Liveaboard Marina Recommendation Needed in Texas

[WoundedWarrior]

Will be buying a boat soon, i am looking for recomendations for a marina that is livaboard friendly, with reasonable rates. Port o'connor or similar small port would be preffered. Corpus would be fine if nothing else pops up.

Internet access, wash, shower facilities, shore power


Thank you.

[RainDog]

It would help if you gave an idea of what specific price range you were looking for. There are inexpensive marinas in Palacios, Port Lavaca, and Ingleside that I think all allow live aboards. More expensive, but nicer, is Island Moorings in Port A. There are several very nice marinas in Rockport, but I am not sure if they allow live aboards or not.

A good deal right now is Matagorda Harbor marina. They have new floating docks, no live aboard fee (I think), $200 floating slips (40 feet), and easy access to the gulf.

[WoundedWarrior]

Cheaper is always preffered. I could go 400 if I had to. I am looking at a 34 footer so I think mist slips can accomidate it. Liveaboard with a small jack Russell is the big thing. I like smaller communities too.

[RainDog]

Here is my impressions of the Marina's I have been to:

Island Moorings is very nice. Port A is a great town, but it is a tourist town. The marina is very nice, well run, and active. It is about $350 plus electric. That would be my first choice unless I was trying to find a cheaper place.

Palacios and Port Lavaca are nice towns, and have cheap marinas, but they are a long way from anywhere you can sail. Port O'Connor does not have a marina that I am aware of. All of these are nice small-town Texas. Palacios is a shrimping town. Port O'Connor a tourist town (fishermen), and Port Lavaca a fairly large small-towm.

Bahia in Ingleside is in a pretty good location and is reasonable. It is a different sort of place. I think most people will either love it or hate it, so you kind of need to go and check it out to see if it is for you. Live aboard fee is only $20 and it is a very active and laidback marina.

Matagorda Marina is a nice marina and a great deal. It is a very active marina, but mostly fishermen. It has easy gulf access, but is a long way from any bay-sailing opportunities.

[bstreep]

OK, my take on your choice:

Port A is a great place - however they have no 40' slips (or 50'). They MAY let you have a slip on the new transient pier. Terribly exposed for a hurricane.

Island Moorings - Great except for limited draft (about 5') and bugs in the summer. Good hurricane protection.

Corpus Christi City Marina - no 40' slips in the new section. You would be either stuck in the old section (which is quite literally, falling apart - we moved a couple of months ago). Great downtown location. Good group of liveaboards.

Ingleside - eclectic is the word. No floating slips. Will disappear in a hurricane.

Rockport area: Key Allegro does not allow liveaboards. There's a new marina at Cove Harbor, but it is EMPTY and has been for 2 years. I mean, maybe 5 boats. Fulton marina is fixed piers, and very exposed.

There is nothing in Port O'Connor to speak of. Port Lavaca... I don't know much about it.

We are in CC marina - and will probably go and spend the winter months in Port A, as they usually have room in the winter. We live in San Antonio, and it's much closer to CC than to Port A.

Feel free to call us: 21O.six six three 8 O seven 9.

[Gshenry53]

I spent several years on the Texas coast before departing to Isla Mujeres, Mexico- Corpus Christie, Port Aransas, Clear Lake. By far my favorite was South Padre Island's Sea Ranch Marina. The water and sailing at South Padre was far superior to all the rest of the coast.
GSH
S/V Andromeda, IP 44-35,
Isla Mujeres, Mex.

[bstreep]

Originally Posted by Gshenry53

I spent several years on the Texas coast before departing to Isla Mujeres, Mexico- Corpus Christie, Port Aransas, Clear Lake. By far my favorite was South Padre Island's Sea Ranch Marina. The water and sailing at South Padre was far superior to all the rest of the coast.
GSH
S/V Andromeda, IP 44-35,
Isla Mujeres, Mex.

How long has it been since you've been to Sea Ranch? We haven't been, but have several friends in CC that have, and really didn't like it..

[Gshenry53]

I left in 2006. I have a close cruising buddy who lives in S. Padre and he has not reported any deterioration, but he does not keep his boat there either. I found the marina perfectly OK (IMHO the best, but not the only place in SPI), and not that expensive. It is horrible for hurricane drill, but you can easily move inland if confronted with a threat. It is very convenient for going in and out of the Gulf by boat and for accessing land sites from the marina. The real edge by my judgment is the superior water. At this time of year it is tropical. 10 minutes sailing out of the jetties and you are in clear, chrystal blue water. The blue line moves out as the weather cools, but you also have the very best weather for the winter, compared to the rest of the coast. If you care to fish, and I do, you can leave the slip for a day sail, troll the gulf, and catch a decent dorado, tuna, or king. Not every time, but often enough to be worth the effort. You can't do that from Port Aransas. I enjoyed CC, and I enjoyed PA, but that was before SPI. The Houston/Clear Lake area is very good for boat repair/maintenance, but Horrible/Unacceptable for sailing. I stayed at Watergate while I was there and it was a very good marina, and there are better in the Clear Lake are, but once I left the slip all I wanted to do was leave the area behind forever. Now consider this: with all my endorsements and positive recommendations you may duly note that there are very few boats in SPI. Clear Lake/Houston has the most by far, but it is not even debatable that it has the very worst water on the coast. That is because most people live in a house nearby, they are boat owners, not sailors, and, except for a handful that work nearby, they are damn sure not liveaboards!
George Henry
S/V Andromeda, IP 44-35
Isla Mujeres, Mex.

[Ocean Girl]

Don't forget clear lake area, yes it is a busier place but it has good hurricane protection, reasonable marina fees, and the hub for getting boat work and provisioning done. We live at Waterford, the more expensive of the marinas but did not lose one boat during Ike, so worth the price in my book.
Erika

[alphabravo2]

If you aree still looking, we are at the Island Moorings Marina in Port Aransas and there is quite a few liveaboards there. Place is quiet, close enough to Corpus Christi...

[WoundedWarrior]

resurrection!!!

I did end up in bahia marina. really like the folks there. and I get to do a lot of fishing. it's dog friendly, a must.

[Sunchaser]

I just saw this post. If you haven't chosen a port please look into Rockport. Very inexpensive slips. The one we are living in is $185/month plus electricity. Rockport is a sleepy little fishing town but with lots to do. If you have an interest please PM me.
Best of Luck
Nellie