Rise in first-time boaters shifts marina infrastructure investment priorities

A new generation of boat owners is beginning to challenge traditional marina infrastructure. According to EZ Dock’s Ohio-based vice president of sales Mike O’Loughlin, a rise in first-time boaters is pushing marina operators to think beyond slips and square footage towards safety, accessibility, user experience and environmental performance.

“Traditionally, docking infrastructure was evaluated almost entirely on cost and capacity,” he says. That looked like marinas assessing how many slips they could fit, and the cheapest way to build them.

“We think that’s starting to change, and we’re glad the conversation is happening,” he says.

“The calculus has shifted. Those factors still matter and are very important, but they [marinas] are also thinking more broadly about the experience of arriving and leaving, the safety of their family on the dock, accessibility for people of all abilities, and whether the materials meet any kind of environmental standard, code/permits, etc.”

Accessibility moves from compliance to core design

O’Loughlin would like to see that pushed further. He’s keen to see marinas talking to all sorts of customers before they start planning any upgrades, and then starting conversations with him much earlier to find out what problems his company can help solve.

“If we could change one thing [in the industry], it would be getting boaters, kayakers, people with mobility challenges, and marina staff into the planning process before anything gets built.

“Accessibility in particular tends to be treated as an afterthought or a compliance checkbox. The ADA [Americans with Disabilities Act] kayak launch we developed is actually one of the most emotionally resonant products in our lineup. When you watch someone use it for the first time, you understand why design should have included them from the beginning.”

O’Loughlin (pictured below) says that this new change in marine infrastructure priorities is coming after the rise seen in recreational boating from 2020. “In Canada, for example, new boater registrations climbed 75 per cent in 2021, and similar trends played out across the US.”

He believes that while first-time boat owners tend to arrive at boat ownership with enthusiasm, they also come with real uncertainty. “They think about, and care about, boating – dock/docking safely, boat damage and cleanliness/maintenance, accessibility for kids or family members.

“Thoughtful dock design can take a meaningful amount of that anxiety off the table. When your dock is stable, safe, secure, easy to maintain and access, you begin to build confidence around your boat and what you’re doing with it,” he says.

“The environmental dimension is worth taking seriously, not just as PR. Traditional treated lumber leaches chemicals into the water. Foam-based flotation systems can shed microplastics if the outer shell cracks.

“The industry has known this for years; the difference now is that customers are asking about it.”

Sustainability becomes a purchasing factor

EZ Dock’s been around since 1991. “This means we’ve had 30+ years to learn what holds up and what doesn’t,” says O’Loughlin. He notes the company’s docks are foam-free. That matters “both for environmental reasons and because foam-filled competitors can shed material into waterways if the outer shell is compromised.”

Seemingly EZ Dock’s connection system uses recycled rubber couplers that flex with wave energy rather than fighting it. O’Loughlin says this is the factor which enabled the company’s docks to “hold up through significant storms, including tropical events.”

He adds: “Our docks are made to flex with water levels, tides, weather – you know it. We also back the product with a full replacement warranty rather than a pro-rated one. That’s a meaningful difference if you’re a marina operator or a homeowner who plans to own the dock for twenty years.”

Flexible docks for a changing fleet mix

O’Loughlin notes that early dock design was largely an engineering exercise. He cites load capacity, anchoring method, and material cost as primary drivers. Aesthetics and user experience were secondary.

“What’s changed is that boats themselves have gotten more varied and more demanding. We are seeing PWC ownership grow substantially, pontoon boats are more in demand and they are getting larger than they were a decade ago, and the rise of electric vessels is beginning to require rethinking where and how boats dock.

“Modular floating dock systems directly address the ROI question for marinas because they can be reconfigured as the mix of vessels changes. A marina doesn’t have to commit today to a fixed layout that may not match its slip demand in five years. The ability to add, remove, or rearrange sections without major capital expenditure is a genuine operational advantage.”

Marina operators seek future-proof infrastructure

EZ Dock, like most manufacturers, is still having to manage its inventory and production planning carefully to protect its dealers and their customers from project delays.

“We’ve had to stay attentive to lead times and raw material availability over the past few years. Our primary material is linear low-density polyethylene, and while the market has stabilised considerably from the disruptions of 2021 and 2022, we’d rather be transparent about lead times upfront than overpromise,” he says.

As marinas engage with changing customer expectations, evolving vessel types and growing scrutiny over environmental impacts, dock infrastructure is coming to the fore. O’Loughlin argues that the industry’s next competitive advantage may not be found on the water itself, but in the first and last touchpoint of every boating journey: the dock.