Port Louis Marina, Grenada, W.I.

MARINAS:Best of the BestFRoM locAtIoN to AMeNItIeS,

MANy MARINAS oFFeR FAR MoRe thAN JuSt A plAce to

pARk youR BoAt. SeveRAl cAptAINS ShARe theIR

FAvoRIteS.

By Lauren Beck

I’d rather Go to a hundred dIfferent MarInas than go to the same one,” says Capt. Craig Turnbull of M/Y Allegria. But you don’t always have that luxury. Many superyacht marinas have a lot going for them with perks that can make

repeat visits almost as enticing as changing it up. Here’s the scoop directly from captains on standout marinas that not only exceeded their expectations, but make them want to return again and again.

MAY2011DOCKWALK.COM34

Marinas_Feature.indd 34 4/14/11 10:34 AM

While new to the scene, we think these four marinas might be making the captains’ favorite marinas list in years to come for their service standards and environmentally friendly initiatives, among other things.

CARIBBEAN

YCCS Marina Virgin Gorda – North Sound, Virgin Gorda, BVIs

Yacht Club Costa Smeralda was designed to be an environmentally conscious marina. Its naturally deep location allows space for ves-sels up to 100 meters with a draft of up to 9.1 meters and offers protection from high winds and surge. Dock facilities include high-capacity shore power, reverse osmosis (RO) potable water, marine sewage pump-out and a fire suppression system. www.yccsmarina.com

MIDDLE EAST

Lusail Marina – Doha, QatarThis state-of-the-art, eco-friendly marina is set to open in mid-2011 with 96 berths to accommodate vessels from 10 to 40 meters in length. Five-star concierge service, 24-hour marina assistance and security, provisioning opportunities and three on-water lounges are just a few amenities.www.mourjanmarinas.com/marinas/lusail-marina.html

MEDITERRANEAN

Puerto Deportive Alcaidesa – La Linea de la Concepcion, Spain

You’ll find 624 full-service berths for vessels ranging from 8 to 50 meters complete with Wi-Fi, TV and phone service as well as repair and chandlery facilities. Future plans include a shipyard with a Travelift system and a dry marina. This may be the perfect place to begin the summer Med season. www.puertodeportivoalcaidesa.es

ASIA

Marina at Keppel Bay – Keppel Island, Singapore

If you’re headed Far East, stop at the Marina at Keppel Bay in Singapore. With 168 berths accommodating vessels up to 85 meters, the marina sets new construction and service stan-dards. Located on a private island, the marina is close to the city center and local entertainment hot spots. http://marinakeppelbay.com

BYJANINEKETTERER

NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK

iSto

ck ©

Meh

met

Yun

us Y

esil

Rybovich Superyacht Marina, West Palm Beach, Florida, U.S.

Best Marina LocationYou know what they say: location, location, location. So where is the best? For Capt. James Lowe of M/Y Blind Date, it’s the east coast of Sweden. “There’s a whole host of tiny marinas and we’re usually the only ones there,” he says.

Antibes has a devout following. “There are a lot of companies based in the region, so it's easy to acquire parts and [get] the services needed for the boat,” says Capt. Cyril Piasco of M/Y Ann G.

“[Antibes also is] close to Italy, Corsica and Sardinia where most of the summer season’s work is done. It’s close to the Nice International airport and St. Tropez,” says Capt. Kaj Christensen of M/Y CD Two.

Capt. Emile Coetzee of M/Y Hurricane Run particularly enjoys the International Yacht Club Antibes (IYCA). “It’s close to the airport, subcontractors, crew agencies and dayworkers. It’s a quaint old town with beaches and moun-tains — best access to work and play.”

Across the Pond, Fort Lauderdale takes center stage. Capt. Scott MacPhee of M/Y Beeliever enjoys, “any [marina] in Fort Lau-derdale. They are close to home and all our needs are within a small bubble with close proximity to great cruising [in] The Baha-mas, Caribbean and Florida. It’s the yacht-ing capital of the world, after all,” he says.

