Safe Harbor Marina at 1111 Fuhrmann Boulevard, Buffalo, New York.

Needs a lot of work. The 2017 redesign was very poorly thought through. Fewer launch and retrieval docks, with no one directing traffic, and no clear lanes for launching or retrieving. Many times have we been launching when another boater pulls up behind us to retrieve, or cuts across several lanes to launch at the wrong dock. They put a crosswalk right across the busiest part of the launch and retrieval lanes, and have no signs advising pedestrians to watch for traffic (or vice Versa). The attendants will kick you out of the parking lot if you’re not towing a trailer, but the “no trailers” parking is slip holders only... so you’d better hope you never need someone to meet you at the launch site! Even if the attendant doesn’t kick you out, THEY WILL TICKET YOU.

There is no dock for dropping off or picking up passengers, so you’d also better hope everyone arrives together at the same time! There are too few docks for launching and retrieving, the docks have an odd “knuckle” in the side that makes tying up your boat awkward, and the cleats are spaced too far apart, so you have limited options to tie up your boat if there is more than one boat on the dock. The rubber rub rail on the dock is stapled on, and will definitely scrape, scratch and gouge your hull if it rubs against them. The curbs are too narrow in the entrance and exits, and the turns too sharp. You can see where many trailers have jumped the curb.

For slip holders, the situation is just as bad. Where previously all the docks were pointed into the predominant direction of the wind, allowing boaters to arrive or depart their slip even in windy conditions (because their boat would face into or back into the wind), the docks are now perpendicular to the wind, meaning that if there’s more than a gentle breeze, you’re broadside to the wind and have to pull in fast or risk hitting the dock, or the boat next to you. Hope you’re not a sailboater, because if the wind is up your boat is going to be trapped at the dock. The docks are also shorter than in the past, and much closer together, further compounding the issue.

The gas dock is nicely done, but they added a concrete breakwater with a dock anchored to it at the main entrance/exit, with no clear signage or buoys indicating the entrance or exit... both sides of which now constitute a dangerously narrow entrance/exit, too small for boats to pass side by side.

Overall I can see where they had some good ideas for improvements. The newly paved parking lots, new docks and new ramps are much nicer than the old ones, but the implementation of the changes is very poor. If they had taken the time to talk to boaters in the area, get their input, and ask for public comment on their design prior to implementation, many of their major pitfalls and shortcomings could have been addressed long before they became fundamental issues that will now be very costly to correct.