Marinalife Announces Best Marina Contest Winners

Marinalife is pleased to announce the winners of its 12th Annual Best Marina Contest. Thousands of boaters, marinas, and members of the maritime industry in North America and the Caribbean cast their votes, and the results are as follows:
BEST LARGE MARINAFirst Place: Orange Beach Marina – Orange Beach, AL
Second Place: Shelter Cove Harbour & Marina – Hilton Head, SC
Third Place: Herrington Harbour South – North Beach, MD
BEST SMALL MARINAFirst Place: Chicks Marina – Kennebunkport, ME
Second Place: Gurney’s Newport Resort & Marina – Newport, RI
Third Place: Deltaville Yachting Center – Deltaville, VA

Winning first place in the Large Marina Category, Orange Beach Marina boasts state-of-the-art docks, facilities, and top-notch, friendly marina staff. With 161 in-water slips, the marina offers a safe, fully protected harbor on the Gulf Coast and a family-friendly environment for all types of boaters. On-site there are two retail shops, yacht, and engine repairs, and fishing charters, as well as two dining options — Fisher’s Upstairs or Fisher’s Dockside.

“Our team at Orange Beach Marina is truly honored to be voted the Best Large Marina of 2021,” said Bennett Long, president of Orange Beach Marina. “This award demonstrates the pride that our staff takes in the docks, facilities, and grounds, especially considering we achieved this recognition after significant Hurricane Sally damage in late 2020. The level of care and involvement from our team directly translates into how we treat our boating community, both our transient and long-term boaters.”

“Orange Beach Marina is a unique property on the Gulf Coast with an upscale vibe that is difficult to reproduce, and our customers appreciate the effort, thoughtfulness, and attention to detail,” said Long.

Chicks Marina in Kennebunkport, ME, takes the 2021 Best Small Marina award. The 50-slip marina is tucked away in New England’s idyllic southern coast. Voted among the region’s cleanest marinas, the staff is continuously upgrading facilities to ensure efficiency. The marina offers custom boat care services, 30/50/100 amp electrical, heated winter storage, and 91 Octane gasoline and ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel.

“What an honor to receive Best Small Marina for a second consecutive year! We are thrilled to be recognized and appreciate all our loyal customers who made this happen,” said Amy Gaynor, operations manager of Chicks Marina. “Chicks is the premier marina in Kennebunkport, if not all of Maine. As always, our goal is to deliver the highest level of service and best experience to all of our seasonal and transient patrons. This award is a testament to our mission and amazing crew who works tirelessly to make this possible.”

“2022 marks the 35th year under Katz family ownership. We look forward to another busy season and are excited to welcome back old and new customers to Chicks Marina — your Maine Marina!” Gaynor added.

Marinalife is also excited to recognize second and third-place winners in each category. Best Large Marina finalists are Shelter Cove Harbour & Marina in Hilton Head Island, SC, (second place) and Herrington Harbour South in North Beach, MD, (third place). For Best Small Marina the finalist is Gurney’s Newport Resort & Marina in Newport, RI, (second place), and Deltaville Yachting Center in Deltaville, VA, (third place).

As we celebrate more than 20 years of Marinalife, we send a special thanks to all the marinas and boaters nationwide for participating in this year’s contest. Keep an eye out for announcements starting in Summer 2022 for Marinalife’s 13th Annual Best Marina Contest.