Lower Chesapeake

[Vasco]

Looking for a spot to park my new boat this summer. while I get ready to head south. Someplace between Solomons and Hampton. 39 ft. loa, 5 1/2 ft draft Would like to hear from sailors in a nice quiet, sheltered, well- run marina. Need it from July to the end of October. Thanks.

[kgregg]

(This subject has appeared in a few threads.)

Check out Deltaville, VA. My aunt and uncle live there and sail an Alberg 30. There are many marinas. Kevin

[Pblais]

Severn Marina on the SW branch of the Severn River (no, not the one in Annapolis - the other one<g>.). It's on the east side of Mobjack Bay at the mouth of the York. Mobjack is a nice bay with 4 nice rivers. Quiet anchorages and plenty of pretty places without crowds of boats.

You may find the prices better than most other marinas for this part of the world. Big slips with power and water connections. I rode out Isabell there.

It's a decent place to get work done and they can block you up out back and let you do all your own work if you like. The yard is huge.

The only down side is there is not much for any type of town there, or even near by. By car it's about 10 miles from Yorktown or 10 miles from Gloucester, 20 miles from Newport News.

[Vasco]

Thanks Paul,

I was looking for specific information like what you provided. I am familiar with the area but have never stayed in a marina. I have checked all the marinas in the Chesapeake Bay Marina Directory but it is difficult to make a choice without getting some first-hand information. It is especially difficult as I'll be booking a spot sight unseen because when I come up I won't have much time to check around. I have found that word of mouth from other cruisers is the best recommendation. A remote area is not a problem as I'll be commuting by car.

[Pblais]

Deltaville is a good location if you access via Richmond. In general the northen neck of VA is really wild country (pretty too). Once you get on the main Peninsula around Newport News and that part of the world you are in the City with City type prices. York River Yacht Haven in Gloucester Point is a premier place with a first class restaurant and the most comprehensive yard services around and new floating docks. They charge a lot but you get anything you want. I can see the place from my own dock. Clearly one the best on the whole bay 20 minutes from Newport News airport.

You'll find that marinias in the boonies are cheaper than the ones in the big cities. On the far eastern shore the rates get low but it's an all day adventure to get there. The upper bay is filled with some of the goofiest operations you can imagine and places near Annapolis some of the most expensive. If you live there you want to be close to your boat (who wouldn't). You'll also find a lot of slips in the Norfolk / Virginia beach area too but again it's the big city too and I think under supplied.

Here is another link you can use to check out marinas:

http://www.cruiseguides.com/iwfg/index.html

At least you can get some phone numbers to call if you like.

I live on the lower bay and I wouldn't be any place else. If you get down this way we need to talk raft up.

[Vasco]

Thanks again Paul,

I'm going down to Charleston to sort out the new boat next week and then will go back down in June to bring it up to the Lower bay. Will leave it there till November when I'll go south. Hope to visit it a few times during the summer to get it ready. Will definitely give you a shout when I get there.

[Jentine]

I would strongly suggest that you avoid Point Lookout Marina at all costs. I recently pulled in there (on plane) with a slight problem while delivering a boat to N. E. from Florida. I had a minor engine problem - timing - when I tied up to their dock. I had to return 12 days later with a trailer to finish the trip.
Their mechanic screwed up the timing so badly that the engine would not run at all and then told me that the engine was "blown" and they could replace it for $6300 to $8400. I told them to "tune it up". They charged me $139.20 to determine that the engine was out of time (I was standing there when the timing was checked) and concluded that the engine was no good. They further charged $194 for a tune-up but, the service manager told me that "we will not time the engine because we don't want the liability". They also replaced a good rotor, distributor cap, eight spark plugs and a set of ignition wires, a nut, a washer and some oil for $136.40.
I ended up paying a total of $703.58, to have an engine that would propell the boat "on plane" at 25 kts., reduced to a potential mooring anchor.
And to top it all off, THEY WEREN'T FRIENDLY!

[MorgaNado]

We just left Point Lookout Marina, after three years as a slip holder. During that time, we saw several cruising boats experience that which Jentine writes in this thread.

Apparently, the service manager and dockmaster are under the assumption that it not important to provide their customers with friendly service. (Just try talking with the dock master before 12:00 noon)

The marina's general lack of service experience and knowledge also confirm's Jentine's timing and mischarging issues. We just could not believe some of the troubleshooting, repairs and repair costs on our old boat. Then, last year, we received a $30.00 charge on our winterization statement because we pumped the holding tank after the winter haul! (Please note that a rule that we had never heard, despite the many times we had pumped out, while on the stands, before.) This because we agreed to let the marina haul our boat at a time when their workload was slow.

After leaving the marina, with 60 days notice, and at the time before we would be renewing our annual contract (7/2005), the marina would not return nearly $400 that we had overpaid on our account. Then, when we questioned their "stealing" our money, the less-than-customer oriented dockmaster became even less communicative.

So, yes, I will agree that the marina is not a place for cruising boats to find the great customer service, repairs and dockage the boating community expects.

[Mark_S.]

I am planning to buy a 40+' sailboat and keep it in Virginia. I would like to find a good marina that is not too far from the airport (a shuttle service would be good), and is in a low or no property tax jurisdiction. Also, a good hurricane hole would be good as I will be out of state and don't want to fly in for every tropical storm that comes through. Any suggestions?

[sneuman]

No specific suggestions, but this might be helpful:

Chesapeake Bay Marinas

[Auspicious]

You'll have to check the property tax issues yourself, but for the other items you ask for I don't think you can do better than Vining's Landing Marina in Little Creek.

[Greg S]

Deltaville is a great place to work on a boat and, as Paul says, it's more laid back than the Norfolk area. If you are not looking for a working yard, no haul outs, etc, You could look at Southall Landings (Southall Landings Marina - Your Closest Link to the Chesapeake Bay) or the Salt Ponds Marina (Salt Pond Marina, Hampton, Virginia) Southall would be my preference. They are both well protected and have no boat tax. The airport, Newport News Williamsberg, (http://www.nnwairport.com/) is not too far away. A multitude of services and vendors are available in the area, although you will not be walking to any of them, a car is probably a must. If you need an apartment there is one near by, but, you will definitely want to look at it first!

[r.furborough]

I'll second Vinings Landing in Norfolk, I keep my boat there, only a few minutes from Norfolk International and great access to the lower part of the bay. Located in Little Creek there are two other marinas owned by the Vinings Group, Bay Point and Little Creek Marinas plus several other independant marinas, all with space. There is a West Marine nearby, two working boat yards that allow DIY, a marine electronics dealer and within walking distance several restaurants.

If you need more information on this area PM me.