Keep on BuildingKeep on Building

Many marinas exist in some of the harshest conditions known to humans: salt water. While it may not sound particularly frightening, everyone who lives around saltwater lakes and the ocean knows just how corrosive salt water can be. Still, most of your material used in the creation of a marina is specifically built to withstand salt water, which means it can last a long time when maintained well. But, eventually, your marina will need repairs and it can be tricky identifying what actually needs to be repaired and what is fine in its current state. Here are a few guidelines about what areas of your marina will need repairs first.

Pontoons Often Need Repairs First

Since the pontoons are on the front line of the battle with salt water (they are the material in the water, after all) they generally get degraded first. While the plastic is very tough, the combination of salt water with fluctuating temperatures and constant sunlight means that the plastic can only last so long, no matter how high-grade it is. Check to see how level your pontoons are every month and take note of how low they are sitting in the water. The lower they get, the more obvious the signs of leaking and the immediate need for marina repair.

Ropes Of All Kinds

Many ropes in a marina are no longer made of real organic material like hemp or cotton but nylon. Still, nylon ropes may be able to withstand the conditions better, but they do not have an infinite lifetime. The same elements that rip and tear through your heavy plastic pontoons will cause the nylon ropes to lose their starch and start to give way. Checking all your ropes as often as you possibly can is the only way to ensure you don't have any disasters with gangways floating away or boats of all sizes drifting out of mooring.

Timber 

More and more marinas are moving over to synthetic materials in place of timber simply because the timber options, unfortunately, do rot and erode far quicker. For a long time, timber has been the best option to use around the water because it is buoyant and relatively strong in the face of the water, as water seeps through it rather than pooling and then weakening the internal strength of the material. Still, anyone who has been around marinas knows that one of the most common marina repair jobs is taking out rotting timber sections and putting in new and better-treated varieties. Always check for timber in hard-to-reach places as well, because these less-maintained areas generally hide the worst decaying wood. 

If your marina has seen better days, reach out to a professional who provides marina repair services.