South Carolina Slip and Off Season storage

[Mhorowitz]

We are looking for a place where we can get a slip at a reasonable cost for our CAL 39, and off season storage. Best would be with good access to the Atlantic or a good sailing bay.

[Kevin84]

Charleston has a number of very good marinas and several boatyards for dry storage if needed. Whats your bridge clearence?

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[Mhorowitz]

62.5'

[Magnawake]

Off season ? What off season? We boat year round here. Actually in Florida you can get good deals on summer rates because the snow birds are in the North. Usually starts May 1st. However, I've never seen any rate changes for "off season". Its the same price all year round. If you get a slip most anywhere and sign a whole year lease you can get a discount. Month to Month is more expensive. Chasn, Beaufort would give good access to the Atlantic. I just came from Southport, NC and enjoyed that town more than the big city life. The weather is the same, plus cheaper rates.

[Mhorowitz]

We RV in the fall/winter so would like to have the boat on the hard when we are not going to be there. Southport is a nice town but I don't want to pay personal property tax on my boat so can't be there long term.

[Magnawake]

I pay property tax in Southport and its a drop in a bucket compared with SC taxes. If you stay in SC over 180 days in a calender year you'll pay 6% of the value of the boat. It might be lower if you live on it getting an homestead exemption. I'm going to be in Chasn for the summer, but thats all. We are in Florida presently. I have friends that do the RV thing too and it great in the summer while its real hot.

[Kevin84]

City marina is a great choice. I think its either $12.50 or 13.50 per foot. That includes water, power, WiFi and cable. Only 45 min to the sea buoy too. You're other option is Charleston Harbor Resort and Marina. Little cheaper, and with a year contract you get access to the resort amenities (i.e. pool, hot tub, business center). Those are the two best. The other two in the harbor have a 55' bridge blocking them.

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[Rick R]

Little River SC, (North end of Myrtle Beach) has several good marinas, with the added bonus that if you are south of the Cherry Grove bridge you are in fresh water.

[Kevin84]

Just saw you're only looking for a few months a year. In that case, you're looking around 15/ft at City and around the same at CHM. For dry storage, City Boatyard charges $10/ft per month. There are a couple cheaper options for storage though.

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[cheoah]

45 min to the sea buoy? In what? OK maybe that's right on a falling tide, but it feels like forever and I'm not looking at a chart.

Charleston is a nice place to spend time, but it is pricy. I spent a winter there in a marina that is no longer there. Not sure why the tax thing is such a a big deal in light of storage costs being nearly twice that of NC. We have some great yards here too. More affordable. A few good ones to choose from.

Consider the Beaufort/Moorhead area for the sailing. You can access Cape Lookout, or the Neuse, PAmlico, or Albemarle. Just depends on the type of sailing you do. You can also access many inlets south of Charleston if you are an offshore sailor. The harbor itself has limited appeal to me now, but that's just me. Better than not sailing at all, and plenty of people enjoy laps around Chas Hbr. I'd make a bee line for Cape Romain personally, and eat my weight in oysters over a winter.

I really prefer Charleston Harbor MArina for a good nights sleep but it is not close to town like the other marinas. I'm more accustomed to it, as far as docking in current, and we have two sisters in Mt Pleasant.

Check out the marinas in Beaufort/Hilton Head. I hear good things about Skull creek, but I stayed farther south in St Simons.

Why not GA or FL? I may have missed that, besides taxes. A mooring in Fernandina would be affordable and give you access to some great cruising. Ever been to Cumberland Island?

You can stay somewhere new every winter. But you know that...

cheers-