East Coast USA question: Best Rates on Marinas in MD., VA., or NC?

[advocate777]

1.) On the East Coast of USA, ss there a geographic line south where you can keep a boat in the water year round? You know, the Chesapeake gets too cold and the marinas close/seasonal. But where is it warm enough or where are the marinas that keep the boat in water all year. Or, can you keep it in the water all year in the northern chesapeake marinas? Is that bad for the boat? Or do you just winterize the plumbing and keep it in the water?

2.) Do you have any marinas you can recommend that are less expensive than the 'norm' on the upper/northern chesapeake? Say, any in Deltaville VA? How about North Carolina? Any recommendations for reasonable marinas in Oriental?

Reason: I am wanting to buy my next boat this winter - sometime in 1st quarter 2015. But I need somewhere relatively inexpensive to keep it to save costs until I can move aboard in the future, even if it is not close to where i live on the northernmost part of the Chesapeake.

Some say 'wait until ur ready to go and then get the boat' but I want to get it now - i just need to keep it at the most affordable marina i can find between Havre de Grace and Oriental, NC

Any marinas you can recommend?

Thanks!

[ranger58sb]

If it's closer to you, would you be able to sail on weekends and so forth? If so, I'd recommend you look local, and worry about weather and so forth later on.

FWIW, we keep ours in the water year round 3 out of every 4 years, just south of Annapolis. It simply means winterizing, and sometimes I have to run the de-icer. But the boat is 10 minutes way, and we're on it a lot. Wouldn't be that way if I had to drive to VA or NC first...

Not all marinas in the upper Chesapeake cost and arm and a leg and your first-born. And there's also the possibility of private docks. Check Spin Sheet and so forth...

-Chris

[Ziggy]

Some people (not I) keep their boars in the water as far north as Boston. For example, there are several live-aboards at the Constitution Marina.

I think it's good for the boat to be hauled for the winter with the mast unstepped. Less likelihood of blisters, and you have a chance to inspect and perform maintenance below the water line and on the rig. However, jt does cost more.

[Yogojr]

We are at Brewers Oxford Boatyard in Oxford, MD on the Eastern Shore. About half cost of Annapolis. Most boats get hauled in the winter but there are a few that stay in year round. Also, they will let you do your own work. That said, they also have top notch crew there for painting, mechanical, rigging, and carpentry. We've been real happy there. Any place on the Eastern Shore is going to be less than the other side of the Bay.


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[Captain Bill]

There are a number of inexpensive Marinas just north of Oriental on Broad Creek in Whortonville, NC. Prices run from $150 to $200/mo for a monohull slip. If you look up Broad Creek on a chart these marinas are near the confluence of Broad and Brown Creeks. River Dunes marina is near the mouth of the creek, but no one would call it inexpensive, but it's very nice. I kept my boat in the water there for 6 years without a problem caused by cold. I did have to deal with a couple of hurricanes but got through them without damage. They are slightly south of Cape Hatteras so you pay a slight hurricane penalty during the season in insurance for keeping your boat there. Belhaven NC is slightly north of Hatteras so you get the insurance break there and it has several marinas. Oddly enough the Hatteras Marina is technically slightly North of Cape Hatteras and despite the fact that Cape Hatteras gets hit by more hurricanes and tropical storms than any place else on the planet you'll get cheaper insurance if you keep your boat there, duh. It's not cheap though.