Beach Resorts and

Destination Resort
Marinas:
The Impact of
Development on
Operations

Identify the key elements in the

development process that help
maintain a balance between the
physical capacity of a beach resort
and the economic needs of the
developer.

Six aspects must be taken into

consideration when developing a

beach resort.

Development Process
Sea
Site attractiveness is determined by: air
temperature, amount of wind and sun, water
temperatures, currents, tides and waves, ecology,
pollution, clarity of water, and possible
attractions.
Seashore
Consists of the surface under the water,
extending out to a depth of 6 feet.
Should consist of course sand or sand and pea
gravel

Development Process
Beach
Slope of the beach should be between 2%
and 10%, with 5% being the ideal
Back beach
Offers views to both the sea and inland
Protection of degradation is a major
concern as developers consider future
improvements

Development Process
Coastal Stretch
Consists of the beach environment between
0.5 and 3 miles from the back beach
Developers must consider where to place
service facilities and access roads
Surrounding Countryside
Natural attractions, the extent of
development, surrounding infrastructure, and
the opportunity for excursions all need to be
considered

Development Process
Site Development
In selecting a site for beach development, these elements
warrant particular attention:
Access to a permanent or transient seasonal population
Access to major roads
Minimum water temperatures in the upper 60s during
the swimming season
Warm, sunny conditions before and during the season
to warm the water and attract swimmers and
sunbathers.
Water quality needs to be analyzed before and after
development as swimmers will add to the existing
bacterial count.

Define the main factors

affecting the attractiveness
of a site for a beach resort.
A variety of factors related to the sea affect
the attractiveness of the site:

Air Temperature

There is a high correlation between

swimming/beach use and maximum air
temperature

Amount and Intensity of the Wind and Sun

A weak inverse relationship exists between
swimming/beach use and wind
A straight-line correlation exists between
sunshine hours and swimming/beach use

Site Attractiveness
Water Temperature
Currents, Tides, Waves
Including their direction, strength and seasonality

Ecology
Including seaweed and fish

Pollution
Clarity of water
Possible Attractions
Islands, coral, and conditions for water recreation

Explain the role of general

design principles in site
planning
The
process for developing a marina
consists
of five steps:
for a marina.
Analyze the market
Taking into account the areas economy,
analyze both demand and competitive
supply to give a preliminary assessment
of current market conditions.

Design Principles
Develop a market strategy and marina concept
Determine the services to be offered, define the size
and mix of boats, specify the number of wet slips
and dry storage areas, identify funding sources,
calculate fees, and estimate cash flow.

Identify the site

Identify a preferred site by compiling and mapping
data, scrutinizing development factors, and selecting
several alternative sites.
Note state and federal policies controlling proposed
uses of the sites and select the superior site.

Design Principles
Perform feasibility analysis and
preliminary design

Conduct an in-depth financial feasibility

study, including an analysis of cash flow
Address local zoning and building permits

Design and develop the marina

Create detailed construction photos, file

for and obtain permits, secure local
approvals, obtain construction bids and
loans, and exercise the option on the
land.

Describe the five

developmental criteria that
improve guest convenience,
safety, and security.

Proximity to a population base

Accessibility by a main road artery
Sufficient water in the marina basin
for development
Sufficient water depth and surface
for the proposed activities

Developmental Criteria
A minimum of 8 feet below low-water
depth is ideal
Natural protection from winds,
storms, and flooding
A stable shoreline
Good southerly exposure

Developmental Criteria
Good water quality
A healthy flow of water through the marina
helps wash pollutants away, while too strong
a flow may make the marina unstable for
boat storage.

Aesthetically pleasing quality

surroundings
Reasonable fluctuation in water levels
High water levels constitute a safety threat

Freedom from ice

Analyze the
interdependencies between
the four principles that
guide
marina
design.
1. The geography determines the
engineering

2. The engineering determines the profile

3. The profile determines the layout
4. The layout determines the architecture

The geography determines the

engineering
Major costs in building a marina come from:

dredging, locks, bulkheads, breakwaters and

piles
Dredging: Dredging changes the bottom
profile of the basin to allow deeper-draft
boats to dock in the marina
Locks: Locks may be the answer where a site
is otherwise inaccessible. They are
necessary where the tidal range is greater
than 12 feet or where there is a major
change in elevation between the basin and
open water.

The geography determines the

engineering
Bulkheads: A bulkhead is a retaining wall

that is backed with solid fill and erected

along the water to extend the upland out to
the bulkhead line; serves as protection
against tidal or watercourse erection of land
Breakwaters: Breakwaters are used to shield
the marina from wave action. Potential wave
action is simulated by engineers to
determine the extent of breakwaters needed.
Piles: Support fixed piers and bulkheads and
anchor floating piers

The engineering determines

the profile
The four basic marina types are offshore,
recessed, built-in and landlocked
Offshore: Requires minimum bulkhead
wall, land take, and dredging, and can
therefore be the least expensive type to
build
Recessed: When conditions on the sea
bottom do not allow for an offshore
layout, a recessed marina may be the
economical option

The engineering determines

the profile
Built-In:

Offers the advantages of

an uninterrupted shoreline, a large
land-water interface, and
considerable enclosure
Landlocked: Costliest and safest type
of marina
Offers maximum enclosure and minimum
interruption of shoreline, yet requires
maximum bulkhead wall and dredging

The profile determines the

layout
The best basin shape is rectangular,

which allows for the greatest density of

boats with the easiest maneuvering
The basic choice in mooring layout is
whether to have fixed or floating piers
The layout is determined by the site
constraints as well as the demands of
the expected market

The layout determines the

architecture
Architects must take into account the
circulation pattern, the social
interests of the boaters, and the
need for support facilities.
Users can be divided into social and
service traffic and by destination
Boaters place few demands on
facilities and are willing to put up
with maintenance

The layout determines the

architecture
To attract non-boaters, marinas must

increase attractiveness and provide

more recreational opportunities
A variety of support facilities will be
needed, depending on the type of
marina development, including
toilets/showers, boat service center,
boat launching equipment, boat sewage
disposal and water take-on, firefighting
equipment, and boat storage facilities.

The End!