Hilton Emerald Coast Yacht Club Marina

MRD worked closely with the Owner, land planners, and upland civil engineers to develop a 110+ slip state-of-the art marina to support boats up to 110 feet in length. MRD prepared and processed the DEP permit application that was deemed complete within 14 months of submission and was subsequently approved by the Governor and Cabinet (Board of Trustees). Permitting challenges that were resolved were concerns of the U.S. Coast Guard regarding the distance of the location of the marina relative to the Federal Navigation Channel.

The marina includes over 2,000 linear feet of “along-side flexible mooring” to accommodate a wide range of boat sizes, and wave break providing storm protection up to a Category 2 hurricane. The marina was configured so that no dredging was required and existing sea grass beds were protected. The interior of the marina will consist of floating concrete docks and two fuel docks to serve both the yacht club and general public. A “Web-cam” will be available to owners to view the marina and their boats.

The design challenges included: the substantial structural components of the pier and wave break due to the deep water, and wind and wave exposure from the 10+ mile fetch across the Bay; and, an elaborate 680 foot composite sheet pile bulkhead design. An innovative tie-back system was required due to the close proximity to the upland foundations. “Value engineering” reduced the original design (by others) cost by over $150,000.