Ayia Nappa, Cyprus – 7 August 2020 – The long-held vision of Cypriot Gerry Caramondani, in partnership with Naguib Sawiris, a prominent investor from Egypt, has become a reality with the opening of a 600 slip marina, drystack and the arrival of the first boats in February 2020. Ayia Nappa Marina is approximately 45-minutes east of Larnaca International Airport and 70 minutes from Limassol. The marina is located near the Mediterranean resort town Ayia Nappa, a world-famous holiday destination known for its beaches on the southeast coast of Cyprus.
The marina, built by Bellingham Marine, features full-service finger berthing that provides greater access and ease of mooring for boats up to 30m as well as full-service berthing options for boats up to 65m. “This iconic marina will become the standard that other marinas in the Mediterranean aspire to meet,” says John Spragg, Bellingham Marine’s President of Australasia and the Middle East, “Once boaters use the finger mooring system, they will demand it elsewhere.”
To spark the imagination of those contemplating similar projects in their marinas, Robert Wilkes highlights ten of the best Bellingham Marine marina rebuilds.
Best Superyacht Marina:
Rybovich, West Palm Beach, Florida, USA
Rybovich’s transformation from shipyard to superyacht destination marina placed this already iconic facility in a class all of its own.
You won’t find a marina and shipyard more tailored to serving the needs of superyacht owners and crews than Rybovich, the world’s pre-eminent superyacht facility. The marina can accommodate yachts of 120m (400ft) with high freeboard, heavy duty docks; in-slip refueling; abundant power and the ability to service yachts right from the docks. Specializing in 10-star concierge service, crews enjoy hotel-like amenities and an on-site bistro social life. The shipyard can haul out most yachts and also has a 2,500- ton floating dry dock. A new 14 acre (5.6ha) work-site was recently added nearby and a channel was dredged to integrate the two sites. Read more about developer’s plans for Rybovich, best superyacht, destination marina.
Best Iconic Boat Show Venue:
Bahia Mar Yacht Center, Fort Lauderdale, FL, USA
Bahia Mar Yachting Center was rebuilt in the early 2000’s. The developer’s aim was to build the ultimate special event facility. Power and dock configuration were a top priority.
Bahia Mar Yacht Center is one the earliest and longest serving venues of the annual Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show – the largest boat show in the world – and the 2002 rebuild ensures that it will continue in that tradition. Masterfully designed, the marina functions as a world class superyacht center 11 months out of the year. The magic begins in October when the marina expands from 242 large yacht slips and side ties into a 1,000-boat gunwale-to-gunwale moorage for the iconic Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show. The rebuild transitioned the marina from fixed to floating docks and incorporated a one of- a-kind electrical system with custom-built distribution panels for the show. The system ensures adequate power for all the yachts on display. Learn more about the award winning marina at Bahia Mar Yachting Center.
A case study in technical design and constructability of floating structures: Northeastern University boathouse ramp and crew dock
An oversized aluminum gangway leads down to the University’s low freeboard rowing dock.
The most fascinating part about this small rowing pontoon and gangway built for Northeastern University in Boston, MA, are the challenges associated with the constructability of the design and how they were overcome.
At 100 feet wide by 17 feet long the gangway at Henderson Boathouse is truly one of a kind. To a layman, these dimensions might not seem extreme. But to a marina builder, to build an oversized gangway like the one envisioned for Henderson and have it land on an 8-foot-wide by 120-foot-long floating dock that has a six-inch freeboard is no small feat.
Northeastern’s vision for their new boathouse and rowing dock was perfect on paper. The poster child for functional luxury – elegant in design and calculated in its function.
The homeowners of this custom boat dock in California incorporated an access panel in the deck of the dock for their lobster traps.
Over the past 20 years we’ve seen a major advancement in the marina industry from off the shelf dock systems to custom engineered designs that are suited for a specific site and its users. This shift has taken a little longer to trickle down to the residential market but is now gaining momentum. Homeowners are realizing that they don’t have to settle for a one size fits all dock system for their home. They can have a boat dock that caters to the specific needs of their location, their family and their guests.
Following a trend seen among large scale marina projects, homeowners are incorporating decorative concrete and hardwood or composite trim packages on their concrete floating docks to create an upscale and personalized look. These upgrades are gaining attention in the market but are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to customization of private docks.
One of the most unique projects currently under construction is for a homeowner in the Bahamas. For this project Bellingham Marine designed and fabricated a 54’ floating timber dock complete with utilities, boat lift, gazebo platform and gangway. Additional design details included a timber handrail system, decorative rafters and bracing components, and a custom roof structure that doubles as a rain collection system. The rain collection system stores and treats up to 60 gallons of water for use on the dock. The system can be operated by gravity feed or pump for greater pressure.