Washington’s Second Largest Marina Takes Service Serious

Seattle’s Elliott Bay Marina is home to 1,200 slips and nearly 10 miles of linear dockage, making it the second largest marina in Washington behind the Port of Seattle, and the largest private marina on the West Coast. Despite the number of boats in the water, the quality of service at Elliott Bay remains outstanding. The marina staff accommodates all boaters with the same exceptional level of hospitality, and they do it with a smaller army than you might expect.

“We always try and do our best to accommodate anybody,” said general manager, Jordan Glidden, who has been with the marina since 2014. “We never try to say ‘No’ to anybody.” Glidden is an example of the experience and devotion of the staff. Starting as a dockhand and working his way up through the accounting department, then assistant harbormaster, harbormaster, and ultimately to his current position of general manager, he understands all the inner workings of the facility. The dedication and training of the staff are what keep the roster of employees to a mere 10 full-time and six part-time personnel. An additional seven to nine seasonal dockhands join on for the busy summer season.

What makes Elliott Bay even more impressive is that there’s always someone minding the store. “We’re really the only marina in the region that is staffed 24/7,” said Glidden. “We are here from 7:30 in the morning to 11:30 at night. Then, we have a 3rd party security crew at night.” Beyond the obvious security benefit, the continual staff presence mitigates other potential issues such as a power outage, water shutoff, or a boat left unplugged. An item such as an unplugged battery can be alerted to boaters by text message and any needed follow-up action can be taken. For this, Glidden said boaters are always grateful, even if the circumstance turns out to be a non-issue. “Always having people onsite,” noted Glidden, “allows people to feel comfortable leaving their boats here.” The marina security system includes gated access and cameras at the public access points.

Well-Trained Staff
Beyond security, the marina owes much of its client satisfaction to the generous hospitality of the staff. Dockhands are encouraged to interact with boaters while walking the docks every day, helping where needed, and encouraging boaters to call or visit the marina office with any special requests. On the secret to their success, Glidden commented, “really it’s just finding quality people, especially on our swing shift. We’ve found some really trustworthy people that are responsible and will look out for our clients’ boats.”

Employee training courses include CPR/AED, oil spill response, electrical safety, hazmat training, customer service, fuel dock/pump-out, line assistance, and in some cases, ABYC electrical certification. The marina offers line assistance all day long, for which they train their seasonal staff. “We have a lot of college kids that come and work from May to September,” Glidden said. “We get lucky with getting a lot of our boater’s kids. They’re the best because their parents boat here, so they know the standard and the expectations.”

Constructed in 1991 at the edge of the Magnolia neighborhood, Elliott Bay Marina offers views of the Seattle skyline, Mt. Rainier, and the Olympic Mountain range. “When you’re here it’s like a slice of heaven,” Glidden said.

The location offers an astounding natural experience within the city, but the cost of building a marina in paradise was far from heaven-sent. For its initial construction, Elliott Bay’s four founders ran a 10-year course of permitting hurdles before breaking ground in the late 80s. Then in 2020, the marina completed a $4 million project to replace their aging breakwater with a 1,000-foot-long floating concrete breakwater from International Marine Floatation Systems Inc. The permitting process for the replacement project took over three years, but any hardships endured through construction seemed only to have crystallized the property’s dedication to success. The marina’s philosophy, according to Glidden, is focused on repair and preventive measures. “People can’t believe this marina is really this old,” Glidden said. “We have a great facilities team, and our mindset is always to do preventative maintenance. We don’t wait for things to break. We replace them well beforehand. In July of 2021, Southern Marinas purchased Elliott Bay, adding to their west coast portfolio.

Sense of Community
To cultivate the sense of community around the marina, Elliott Bay sponsors a list of social events for boaters throughout the season. Perhaps the most popular is the nine-week downtown sailing series which takes boaters on a race down the Seattle waterfront. “Last year we averaged over 50 boats every night,” Glidden said. “The whole thing is kind of a creative way to encourage

people to use their boat and go for a sail on Thursday night.” The event also includes live music and a big barbecue that is free to boaters. “We don’t always have good wind on Thursday night, “said Glidden with amusement, “so it’s kick on the motor and go for a cruise.” The first race of the series each year is a charity race and fundraiser. The marina recently partnered with the American Parkinson’s Disease Association and this year’s goal is to raise $100,000, up from the $80,000 raised during last year’s race. Other events and sponsorships of the marina have included the Holiday Food & Toy Drive for NW Harvest, The Forgotten Children’s Fund, Sail Sand Point, and local schools.

Currently, Glidden is excited to extend the marina’s premium hospitality to superyachts up to 300’ in length. Elliott Bay is a founding member of Superyacht Northwest, an organization formed to provide accommodation and resources to superyachts in Seattle, Canada, and Alaska. With an occupancy that rarely drops below 96% throughout all seasons, the largest private marina on the West Coast is also among the most sought-after. Whether catching a line for superyacht or skiff, the staff at Elliott Bay stand ready to assist any vessel with top-of-the-line hospitality.