M/Y Lady Sylvia’s Capt. Mike Bradley agrees, specifying Bahia Mar as his favor-ite. “It is a nice place for the crew to be and it’s close to maintenance facilities and close to my home.”

Always popular, “Atlantis on Paradise Island offers so much for guests to do — fishing, snorkeling, so many things,” says Capt. Bill Curran of M/Y Lady Jan. “There’s easy avail-ability for flights, too.” Capt. Rick Lenardson of M/Y Status Quo also likes to spend time in the area. “Everything is right there and conve-nient — and there are casinos.”

Yacht Haven Grande in St. Thomas has its fair share of fans. “The guests like it — shopping and restaurants are right there and it’s easy to get to the BVIs,” says Capt. Lee Rosbach of M/Y Sovereign. Another marina that came highly recommended was Isle de Sol in St. Maarten. As Capt. Mark Howard of M/Y King Fisher says, “It’s central for the Caribbean.”

Honorable Mentions: ⊲ Paradise Village Marina, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico⊲ Chelsea Piers, New York, U.S.⊲ Shelter Island Marina, San Diego, California, U.S.⊲ CostaBaja, La Paz, Baja, Mexico⊲ Puerto Bahia, Dominican Republic⊲ Casa de Campo, Dominican Republic⊲ Vilanova Grand Marina, Barcelona, Spain

Best Amenities/Facilities

All marinas can berth yachts. They all offer power and water. But what sets them apart and makes a captain happy to return?

IYCA in Antibes gets a nod from Capt. Coetzee. “[The marina is] wide, deep, safe and secure. The staff is knowledgeable. [There are] good mooring buoys and shore-side mooring bollards and large spaces between the vessels.”

Another Med favorite for Capt. Guill-ermo Morla of M/Y Azteca II is, “Club del Mar in Palma, which has very good techni-cal service; they also provide great surveil-lance,” he says.

Again, St. Thomas proves a powerful attraction. “Yacht Haven Grande is good for large vessels with plenty of room to maneu-ver and there’s plenty of power and water,” says Capt. Rosbach. And it’s tough to argue with Capt. Scott Miller of M/Y Grande Coroto, who cites Isle de Sol as a favorite. “The pool, tennis, gym, bar, security, pool and provisioning are all good,” he says.

Capt. MacPhee enjoys spending time at Westrec marinas. “The Westrec company has wonderful facilities and is well managed. They provide first-class amenities and

DOCKWALK.COMMAY2011 35

Marinas_Feature.indd 35 4/14/11 4:36 PM

Cour

tesy

of A

tlant

is, P

arad

ise

isla

nd

Atlantis, Paradise Island, The Bahamas

service at every location I have been to. Sunrise Harbor Marina by far is their signature location,” he says.Honorable Mentions: ⊲ Lauderdale Marine Center, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, U.S.⊲ Rybovich Superyacht Marina, West Palm Beach, Florida , U.S.⊲ Palm Harbor Marina, West Palm Beach, Florida, U.S.

Best Crew FacilitiesWhile it might not be all about the crew, it doesn’t hurt to keep them happy because a happy crew might mean one willing to stick around for a while.

Rybovich in West Palm Beach, Florida, topped the list for best crew facilities. As most captains acknowledged, the Rybovich staff have their fingers on the collective crew pulse. “Without a doubt, Rybovich went out and catered directly to the crew,” says Capt. Paul Jones of M/Y Moon Sand.

“It has the best facilities, if you can convince the boss to go,” says Capt. Curran of M/Y Lady Jan. “The crew loves the gym and the weekly crew gatherings.” Between the game room, the gym, the swimming pool and the regular crew functions, it’s no surprise crew are happy to head back whenever they can.

Sunrise Harbor Marina in Fort Lauderdale also received a thumbs up for its crew-accessible gym and ten-nis courts. Its location is an added plus, says Capt. Ben Castle of M/Y Shine.

