Choosing a marina

Choosing a marina is part practical, part lifestyle. The right marina makes it easy to get out on the water, keeps your boat safe in bad weather and feels like a place you want to spend time. The wrong one can mean a long drive, a rolly berth, a boat that touches the bottom at low tide, or a contract that surprises you. This guide walks through what to compare, what to ask, and how to read the agreement before you sign.

Start with location

Most owners use their boat more when the marina is close to home. Think about:

• Travel time from home or work, including traffic at the times you'd go boating;
• Time to open water, because a long river or channel transit eats into every trip;
• Where you like to go, such as fishing grounds, cruising anchorages or a sailing club's racing area;
• Bars and channels: a marina inside a coastal bar can be cut off in big swell, and shallow channels may limit when deeper boats can leave.

Shelter and berth comfort

Visit the marina on a windy day if you can. Look at how the boats are moving.

• Is the marina protected from the prevailing winds and from swell by breakwaters or headlands?
• Does wash from passing boats roll through the pontoons?
• Is your particular berth exposed at the end of an arm, or tucked away inside?
• How strong is the tidal current through the marina? Strong current can make berthing harder.

A comfortable berth means less wear on lines, fenders and cleats, and more relaxed visits.

Depth, size and fit

Check the basics before you fall in love with a berth:

• Length: marinas usually measure your boat's overall length, including bowsprits, davits, swim platforms and outboard motors. Measure yours carefully.
• Width: you need room for the boat's beam plus fenders on each side.
• Depth: ask for the depth at the berth at the lowest tides, not the average. Compare it with your draft, and allow a margin for swell, silting and changes over time.
• Air draft: if there are bridges or overhead power lines on the way in, check your mast or flybridge height.

Our berth fit checker compares your boat's length, beam and draft with a berth's dimensions and the margins you choose.

Facilities you'll actually use

Make a list of what matters to you and check each marina against it:

• shore power, and whether it suits your boat's connection;
• fresh water at the berth;
• fuel dock, and the fuels it sells;
• sewage pump-out;
• toilets, showers and laundry;
• car and trailer parking, and how close it is to your pontoon;
• trolleys for carrying gear;
• rubbish and recycling, including oil and battery disposal;
• a boatyard, slipway or travel lift on site or nearby;
• a chandlery and marine trades;
• Wi-Fi, a café, a club or social events.

If you'll use shore power, look at the condition of the pedestals and leads around the marina. Read our guide to shore power safety before you plug in.

Security

Ask about gates and access control, cameras, lighting, staff hours and after-hours contacts. Look at whether there are rules about who can walk the pontoons. Good security protects your boat and gear, and also keeps children and visitors away from the water's edge.

Severe weather plans

This is one of the most important questions, and one of the least asked. Every marina should be able to tell you what happens in severe weather.

In Queensland, Maritime Safety Queensland says the severe weather season is generally from November to April, and extreme weather events can happen at any time of year. Each area has an Extreme Weather Contingency Plan, and owners are expected to know it. If you'll be away during the season, MSQ suggests leaving a key and contact details with a responsible, licensed person who can move your boat, or checking with your local marine rescue unit about arrangements.

Get Ready Queensland advises owners to know their marina's extreme weather plan, especially whether owners must remove their boats when warnings are issued. Ask the marina:

• Do boats have to leave during cyclone or storm warnings, and where should they go?
• Who will move the boat if you're away?
• What extra lines or preparation does the marina require?
• How are the pontoons and piles rated for storms?

Read our guide to preparing for severe weather.

Environmental rules

Marinas often have rules about cleaning, antifouling and waste. Many prohibit hull scrubbing or sanding at the berth, require you to use the pump-out rather than discharging sewage, and have bins for oil, batteries and hazardous waste. In Queensland, smooth waters, which include rivers, creeks and waters within breakwaters, are among the areas where untreated sewage must not be discharged under Maritime Safety Queensland rules. A marina with a convenient pump-out makes compliance easy.

Reading the berth agreement

A berth licence or agreement sets out your rights and obligations. Read it fully and ask about anything that's unclear. Common terms include:

• Term and notice: monthly, annual or longer, and how much notice either side must give.
• Fees and increases: what's included, how often fees can rise, and extra charges such as power or water.
• Insurance: many marinas require proof of insurance and a minimum level of third-party liability cover.
• Seaworthiness and maintenance: you may have to keep the boat in good condition and able to move under its own power.
• Contractors: rules on who can work on your boat and what paperwork they need.
• Living aboard and overnight stays: many agreements restrict these.
• Subletting and transfers: whether you can let a friend use the berth or transfer it if you sell the boat.
• Changing boats: whether you keep the berth if you buy a bigger or smaller boat.
• Relocation: whether the marina can move you to another berth.
• Severe weather: what you must do, and what the marina can do, during warnings.

Keep a copy of the signed agreement and the marina rules on board.

Visit before you sign

• Walk the pontoons and look at the condition of boats, cleats, power pedestals and walkways.
• Talk to berth holders about the staff, the shelter and the atmosphere.
• Try berthing in the pen, or watch a similar boat come in.
• Check where the nearest toilet, car park and fuel are.

Key points

• Location, shelter and time to open water decide how often you'll use the boat.
• Check length, width and low-tide depth carefully against your boat.
• List the facilities you'll use and check each marina against them.
• Ask about the severe weather plan before you sign.
• Read the berth agreement for insurance, contractors, living aboard and notice terms.