Rental Moorage Need

The needs for both summer and winter moorage facilities were taken as the sum of permanent moorage demand and a percentage of temporary moorage demand with an allowance for sailboats without power. Temporary moorage demand for summer and winter facilities was converted to equivalent permanent demand by allowing one permanent moorage facility for 10 temporary rental moorage users. This ratio, used in the California study (4), was considered appropriate to the Puget Sound area. Conceivably, a greater number of moorages could economically be provided to meet peak weekend demand by transient boaters, if a separate and higher rate were charged during the weekend, rather than the current practice of using a uniform rate throughout the week. The moorage facility demands are shown in Table 14, with the needs also indicated, based on the number of moorages existing in 1966.

Of Demand

Winter

CHAPTER 4-PLEASURE BOAT FACILITIES

Inventory

Boating facilities now in use were inventoried. Moorage and launching ramp data were collected from boating facilities publications (5) and from field reconnaissance by automobile, boat and airplane. Facilities used exclusively by rental boats were excluded from the inventory as the purpose of this study was to determine facility needs of the boat-owning public. Marina attendants were interviewed regarding type of moorages provided, transient boater origin and destination, services available, fees charged, items for sale and plans for expansion.

As launching facilities other than launching ramps are usually privately owned, this study has defined launching facility demand and need in terms of equiv. alent launching ramp lanes. Other types of launching facilities, such as hoists or marine railways, which might satisfy some of the demand for launching ramps were inventoried.

Marinas

There are 167 marinas in the Puget Sound area supplying rental moorage facilities (figures 14, 15, 16, and 17). This number includes marinas supplying only summer moorage. Marinas operated by Port Districts and private enterprises vary considerably in quality. Many facilities are outdated and in poor condition with moorage floats and docks in need of repair. Access roads are unpaved, parking areas are of inadequate size, and often comfort facilities are lacking or poorly maintained. Other marinas are outstanding examples of modern complexes providing complete facilities for the boating public, including fine restaurants and shops.

Marinas are located on a wide range of sites with some sheltered in coves and river estuaries or inland waterways, while others are operated as summer resorts with limited protection. Those located on exposed shorelines and operated all year around require breakwater protection. In the North Division, the greatest concentration of marinas occurs near Anacortes (figure 14). In the Central Division, the major share of the marinas are located along the Lake Washington Ship Canal, connecting Lake Washington with Puget Sound, and along waterways of Commencement Bay in Tacoma (figures 15 and 16). Very few marinas are located along Puget Sound frontage due to the lack of sheltered locations for such facilities. The public facilities that have been constructed on this frontage are provided with breakwater protection. These include the small boat harbors at Edmonds and Shilshole Bay in Seattle. In the West Division, rental moorages are clustered in southern Puget Sound near Olympia (figure 17).

To be financially successful marinas requiring extensive breakwater protection generally need space for a minimum of 200 pleasure craft as well as provisions for land-based, revenue-producing services. The qual

Rental Moorage Need

The needs for both summer and winter moorage facilities were taken as the sum of permanent moorage demand and a percentage of temporary moorage demand with an allowance for sailboats without power. Temporary moorage demand for summer and winter facilities was converted to equivalent permanent demand by allowing one permanent moorage facility for 10 temporary rental moorage users. This ratio, used in the California study (4), was considered appropriate to the Puget Sound area. Conceivably, a greater number of moorages could economically be provided to meet peak weekend demand by transient boaters, if a separate and higher rate were charged during the weekend, rather than the current practice of using a uniform rate throughout the week. The moorage facility demands are shown in Table 14, with the needs also indicated, based on the number of moorages existing in 1966.