Best Marina in the Clear Lake Area ?

[Jetexas]

I purchased my boat almost six months ago and inherited a lease on a slip at Marina Del Sol in Clear Lake. I got a letter this month letting me know my monthly rate was going from $165 to $275 if I renewed my lease in January and that the new month-to-month rate would be $345.

All I can figure is that they're trying to empty the marina. I'm sure not staying. However, I've started searching for the best place to move my 27' sailboat.

An apartment complex down the way is advertising slips for $150 a month, utilities included. South Shore Harbor is $217.50 a month and you get access to the resort's fitness center and restaurant.

Kemah Boardwalk has slips for $295.

Does anybody have any suggestions of other good marinas I can check out?

[cantxsailor]

The Boardwalk is a nice place. A bit noisier than some of the others but not real bad. $7.75ft/mo(Ithink) if you sign up for a year. Security is good and there is plenty to do if you like that sort of thing. The hard part is getting a 30ft slip as there is a fairly long waiting list. I got lucky by renting a 38' slip and I went to the head of the 30ft slip list behind 2 other boats renting larger than needed slips. Two boats went south and I got a 30ft slip. Right after I repaired the dock box to my liking. I had to repair the one at the new slip too. If they move me again I'm going to send them a bill for fixing dock boxes.

I too think that there is a plot afoot to jack the prices up so only the rich can afford to keep their boats around the lake.

Since the City of Baytown has not yet seen fit to rebuild the Bayland Park Marina that we all paid for with our bond money and that the insurance was paid on Oct16/08 there are just no really cheap places to slip any more.

There is a small marina up the Dickinson bayou across from Hillmans yard thats only $200. Good hunting.........m

[Jetexas]

Yeah, the Boardwalk only has 42' slips at the moment. They told me there's quite a waiting list to get a 30'.

[FSMike]

All you Texas folk better stay away from the Florida keys. You would get serious sticker shock.

[Jetexas]

Originally Posted by FSMike

All you Texas folk better stay away from the Florida keys. You would get serious sticker shock.

Yeah, but you're paying extra for that blue water. I'll take our cheaper brown stuff any day. lol

[Ocean Girl]

Watergate is good but the owners are a bit... unpredictable at times. My friend got a letter to remove his vehicle or get it repaired because it had a big dent in the back, it was a street legal BMW. I also had a problem with the drunks there. I had to pull two drunks out of the water over a 1 month period. One nearly went into resp failure and had to take an ambulance ride. The other drunk was near drowning but I got him out in time. I am at waterford and absolutely love it, quiet, friendly, clean, floating piers, good protection, and a great restarant and yacht club,best of all I have not had to pull anyone out of the water BUT it is expensive. I think Seabrook is the best for cheaper slips and it is 5 minutes from the lake Legend point is cheap but beware the owners/management is not live aboard friendly, frankly I don't think they like boaters at all, hard to believe from a marina but...

One thing to really consider is hurricane protection, I pay more at waterford but I save a lot in insurance and I have peace of mind that my OG has the best odds to survive a direct hit.
Erika

[Ocean Girl]

Mike, How bad is it? been thinking about moving to South Florida, gulf side.
Erika

[FSMike]

Ocean Girl -
Actually I'm way out of date as far as Keys prices go, I just know they are usually far more expensive than most other places. Farther up the Fl. gulf coast will be more reasonable. There are also a great variety of types of places, ranging from Naples (bring golf clubs and check book) to Cedar Key (it's been discovered but it's still fun to have a drink at the Island Hotel bar and discuss the bullet holes in the mural).
Anybody have up to date dockage rate info?

P.S.
Erika - neat avatar.

[bstreep]

We were in Waterford for quite a while. They had virtually no damaged boats from Ike. You might also try Harborwalk Marina, out on the ICW.

[Sailmonkey]

We just signed our "new and improved" lease as the rates that were the best available for floating slips have just become average. I checked around for better rates too.

I'm in the same marina as the OP.

[Ocean Girl]

I lived at marina del sol for a few years before it was sold x 2. Did someone buy Marina del sol again? Rumor had it the original owner was going to purchase it and put it back to its former glory.
I looked at them in October and was amazed they still had not repaired the docks from IKE (other than removing some debris). Upping the rent, does that mean the docks are repaired?
Cheers,
Erika

[Sailmonkey]

MDS was bought by a management company......I can't remember the name. What they've done so far is paint the bathrooms, raise the rent.....oh yeah, they re-planked the deck at the pool.
In their defense they're doing a lot of work that no-one would appreciate. The whole bulkhead is is being re-built slowly but surely. Rumor has it they'll dredge the channel and put a geotube in to keep the entrance open.

[smj]

Originally Posted by bstreep

We were in Waterford for quite a while. They had virtually no damaged boats from Ike. You might also try Harborwalk Marina, out on the ICW.

We keep our cat at Harborwalk and just received an email today stating they are in a bad financial situation. Closed down the sales office, ships store and the Yachtclub! They have a skeleton crew left on to tend the marina.

[Sailmonkey]

Originally Posted by smj

We keep our cat at Harborwalk and just received an email today stating they are in a bad financial situation. Closed down the sales office, ships store and the Yachtclub! They have a skeleton crew left on to tend the marina.

And it's in a really weird place.......

[Jetexas]

We ended up signing a six month lease at Legend Point. It was $80 a month for the first three months and then $174 a month after that. I guess we'll see how that goes. We'll also see if the Starwind will be able to make the trip under her own power or if I'll be paying for a tow over there. After way too many weeks of work the Westerbeke is finally cranking over but yet to actually run. I've also discovered the control cable from the cockpit to the transmission is frozen. We've got a bit of work to do before January 31.