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British Marine Federation (BMF) Marina Conference 2013 attended by international marina professionals

May 17, 2013

Having started at the scenic Bournemouth Highcliff Marriott on Wednesday, May 8, this year’s 9th edition of annual British Marine Federation (BMF) Marina Conference was attended by marina professionals, coming from all over the world. The event was sponsored by Walcon Marine.

Robin Walters, founder of Walcon Marine, awarded the Honorary Certified Marina Professional in recognition of his dedication and contribution to the industry

Robin Walters, founder of Walcon Marine, awarded the Honorary Certified Marina Professional in recognition of his dedication and contribution to the industry

The Conference welcomed many delegates some coming from as far as Brazil and the US with others from Turkey and Europe, was opened by Nicola Walsh, CMM UK and European Chairman, in which she expressed her hopes that ‘new ideas and tips’ would be imparted and that everyone would leave ‘inspired’.

Derek Williams, Director of The WOW! Awards, gave the first talk of the conference which focused on heightening employee engagement. Sarah Dhanda, Senior Federation Director of the BMF spoke on the subject of ‘how to generate enthusiasm for boating and watersports’. Sarah touched upon taking inspiration from the BMF’s American and Australian counterparts on attracting a larger and wider audience. The Yacht Harbour Association’s (TYHA) Manager, Gareth Turnbull and Mieke Veugels CMM discussed how to capitalise on marina staff and how to create favourable first impressions and retain customers.

A field trip was organised to BMF member, MDL’s Cobb’s Quay Marina, situated in Poole Harbour. Conference attendees were given a tour of the impressive facilities of this 1090 berth marina followed by a visit to Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) College, one of the highlights being a visit to the multi-million pound lifeboat simulator.

Certified Marina Manager (CMM) and Certified Marina Professional (CMP) presentations included Jon Pridham, Managing Director of Cowes Yacht Haven receiving his CMM Certificate, the 314th CMM certificate awarded. Robin Walters, founder of Walcon Marine, was awarded the Honorary Certified Marina Professional in recognition of his dedication and contribution to the industry.

A popular new addition to the conference was the  breakout sessions which gave delegates the chance to attend three out of four talks of their choice, the subjects included Hiring Top Performers, Legal Challenges, Marketing – Capitalise on Opportunities and Environment – Best Practise, Legislation and Resources.

Emanuele Rinaldi CMM, Director of ESEAR Marina Management Solutions & TYHA World Assessor, who attended the conference said: “The 2013 Marina Conference has been absolutely useful. It is good for meeting people and catching up with the world’s best marina professionals each year. The content of the talks and the speakers have been excellent. I really enjoyed the conference and I think that every year the content is better. The annual Marina Conference is an event that can’t be missed!”

Nicola Walsh commented, “A lot of passion was demonstrated by the key players in the industry, and this was apparent to the delegates. With updates on targeted topics via presentations and workshops I left the Marina Conference feeling inspired and armed with new tips, ideas and contacts, ready to play a more effective part in the marine industry.”

The BMF’s Sarah Dhanda said: “The BMF Marinas Conference was, as always, a fantastic event for Marina Managers and professionals. The inclusion of an industry field trip and topical breakout sessions this year ensured that the conference remained relevant to all those attending. We were delighted to welcome an increased number of International delegates including several from Brazil.”

MDL’s first customers using Passeport Escales arrive in France

May 16, 2013

After having joined forces with French marina operator Sagemor, MDL Marinas is thrilled to announce that its first customers using Passeport Escales arrived in Camaret-Sur-Mer in northwest France on Sunday 5th May.

MDL's first customers using Passeport Escales in France

MDL's first customers using Passeport Escales in France

Jenny and Simon Wilmshurst-Smith embarked on their cruise from Brixham Marina to Camaret-Sur-Mer aboard their yacht Fenicia, setting out the day before and enjoying the beautiful scenery during the 31 hour passage.

After a warm welcome by the marina staff in France, who were delighted to welcome their first UK customers as part of the Passport Escales programme, it wasn’t long before Jenny and Simon settled in and set out to discover the delights of Brittany. Since then they have continued on to Port Louis and Port Haliguen and have expressed their delight with the scheme.

