dock permit

Aids to Navigation (ATON)

Buoys, markers, lights, and other devices that guide safe navigation in and around a marina and approach channels.

Coordinate with the Coast Guard about relocating the private ATON; Add a marker buoy to delineate the fairway; The ATON near the breakwater needs maintenance

Beam

The maximum width of a vessel; used to size slips, finger piers, and fairways.

This slip fits vessels up to a 16-foot beam; Catamarans are charged by beam; Ensure fairway width is at least 1.5 times the max beam

Berth

A designated space to moor a vessel (often interchangeable with slip), usually with utilities and specific dimensions.

We’re at 100 percent berth occupancy for the season; Superyacht berth is on the T-head; Update the berthing plan for regatta week

Best Management Practices (BMPs)

Operational and maintenance practices that minimize pollution and safety risks (e.g., waste handling, fueling, washdown, stormwater controls).

Update the BMP manual before our Clean Marina audit; Train fuel dock staff on spill-prevention BMPs; Post BMP signage at the fish-cleaning station

Breakwater

A structure (fixed or floating) that attenuates waves and protects the marina basin from swell and chop.

The breakwater reduces wave heights to under 1 foot in the basin; Evaluate a floating breakwater due to deep water; Budget for breakwater armor stone replacement

Bulkhead

A shoreline retaining wall that stabilizes upland soils and provides a vertical edge for docking or upland use.

Replace the timber bulkhead with a vinyl system; Tieback failure was detected behind the bulkhead; The permit includes a new concrete bulkhead cap

Cap Rate

Capitalization rate; a valuation metric equal to Net Operating Income divided by property value, used to price marinas like income-producing real estate.

The portfolio traded at a 7 percent cap; Underwrite the stabilized exit at a 6.5 percent cap; Cap rate compression has increased values

Cathodic Protection (Sacrificial Anodes)

Corrosion control system that uses sacrificial anodes (often zinc, aluminum, or magnesium) or impressed current to protect submerged metals on docks and vessels.

Replace dock ladder anodes annually; Verify cathodic protection readings after upgrading shore power; Zincs are wasting fast due to stray current in C Dock

Clean Marina Program

Voluntary certification recognizing marinas that implement environmental BMPs, regulatory compliance, and education to reduce pollution.

We’re pursuing Clean Marina certification this year; The audit flagged our waste oil storage; Promote our Clean Marina status in marketing

Cleat

Dock hardware used to secure mooring lines.

Install 12-inch cleats on 50-foot slips; Double up lines on cleats for the hurricane plan; A cleat pulled loose during the storm and needs re-bedding

Dockage

The act and/or fee of mooring a vessel at a marina dock or slip.

Seasonal dockage rates increased 5 percent; Transient dockage is 4 dollars per foot per night; Dockage revenue is up year over year

Dockmaster

The operations manager responsible for day-to-day marina functions, slip assignments, and customer service.

Call the dockmaster on VHF to get your slip assignment; The dockmaster schedules pump-outs and fuel deliveries; The dockmaster approved the liveaboard application

Draft

The vertical distance between the waterline and the bottom of a vessel’s keel; determines minimum depth needed.

Max allowable draft in the fairway is 7 feet at MLLW; That sailboat draws 6 feet; Watch your draft at low tide near the entrance

Dredging

Removing sediments to maintain or deepen navigation channels and berths.

Maintain 8 feet at MLLW after dredging; Our dredge window is November to February; Spoils will be dewatered and trucked offsite

Dry Stack Storage

Racked, upland storage for trailerable or small boats, typically using forklifts for launch and retrieval.

Adding 200 racks increases revenue per square foot; Forklift reach limits the top rack height; Dry stack customers book launches by app

ELCI/GFCI Protection

Electrical safety devices that trip on ground-fault leakage (ELCI) or personnel-level fault (GFCI), reducing shock and electric-shock-drowning hazards.

