When is a Marina not a Marina?

[BlowingOldBoots]

Interesting point of view being made in another forum about a pontoon installation that is exposed to the east, being called a Marina. A person believes that it is both dangerous and dishonest of the pontoon operators to call it a marina because of the exposure risks? Do you agree that it is dishonest and dangerous, because as claimed, boat skippers may be lulled into a false sense of security? A look at the OED suggests that the definition of marina as a place of shelter is correct. But what is shelter? From all cardinal points, from some cardinal points, from 2 out of 4 cardinal points, or even just one cardinal point?

I think it is possible to get into a right kerfuffle over definitions. After all, Craobh Marina was not that sheltered on the west side near the entrance yesterday, Ardfern Yachts Centre, that describes its self as a Marina within its web pages, which was very sheltered yesterday, has been known to be dangerous in certain wind directions, and what about Rhu Marina, the destroyer of yachts, or Oban Marina, violently exposed to the east, or heaven forbid, Dunstafinage Marina, northern wrecker of vessels.

At the end of the day, names are used for all sorts of reasons, identification and marketing, as obvious examples, and surely it is up to each and every skipper to make a choice on safety.

Do you think that a a marina or even harbour, should always be a safe haven for vessels by definition of its name?

FROM THE OED
marina | məˈriːnə |
noun
a specially designed harbour with moorings for pleasure yachts and small boats.

harbour | ˈhɑːbə | (US harbor)
noun
a place on the coast where ships may moor in shelter, especially one protected from rough water by piers, jetties, and other artificial structures: the curved breakwater was built of large stones to construct a small harbour | the westerly wind kept us in harbour until the following afternoon.
• a place of refuge: a safe harbour for children in distress.

I have no idea why the OED links the safety of distressed children to harbours. Perhaps it is biblical.

[Nick]

This is Marina

[Burst Boiler]

In Australia, a marina wasn't always a marina. For a period of time it was known as the Morris 1700.

The Ital was also a marina that wasn't a marina on the grounds that it had a facelift.

[Burst Boiler]

In other news, Welcome Anchorages doesn't really have anchorages. But it does have marinas. If you used an old Morris marina engine block to secure your mooring, could you legitimately call your mooring a marina?

[cpedw]

In other news, Welcome Anchorages doesn't really have anchorages. But it does have marinas.

Will there be a new edition for 2022? If so, how will it describe Lochmaddy?

[Burst Boiler]

I imagine it will have wildly out of date info, including the Kilchattan Bay (Bute) moorings (long gone), for the hotel there (long closed). For Maddy, it will be whatever it was called in the 2018 edition. Despite me poking fun at it, I do actually like WA a lot. The format is great and new stuff is always right, just that old stuff never gets revised.

[steveyates]

There you go then,
FROM THE OED
marina | məˈriːnə |
noun
a specially designed harbour with moorings for pleasure yachts and small boats

Says feck all about shelter, just a place to park your boat.
Seems a perfectly reasonable description to me.

Of course, in parking said boat the hoary old salt will have looked at the weather forecast, the chart and the physical marina before deciding if his expensive toy can be safely abandoned while he goes to the pub to get blootered.

[Nick]

.

Bruce of the famous Bruce's Yard in Faro, Algarve is not allowed to create a marina because the Ria Formosa is a protected area.

So he is creating a 'floating storage area'.