Designing a Yacht and Superyacht Marina for the Pacific Coast of Peru

The Pacific coast of South America has few natural harbors or recreational boating facilities. To address growing demand, a purpose-built yacht and megayacht facility was designed for a new resort at Mancora, Peru. Metocean studies were performed to define the sea climate, and particularly to establish a design criterion to address long period swell. Numerical modeling was used to examine wave action and critical parameters for safe navigation, including wave breaking in the harbor approaches. Multiple breakwater arrangements were explored to develop solutions that provided adequate entrance wave sheltering and inner basin tranquility, and that mitigated entrance shoaling. The breakwater armoring was reverse engineered to work with available resources and materials. The initial design basis envisioned an inner basin for 290 yachts ranging in length from 11 m to 37 m. As breakwater and entrance channel design progressed, the harbor geometry evolved to provide an outer basin for larger vessels up to 100 m.