Transient marina Tampa area reasonable rates?

[Mainstreet]

Hi everyone. I'm moving my Morgan 462 from Lake Ponchartrain to a marina in the Tampa area. I'm expecting to be there about three weeks before we start our run around Florida and up the east coast. Anyone got any recommendations for a transient marina in the Tampa/St Pete/Tarpon Springs area?

[geoleo]

Originally Posted by Mainstreet

Hi everyone. I'm moving my Morgan 462 from Lake Ponchartrain to a marina in the Tampa area. I'm expecting to be there about three weeks before we start our run around Florida and up the east coast. Anyone got any recommendations for a transient marina in the Tampa/St Pete/Tarpon Springs area?

There s Pasadena Marina 727/343-4500 and Blind Pass Marina others too but 650+ a month

[Davy J]

You need to be more specific as to where you would like to be. Tarpon Springs to downtown Tampa is a huge area. Unless you actually want to visit Tampa. If you are just heading down the west coast, Tampa and St Petersburg are quite a side trip. Most marinas on the west coast offer transient slips and are not as crowded as you are likely to encounter on the east coast of Florida.

Also, how long you intend to stay and what you would like to do while here would help.

[Mainstreet]

I'm looking for a place to tie up that's secure. I'll be leaving the boat for three weeks unattended then heading south. Not really concerned about seeing the sights or looking for great restaurants. Just a safe secure place with 6' draft at low water.
I've looked on Active Captain but it like getting hit with a fire hose. Thought I'd get some advice from you folks to narrow down the data flow a bit while improving the quality of the response

[Davy J]

Again there are many marinas that could fit your needs. I might recommend the Harborage Marina in St Petersburg. It has floating docks, protected, and security gates.

[Mainstreet]

Anyone have any comments on Twin Dolphin Marina in Bradenton? I've read they have reasonable rates.

[pesarsten]

Twin Dolphins is nice and secure. Good bar and restaurant. Good access to downtown Bradenton. Get a slip on the west end away from the bridge noise and current.

Take Pass-a-grille inlet to Maximo Marina St Pete , off Boca Ciega bay a good choice also.

Channels into the Sarasota Bay Area can be a problem.

24 hrs south of St Pete , in Ft Myers there are some good choices also,

I won't be back in the area for a week but let me know if I can be. Of assistance

Paul

[kelbylinn]

Twin Dolphin Marina is an excellent facility. Well secured, and a good mix of transients, live-aboards, and full time slip use. We left our 42' GB there over the past couple of years for about a month or two at a time while transiting from Dauphin Island, AL down to Key West and back. Well located for heading South or North. We actually do the overnight from Carrabelle to Bradenton (Manatee River) rather than stop at Anclote Key (Tarpon Springs). Highly recommend it from my own experience.

[KidSheeleen]

Snow Birds leave by the 15th of April, so rates will drop by then as well as all florida golf courses.

[sailorman7225]

I have really enjoyed Regatta Point each time I've been there. Again, great restaurant, workout facility, pool, etc. I don't know how rates compare with Twin Dolphin.

[Badtothebone]

Tampa Harbour

[captlloyd]

The internet is a wonderful thing, again. Don't understand why a lot of folks don't want to use it. ActiveCaptain, Waterwayguide.com, marinas.com. Get on them. They will give you all pertinent information, sometime including slip rates. If they don't give you the slip rates, they also give you a link to most marinas web-sites where you will 99% of the time get slip rates for both long term and transient. If the marinas web-site does not list slip rates they more then likely will have a slip request form that you just type in what you want and they will reply. Really, as forum members we cannot give you up to date slip rate information so use these resources. It is fun to just surf these sites just to see what is possible and available. I do it all the time, my favorite is waterwayguides.com. Just sign-up and you get weekly up-dates on cruising news, and they have an interactive cruising guide for marinas and anchorage. Cool.

[Mainstreet]

Lloyd, thanks, that's all valuable information. I was hoping to get some inside skinny from local folks about such things as off season discounts as was posted above. We're looking for the off beat mom and pop marinas that don't always appear on the radar of the big databases you referred to. I know the posted going rate is between $1.50 and $3.00 per foot for daily transient slips Were hoping to beat that down a bit! Thanks again for your input. The marinas.com site was one I didn't know about!

[SV Siren]

I was just at Twin Dolphins not long ago. Very nice, coded gates to enter the docks, swimming pool, several baths with showers, and a nice mix of weekenders and live aboards. Downtown is right there, with several restaurants and bars.. Trying to get a slip on the west end is a good suggestion, much quieter. Pumpouts are on Sundays, they come right to your boat. Cable, wifi, and 30/50 amp service available. Price was $840/month for a 50'er. My draft was 6'6, and didn't have a problem in or out. They have their own private dredged channel, DO STAY inside their markers.

[Dehler 25]

Gulfport is also a good option as long as you can deal with a 65' air draft, fees would be less than Twin Dolphin or Riverside. It is also a hell of a lot closer to the Gulf than running the Manatee river.