DoD/CaC/MWR users reports

[Drunkonwatch]

Is anyone cruising that has used any of the MWR port facilities offered for retirees ? If so how do they stack up against the other offerings in your opinion? Thanks for the read.

[LarryDW]

I’ve hauled out up in Annapolis at the Naval Support Yard. Affordable, friendly, let me work on my boat in the yard. Did need vacuum system for sanding bottom paint. Overall A+++

[LarryDW]

I’m currently in Marathon, FL, and considering dropping down to Boca Chica NAS soon to grab a mooring. I stopped in last year while driving to look at the facilities. I liked what I saw. Not super close to Key West, but not beyond an Uber ride.

[LarryDW]

Damn, I seem to be the only one responding.
Before I bought my bought, roughly six years ago. I took a road trip, looking at boats, but also physically looking at facilities available for active duty, and retired.
The Naval Air Station at Solomons has great slip prices, and they also haul out as well.
The facility in Newport, RI is also worth looking at. It’s expensive, but not even close to what you would spend in town. I’ve anchored there, free, not the most protected, but heck, plenty of dinghy access.

[LarryDW]

Groton, CT. Stopped there briefly. Slips available, not sure of the pricing, but definitely worth considering. Wish I’d spent more time looking at the facilities.

[LarryDW]

Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Kittery, ME. Two separate mooring fields and docks. I’ve heard you can haul out there, just not 100% sure. Lots of current, the Piscataqua River (hope I spelt that correctly) rips!

[Drunkonwatch]

Great I will look up the ones you mentioned and thanks for your service we are looking at boats in what we call the lower 48 and we have never used any of the marina services before. I hear good things about the west coast ones as well maybe I will start posting some research I’m doing on the facilities. Im retired Army and excited to see the navy ports. Thanks for the response.

[Drunkonwatch]

They definitely seem more affordable than the civilian counterparts.

[mabowers]

I've stayed at Boca Chica for 3 or 4 weeks in 2019. Great little place aside from transportation. Not all cab / rideshare drivers can get on base. I took a cab to go pick up a rental car, no issues after that.

Skipper Bob Publications has a 13 page guide, "Military Marinas Along the Great Loop Route" which I believe is free to active or retired military. It lists 30 marinas from Pensacola FL to Newport RI, one on the Hudson river (West Point) & one on Lake St Clair near Detroit (Selfridge Air Nat. Guard base). Note many of the MWR marinas are draft restricted.

[Drunkonwatch]

I am bezoing the guide right now thank you for the reply. And thanks for your service.

[Gudgeon]

Had our boat at Rainbow Bay Marina (Pearl Harbor) for many years. They replaced the piers while we were there. Great improvement. 9/11 made us move the boat to the Ala Wai sooner than we planned. We were not able to Sail for about a year, then we couldn't sail in the harbor we could only transit to from the Marina. Had to get permission to get enter and exited the harbo and sometimes were not allowed due to ship movements. Came back from Molokai one time arrive at the Harbor entrance and was not allowed to enter. The watch stander told this was policy It was not written anywhere and I had come back after dark before. Prior to 9/11 it was great, only issue was it is about an hour to ge out of the harbor. Facilities were good had fuel dock and the gates to the pier locked. There is a restaurant bar on site It is safe from hurricane storm surge and tsunami waves.
Had an earlier boat at Iriquois it was closer to the harbor entrance but the pier were in bad shape. It is now run by a private company and I do not know wht is going on.
For both Iriquois and RBM you need a permit from the Navy it wasn;t hard to get but you had to jump through hoops.
Prior to 9/11 there were some transients it was/is a good location commissary close Arizona Memoril nearby. No haul out facilities. On city bus routes.
I have not Check out Kaneohe MCAB marina. Keep saying I am but just go anchor in Kaneohe Bay.
Long time ago (before 9/11) the Pearl Harbor YC hosted a race in the harbor it was a blast and always had a good turn out. I have pictures of our boat with the spinnaker up and the Arizon Memorial in the background.

[ranger58sb]

Originally Posted by mabowers

Skipper Bob Publications has a 13 page guide, "Military Marinas Along the Great Loop Route" which I believe is free to active or retired military.

MWR marinas are generally not free, either to active or retired military and DoD folks. (I know of no free ones.)

-Chris

[mabowers]

Originally Posted by ranger58sb

MWR marinas are generally not free, either to active or retired military and DoD folks. (I know of no free ones.)



-Chris

The *guide* is free.

[ranger58sb]

Ah. I see.

[mabowers]

Originally Posted by Drunkonwatch

I am bezoing the guide right now thank you for the reply. And thanks for your service.

Thank you for yours as well. I was sorting thru my nav station today and found some more contact info that may be useful. I can't really scan it so I'll just post pics.