December 27, 2001

Marinas In Need of Repair and Upgrades, Says New Survey

Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina - Many marina owners say their dock systems are in need of repair, according to a recent survey conducted by Applied Technology & Management, Inc. (ATM), a leading environmental, coastal, and water resources engineering firm. More than a third of marina owners (39%) report that their dock systems will need an upgrade within the next five years - 18% say they need immediate repair, and 21% say upgrades will be needed by 2006. Less than half (42%) say repairs and upgrades won't be necessary for another 10 years.

Also according to ATM's survey, more than a third of respondents (39%) say they're already overdue for dredging, and a total of 60% say they'll need to dredge in the next two to four years.

Below are more survey findings:

• In terms of their upland amenities, including operations buildings, restaurants, and retail facilities, more than a quarter of marina owners and operators (26%) say their customers would classify them as essentially nothing more than a "parking lot for boats."

• Nearly a third of respondents (32%) say they're planning to add an average of 56 slips within the next year.

• More than a third of respondents (38%) say loans/bonds are the best way to fund marina construction and improvement projects. A similar percentage (36%) say capital replacement funds are the best way. Nearly a quarter (23%) say they prefer grants, while 10% say they prefer public/private partnership.