The new pedestals include 30 mA ELCI; GFCI outlets are required on the fuel dock; ELCI trips increased after the storm surge

Fire Suppression (NFPA 303)

Systems, equipment, spacing, and procedures to prevent and fight fires in marinas and boatyards, guided by standards such as NFPA 303.

Conduct the annual NFPA 303 inspection; Install fire cabinets every 200 feet on main docks; Hot work requires a permit under the fire plan

Fuel Dock

A facility for dispensing gasoline and diesel to vessels, with specific fire safety and spill-prevention requirements.

The fuel dock opens at 0800 daily; Replace single-wall piping with double-wall; Track margins and throughput per product

Gangway

A ramp that connects shore to floating docks, accommodating tidal variations while providing safe access.

We need an 80-foot gangway to manage tidal slope; Grease the gangway hinge assemblies; Add anti-slip treads before winter

Haul-Out

Lifting a vessel from the water to land for service or storage, via travel lift, forklift, or crane.

Schedule haul-out before the hurricane arrives; Our max haul-out capacity is 35 tons; Haul-out includes a pressure wash and blocking

Hurricane Plan

A written severe-weather procedure covering vessel preparation, facility hardening, communications, staffing, and recovery.

Activate the hurricane plan when we enter the 72-hour cone; Double up storm lines and remove canvases; Post-storm inspections follow the checklist

Idle Speed / No Wake Zone

A regulatory area where boats must travel slowly enough to avoid generating a wake, protecting docks, boats, and shorelines.

Enforce no-wake rules inside the basin; Extend the idle-speed zone past the river bend; Add larger No Wake signs on the fairway

Leasehold vs. Fee Simple

Two forms of property control: fee simple is outright ownership; leasehold is the right to use property (often submerged lands) under a lease.

The submerged lands are on a state leasehold; Valuation is discounted due to the short lease term; We own the uplands in fee simple

Length Overall (LOA)

The maximum length from the foremost to aftmost point of a vessel; commonly used for billing and slip assignment.

Bill dockage by LOA including pulpits and swim platforms; LOA exceeds the slip length due to dinghy davits; Recalculate fairway based on LOA mix

Liveaboard

A person who uses a vessel as a primary residence within the marina; often subject to specific rules and fees.

Limit liveaboards to 10 percent of slips; Apply the liveaboard surcharge and metered power; The liveaboard agreement includes background checks

Marina Management System (MMS)

Software that manages reservations, billing, CRM, inventory, and operations for marinas.

Integrate MMS with accounting and fuel POS; Use MMS for online transient reservations; MMS shows real-time occupancy and waitlists

Marina Operators Legal Liability (MOLL)

Insurance that protects a marina from claims arising from damage to customers’ boats and property in its care, custody, or control.

Lender requires MOLL coverage; File the claim under MOLL for the fire-damaged yacht; Increase MOLL limits to 5 million dollars

Mean Lower Low Water (MLLW)

A tidal datum based on the average of the lower low water height of each tidal day; used as the reference for charted depths in many regions.

Advertise channel depth at 8 feet MLLW; Design gangway slopes considering MLLW to MHHW; The surveyor shot depths to MLLW datum

Mooring

A fixed system (e.g., anchor, chain, buoy) for securing a vessel off the dock, often organized into managed mooring fields.

Expand the mooring field by 15 balls; Annual mooring inspections are due; Transient mooring rate is set per night

NEC 555 (Marinas and Boatyards)

The National Electrical Code article governing electrical installations in marinas and boatyards, including shock and corrosion mitigation requirements.

NEC 555 ground-fault changes affected our feeder design; Specify corrosion-resistant fittings per NEC; Our electrical contractor is updating to the 2023 NEC

Net Operating Income (NOI)

Operating revenue minus operating expenses (before debt service and capital expenditures); core metric for valuation and performance.

NOI rose 9 percent after the rate increase; Underwrite pro forma NOI post-renovation; Apply a 7 percent cap to stabilized NOI

NPDES Permit

A discharge permit (e.g., under the U.S. Clean Water Act) governing stormwater and certain process waters from marina operations.

