Marina travel guide

For other uses of this word, see Marina (disambiguation).
A marina is a port within a sheltered Harbor where boats and yachts are kept in the water and where services geared to the needs of recreational boating are found.
The marina may have re-fueling, washing and repair facilities, small stores and restaurants catering to the needs of the boaters, and Ship chandlers. Slipways are used to get a trailered boat into the water. Many marinas offer a boat hoist well, a type of traveling crane, instead of a more space-wasteful slipway, operated by service center personnel. Many marinas offer some out of water storage, which is useful out of season and important in latitudes susceptible to freezing waters. Marinas may include ground facilities such as parking lots for vehicles and boat trailers. Boats are moored either or on buoys or on fixed or floating walkways that are securely tied to an anchoring piling by a roller or ring mechanism (floating docks or pontoons). Buoys are cheaper to rent but less convenient than being able to walk from land to boat. Harbor shuttles, also known as "water taxis", may be available to transfer people between the shore and boats moored on buoys. The alternative is a tender such as an inflatable boat. Facilities offering fuel, boat ramps and stores will normally have a common-use dock set aside for such short term parking needs. (...) more....