Passport Escales was launched on 1st April 2013 and gives MDL’s annual berth holders a completely unique package to gain free visitor nights at an additional 57 marinas on the northwest coast of France – all within their annual berthing fee. Berth holders can take advantage of the scheme for the rest of the season, which is an easy-to-use, fully automated online system. It works as a reciprocal programme where berth holders check out of their marinas and choose another marina to stay at from the network. The only condition of the scheme is boaters must check out upon leaving.

Great success for the 2013 Hamble Point Boat Show

May 03, 2013

More than 1,500 visitors have been attracted by the organisers and exhibitors at the second Hamble Point Boat Show, which took place on 27 and 28 April, 2013. The event marked the beginning of the boating season, bringing together boat owners, exhibitors and families for an eventful weekend, with plenty of new product launches and attractions.

Image from the Hamble Point Boat Show 2013

Image from the Hamble Point Boat Show 2013

In addition to hundreds of new and used boats and specialist marine products on display, there were plenty of activities for visitors during the two-day event. These included rowing tug of war and water polo from the Hamble Sea Scouts – which all attracted lots of spectators. Visitors also enjoyed a fly by from the Solent Coastguard helicopter, as well as visits from the RNLI Calshot lifeboat and the Hamble Fire Engine.

Marco Marine used the event to mark the UK premiere of the new Dufour 500 Grand Large, and Nicolle Associates and Key Yachting also held their official office launch events at the show. Key Yachting held a champagne reception and had a number of new and used boats on display, including two beautiful Princess yachts and a J111 racing yacht, which all attracted a lot of interest.

Gemma Dunn, Marketing Coordinator at Key Yachting, said: “We had a great show and were really pleased with the level and quality of customers at the event. We held our official launch party on the Saturday, with Carol Taylor of National Boat Shows opening our new premises, and are really looking forward to the season at Hamble Point Marina and getting involved in next year’s event.”

Andy Cunningham from Michael Schmidt and Partners, commented: “We had a brilliant show and were pleased with the quality of the visitors and the level of enquiries at the show. We took three offers on boats over the weekend and prepared two contracts on Monday morning after the show had ended. It’s fantastic to do business from a weekend event and we are delighted with the response and results. It was also great to see so many of the local community getting involved in the event including the young sea scouts – who we welcomed on board our yachts. You can do everything at Hamble Point Marina and events like this are a great way to bring the business and local community together, and we are looking forward to next year.”

Leading brands at the show included Dehler, Hanse, Nordhavn Yachts, Azimut and Beneteau, with visitors enjoying accompanied viewings, sea trials and workshops.

Those who attended the show also had the chance to visit the BMF On the Water bus, which was on site to promote getting people into boating and treated visitors to free giveaways.

Nicholas Parton, General Manager at Hamble Point Marina, said: “We had a fantastic event and are delighted to have welcomed so many visitors, despite the on and off weather. We had visitors travelling from far and wide and have received some brilliant feedback from visitors, exhibitors and tenants, and have already started planning next year’s event.”

MDL Marinas invests £4m in continuous UK marina investment programme

April 29, 2013

Demonstrating the company’s persevering dedication to providing class-leading marinas and the finest customer experience for berth holders, Europe’s largest marina operator, MDL Marinas has recently finished another three refurbishment projects at its UK marinas. The leading operator has invested of £4m to-date, and has plans to carry on with investments in the months to follow.

MDL´s Ocean Village Marina

MDL´s Ocean Village Marina

Timed for the start of the new boating season, Sparkes Marina in Hayling Island has undergone a full refurbishment of its facilities with berth holders enjoying new toilet, washroom and laundry rooms. Queen Anne’s Battery in Plymouth has also undergone an extensive refurbishment with beautiful modern showers, toilets and washing facilities on-site. The two investments alone total over £500,000.

In addition, Ocean Village Marina in Southampton has seen upgrades to the internal décor, as well as upgraded modern facilities in line with Sparkes Marina and Queen Anne’s Battery Marina. All three upgrades have made significant improvements to the popular marinas and will be a very welcome addition to berth holders and visitors this season.