Maintain NPDES coverage for pressure-wash water; Quarterly stormwater sampling is due; Update the SWPPP for NPDES compliance

Occupancy Rate

The proportion of rentable slips or racks that are occupied during a given period; key demand and pricing indicator.

Annual average occupancy is 92 percent; Raise rates when occupancy exceeds 95 percent; Shoulder-season occupancy dips to 70 percent

Operating Expenditure (OpEx)

Recurring costs to operate the marina (e.g., payroll, utilities, routine maintenance), excluding capital improvements and debt service.

Cut OpEx with LED lighting and variable-speed pumps; Insurance premiums are the biggest OpEx increase; Separate OpEx from CapEx in budgeting

Piling

Driven structural members (wood, steel, or concrete) that support docks, piers, and fender systems.

Replace timber pilings with spun concrete; Pile driving is restricted during fish window; Install rub rails on corner pilings

Pump-Out

Equipment or services for removing sewage from vessel holding tanks into a sanitary disposal system.

Offer free pump-outs for Clean Marina members; The pump-out boat runs Monday, Wednesday, Friday; Record pump-out volumes for grant reporting

Riparian/Littoral Rights

Waterfront property rights that govern access, use, and development along rivers (riparian) or coasts/lakes (littoral), varying by jurisdiction.

Riparian lines constrain the dock layout; Verify littoral rights before expansion; Negotiating an easement to avoid encroachment

Security (Access Control)

Measures to prevent theft and enhance safety, such as gates, credentials, cameras, lighting, and patrols.

Install keycard access on all gangways; Upgrade CCTV coverage on the outer docks; Night patrol logs incidents in the MMS

Shore Power

Electric service provided from dock pedestals to vessels (e.g., 30A/50A/100A at 120/240V), requiring proper grounding and protection.

This slip includes a 50-amp shore power pedestal; Meter shore power and bill monthly; Test for stray current before reconnecting

Slip

An individual mooring space between piers or fingers, typically with utilities and defined length and width.

12-by-30 slip with water and power; Reconfigure for wider slips to fit catamarans; Assign the transient to C-12

Stormwater Management

Infrastructure and practices that control and treat runoff from paved and work areas to protect water quality.

Install oil-water separators at catch basins; Sweep the yard weekly to reduce pollutants; Maintain the SWPPP and inspection logs

Submerged Land Lease

A government lease granting rights to build and operate docks over public submerged lands.

Renew the submerged land lease with the state; Lease rent increases with dock footprint; Expansion requires a lease amendment

Tidal Range

The vertical difference between high and low tide; influences gangway slopes, freeboard, and dredge depths.

Large tidal range requires longer gangways; Schedule dredging during spring low tides; Adjust fender and line setups for tides

Transient Slip

Short-term rental mooring for visiting vessels, typically nightly or weekly, often at a premium rate.

Reserve 20 percent of slips for transients; Transient rate is 4 dollars per foot; Drive transient bookings via online marketplaces

VHF Marine Radio

Two-way radio used for safety and operations; marinas monitor designated channels for hailing and coordination.

Hail the marina on VHF 16 and switch to 68; Monitor VHF during weather events; Post our working VHF channel on the website

Waiting List

A prioritized queue of prospective customers awaiting slip or rack availability.

Two-year waiting list for 40-foot slips; Collect deposits to hold waitlist spots; Use MMS to timestamp and manage the waiting list

Zincs

Colloquial term for sacrificial anodes (often zinc, aluminum, or magnesium) used to protect submerged metals from galvanic corrosion.

Zincs are gone in three months in brackish water; Stock common zincs in the ship store; Inspect and replace shaft and hull anodes

Zoning

Local land-use regulations that govern allowable uses, density, setbacks, heights, parking, and environmental overlays affecting marina development and operations.

Current zoning limits boatyard operations; Apply to rezone for restaurant and retail; Project must comply with coastal overlay zoning