When a storm passes, the work begins. For marina operators, the days and weeks after a hurricane are some of the hardest of the year. Every decision feels urgent, and the to-do list never seems to shrink.
This guide walks through recovery in the order most marinas tackle it. Every property is different, so use it as a starting point and adapt it to your own team, facility, and local guidance.
1. Put safety first
Before anyone walks the docks, make sure it's safe to do so.
- Wait for the all-clear from local officials before bringing staff back on site.
- Kill power to the docks until an electrician has inspected pedestals, wiring, and connections. Flooded electrical systems are a serious shock and electric-shock-drowning risk.
- Watch for hidden hazards: loose or missing decking, displaced pilings, submerged debris, fuel sheens, and downed lines.
- Account for your people. Check in on staff and their families. Recovery runs on your team, and they may be dealing with damage at home too.
2. Document everything before you clean up
It's tempting to start clearing debris right away. Take time to document first. Your insurance claim depends on it.
- Photograph and video every dock, slip, building, and piece of equipment, with wide shots and close-ups.
- Log damage by location (dock, slip number, building) so adjusters and contractors can find it.
- Record the condition and position of every boat on your property, including any that sank, broke loose, or ended up on land.
- Keep receipts for emergency repairs, equipment rentals, and cleanup labor.
- Contact your insurance carrier early. Adjusters get booked up fast after a regional storm.
3. Handle environmental and boat-related issues
Damaged boats and spilled fuel create risk that spreads quickly.
- Report fuel or oil spills to the National Response Center (1-800-424-8802) and your state environmental agency.
- Deploy absorbent booms around leaking vessels where it's safe to do so.
- Reach boat owners as soon as possible about the status of their vessels. Have current owner contact details and insurance information on hand; they'll need to start their own claims.
- Coordinate salvage with owners and their insurers rather than moving damaged boats on your own, unless there's an immediate hazard.
4. Communicate early and often
Boaters, seasonal tenants, and upcoming guests will all want to know where things stand. Silence creates more calls and more anxiety.
- Send a first update quickly, even if all you can say is that your team is safe and assessing damage.
- Set a rhythm for updates, such as daily at first, then weekly, so people know when to expect news.
- Be specific about what's open, what's closed, and what boaters should and shouldn't do (for example, "Please don't come to the docks until we confirm power and access are safe").
- Use one channel your boaters already rely on so updates don't get lost across texts, emails, and social posts.
5. Manage reservations and availability
Once you know which slips and facilities are usable, get your availability in line with reality.
- Block out damaged slips, docks, or amenities so no one books space you can't offer.
- Reach upcoming transient guests about cancellations, changes, or relocations.
- Decide how you'll handle refunds, credits, and seasonal or annual contracts, and communicate it consistently.
- Keep a waitlist of boaters looking for space. Displaced boaters from nearby marinas may be searching for a temporary home.
6. Protect your cash flow
Recovery is expensive, and revenue often dips at the same time.
- Review which revenue streams are still running (storage, service, fuel, transient) and which are paused.
- Look into disaster assistance. The U.S. Small Business Administration offers low-interest disaster loans to businesses in declared disaster areas, and FEMA and state programs may also apply.
- Keep billing accurate and transparent. Boaters are more understanding when credits and adjustments are clear.
7. Reopen in phases
You don't have to reopen everything at once.
- Open what's safe first, whether that's a single dock, the fuel dock, or the ship's store.
- Tell boaters exactly what's available in each phase.
- Welcome boaters back. Reopening is a chance to rebuild momentum with your community.
8. Capture lessons for next season
While it's fresh, gather your team and debrief.
- What worked in your hurricane plan, and what didn't?
- Were owner contacts and insurance records up to date?
- How did boater communication go, and where did messages get lost?
- Update your plan, contact lists, and supply checklist before next storm season.
How Dockwa can help during recovery
If you run your marina on Dockwa, several tools can take some weight off your team:
- Message boaters in bulk with storm updates, closures, and reopening news, all from one place.
- Block out damaged spaces and update availability so no one books a slip you can't offer.
- Find owner and boat details fast, including contact and insurance information stored on boat records.
- Adjust reservations, contracts, and billing to issue credits or changes consistently.
- Manage a waitlist for boaters looking for space while you rebuild.
And you don't have to figure it out alone. Our support team is here to help you make changes, answer questions, or talk through what's next.
- Email: mayday@dockwa.com
- Live chat: Log in and click the chat bubble in the bottom-right corner, or in the app tap your profile icon > Get help > Send us a message.