Jon Eads, Chief Operating Officer at MDL Marinas, commented: “We are committed to investing in our marinas and these three projects have transformed the berth holder facilities we offer. As Europe’s leading marina operator we are committed to not standing still and are continually looking at ways to not only improve and update our marinas, but also to ensure our customer service and locations are of the very highest standards. This is why many of our customers have been with us for years, and for us the focus always remains on ensuring our berth holders and visitors continue to get the very best out of their boating.”

Hamble Point Boat Show 2013 to start this month

April 12, 2013

MDL‘s Hamble Point Marina will be once again hosting one of the south’s premier new and used boat shows. The Hamble Point Boat Show will run on Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th April, 2013.

MDL's Hamble Point Marina

MDL's Hamble Point Marina

This popular free event will feature a great selection of new and used boats for sale, from day boats to sports boats, cruisers and RIBs to suit a range of budgets. The show is an excellent opportunity for visitors to browse products from a wide range of leading marine companies. Firms already confirmed to exhibit include Force 4, Garmin, Sealine, Icom, Key Yachting, Princess and Michael Schmidt & Partner, alongside Hamble Point Marina-based brokerage and new sales.

Visitors are free to wander around one of the south’s leading marina locations, taking in the boats for sale onshore and afloat, speaking to expert brokers and finding out more about the other marine services available on-site.

Entertainment will be provided by on-water displays, practical workshops in conjunction with the RYA Active Marina programme, an RNLI lifejacket clinic and Dry Stack demonstrations. The British Marine Federation’s On The Water bus will also be making an appearance, with staff on hand to advise visitors on how to get on the water. Young visitors will be kept entertained too with a bouncy castle and rides.

Nicholas Parton, Hamble Point Marina Manager, commented: “The Hamble Point Boat Show is always a popular event, and we are looking forward to welcoming visitors for a great weekend. The show is perfect for those considering their first boat purchase, or for seasoned boaters who are in search of a day out, with experts on hand to offer advice and the chance to browse a whole range of new and used models available from leading brands.”

Entry to and car parking at the show are both completely free.

Nominations for MDL Marinas’ Sail Training Awards 2013 now open

March 20, 2013

Celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, MDL Marinas has once again opened the nominations for its annual Sail Training Awards, providing deserving youngsters with the opportunity to experience a week onboard a sailing yacht operated by Ocean Youth Trust South.

MDL

The awards are designed to recognise, reward and challenge youngsters who have shown exceptional accomplishments and qualities that have inspired or supported others. Since launching over twenty years ago, the awards have rewarded more than 130 young people, aged between 12 and 18.

This year’s six award winners will experience an unforgettable sailing experience on a journey from Ipswich to Southampton at the end of August.

MDL Marinas has also selected Ocean Youth Trust South as its chosen charity for its 40th anniversary year, with a series of fundraising events being planned, including raffles and prize auctions.

MDL’s Managing Director, Eamonn Feeney commented: “We’re proud of our continued commitment to Ocean Youth Trust South, and are delighted to be providing the charity with even more support this year through our 40th anniversary events. The Sail Training Awards are a very important initiative for us and we have so far helped well over a hundred youngsters to experience something truly exceptional.

“We would encourage people to think about nominating deserving young people they know, who would really benefit from an experience like this, as well as inviting other businesses to get involved with this very worthy charity. For many of our award winners, it’s the first chance they have had to get out on the water, and the sense of achievement for everyone involved is tremendous.”

Mark Todd, Chief Executive from Ocean Youth Trust South, added: “MDL’s support has been absolutely critical to us for many years. The staff in MDL marinas do a great job and go out of their way to be helpful and welcoming to vessels including our own John Laing. And the young people who come to us through MDL’s sponsorship are always exceptionally deserving – and some are truly inspirational. Ocean Youth Trust South is very proud to be working with MDL and honoured to be the chosen charity for their 40th year: with their generous support and that of their berth holders and marina tenants, we can go on to provide adventure under sail to many more young people from the widest possible range of backgrounds. We wish MDL a happy birthday and many successful years to come!”

