Need help running your marina?
After 35+ years operating marinas and consulting at thousands more, we know which problems compound and which ones are fixable in a quarter. Bring us in for a defined project — rates, customer experience, software, hiring, competitor analysis, valuation — and we step out when the work is done.
Fixed scopes, written deliverables, transparent pricing.
Most of our consulting work falls into one of these shapes. If your situation doesn't fit, tell us and we'll design something that does.
Customer experience
PROJECT-BASEDMarinas are handshake businesses. After years in the industry and visibility into what works (and what doesn't) at thousands of marinas, we help you take the best practices and implement them into your operation. That loyalty is how customer lifetime value gets built.
Rate optimization
PROJECT-BASEDThe biggest issue we see with the marinas we work with is wrong rate strategies — or no rate strategy at all. Slips, moorings, racks, ship store, fuel. We help you find the right rate for every slip you operate. Done right, this moves revenue meaningfully.
Asset optimization
PROJECT-BASEDJust like rates, many marinas neglect how they actually sell slips, moorings, and dry spaces. We help you optimize the way the inventory goes to market — pricing tiers, package structures, seasonal vs annual mix, transient strategy.
Employee hiring
PROJECT-BASEDThe number one operational complaint we hear is how hard it has become to find and keep capable employees. We help you rethink role design, compensation, sourcing, and retention so the dockmaster team isn't a recurring crisis.
Software advice
PROJECT-BASEDWe've used and evaluated all of the major marina management platforms — Molo, DockMaster, Marinaware, and the integrations into Snag-A-Slip and Dockwa. We help you make the right software decision and stand it up in your operation.
Competitor comparisons
PROJECT-BASEDA full area analysis of the marinas you actually compete with: their slip mix, pricing, services, and how they're positioned in your local market. Almost always changes how you think about your own pricing and value proposition.
Marina underwriting
PROJECT-BASEDWant an unbiased opinion on what your marina is actually worth? We underwrite the property the way a buyer would, build a defensible valuation range, and tell you the specific factors moving the number up or down.
Scope first. Then a written proposal. Then the work.
We don't sell hours. We sell defined scopes for defined fees. Before any engagement begins, you receive a written proposal that specifies the work, the deliverables, the timeline, and the price. No mystery-meat "engagements TBD."
If you'd rather have an operator on call than a one-time engagement, we also take on fractional-GM retainers — operator-level judgment on your team without the cost of a full-time hire. Tell us what you're trying to figure out and we'll suggest the right shape.
Common questions
- What kinds of consulting projects do you take on?
- Seven areas that cover the operational levers we see drive the most value: customer experience, rate optimization (slips, moorings, racks, ship store, fuel), asset optimization, employee hiring, marina management software selection, competitor comparisons in your local market, and marina underwriting (unbiased valuation work).
- How long is a typical engagement?
- Most consulting engagements are scoped to a specific question and run anywhere from a couple of weeks to a full quarter. We don't sell hours — we sell defined scopes for defined fees. If the right answer is ongoing advisory, we structure it as a retainer with a clear cadence.
- Can you implement, or only advise?
- We can do both. Many engagements start as a diagnostic and continue as an implementation partnership where we help your team execute the recommendations rather than handing you a deck and walking away.
- How do you price?
- Fixed fees for defined-scope projects (most common), day rates for advisory work, and milestone-based pricing for larger transformations. Pricing is transparent from the first call.
What's the project?
A sentence or three is plenty. We'll come back with the right diagnostic questions.