The Most Important Number in Marina Deals
Ask any marina broker what metric closes deals, and they'll say the same thing: price per slip. It's the marina industry's universal benchmark — the equivalent of price per square foot in office or price per unit in multifamily.
At Marina Deal Flow, we've analyzed 50+ transactions in our deal database to build the most comprehensive picture of what marina buyers are actually paying.
Price Per Slip Ranges: The Full Spectrum
$10K–$30K/Slip: Value-Add & Distressed
These are typically freshwater marinas, rural locations, or properties with significant deferred maintenance. Buyers at this level are usually local operators or small investors willing to put in sweat equity.
Common characteristics: inland lakes, limited amenities, older floating docks, minimal ancillary revenue. The upside is operational — clean up management, raise rates modestly, and the returns can be attractive on a small capital base.
$30K–$80K/Slip: Core Mid-Market
This is where most marina transactions happen. Properties in secondary coastal markets or well-located freshwater marinas with good infrastructure. Buyers include both local operators scaling up and institutional platforms like Suntex and BlueWater looking for value-add plays.
At this price point, you'll typically see: 100-300 slips, some fuel operations, basic dry storage, and a mix of annual and seasonal tenants.
$80K–$150K/Slip: Institutional Grade
This is Safe Harbor territory. Well-located coastal marinas with waitlists, full-service operations, and strong ancillary revenue. Properties at this level have often been professionally managed and trade on cap rates of 6-8%.
Markets: Southeast Florida, Chesapeake Bay, New England coast, Pacific Northwest.
$150K–$463K/Slip: Ultra-Premium
The top end of the market. These are irreplaceable waterfront assets in the most supply-constrained markets. Think: Fort Lauderdale superyacht facilities, Boston Harbor, San Diego Bay.
At these levels, the land value and development potential often drive pricing as much as the marina cash flow. Many of these transactions involve mixed-use upland development — condos, hotels, and retail built around the marina.
What Drives the Spread?
A 46x range from bottom to top ($10K vs $463K) seems extreme, but it makes sense when you break down the variables:
- Geography: Coastal saltwater marinas command 3-5x freshwater equivalents
- Slip size: A 60-foot slip generating $36K/year in rent is worth far more than a 25-foot slip at $2,400/year
- Revenue mix: Fuel, dry storage, repair, and retail can double effective revenue per slip
- Scarcity: Markets where permits are impossible to get trade at replacement cost or above
- Condition: New concrete docks vs. 30-year-old wood pilings
- Tenant quality: Long waitlists with premium vessels vs. seasonal vacancies
Regional Benchmarks
Based on our tracked transactions:
- Florida: $60K–$463K/slip (widest range, most active market)
- Northeast: $80K–$200K/slip (Boston, NYC metro, Long Island Sound)
- Chesapeake: $40K–$120K/slip (Maryland, Virginia)
- Gulf Coast: $30K–$90K/slip (Texas, Alabama, Mississippi)
- Great Lakes: $15K–$60K/slip (Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio)
- Pacific: $50K–$180K/slip (California, Washington)
How to Use This Data
Price per slip is a starting point, not the whole picture. Always cross-reference with the income approach (cap rate) and factor in capital expenditure needs. A marina at $40K/slip that needs $15K/slip in dock replacement is really a $55K/slip deal.
Our comparable sales tool lets you filter by state and slip count to find the most relevant comps for your specific deal. Subscribe to our newsletter to get new transactions and pricing data every Tuesday and Thursday.