Liveaboard Marinas around Chesapeake Bay (Baltimore or Annapolis Area)

[svpattyd]

Galesville yacht yard rents slips. Call Claudia (410) 867-7517.

[sparklegirl50]

Baltimore Marine Center allows liveaboards; we have been living aboard here for two years now. Gym membership is included in slip fee; pool use also in summer. Laundry facilities on site in bath house. Also, one parking space in the garage is included.

Ship traffic, yes, but they are big, so are easy to avoid.

[seidelmann299]

Thanks for the advice everyone. We are going to look at Baltimore Marine Center, Anchorage, and Magothy Marina. We will most likely only be staying one year so the proximity to Baltimore, and costs, are most important to us. After speaking to dockmasters at Annapolis marinas, they seem too expensive for our budget. Although the Annapolis area is much better for sailing than Baltimore, we need to make some compromises.

[RunningRabbit]

I currently live in Annapolis and am looking at living aboard. I could stay right in my neighborhood and go to Port Annapolis or Annapolis Landing, get closer to Davis' pub and go to Pier 4, or be close to the B&A trail (marathon training) and go to Magothy Marina. Anyone here have insight they want to share on these marinas for living aboard? I really dislike condo-commando types, so I don't want to end up in a marina with that atmosphere. It'd be nice to have a sense of community and good neighbors.

[Auspicious]

Originally Posted by RunningRabbit

I currently live in Annapolis and am looking at living aboard. I could stay right in my neighborhood and go to Port Annapolis or Annapolis Landing, get closer to Davis' pub and go to Pier 4, or be close to the B&A trail (marathon training) and go to Magothy Marina. Anyone here have insight they want to share on these marinas for living aboard?

Port A and ALM both have nice live-aboard communities. You may or may not find the dust level from the yard disturbing. Both are big so the walk to shore heads and showers may be an issue depending on where you slip ends up.

Victoria has been managing Magothy Marina for many years. She is a nice lady and keeps things clean and quiet. The only issue I have with MM is you have to get in your car and drive to anywhere at all through a very tight residential neighborhood. It would be worth stopping by and talking to people in their yards to see what the relationship is between the marina and the neighbors.

If you like Davis Pub consider Eastport Yacht Center at the end of 2nd St in Eastport. Tell Kimberly Brown I sent you. You can walk to Davis Pub, to Leeward Market, and to all the restaurants along Chesapeake Ave, including Eastport Yacht Club. You're also in range of the eCruisers LLC - the yellow electric jitneys - and a free ride to most of the bars and restaurants downtown.

Annapolis City Marina and a couple of other Spa Creek marinas allow liveaboards as well.

The Harbormaster allows liveaboards on City moorings except for the front mooring field. You can spend the winter at City Dock with winter water.

Since you're here in town, if you want to meet up with some current liveaboards let me know and we'll put something together. Regardless, c'mon down to the SSCA Annapolis GAM - lots of Annapolis liveaboards will be there.

[RunningRabbit]

Thanks for the input, Auspicious. I would love to meet up with some other liveaboards and glean folks' wisdom; perhaps a little happy hour at Davis'. I have to say the prices at EYC look rather high, particularly when it does not appear they offer much of any amenities (e.g., more expensive than Port A etc but no pool), but I'll take a look. Likelihood is probably 99% that I'll be on a power boat, because having a roomy aft deck is important for me.

[Auspicious]

Golly. I haven't priced things for quite a while. I'm paying $4,500/yr for a 40 foot slip that isn't liveaboard but allows "lots of boat use." I'm on the boat almost every day and sleep aboard about half the time.

I used to live at Eastport Yacht Center and at the time it was cheaper than ALM and Port A. So I called around to get ballpark numbers for a 40' slip annual contract. Eastport Yacht Center is 6000-6300. Annapolis Landing Marina is about 7500. Port Annapolis is 7900. Eastport Yacht Center is up 50% from when I lived there in 2006-7 but still a very good deal.

Private docks and small marinas will run 4000 - 5000 for a 40' slip but generally don't want liveaboards. You would have to develop a relationship and work something out. That takes a lot of time and work.

Pick a date and time for a liveaboard meetup and I'll see who I can rustle up.

