Megayacht Mooring Study - Conversion of a Historic Facility for Modern-Day Use, Embarcadero Wharf, San Diego, California

The historic Embarcadero Wharf, constructed in 1913 and rehabilitated in 1975, serves as a public promenade marking the interface between downtown San Diego and San Diego Bay. In 2008, the Port of San Diego designated the northern portion of the Embarcadero for use as a megayacht mooring facility. The authors were tasked with performing a mooring and berthing analysis and a related wharf structural analysis, in support of the proposed facility. This paper discusses the mooring and berthing study and corresponding structural analysis of the Embarcadero Wharf. Specific areas of focus include: ≤ Modeling of mooring loads and displacements for representative megayachts using the "Mediterranean Mooring" configuration. ≤ Field inspection and analysis of 100-year-old mooring hardware. ≤ Feasibility and capacity study of multiple tie-up methods, including the "Single Loop," "Figure 8," and the "Twin-Bitt Hitch." An envelope solution was developed to accommodate a variety of vessels, varying from 100 to 300 feet long, under a range of wind loads and mooring configurations.