Capt. Rosbach of M/Y Sovereign is a fan of Yacht Haven Grande in St. Thomas, citing the swimming pools and tennis courts within the complex as big benefits. Antigua Yacht Club Marina and Falmouth Harbour Marina in Antigua get a plug from Capt. MacPhee for their proximity to crew faves Temo Sports tennis and squash courts and, of course, Abracadabra.Honorable Mentions: ⊲ Ocean Club Marina, Cape Canaveral, Florida, U.S. ⊲ Yacht Haven Grande, St. Thomas, USVI⊲ Bahia Mar, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, U.S.

Best Eco-friendly Marinas“I have yet to find a marina that is really ‘eco-friendly,’ but I look forward to such development,” says Capt. Piasco, who unfortunately, was not the lone unbeliever. Though most captains maintain that marinas are inca-pable of being environmentally friendly, a few offered up rare gems.

The name that came up most was Nantucket Boat Basin, which makes boats separate garbage in clear bags for recycling. “They also patrol in smaller boats to make sure that no one’s pumping when they shouldn’t be,” says Capt. Curran. Capt. Lenardson, too, is a fan. “They don’t allow suds in the water; if they see any, they shut you down.” Capt. Scott Lizza of M/Y Quantum of Sol-ace appreciates that the marina monitors the water and collects garbage daily.

Capt. Craig Turnbull of M/Y Allegria recommends Porto Montenegro in Kotor. “It’s almost inland, and they don’t allow washdowns, so there’s no soap. Crew love it as they can’t do anything. We usually go [there] for [guest] pick up and drop offs.”

“Most marinas ‘try,’ but they are pretty poor at the end result. They don’t want to [be environmentally friendly], but are sort of forced to by authorities. Recy-cling isn’t their goal, money is. Recycling doesn’t make them money,” says Capt. Christensen.Honorable Mentions:⊲ New Viaduct Harbour, Auckland, New Zealand⊲ La Ciotat, Fort Vieux, Provence, France⊲ The Marina at Compass Cay, Exuma Islands, The Bahamas⊲ Las Olas Marina, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, U.S.⊲ Hall of Fame Marina, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, U.S.

Best-designed MarinaMost captains have strong opinions about what consti-tutes a well-planned marina. Criteria varies, but ease of maneuverability, ease of entry and exit and how the marina is designed to handle current and wind condi-tions top the list of must-have qualities.

Favorites include Yacht Haven Grande, which Capt. Howard likes for its new docks, which are “logically laid out.” Fuel is easy to access for all — even the large yachts in the marina aren’t cut off from access, he says. Capt. Rosbach enjoys spending time there, too. “There’s tons of room to maneuver between boats and it was built with the megayacht in mind,” he says. Capt. Turnbull cites the ease of entry and exit as his reason for making it his favorite for best design.

Port Louis Marina in Grenada also made the list of faves. “It is well laid out and [designers] used yacht crew to help with the design,” says M/Y Moon Sand’s Capt. Jukes.

Capt. Christensen recommends Marina Ibiza. “It’s

Marinas: Best of the Best

MAY2011DOCKWALK.COM36

Marinas_Feature.indd 36 4/14/11 2:16 PM

WiFi&wirelessInternet 24-hoursecurity Provisioning Berthingforyachtsupto450’ Crewfacilities In-slipfueling&pump-out

On-sitecustoms&immigration Shopping&restaurants On-siterecreationfacilities Upto600amppower Conciergeservices Airportpick-up/drop-off

*notallamenitiesavailableatalllocations

wireless*IGY Marinas feature the following amenities:

