A few days ago, we looked at what we consider to be the main rules to follow while sailing. Today, we’ll examine the unwritten rules of port etiquette, to always maintain the proper behavior in a marina!
Port etiquette: rules for harmonious living in the marina
- Entering the port, the right speed: port etiquette begins with entry. Whether you have already made a boat mooring reservation or contacted the marina in another way, it is essential first to prepare the boat for mooring, properly arranging lines and fenders, and preparing the crew to follow the captain’s directives. Upon entry, it is necessary to minimize
speed , allowing time to assess the marina situation, calculate how to performmaneuvers , and so on. At excessive speed, moreover, the risks of collisions with other moving vessels increase, not to mention the wakes that could negatively impact dinghies and small boats. - Port entry and maneuvering: reducing speed isn’t enough when entering port. Certainly, we all know that mooring a boat is among the most delicate phases of navigation, and we all know how it feels when, upon entering a marina,
everyone seems to be watching us and our maneuvers. But precisely for this reason, it’s important to proceed with extreme calm, without rushing, giving orders to the crew clearly and patiently, without profanity, shouting, and so forth: how we handle these initial phases will represent our calling card during our stay in a marina! - Offering and accepting help: while it’s true that mooring operations, port entry and exit can be the most delicate and difficult, it’s also true that not everyone is a seasoned sailor. This is why port etiquette teaches that
it’s good to help others and accept help , which helps avoid accidents and dangers, as well as handle everything more serenely. Our marina in Genoa, moreover, offers a highly appreciated mooring assistance service!
- Orderly and secure mooring: once moored in your berth, it’s important to secure the vessel with the best possible mooring, arranging lines, springs, and fenders in the most correct and effective way. The goal here is to ensure the safety of both our boat and those of our neighbors, so everyone can sleep peacefully!
- Reducing noise: a marina is a small community where many people often share a large common space. Therefore, it’s important to avoid making “noise.” Of course, you can converse on board, exchange jokes with neighbors, chat on the dock, do minor maintenance work, even listen to your music. However, all of this should be done with
respect for others , without causing disturbance. Voices, radios, smartphones, noisy mooring shock absorbers, onboard washing machines: especially after sunset, you should ensure to eliminate any disturbing noise! - Don’t use the marine toilet: our marina in Genoa, like any proper marina, has restrooms, shower cabins, and private changing rooms. Therefore, it’s important to always use only the marina’s facilities, rather than using your boat’s marine toilet, unless you have a black water tank on board.
- Don’t modify others’ moorings: sometimes, to facilitate your own mooring, you might feel the need to touch or modify the mooring of nearby boats. This should always be avoided: without explicit permission from other boaters or marina management, you cannot touch others’ lines.
- Privacy is sacred: some people spend very little time in the marina: just long enough to moor their boat before heading to the city center, perhaps to sleep in a hotel. And certainly, those who moor in our Genoa marina are tempted to spend time away from their boat, attracted by the beauty of our historic center, which is just steps away. But there are those who make their boat their home, and thus deserve all the privacy they need. For example, be very careful when crossing other moored boats in case of stern-to mooring: it’s important to ask for permission, walk barefoot, not run, and prefer the bow area.
- The dock belongs to everyone: the boat is our exclusive domain, but the dock where it’s moored necessarily belongs to everyone. This means that the dock should
always be kept clear , without creating obstacles or impediments for other boaters who have chosen that marina. Therefore, our lines or belongings should not be left out in the sun in passage areas, and the gangway, if present, should always be positioned so as not to disturb anyone. - Waste sorting: while you shouldn’t produce much waste on a boat, you’ll inevitably have some things to dispose of. Obviously, all waste must be brought ashore, following the marina’s rules regarding collection points, recycling, and so on. Our marina in Genoa, for example, provides dockside waste collection, with regular pier cleaning.
- Rules for refueling: finally, the last rule of marina etiquette concerns refueling. There are two important considerations here: first, remember that during high season, many boats want to refuel, often during the same time period, so it’s important to be prepared to refuel quickly, freeing up the space promptly for the next boat; simultaneously, it’s necessary to be careful not to spill even a drop of fuel, to avoid polluting the sea: therefore, you must concentrate to prevent fuel from “erupting” from the tank.
