This year, many people will embark on a pleasure boat cruise for the first time: it’s in the natural order of things that newcomers experience boat holidays, perhaps as guests of friends or even as captains of their own boats, moving from short trips to real cruises. And certainly, to face the “first” cruise safely and serenely, there are many precautions to take, knowing in any case that it will be a journey – and a holiday – full of discoveries. Among these, for many, there could also be life in the marina, a place to rest and recharge (energy, resources, and fuel) before setting off again towards the next stop. Certainly, marinas are extremely peculiar places, part sea and part land, part hotel and part parking lot: let’s see the main tips for experiencing marinas in the right way.

The importance of distinguishing between various types of ports
First of all, the absolute novice should pay attention to knowing the various types of ports, to identify the berth that can actually accommodate their boat and crew. There are indeed many places designated for mooring maritime units, from commercial ports to military ports: the only berths designed specifically for pleasure boaters are tourist ports and marinas, the latter term generally used to indicate smaller ports for pleasure boaters. In these two types of ports, you can find berths and services tailored for pleasure boaters, which obviously cannot be said about other berths.
Heading to the marina: it’s better to book a berth
Especially when sailing during the most “hot” moments of the year, such as typically the central days of August, it’s always good to secure a berth, contacting the marina in advance to book a mooring of the right size. The risk, in fact, is to arrive at the designated marina and find no free berths, not even for
transit. It should also be emphasized that booking a berth is simple: on our website there is a special section for booking a berth at Marina Porto Antico in Genoa, and there are also several convenient apps through which you can view availability and services of different marinas in the area of interest.

Check available services and draft
It’s always good, before booking a berth in a marina, to ensure that the facility can meet your needs and those of your boat. Are berths of the exact dimensions available – and free? Is the draft sufficient for your boat? And again, based on your needs, it will be good to check the services available on site, from electricity columns to toilets, from showers to fuel, up to restaurants, spare parts shops, and so on.
The location of the marina matters!
Obviously, before choosing the marina to stop at during a cruise, it’s good to carefully study the location. For many reasons: to avoid unnecessarily extending your journey, as well as to be able to enjoy peaceful hours on land. Our marina, for example, is located in the heart of Genoa’s historic center, and it takes just a few steps to reach attractions such as the Aquarium, the Bigo, Eataly, the Biosphere, the De Amicis Library, the Galata Sea Museum, and much more.

Other tips for experiencing a marina safely and serenely

1. Respect speed limits: when entering marinas, it’s good to minimize the speed of approach, knowing that spaces are limited and there could be other boats exiting or maneuvering.
2. Secure and stable moorings: for the safety of your boat as well as neighboring vessels, moorings must be secure and expertly done, with a sufficient number of lines and correct placement of fenders.
3. Use of the toilet: marinas are generally equipped with toilet facilities, and also for this reason, those who do not have a black water tank should always avoid using the toilet of their boat when moored in the port;
4. Waste management: a good marina provides boaters with everything necessary for waste sorting. Just follow the rules!
5. Better bio: want to clean your boat or other nautical items? Certainly, using biological cleaning products will be important to avoid polluting the seawater.
6. Be careful when moving on pontoons: safety in the marina should be kept in mind even when simply walking on pontoons or in passages between these and the boats. Beyond the obvious attention to not moving close to the edge of the docks, the advice is to be particularly careful in case of wet flooring.
7. Refueling is done with care: often among the priority tasks once arrived in port is refueling, which must be done with all due precautions. It’s forbidden to let fuel fall into the water, be sure to always have an extinguishing means at hand and turn off power supplies and electronic devices: these are the main rules to observe.
8. Silent moorings: in the marina, there’s practically always someone resting, someone reading, someone wanting to sunbathe in peace, and so on. For this reason, it’s good to minimize noise, both from the boat’s engine and from mooring springs. Rubber shock absorbers are definitely quieter!
9. A marina is not a swimming pool: a marina, for obvious safety reasons, is not the right place to take a swim!
10. Help and be helped: finally, to live serenely and safely in a marina, it’s always good to remember that those who moor in these places are part of a community, albeit typically temporary. It’s better, therefore, to remember when possible and necessary to help and be helped, in mooring, in bringing heavy objects on board, and so on.