©2

011

Islan

dG

loba

lYac

htin

g

YachtHavenGrandeSt.Thomas,USVI

AT THE WORLD’SPREMIER HOME

PORT DESTINATIONS

ISLANDGLOBALYACHTINGAMERICAS|CARIBBEAN

Forinformationorreservations

WWW.IGYMARINAS.COM 1.888.IGY.MARINAS

ST.LUCIARodneyBayMarina

ST.MAARTENSimpsonBayMarina

TheYachtClubatIsledeSol

ST.THOMASAmericanYachtHarbor

YachtHavenGrande

THEHAMPTONSMontaukYachtClubResort&Marina

NEWYORKHARBORNewportYachtClub&Marina

BOSTONBostonYachtHaven

MEXICOMarinaCaboSanLucas

COLOMBIAMarinaSantaMarta

NOWOPEN

PUERTORICOPalmasdelMarYachtClub

DenotesamemberoftheYachtHavenGrandeCollection,representingthefinestmegayachtmarinasintheworld

YachtYacht Haven GrandeSt.St. Thomas, USVI

AT THE WORLD’S

RESERVEYOUR BERTH

Theonlymarinaloyaltyprogramforcaptainsofyachtsover80feet.Learnmore!Goto:www.igymarinas.com/anchor-club/welcomeThe only marina loyalty program

IGY_Arrive_DW_April2011.indd 1 4/13/11 12:36 PM2011 May ad composite pages.indd 37 4/13/11 2:54 PM

Yacht Haven Grande, St. Thomas, USVI

Cour

tesy

of I

slan

d G

loba

l Yac

htin

g

great. It has new facilities, ground lines color coded for port and starboard, good berth size and the entrance is excellent. [There is also] good shelter, good power and water connections, landscaping and good parking behind the yacht.”

Capt. Brad Kitcher of Lazy Z roots for Monaco. “The city is built around the [old harbor]. It’s sheltered, pro-fessional, safe.”

And don’t forget Isle de Sol in St. Maarten, which is highly regarded by Capt. Coetzee. “Its side-to finger piers give great access to the vessel and security of mooring. [And it’s] located inside a calm lagoon.”

In South Florida, Bahia Mar takes the cake, accord-ing to Capt. MacPhee. “It has a great design which sur-rounds the resort property, great parking and access to the beach. The infrastructure of the resort needs a face-lift, but the marina is first class with easy access from the waterway to all of its slips.”Honorable Mentions:⊲ A&B Marina, Key West, Florida, U.S.⊲ Porto Cervo, Sardinia⊲ Casa de Campo, Dominican Republic

Best Service“What determines whether I’ll go back is the level of service,” says Capt. Rosbach. “When the attendants go above and beyond, it makes all the difference, even if the facilities aren’t top notch.” While some captains believed that service is dictated by who tips the most, there were some names that just kept cropping up again and again.

Atlantis in The Bahamas consistently scored high marks for their service. “Atlantis is phenomenal,” says Capt. Lizza. “We always get treated really well and the butler service is great.” Capt. Lenardson agrees. “They’re always on the radio and always available,” he says.

Another name that received much praise was Porto Cervo Marina in Sardinia, which impressed both Captain Christensen and Piasco. “They have a quick

response time and are always helpful,” says Piasco. Christensen raves over the service as well, claiming, “The marina guys and tender drivers are the world’s best. They are so fast at berthing a yacht efficiently that no one I have ever seen is as good and professional. Even in fifty-knot winds, they will help you like real pros. Ground lines and/or buoy lines are stretched out in record time. They are the best.”

Capt. Lowe of M/Y Blind Date recently experienced great treatment at the brand-new Yacht Club Costa Smeralda in Virgin Gorda. “Even though all the facili-ties aren’t there yet, the [attendants] were very keen, very enthusiastic and switched on,” he says. He also believes one of the most important attributes a marina can have is local knowledge. “Somebody local, on site, who can tell you where to go to get stuff done, is invaluable,” he says.Honorable Mentions:⊲ Isle de Sol, St. Maarten, W.I.⊲ IYCA, Antibes, France⊲ Lauderdale Marine Center, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, U.S. ⊲ The Sails, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, U.S. ⊲ Pier 66, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, U.S. ⊲ Shelter Island, San Diego, California, U.S. ⊲ Port Hercule, Monte Carlo, Monaco ⊲ Village Cay Marina, BVI

Best Provisioning AccessPerhaps it’s appropriate that the battle here raged between Fort Lauderdale and Antibes for best provi-sioning opportunities. As Azteca II’s Capt. Morla says, “Marinas in the French Rivera and Balearic Islands have the best provisioning opportunities.” His opinion was echoed by Capt. Piasco, who believes that “all the businesses set up in the area specifically provide for the yachting industry.” Who could argue with that?

