F3 Marina in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., features a 130-foot-high drystack that uses an automated swing-crane system to retrieve boats on demand and Speedy Dock software that allows clients to request their boats.
Todd Wagner, director of marina business development at Full Steam, parent of Speedy Dock, told Trade Only Today that adoption of software programs for the management of slips and rentals, among other functions, is “definitely on the rise,” especially in the drystack and boat-rental segments.
“Because of our recent innovations, we are seeing an increase in the number of marinas without drystack operations taking advantage of our solutions as well,” Wagner said.
“Change management is probably the biggest hurdle. Many marinas have been doing things manually or with legacy systems for years. It is incredibly rewarding to watch people who were resistant to change adapt to modern technology,” he added.
Founded in 2021, F3 Marina stores up to 240 boats on six-tier racks, and the crane technology offers opportunities for upward expansion where footprint space is limited, as well as other benefits. Trade Only Today visited the facility during the Association of Marina Industries conference earlier this year. James Pinter, F3 operations manager, gave a tour.
