Marinas and boatyards can combine recurring slip or storage agreements with transient stays, haul and launch fees, service work, fuel, retail and seasonal demand. That mix can support a durable business, but it also makes cash flow, equipment, waterfront property and operating risk unusually connected. This guide explains how to document those connections before comparing potential funding paths.
Define the operating model and funding request
Describe the mix of annual and seasonal wet slips, transient dockage, dry-stack or yard storage, winter storage, haul and launch work, service and repair, fuel, retail and other revenue. Separate owned operations from concessions or third-party tenants.
State whether the request is for a travel lift, forklift, hydraulic trailer, crane, racks, docks, utilities, fuel or pump-out systems, repair, acquisition, property improvement or seasonal working capital. Prepare a detailed sources-and-uses schedule.
The CashMigo marina and boatyard funding page provides a focused starting point. Tie the amount to documented capacity, maintenance needs and a conservative repayment source rather than only waterfront demand.
Measure slip, storage and yard occupancy
Prepare monthly occupancy by wet slip, dry stack, rack, mooring, yard and winter storage. Show available units or linear capacity, occupied capacity, contract dates, rates, discounts, deposits, refunds, delinquency and collected revenue.
Separate annual or seasonal contracts from transient stays and reservations. A waitlist or inquiry is not collected revenue, and physical capacity may be limited by vessel size, draft, access, labor or launch windows.
Reconcile reservation, marina-management or point-of-sale reports with contracts, invoices and bank collections. Explain cancellations, unpaid balances, unavailable berths and capacity taken out of service.
Tell CashMigo what the business needs, how much and how soon. We will review the request and help identify potential next steps.
Check My Funding Options →Map seasonality and collection timing
Build a calendar showing when contracts renew, deposits arrive, balances are due, vessels launch or haul out, transient demand peaks and service work is performed. Compare that timing with payroll, utilities, insurance, taxes, repairs and supplier payments.
Document shoulder-season and off-season operations rather than annualizing peak months. Include freeze, hurricane, flood, storm, tourism and local boating patterns relevant to the site without assuming last season repeats.
Use a 13-week cash-flow forecast for the immediate request and a monthly forecast for the full operating cycle. Show a downside case with lower occupancy, delayed launch, repair downtime or storm interruption.
Analyze service, repair, fuel and retail margins
Break out haul and launch, mechanical, electrical, fiberglass, paint, rigging, detailing, winterization, commissioning, fuel, ship store and other material revenue lines. Track labor, parts, subcontractors, fuel cost, merchant fees, waste handling and allocated overhead.
For service work, prepare open-job and work-in-process schedules with estimates, approvals, deposits, parts, labor, completion, billing and collection. Identify warranty work, change orders, disputed jobs and customer concentration.
For fuel and retail, reconcile gallons or units purchased and sold, inventory changes, shrinkage, pricing and collected margin. Revenue alone does not show the cash available for a proposed payment.
Evaluate lifts, vehicles and yard equipment
List travel lifts, forklifts, hydraulic trailers, cranes, tractors, service vehicles, workboats, stands and shop equipment with ownership, liens, age, condition, capacity, maintenance, downtime and replacement priority.
Equipment financing may fit qualifying identified assets when the applicant, vendor and transaction meet provider requirements. Include freight, assembly, rigging, foundations, electrical work, training, commissioning and interruption to operations in the installed budget.
Match lift capacity, beam, yard layout, pavement or pier loading and staffing with the actual vessel mix. Higher rated capacity does not create demand or resolve a site constraint by itself.
Plan docks, racks and waterfront infrastructure
Document fixed and floating docks, pilings, bulkheads, seawalls, gangways, racks, utilities, pedestals, lighting, security, fire systems, pump-out, fuel storage and drainage with age, condition, maintenance and project priority.
Separate routine maintenance, repair, replacement and expansion. Include engineering, permitting, demolition, mobilization, marine construction, utility work, environmental controls, contingency and business interruption in the budget.
Confirm ownership and responsibility for submerged land, shoreline, docks and shared infrastructure. Funding does not grant property, waterfront, access or construction rights.
Review real estate, leases and site control
State whether the business owns the upland property, leases the site, holds a ground or waterfront lease or uses separate water-access rights. Provide remaining term, options, escalations, assignment, use restrictions and improvement obligations.
For an acquisition, separate the business, real estate, waterfront or lease rights, equipment, inventory and post-closing improvements. Identify liens, deferred maintenance, dredging needs, property-condition issues and required working capital.
Commercial real-estate or SBA-related paths may be considered for qualifying owner-occupied property, acquisitions or improvements. Eligibility depends on the applicant, property, use, leverage, cash flow, documentation and provider.