Fans of Fort Lauderdale and the amazing provi-sioning at hand in the city, that’s who. “Bahia Mar is the best; you can get the products pretty close to the boat. There’s no place like Lauderdale,” main-tains Capt. Curran. Capt. Jukes was quick to sing the praises of Bahia Mar, too. “It’s the most acces-sible and they’re very helpful with anything.” Capt. Bradley agreed, claiming that “all marinas in Fort Lauderdale [provide great access], especially Pier 66.” It is, after all, “the heart of [the] yachting Mecca,” according to Capt. Kitcher.Honorable Mentions:⊲ Marina Bay, Gibraltar⊲ Yacht Haven Grande, St. Thomas, USVI⊲ Crown Bay, St. Thomas, USVI⊲ Isle de Sol, St. Maarten, W.I. ⊲ Palapa Marina, St. Maarten, W.I. ⊲ Marina Antibes, France

Marinas: Best of the Best

MAY2011DOCKWALK.COM38

Marinas_Feature.indd 38 4/14/11 4:36 PM

For more information write to training@bondtm.com www.bond tm .com

• The yachting industry’s first IT courses designed for yacht crew

• Endorsed by the PYA and taught by instructors with real onboard experience

• Monthly IT courses in Amsterdam • Recruiting and placing ETO’s regularly

EMPOWER YOUR CREW.Get ready to solve any IT trouble on board.

JN11 Bond Training Ads x2 AW.indd 1 16/02/2011 14:16

JN11 Bond Training Ad AW 1 31/03/2011 11:15

Favorite MarinaIt might not have every amenity or service available, but some marinas just have that je ne sais quoi that calls captains back time and again. For Capt. Kitcher, it’s Capri, but not for any reason you might guess. “It’s the most challenging to park the boat,” he says. Capt. Hendre du Plessis of M/Y Remember When enjoys taking a break from it all at Marina Papagayo in Costa Rica. “It’s quieter as it’s not in a touristy hub. It’s not the normal yachtie scene and you’re right in nature,” he says.

Capt. Curran is on a similar wavelength. “My favor-ite to visit is Highborne Cay, purely for its location. It’s a great nature spot; you can see manta rays and nurse sharks throughout the marina.”

Capt. Christensen enjoys spending time in Croatia, specifically, “Cavtat [Marina] — it’s the Med as it used to be, history, clear water, fresh produce, no pollution and a stunning town.”

“Marina Puerto Portals in Mallorca is [my favorite] because of its high standards and good restaurants and bars,” maintains Capt. Morla of M/Y Azteca II.

And who can forget Monaco? Capt. Coetzee enjoys it for its dramatic entrance. It’s wide, safe and deep [and it has] good diver support for anchors. There’s also access to some of the best dining, shopping and cycling hills in the world.

Or maybe it’s purely about fun. “The Cedar Point Marina in Sandusky, Ohio, was a blast,” says Capt. MacPhee of M/Y Beeliever. “To be able to walk off the boat and into an amusement park with the best rides in the world was a lot of fun.” Honorable Mentions:⊲ Cala di Volpe Marina, Sardinia⊲ Isle de Sol, St. Maarten, W.I. ⊲ Casa de Campo, Dominican Republic⊲ Vineyard Haven, Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, U.S.

So the captains have spoken and while there are new marinas cropping up in both familiar and “uncharted” territories around the world, rest assured that if you’re docking at one of these cap-tain-recommended spots, you’ll be taking your boss and guests to the best. DW

DOCKWALK.COMMAY2011 39

Marinas_Feature.indd 39 4/14/11 10:34 AM