After due consideration by the adjudicates, the Recreational Navigation Commission awarded the Jack Nichol Award 2004 to Marina Punta Gabbiani, Italy, for the following reasons.

The marina is well layed out in a marshy area with good shore side facilities for families and children. It has the customary services such as parking, toilet facilities and shops. All berths, dry and afloat, are fully connected to services. The access to the lagoon is well sited and the whole area is tranquil and protected from the fierce winds, which are dominant at times in the Mediterranean Sea. The dry handling of vessels is particularly well cared for with access from a deck level gantry for the stored boats, fitted with all services. The hoist and travelling gantries are particularly efficient. Environmentally, the facility has been blended into the somewhat difficult marsh-plane and is well landscaped. A feature peculiar to the area is the use of geothermal heat, which is used as the basis for all heating needs. Overall, the marina is designed and operated to be as sympathetic and environmentally friendly as possible.

Owners : Sergio & Roberto Da Re

Designer : Marcello Conti

Capacity : 290 wet berths, 280 dry berths

The Jack Nicholl Award 2004 : Marina Punta Gabbiani, Italy. PIANC's Recreational Navigation Commission (RecCom) Chairperson, Cees Van Der Wildt (right) hands over the Award to Roberto Da Re (middle) and Marcello Conti (left) respectively one of the owners of the marina and the designer of the project.

PIANC established the Jack Nichol Award to recognise outstanding marina design in memory of the late Jack Nichols, a distinguished member of the PIANC Recreational Navigation Commission.

For the Jack Nichol Award 2004, the following applications were received :

1. Puerto Calero, Lanzarote, one of the Canary Islands
2. Marina Punta Gabianni, Italy, located in the Lagoon of Marano halfway Venice and Triest
3. Hammond Marina, USA, ten miles from downtown Chicago on Lake Michigan
4. Porto San Rocco, Muggia, Italy, south of Triest
5. The Water Club, South Africa, constructed in Granger Bay, just outside Cape Town

All of the marinas indicated strong evidence and awareness of concern for the environment and indicated imaginative solutions of engineering problems. Especially the South African application had interesting engineering features, such as a wave attenuator. Two applications, Hammond Marina and The Water Club, were good examples of redevelopment of abandoned industrial sites.