A boater deciding between three marinas for a transient stop makes that decision primarily from a phone screen, usually while underway or planning a passage from the cockpit. They want to know: what's the layout, where's the fuel dock, what's the depth, and how do I get in. A wall of text doesn't answer these questions as effectively as a clear, interactive map.
Marina websites that include interactive facility maps consistently perform better at converting research-stage visitors into actual bookings. A map communicates the marina's character — the number of slips, the basin configuration, the amenities — in a way that static photos and descriptions simply can't.
This guide shows how to build and publish professional marina marketing maps using Atlas.
What a Marina Marketing Map Should Show
A marketing-focused marina map differs from your operational maps. It's optimized for a visitor who knows nothing about your facility and is evaluating whether it meets their needs.
Essential information:
- Marina location relative to the nearest inlet, anchorage, or notable waypoint
- Overall slip count and basin layout
- Depth of approach channel and basin (with tidal datum noted)
- Fuel dock location and fuel types available
- Shore power service (30A / 50A / 100A availability)
- Pump-out station location
- Key shore amenities: showers, laundry, marine store, restaurant, parking
Differentiating information (if applicable):
- Protected anchorage or mooring field nearby
- Transient vs. seasonal slip areas
- Haul-out and service yard facilities
- Dry stack availability
- Liveaboard policy
Navigation information:
- Approach channel route with waypoint markers
- Any hazards or shoal areas on the approach
- VHF working channel
- Contact phone number prominently displayed
Step-by-Step: Building Your Marketing Map in Atlas
Step 1: Create a Guest-Facing Project
In Atlas, create a separate project for your public marketing map — distinct from your operational maps that contain sensitive infrastructure information. Name it something like "[Marina Name] — Guest Map."
Set the basemap to satellite imagery. The aerial view of your marina communicates your facility's layout more effectively than any schematic.
Step 2: Draw the Marina Layout
Trace the dock structure, basin outline, and key water areas using polygon draw tools. For a marketing map, you don't need to trace every individual slip — a dock-level outline is enough to show the basin configuration.
Add labels to major dock sections: "North Basin," "Transient Dock," "T-head," whatever nomenclature your marina uses with guests.
Step 3: Place Facility Amenity Icons
Add point features for each major amenity. In Atlas, you can style points with colored circles or text labels. Place points for:
- ⛽ Fuel dock (label with fuel types: Gas, Diesel)
- 🚿 Showers / restrooms
- 🔌 Shore power service office
- 🛁 Pump-out station
- 🛒 Marine store
- 🍽️ Restaurant or bar (if on-site)
- 🅿️ Parking area
- 🏗️ Service yard / haul-out
- 📞 Marina office / check-in
Step 4: Show the Approach
Add a line feature showing the safe navigable approach from the open water into the marina. Style it as a dashed blue line. Label it with the controlling depth and any relevant waypoints.
If your approach passes any known hazards — a shoal area, a submerged rock, a jetty end — mark those clearly with a warning symbol and note the hazard.
For marinas with a complex entrance or a channel that's hard to identify from the water, consider adding numbered waypoints on the approach line matching official chart waypoints.
Step 5: Add Depth Information
For a marketing map, communicating your depth concisely is more important than a detailed bathymetric overlay. Add text annotations at key points:
- Approach channel: "6.5 ft MLW controlling depth"
- Inner basin: "7–10 ft MLW"
- Transient dock face: "8 ft MLW"
- Fuel dock: "7.5 ft MLW"
If your marina has a recent full bathymetric survey, add the depth raster as a layer styled with a light opacity — enough to show the depth gradient without overwhelming the facility information.
Step 6: Style for Visual Appeal
A marketing map represents your marina's brand. Invest time in making it look polished:
- Use your marina's brand colors for dock outlines and key features
- Add your marina name as a prominent label at the center of the basin
- Apply a clean, minimal basemap style — satellite imagery with subtle labels works well
- Ensure all text labels are legible at the default view zoom level on a phone screen
- Test the map on mobile — most visitors will view it on a phone
Step 7: Embed on Your Website
Click Share in Atlas and select Embed. Copy the iframe code and paste it into your marina website.
Best placement for a marina marketing map embed:
- A dedicated "Our Marina" or "Facilities" page
- The homepage "above the fold" section for high-traffic marinas
- The reservations/bookings page, where visitors are most actively evaluating their decision
- A "Guest Information" page for confirmed transient guests
Set the embed to open at a zoom level that shows the full marina basin with all labeled features — visitors should see the whole facility layout immediately, not a zoomed-in view that requires panning to understand.
Using Your Marketing Map in Other Channels
Email Confirmations
When confirming a transient reservation, include a link to your Atlas marketing map along with the slip assignment. Guests appreciate being able to check the map while planning their arrival.
Social Media
Screenshot specific views of your marina map — a bird's-eye view of the full basin, a close-up of your fuel dock and amenities — and use them in social media posts. A satellite-based aerial map is a compelling visual that performs well on Instagram and Facebook for marina marketing.
Listing Sites
Marina listing sites like Dockwa, Marinas.com, and Active Captain allow facility descriptions and photos. Including a link to your Atlas marketing map in the description, or uploading screenshots as photos, gives listings a more complete visual picture than most competing marinas provide.
Print Materials
Export a high-resolution PDF of your marketing map for:
- Printed dock guides and guest packets
- Trade show displays and boat show materials
- Local tourism cooperative publications
- Annual facility brochures
Keeping the Marketing Map Current
Update your public marketing map after:
- Any new amenity addition (new fuel type, added shower facilities, new restaurant)
- Any dock configuration change (new dock section, relocated pump-out)
- Depth changes after dredging (update the depth annotations)
- Any change to your approach channel or hazard markers
An outdated marketing map is worse than no map — a guest who plans their approach based on incorrect depth information, or who looks for a pump-out station in the wrong location, has a poor first experience that reflects directly on the marina.
A well-maintained marketing map is an ongoing asset that builds your marina's reputation, supports transient bookings, and gives every visitor an excellent first impression before they even arrive.
