The purchase of a yacht berth must be done very carefully, taking into consideration many aspects that in the end will determine whether the acquisition was a good one or a bad one. Which are these aspects? From my experience, when buying a yacht mooring, I’ve always paid particular attention to the following fundamental characteristics:
– MARINA LOCATION
– MODERN INFRASTRUCTURE
– SERVICES
– PRICE
– MANAGEMENT
– FINANCIAL SOUNDNESS OF THE OWNER
– PUBLIC CONCESSION DURATION
LOCATION
If buying a yacht mooring were the same as buying a parking space, then price would be the key criterion. However, if you see the berth as a strategic position that makes it possible for you to use the yacht more often, then it needs to be either nearby or easily accessible by car, plane, or helicopter. And if in addition to easy access it is located in a country like Italy where the sun is always shining then it will be perfect!
A good location also means that the marina is near interesting places to sail to, because just sailing in open sea for miles and miles is not so exciting!
INFRASTRUCTURE
It is critical that the marina infrastructure not be obsolete, which unfortunately is often the case, providing services that are not suited to yachts of the latest generation. Not to mention the super and mega yachts that require technologically advanced, high-capacity equipment. Some marinas have dated infrastructure that can welcome mid-sized boats, others attempt to berth superyachts at floating piers that are absolutely unsuited and dangerous for large ships. In addition, the space available for docking maneuvers is limited, making it difficult to dock quickly and easily.
A modern port must be equipped with jetties having double bollards that can withstand any waves, electrical and water service kiosks that can serve up to 1000 amps, and high-capacity fuel pumps that can rapidly fill your tank (no more waiting for hours). In fact, high-capacity fuel pumps can dispense 500 liters of diesel fuel per minute, equal to 30,000 liters per hour.
SERVICES
The services, already partially listed in the preceding paragraphs, must be suited to the yachts being hosted, as well as to their owners and crews. Following is a list of critical services that a marina should provide:
– Security 24/7
– Services and showers for crew
– Courtesy electric cars for short trips
– Shuttle and helicopter for longer trips
– Scooter, bicycle, and car rentals
– Direct on-board delivery to large galleys
– Medical visits on board
– Shipyard located in the marina
– More parking spaces than ship berths
Shops, cafes, restaurants, newstands, and tobacco shops in the marina are an added value to the nautical services, both for owners and crews.
PRICE
You have to be careful when choosing a tourist marina, especially when it comes to pricing. Maintaining value over time, if not actually increasing it, is possible only with quality marinas positioned in clean water, near islands and interesting tourist attractions, and no more than two hours by car away from a large city.
MANAGEMENT
You should look for marinas that are both beautiful and well managed. The ideal situation is when the marina is managed directly by port owners.
OWNER FINANCIAL SOUNDNESS
When making an important investment, the company I’m buying from should have solid financial credentials, guaranteeing a safe and profitable transaction.
PUBLIC CONCESSION DURATION
An often-ignored factor is the public concession (the right to dock for a specific number of years, which varies from port to port). A critical aspect in defining berth value is the duration of the concession, a longer concession offering better value. So, when comparing two marinas having the same size and price, it becomes very important to verify the duration of the concessions.
These are the factors that you should consider when choosing the ideal berth for docking your super yacht.
Rosalba Salamanca
Marketing and Communication Manager
Portomirabello
Contact the Customer Service Office for information on berth sale and rental.
Contact:
tel. +39 0187 778108
fax +39 0187 739955
info@portomirabello.it
salamanca@portomirabello.it
Rosalba Salamanca (Sales Manager)
+39 335 5737937