[RunningRabbit]

I definitely need to go visit and call around; I think the prices I was going by on Port A's website are two years old; I have a friend who lives aboard there but our schedules just haven't synched up yet. Magothy is $3100 per year for 30' plus $125 per month liveaboard fee. Also have to factor in electric...one 30 or 50 amp shorepower line is included in the slip rate at some of these marinas, but not others. I believe pump out is included at Port A but not at Magothy. I'm going to put together a spreadsheet with all these variables so I can total up the costs and compare apples to apples. One upside I see at Magothy is the contract year is April 1 to April 1; if I docked in September or October the rate would be prorated, and it sounds like my contract would end at the end of March, so I'd really have 6 months to test the waters there, so to speak. Port A and ALM are also close to nothing... I live 3/4 a mile from them, and I'm still another 3/4 mile to the closest place to drink (Ebb Tide). I dislike being off Edgewood Road and paying at least $10 just to cab to Davis', from Port A it'd be even more (unless I row a dinghy across...). It was also pretty unpleasant running past the sewage treatment plant on this hot, but still, summer afternoon. Not going to enjoy my aft deck as much if that is wafting by all summer...

How would Monday at Davis' sound? Say 6PM?

[Auspicious]

I definitely got the best reception by making an appointment and meeting with managers. Look decent and take pictures of your boat.

I didn't check LA fees or electric. I know that Eastport Yacht Center does not charge for electric. You can get two 30s or one 50 there.

Pump out can be an issue. I don't know of anywhere in Annapolis that has slip side pump out and allows liveaboard. Even the slip side places generally shut down in the winter. The City arranges a truck that comes to City Dock in winter for pump-outs. Check with the Harbormaster's office. I think a Raritan Electroscan is the way to go.

Check on winter water also. Sometimes it's infrastructure and sometimes it's a community event hooking hoses together from a laundry tub somewhere.

Ebb Tide is fine. I like the cheese steaks there. I much prefer being on the North side of Back Creek. Adam's Ribs, Davis Pub, Rockfish, Boatyard. ... lots of places to hang.

There is a dinghy dock right at Davis Pub if you are on the Edgewood side of Back Creek.

Originally Posted by RunningRabbit

How would Monday at Davis' sound? Say 6PM?

Works for me. I'll put out a note on the grapevine. I'm 5'10", glasses, brown hair, about 50, yellow ball cap "Auspicious".

[RunningRabbit]

Yeah, I was a little surprised when MM said they have pumpout but you have to come to the fuel dock. In Miami it was pretty normal that a pumpout boat would come to you, but obviously in Miami you don't have the winter issues. I wish I could afford to bring a boat up from Florida, so many down there are better outfitted as liveaboards.

Sounds good for Davis'. I'm 5'5" with really long brunette hair. Most of the regulars (and definitely the bartenders) know me, so if you say you're looking for Suzanne or "Buttercup's Mom" they should be able to point me out. I'll bring the pup dog... she loves to hang there and folks seem to like slipping her the occasional shot of scotch or sip of beer.

[wingNwing]

Hey, we're in Port Annapolis, have been for 10 years, and love it. (But we're weird, we prefer living in a working boatyard.) Decent liveaboard community, pool, cafe, lounge, free pumpouts (they have a dock cart so I assume they can do it in the winter as well - smirk - we've gone south for the last few winters so don't really know) Dinghy across the creek or take the water taxi to go downtown. We'll look for you and Auspicious at Davis'

[Auspicious]

WingNwing is on my "list" *grin* and will be there Monday evening. Jaye pointed out that I missed that you are a woman. Golly. Anyway, the folks I've poked at are all the more relevant.

See you Monday at Davis Pub.

[RunningRabbit]

I look forward to meeting folks at Davis' and getting the inside scoop on the Naptown liveaboard scene.

As terrified as I am to make this move, I also recall the best nights sleep I got was anchored out at Elliot Key getting rocked to sleep and finding the boat had done a 180 during the night. My ex just wasn't going to be willing to do it unless it was a fancy 50+ foot yacht. I'm sick of waiting around until I win the lotto and can have a dream boat... I surely won't have the prettiest or biggest boat in the marina, but I'd rather start somewhere and have something that is mine.

[boating2go]

Originally Posted by RunningRabbit

I currently live in Annapolis and am looking at living aboard. I could stay right in my neighborhood and go to Port Annapolis or Annapolis Landing, get closer to Davis' pub and go to Pier 4, or be close to the B&A trail (marathon training) and go to Magothy Marina. Anyone here have insight they want to share on these marinas for living aboard? I really dislike condo-commando types, so I don't want to end up in a marina with that atmosphere. It'd be nice to have a sense of community and good neighbors.

I lived aboard at Annapolis Landing and really like it. The facilities are wonderful and like they said it is only across the creek for Davis' Pub. A great place and very, very boater friendly.

I only left because of the commute and was able to get a slip at the Gangplank because a friend left with his boat and I was with him so they left me have the slip.

[DSDman]

Hi all, Gangplank says they are not taking anymore live aboard for a while due to construction. Any other good places close to the Pentagon? Private docks anyone know of? Or just suck it up and move to Deale MD and live with the commute? My boat is 60 ft. Anyone here doing that commute and can comment?