Past winners have included young people who have been outstanding achievers, as well as those who have been involved in voluntary work, those who have never had the chance to travel abroad, and those with added family responsibilities.

Winners will be selected from the regions in which MDL Marinas are located; the South West, Dorset, Hampshire, Thames Valley and East Coast.

The deadline for nominations is Friday 26th April 2013.

New MDL Marinas MyMDL System for annual berth holders

March 20, 2013

The upcoming season will see the annual berth holders at MDL Marinas benefit from being able to access a whole host of boating information at the touch of a button, thanks to the innovative MyMDL system.

mymdl2_0

MyMDL will now allow annual berth holders to book their Freedom Berthing free visitor nights online, where the system will automatically check availability and confirm the reservation should a visitor berth be available.

For those looking for a longer stay away, the new Berth Swap function allows members to experience another marina by agreeing to swap their berth with another berth holder as part of their Club Outlook membership. MDL Berth Swap is open to annual berth holders at no additional berthing cost, with no restrictions on where users can travel, opening up a whole host of fantastic new cruising grounds to MDL boat owners.

For annual berth holders staying closer to home, MyMDL’s personalised content will also provide users with exclusive, tailored offers from their home marina and marina tenants. Boat owners logging in will also be able to access details of news and events related to their home marina as well as extensive weather forecasting and tide times, invaluable when planning their next cruise.

Dean Smith, Marketing Director at MDL Marinas, commented: “We’re delighted to be able to launch the new MyMDL system, which has been designed to give our berth holders even greater control when it comes to getting the most out of their berth and their Club Outlook membership. This is all about adding value for our customers and gives 24 hour access to a wealth of information and services all at the touch of a button, with easy access to not only the latest news and offers, but also opening up our marina network like never before with the online Freedom Berthing and Berth Swap booking system.”

MDL Marinas to host fundraising events for OYT South throughout 2013

March 20, 2013

In celebration of its 40th anniversary, MDL Marinas will be hosting a series of fundraising events for Ocean Youth Trust South throughout 2013. As well as this, nominations are once again open for MDL’s Sail Training Awards, providing deserving youngsters with the possibility to experience a week aboard a sailing yacht operated by Ocean Youth Trust South.

Luxury sailing yacht John Laing operated by OYT South

72ft sailing yacht John Laing operated by OYT South

MDL Marinas is pleased to announce that it has selected Ocean Youth Trust South as its chosen charity for its 40th anniversary year, with a series of charitable events including raffles and prize auctions. MDL Marinas is also encouraging marina tenants and businesses run by berth holders to get involved and choose Ocean Youth Trust South as their nominated charity for 2013.

In addition, MDL Marinas is also seeking nominations for its Sail Training Awards. The annual awards are designed to recognise, reward and challenge youngsters who have shown exceptional accomplishments and qualities that have inspired or supported others. Since launching over twenty years ago, the awards have rewarded more than 130 young people, aged between 12 and 18.

This year’s six award winners will experience an unforgettable sailing experience on a journey from Ipswich to Southampton at the end of August.

MDL’s Managing Director, Eamonn Feeney commented: “We’re proud of our continued commitment to Ocean Youth Trust South, and are delighted to be providing the charity with even greater support this year through our 40th anniversary events. The Sail Training Awards are a very important initiative for us and we have so far helped well over a hundred youngsters to experience something truly exceptional.

“We would encourage people to think about nominating deserving young people they know, who would really benefit from an experience like this, as well as inviting other businesses to get involved with this very worthy charity. For many of our award winners, it’s the first chance they have had to get out on the water, and the sense of achievement for everyone involved is tremendous.”

Mark Todd, Chief Executive from Ocean Youth Trust South, added: “MDL’s support has been absolutely critical to us for many years. The staff in MDL marinas do a great job and go out of their way to be helpful and welcoming to vessels including our own John Laing. And the young people who come to us through MDL’s sponsorship are always exceptionally deserving – and some are truly inspirational. Ocean Youth Trust South is very proud to be working with MDL and honoured to be the chosen charity for their 40th year: with their generous support and that of their berth holders and marina tenants, we can go on to provide adventure under sail to many more young people from the widest possible range of backgrounds. We wish MDL a happy birthday and many successful years to come!”