Prepare acquisition due diligence
Reconcile seller financials with occupancy reports, contracts, service records, fuel sales, tax returns and bank deposits. Validate recurring customers, prepaid balances, deposits, deferred revenue and normalization adjustments.
Inspect lifts, docks, bulkheads, racks, utilities, fuel and pump-out systems, buildings, paving and drainage. Obtain appropriate property, title, lease, insurance, environmental and permit diligence from qualified professionals.
Build a post-closing plan for staffing, customer communication, vendor terms, repairs, insurance, technology, working capital and ownership transition. Purchase price is not the full cash requirement.
Model insurance, storm and continuity risk
Summarize property, marine, liability, pollution, workers' compensation, business-interruption and other relevant coverage at an appropriate level. Note deductibles, exclusions, claim history and lender or landlord requirements for review with qualified insurance professionals.
Prepare storm, flood, freeze, fire and evacuation procedures, including vessel-owner responsibilities, haul-out capacity, fuel-system protection, backup power, communications and recovery priorities.
Forecast cash through a closure or reduced-capacity period while rent, payroll, insurance, taxes and existing obligations continue. Funding does not guarantee insurance coverage, claim payment or uninterrupted operation.
Document environmental and operating controls
At an appropriate summary level, describe fueling, spill prevention, pump-out, stormwater, pressure washing, sanding, painting, waste, hazardous materials and drainage controls. Include known maintenance or improvement costs.
Marina and boatyard requirements vary by activity, discharge, site and jurisdiction. Financing does not determine permitting or compliance, and a general funding form is not the place for detailed regulated records.
Use current official guidance and qualified environmental, engineering, legal and local professionals. Disclose material issues through an approved secure process when requested rather than omitting them.
Build a 13-week seasonal cash-flow forecast
Map expected slip, storage, service, fuel and retail collections against payroll, parts, fuel inventory, utilities, insurance, property costs, repairs, taxes, current obligations and proposed payments by week.
Create downside cases for lower occupancy, late renewals, equipment failure, supplier delay, fuel-price changes, severe weather, launch or haul-out disruption and slower customer payment.
Place the proposed payment after essential expenses and capital maintenance. If the plan depends on full occupancy, perfect weather or uninterrupted equipment, reduce the amount or reconsider the structure.
Prepare a clear, secure starting file
Useful starting records may include recent bank statements, year-to-date and prior-year financials, occupancy and contract summaries, service and fuel reports, equipment and maintenance records, property or lease information, insurance, permits, current obligations and a sources-and-uses schedule.
Add purchase agreements, appraisals, engineering, environmental reports, detailed contracts and other sensitive records only when requested through an approved secure channel. Explain deferred maintenance, claims, liens, delinquency and material permit issues directly.
Begin through CashMigo's 60-second funding check using non-sensitive business information. Never submit boat-owner personal data, gate or key codes, payment-card data, fuel-account credentials, bank credentials or detailed environmental records through the general form.
Compare structure and payment pressure
Compare gross amount, deductions, net proceeds, total cost, payment amount and frequency, term or expected duration, collateral, liens, guarantees, covenants, default terms, renewal conditions, end-of-term obligations and early-payoff treatment.
Place the proposed payment into peak, shoulder-season, equipment-downtime and storm-interruption forecasts after essential payroll, property costs, insurance, utilities, repairs and maintenance.
Review agreements, property, equipment, environmental and operating decisions with qualified legal, accounting, tax, insurance, engineering and industry professionals. Speed should not replace a complete evaluation of total economics and risk.
Frequently asked questions
Can travel lifts, forklifts or storage racks be financed?
Potentially. Providers may review the asset, vendor, price, age, condition, installation, useful life, site control, applicant profile, credit, cash flow and down payment when applicable.
Can funding support docks, bulkheads or waterfront improvements?
Potentially. Providers may review ownership or lease rights, plans, permits, engineering, contractor bids, environmental matters, project budget, contingency, cash flow and provider requirements.
Why do occupancy and contract terms matter?
They help show capacity use, pricing, renewal and collection timing. Annual, seasonal, transient, wet-slip, dry-storage and yard arrangements can produce different revenue quality and operating needs.
Can funding support buying a marina or boatyard?
Potentially. Providers may review the business, property or lease, waterfront rights, equipment, environmental and property condition, permits, historical results, buyer experience, valuation, equity and working capital.
Does funding confirm environmental, waterfront or permit compliance?
No. Funding is separate from environmental, stormwater, fueling, waste, property, waterfront, navigation, construction, zoning and permitting requirements.
