Ole,
Washington, DC is a wonderful place to visit, and very friendly to boaters.
The 100-mile trip up the
Potomac from the Chesapeake is beautiful and well protected. The Wilson Bridge clearance is now 84 feet...no problem with your
mast height.
Best anchorage is in the Washington Channel just off the Capital Yacht Club. Deep
water, pretty good holding once you get thru the soft mud layer. The Club has a dingy
dock and offers several amenities for cruisers at a low daily rate: use of clubhouse, library, bar,
laundry, showers, etc. It's within walking distance of the monuments, Smithsonian, the Metro, etc.
Also, there are several
marine businesses based here which are capable of doing just about anything you might need: mechanical,
electrical,
communications,
navigation, structural, etc.
The red "X" marks the CYC docks; there are four of them, just north of the Gangplank Marina docks.
Here's the CYC website:
Capital Yacht Club
Bill