How do I show a buyer that my marina’s winter storage is reliable?

Winter storage gives a marina income when the water is closed, so a buyer will want proof that it repeats. Start with the occupancy record by year, showing how many boats came in, how many came back and how many new ones joined. Repeat customers are the clearest sign of reliability, so list how long each has stored with you.

Show how the money works. Provide the contracts or forms customers sign, the dates deposits are due and the pattern of payment. Note whether space is full or whether there is a waiting list, and whether customers book early.

Then show the physical side. Walk a buyer through the storage buildings, yard or cradles and explain how boats are lifted, moved and secured. Share maintenance records for the lift equipment and any insurance claims over the past seasons, with what went wrong and what you changed. Finally, link the storage income to the books. Your accountant can check that revenue, deferred deposits and cash flow tell the same story, and your lawyer can explain how storage agreements pass to a buyer. Invite a buyer to visit in winter, when the yard is full, rather than only in the quiet shoulder season. Keep photos of the yard in the off season too, because a buyer can then see the space is organized when no one is watching.

Key takeaways

• Show occupancy and repeat customers season by season.
• Provide storage agreements and the deposit pattern.
• Share lift maintenance and any damage claims, with what you changed.