Marinas and other ports for the recreational craft sector

Question

Hi,Here are some definitions for "marina"Merriam-Webster: a dock or basin providing secure moorings for pleasure boats and often offering supply, repair, and other facilitiesCambridge: a small port that is used for pleasure rather than trade, often with hotels, restaurants and barsOxford: a specially designed harbour with moorings for pleasure yachts and small boats.Wikipedia: A marina is a harbor with wharfs keeping boats and yachts and with services for recreational boating. A marina may have refueling, washing and repair facilities, ship chandlers, stores and restaurants.So, I understand this is a marina (it's my hometown, in case you are wondering )But how about these ones? There's no dock, no stone quay to protect the pleasure crafts. (try hard to spot the pier on the right-hand side of the small peninsula)Structures like these are scattered along part of the coast of my island and are in place throughout the year; people pay to moor their boats there, and the boats can stay there for long periods.They are not like the one below, which only serves to let people get off the boat: (missing image) I assume those in pics #2 and #3 are not "marinas" ... but, do you have a term for them? I was thinking of something like "ports for the recreational craft sector" but maybe you wouldn't call them "ports/harbours" in the first place!Help, please!

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

I would say a jetty or a small jetty.  Maybe a small wharf.  Small pier.  A few docking slips.  Small mooring.  Private mooring.  A few boat slips.  Secluded dockage.  Reserved dockage.  Reserved mooring slips.  In a protected cove.  A few secluded boat slips in a protected cove.  In a protected bay.  In sheltered water.  In calm water.  In safe water.  A private mooring protected from the sea.  Beautiful dockage far from the dangerous open water of the sea.  A small mooring in a protected inlet.  A private jetty with yacht access.  Convenient loading and unloading pier.  Temporary supplies mooring.

Tanit · Answer

Thanks, Anon.

I was wondering if you'd use those expressions interchangeably. I've got a few follow-up questions and hope you won't mind explaining further, as semantic precision is very important for me in this case.

1. Isn't a a jetty that in the fourth picture?
"a wooden or stone structure which is built in the water at the edge of a sea or lake and is used by people getting on and off boats" (http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/jetty)

In #2 and #3 boats are being moored even for long periods ... Would you say those are jetties, too?

2. "Docking slips": I've googled them and got, among other things, this pic:

I was wondering it they must be inside a port protected by quays or if you can find them standing alone.

3. A "boat slip" seems to be something else, from this http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slipway! ("ramp on the shore by which ships or boats can be moved to and from the water. They are used for building and repairing ships and boats.")

I *think * I'm fine with the others ... Thanks again!

Anonymous · Answer

In the strict sense, a "dock" is a basin the depth of water in which is controlled by pumps and floodgates or a caisson or the like. A wet dock does this to prevent a vessel from getting out of alignment with its landing stage as the tide or river level changes. A dry dock permits the vessel to be rendered high and dry so that the bottom can be inspected, graved, repaired, painted, or the like. In the broad sense, a dock is a basin usually defined by piers or similar structures and made suitable for the berthing of vessels. By synecdoche "dock," usually and more properly "docks," may be used for the basin(s) and the associated structures (wharves, piers, warehouses, offices, &c). And with lubberly sloppiness "dock" is often used improperly of a wharf or pier. A ship that is simply moored to a wharf, quay, pier, or whatever should be said to be "berthed"; properly, it is "docked" only if it is a dock sensu strictu.

A "jetty" is a solid structure forming a wall in the water, in contrast to a pier raised on open piles. A pair of jetties often facilitates movement into and out of the mouth of a harbor or river. Jetties may serve as breakwaters. In addition, a jetty may be adapted to the berthing of vessels, or to use as a causeway. From the mid-nineteenth century, "jetty" is additionally defined as "a pier of slight construction," but this seems a needless complication of a straightforward term.

A "slip," in nautical terminology, is an inclined plane passing from a level above high tide, where vessels may be constructed or repaired, to a point sufficiently below water level to enable the vessels to be slid down it into the water. Smaller vessels may also be hauled up the slip (or "slipway"); when tracks are laid along the inclined plane and a cradle with wheels allowed to run on them, the vessel may be mounted on the cradle; larger vessels may thus be "docked" atop the slipway. This is called a "patent slip," "marine railway," or "slip dock." In the nineteenth century, "slip" also came to be used to designate the berth of a boat or especially a ferry; this is a different meaning that may cause confusion with the earlier sense of the word. Slips in this second should be called "berthing slips" and not "docking slips," as it is not in a dry dock or even a wet dock. A slip of the sort in the bird's eye above will need to be in sheltered waters and not just sticking out into the sea, for obvious reasons. Whether a quay or a jetty is needed will depend on local conditions.

Navy Brat

Tanit · Answer

Wow, Navy Brat, thank you very much!

(I actually needed the answer more than one year ago ... anyway, I am happy you posted your reply because it will surely benefit other readers!)

Marinas and other ports for the recreational craft sector

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