With all the talk of electric and hybrid propulsion these days, attendees preparing for the annual Association of Marina Industries Conference & Expo are discussing whether marinas will be ready to host boats of the future.
“There must be a greater connection between the boat manufacturers, the dealers and the marinas,” says Kayce Florio, coordinator of the conference and business manager for the Association of Marina Industries, which is based in Warren, R.I. “It’s great that the industry is moving toward hybrid and electric. The marinas need to be ready for this, and my goal is to get marinas a bigger voice at the table.”
Electrification is just one subject of this year’s AMI conference, scheduled for Jan. 30 to Feb. 1 in Daytona Beach, Fla. The conference focuses on the marina and boatyard side of the boating industry, and is integrating pre-event education and seminars. It will run concurrently with the American Boat Builders & Repairers Association annual conference.
Courtesy AMI“This is unlike previous events because we have many preconference things going on,” Florio says of the AMI conference.
New Courses
New this year is a Clean Marinas Course, which will take place Sunday and Monday. Representatives from attending marinas will be certified to develop and maintain the facility as a clean marina. Another course, Docks and Marinas, used to be held at the University of Wisconsin. It was one of the few technical courses focused on the design and engineering of marinas.“We are breathing new life into the event,” Florio says, adding that attendees can receive continuing education credits.
Florio says that construction training has been lacking for college-age members of the marina industry, even as marinas have seen continuing threats from hurricanes. “Ian and Nicole have exacerbated the fact that there aren’t enough designers in the space,“ she says. “Engineers are booked out years. They can’t keep up, and they’re looking for the next generation of marina designers and engineers.”
Scharfsinn86In addition to concerns about the necessary infrastructure to support boats with alternative propulsion, Florio says, marinas need to be able to offer the type of experience that people want after buying larger, more expensive boats. “The boats that are in marinas are bigger, and [owners] have greater expectations for amenities and customer service,” she says. “If the marinas don’t deliver on that experience, that whole circle of life doesn’t work.”
The conference will open with the keynote speech “Front Row Leadership: How Top Performers Never Settle for Balcony Seats,” by motivational speaker Marilyn Sherman. After the keynote, new certified marina managers and certified marina operators will be announced, and the exhibit hall will open.
Wednesday will start with a panel discussion called “The Future is Here! Trends in Boat Design: Is Your Marina Prepared?” Panelists will include Alex Cattelan, chief technology officer at Brunswick Corp., and Sean Marrero, chief strategy officer and president of Correct Craft subsidiary Watershed Innovation.
Scharfsinn86Tuesday Breakout Sessions
On Tuesday, Sherman will host “Communicating for Results — From Conflict to Cooperation.” The goal is to foster clearer communication and create better-performing teams of employees.
Robert Smith and Travis Vance of Fisher Phillips LLP will lead “Conducting Workplace Investigations.” The session will include three case studies: a fuel-dock fire, suspected employee drug use and a sexual harassment claim. Attendees can learn how to handle difficult situations and abide by legal requirements.
To help marina owners better understand mooring fields, “Anchorage and Which Waves are Worse?” will be presented by Tyler Hackett of Dewberry and Tim Mason of Geosyntec. Marina owners can learn how a given anchorage will work at their facilities, in terms of damage and financial risk. The speakers will explain how — through site evaluation, geotechnical investigation and marina-specific criteria — engineers can determine the best type of anchorage for a given site.
Driftwood - stock.adobe.comSarah Devlin from the American Boat & Yacht Council will host “Fishing for New Hires — How to Lure Them In.” The ABYC Foundation has done extensive research into finding and keeping employees. Devlin will give 10 tips for locating, grooming and retaining quality workers.
Steve Arnold, who owns two boatyards in Maine and the Freedom Boat Club franchise for the state, will join Mark Jaraczewski from Suntex Marinas for “Navigating the Changing Trends of Boat Ownership.” For marina owners, boat clubs can offer additional income and reach a broader community. Arnold will describe how he changed his business model to integrate Freedom Boat Club. Attendees will also learn how Suntex Marinas started its own club, The Circle of Boating.
The environmental impacts of pressure washing will be discussed at “The Ins and Outs of Power Washing.” Dan Natchez of Daniel S. Natchez and Associates will explain regulatory changes and practical ideas for protecting the environment while providing efficient service.
Other sessions planned for Tuesday include “Understanding Your Marina’s Financials” with Jane Kirkman of Safe Harbor Marinas, and “Importance of Regular Property Inspections” with Tom Delotto of Suntex Marinas. Jim Frye from Suntex Marinas will encourage owners to be more self-aware and communicate with employees more effectively. He will follow that up with “Developing a Financial Management Strategy for Marinas.”
In “Occupancy, Operations and Property Value,” Mike Melillo of marina-management software developer Dockwa will look at one marina that achieved 100% occupancy rates, another that used technology to accelerate payment collection, and a third that used data to find hidden opportunities in its property.
Marina owners with questions about insurance can attend “Do I have Coverage for That?” This session will be monitored by Lori Sousa from Sea Land Insurance Corp. and attorney Eric J. Stockel. It will look at real-life loss and share examples of insufficient coverage resulting in catastrophic losses.
Best practices for stormwater will be covered in “Stormwater Plans, Practices and Payoffs — Clean Water Supports Recreational Enjoyment and Profitable Business” with Dan Williams from MSA Professional Services.
Additionally, Kevin Williams from the National Marine Manufacturers Association will talk about the organization’s Discover Boating campaign that kicked off in 2022.
Wednesday Breakout Sessions
Wednesday’s sessions start with “Navigating Transition Fog and Leading Through Change.” Leadership consultant Brenda Reynolds will lead the course.
The course “2023 Marina Electrical Design and Code Compliance Updates — What You Need to Know” will have Chris Dolan from Marina Electrical Equipment reviewing basic electrical design concepts and code requirements.
In “Marina Operations and Policies after Project Completion,” ATM’s Heath Hansell will review the operating procedures for moving forward after an upgrade or renovation is done.
Marine Marketers of America will host a panel discussion, “10-Minute Marketing Plan,” to help owners promote their marinas. Caitlin Ajax of Safe Harbor Marinas will share her company’s approach to sustainability and opportunities for collaboration.
In the show’s final hours, there will be four sessions ranging from leading a company through change to fire safety and prevention, and grant-funding strategies.
This article was originally published in the January 2023 issue.
