Separate criteria for each category

There is no overall national ranking. Each of our 22 categories answers a different boating need, with national and state lists.

Sourced editorial rankings

The launch lists are editorial recommendations based on published operator and other primary sources, not marina inspections or formal scores out of 100. Each category states its priorities. We use those priorities to order its researched cohort, explaining the relevant strengths and restrictions beside each marina. The sources establish facts; the placement is our editorial judgement and is open to correction.

Our initial research covers a limited selection of published YouSail profiles. It is not a complete survey of Australia. A marina absent from a list has not been rated poorly. More categories let marinas be recognised for different strengths, but do not remove the need for transparent reasons and fair corrections.

National and state places

We show up to 10 places per category. Shorter cohorts still have numbered rankings and disclose their actual size. Equal editorial priorities share a place; every tie at the cutoff is included. State lists filter the full researched category cohort first and then assign local places. A marina outside the national top 10 can therefore appear in its state list. One-entry lists explicitly disclose that only one marina is currently included. States without sourced entries are not presented as ranked.

Shared data and refreshes

YouSail stores the edition, category priorities, marina identities, editorial ordering, reasons, sources and review dates in Supabase. Satellite sites import the published edition. Each page shows the source-check date and next review date. Draft, withdrawn and expired editions are excluded at sync/build time. This static site refreshes on its scheduled sync; it is not a live booking system.

Formal assessments remain separate

Formal category assessments use versioned criteria and evidence coverage in YouSail. A numeric score is published only when its formal assessment requirements are met. Editorial places are never converted into a numeric assessment or combined with an overall score.

Limits that matter

Access features are operator descriptions, not accessibility certification. Living aboard may mean a temporary boatyard stay and requires explicit permission. Food rankings compare documented dining options, not tasted meals. The launch value list compares a stated vessel and published base berth tariffs; destinations and extra charges differ, so it is not a claim about the cheapest total stay.

No paid advantage and corrections

Payment, featured listings, directory membership, industry association membership and Google reviews do not buy a place. Awards can provide dated supporting context, but are not automatic points. Submit a correction or suggest a marina with primary sources. Changes are recorded in a new central edition and pass to satellite sites on their next sync.