The deadline for nominations is 26th April 2013.

Family Open Weekend to be hosted by MDL’s Cobb’s Quay Marina

March 19, 2013

Saturday 13th and Sunday 14th April will see the MDL‘s Cobb’s Quay Marina host a family open weekend, with a fun-packed open day, in partnership with the RYA as part of the Active Marina Programme initiative. This free event is open to all, and is expected to be a great weekend for all the family.

MDL's Cobb's Quay Marina

MDL's Cobb's Quay Marina

Cobb’s Quay Marina – a 1,090-berth marina, located within Poole Harbour – is opening up its marina facilities from 10am to 5pm across the weekend, for boating enthusiasts and local residents to come along and explore the marina for themselves, whilst enjoying the fun activities, stalls and demonstrations on offer.

The RNLI will be showcasing a selection of its lifeboats, with the team carrying out boat safety checks, lifejacket checks and giving tours of the facility. Chalis will be giving fire extinguisher demos, and Sunseeker will have its apprentices stand on site, as well as a number of boats on display. Other models will also be on show from Ancasta, EP Barrus, Gibbs Marine, Stingray Sports Boats, Boatylicious and Fine Design.

For visitors who like to get active, PTUK Powerboat Training will be carrying out a number of exciting powerboat training sessions across the two days, and will be on hand to discuss any training requirements boaters or potential boaters may have. Cobb’s Quay Marina has also arranged a climbing wall and will offer have-a-go sessions with remote controlled boats and dry stack forklift trucks.

For the children, there will be a bouncy castle and a colouring competition as well as fairground attractions, and for the ladies there will be nail painting. A treasure hunt will also be arranged, giving away a free RYA Powerboat Level 1 course as first prize.

The Cobb’s Quay Berth Holders’ Association will be on hand to discuss and answer any queries regarding being a berth holder at the marina, and the team will be running a boat jumble in front of the marina office.

Peter Hogsden, Marina Manager at Cobb’s Quay Marina, said: “The open weekend at Cobb’s Quay Marina is all about letting people see for themselves what our marina has to offer. We have a lot of exciting plans for the weekend and urge anyone interested to come along and experience the great atmosphere for themselves.”

Free berthing will be offered across the weekend for visitors who wish to attend the Cobb’s Quay Marina open weekend by boat.

MDL Marinas committed to making berthing even better value in 2013

March 08, 2013

MDL Marinas is committed to making berthing even better value this year, with an MDL berth coming complete with a number of great benefits, designed to help berth holders get the most out of their yachts this season, comprising two amazing new extras.

escales_and_mymdl

New for annual berth holders is access to unparalleled cruising opportunities with Passeport Escales, a partnership between MDL Marinas and French marina operator Sagemor. This unique package gives annual berth holders access to free visitor nights at over 50 marinas on the north-west coast of France from 1st April 2013 – all within the annual berthing fee. This comes in addition to MDL’s unique Freedom Berthing scheme, which offers unlimited free visitor nights at other MDL marinas in the UK.

And there’s even more great news, as Freedom Berthing has now been extended to include Sant Carles Marina in Spain, and Marina del Gargano in Italy when it opens this year. This exciting combination offers Club Outlook members the opportunity to visit over 70 marinas in the UK, France, Spain and Italy, opening up the largest cruising network offered by any European marina operator.

Berth holders are also set to benefit from the flexibility of being able to access a whole host of boating information at the touch of a button with the launch of MyMDL. This online system will allow berth holders to book their Freedom Berthing visitor nights away, as well as giving access to the new Berth Swap function which allows members to experience another marina by agreeing to swap their berth with another Club Outlook member.

Members of MDL’s Club Outlook will also benefit from fantastic rewards during 2013, including fuel at cost, unlimited free WiFi at all MDL marinas and 30% discount on boatyard services. And if one is still undecided, why not take advantage of the MDL Experience – a no obligation way for boaters to try MDL marinas with a free overnight stay to experience the renowned service and facilities unique to MDL marinas.

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