By Robert Wilkes
Caution: this is a story of marina redevelopment and expansion in New Zealand that contains a number of challenging Māori names. Be undaunted. It’s an inspirational story well worth the effort.
The new marina is a vast improvement: water, electricity, secure gangways, bathroom facilities, quadruple boat ramp, swimming beach, parking and a large green space. Before and after image above.
Lake Taupō is considered the “beating heart” of the North Island by Māori. The lake bed is formed by a huge volcanic crater and is owned by Ngati Tūwharetoa, a Māori tribe made up of 26 hapū, or sub-tribes. Motuoapa Marina nestles on the shore of a village of the same name. Now that you have mastered these challenging Māori names, we begin.
New Zealand is a new land that rose from the sea as the result of the massive collision of tectonic plates. Lake Taupō is in a volcano caldera or crater formed by multiple eruptions over 300,000 years. The last major eruption 1,800 years ago may have been the natural phenomenon noted at the time by chroniclers in China and Rome. Located in the middle of the North Island, the 623 sq. km lake is the largest in New Zealand. Major population centers are three hours south and north, notably Wellington and Auckland. The lake is dotted with stunning cliff-side Māori carvings and visitors enjoy fishing excursions and adventure tours. Remarkably, but not in New Zealand, there are ski resorts not more than 30 minutes away.
The original marina was built fifty to sixty years ago by local boating enthusiasts and members of social organizations who wanted a place to keep a boat on the lake. They did it with grit and sweat on weekends. They created a cozy marina for family boating in a beautiful setting; some say it has the greatest trout fishing in the world. All the slips are permanently rented by local residents and boaters who drive up from the cities.
Ready for renewal!
Unfortunately, there were no hydrologists among the volunteers. While the lake water just outside the marina is always pristine, the water inside did not flush and was stagnant, algae-choked and infested with invasive catfish. There were plenty of other issues. An island took up valuable space in the middle of the basin. Boats berthed around the perimeter were pile-tied with their bows to a crumbling timber sea wall. The “boaties,” many of them aging, had to clamber onto the pointy end with their groceries in their arms and shuffle alongside the deckhouse to the cockpit.
Motuoapa Marina was loved, but long past its useful life. There was no water, no electricity, no security, no lighting and no services. Part of the marina was on the boundary of private land and half the boaters were effectively trespassing to get to their boats. Worst of all, due to a lake level that fluctuates by 1.4 meters over a year, boaters couldn’t access their berths or navigate the channel during low water.
And you think your marina has problems!
In 2010, Bahia Mar received the Jack Nichol Award for Marina Design Excellence
To describe Marina Design as a simple process would be a lie, but it’s not magic. There are quite a few simple things you can do for yourself to ensure that the design of your marina is optimized for your market and your expected return.
One of the most important things you can do is team up early on with an experienced marina design consultant and construction company. They will help you avoid common pitfalls and will help establish a realistic masterplan for the site. Look for companies that have a long history in the market and a proven track record. Your strongest team will be one that is led by a single firm that has a rich network of marina professionals.
Another is, talk to boaters – owners, captains, crew, and anyone else who has visited a number of different marinas. It may sound like a no brainer but you’d be surprised how under utilized boaters are when it comes to marina design. In 2007, Bellingham Marine put together a focus group of yacht captains and crew members to hear what they had to say about marina design. This was the first time anyone in the industry had really sat down and listened to what boat owners appreciate in a marina. The process led to a better understanding of the level and types of amenities they look for. It also provided great insight about the type dock systems they prefer.
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