Looking for a Marina on the Outer Banks

[S@m]

Hey all!

I'm looking at purchasing a yacht that is 67 feet long, has an 8 foot draft, and a rig height of 76 feet. I'm looking for a marina on the Outer Banks that can accommodate such a boat. It sounds like a lot of the marinas are on the sound side of the Banks. Do you know of any oceanfront marinas? Also, the Pirate's Cove Marina is one marina I'm considering. (Pirate's Cove is sound side.) Would that be possible for a ship the size I have described to be housed there, and make it out to the open ocean?

Thanks!

[Captain Bill]

I would be very surprised if you could get the boat into Pirate's cove or any other marina on the outer banks and there aren't that many. Eight foot of draft eliminates Ocracoke inlet. I was out of there about a month ago and there was a spot only 6 feet deep. Given the tide state at the time it might approach 8 feet at a spring high but it would be very tight. I haven't been out of Hatteras inlet lately, but some of the approaches to the marinas in the village area have only 5.5 feet. The biggest problem is your mast height. All the other inlets have 65 foot or less bridges blocking them. While not technically the outer banks the only option you have might be in the Beaufort/Morehead City area. There is a bascule bridge that would allow you to get to the Towncreek Marina in Beaufort. You could also get to the marinas along the waterfront on Morehead City. I'm not sure either can accomodate a boat of that size. The most recent chart shows only 6 feet at the Morehead City waterfront. I've not been in there for 2 years so it may have shoaled, but I've not seen less than 9. If you have your heart set on the Pamlico Sound system you need to consider a boat with a mast less than 65 feet and/or a shallower draft. The few marinas there are on the outer banks tend to be oriented towards sport fishing boats rather than sailboats. The inner banks offer you a lot of options but not a 76 foot mast height and 8 foot of draft would be very tough for most of them.

[donradcliffe]

Forget that boat for the outer banks--too deep and too high.

[ActiveCaptain]

I have to agree with Bill. Beaufort and Morehead City are going to be your friends in that area. There are some great facilities there.

[Sunspot Baby]

Even Beaufort and Morehead City will be a problem because you won't be able to go under the bridge to get most of the Morehead Marinas or Town Creek. That reduces the options in that area as well. Beaufort City docks can take you and Morehead has a fairly new city dock but not sure what the approach depth is.

[Captain Bill]

Sunspot, what would prevent him from getting into Town Creek. The bascule bridge on the Beaufort channel won't present a problem and the power lines are charted at 87 feet. Is there another obstacle I'm not aware of? The water is pretty deep, at least up to the Marina if you follow the markers.

[ActiveCaptain]

There has been some fairly recent discussion about Gallants Channel here:
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...nel-26928.html

Picking the right time, a 7' draft boat should be able to get through there. There's 3.5' of tide in the area.

Once passed there, Core Creek gives some additional facilities. Jarrett Bay handles large boats and is pretty well respected.
Also, once through Gallants Channel, you can double back on the ICW to get to Morehead City and especially the Morehead City Yacht Basin which people seem to love

[Captain Bill]

With an 8 foot draft he might be able to get through Gallants Channel at a high spring tide. One problem with the channels in the area is the marker system. I've seen a lot of people get confused and go on the wrong side of the markers. Gallants channel north of the bascule bridge in Beaufort has the red markers on the left side as the seaward end of the channel is to the NW even though it is further from the ocean. The channel from the Morehead City Bridge to Gallants Channel is the conventional RRR and so Is Gallants Channel viewed from that side. The Gallant channel to ICW channel has the red channel markers on the left instead of the right. so If you're coming from the Morehead City Bridge and take the slight dogleg by going into Gallant channel and then up to the ICW intersection the channel markers change sides. It should also be noted that if you go through the Morehead City bridge that the markers on the south side of the bridge are harbor markers with the normal RRR but the markers to the North of the bridge are ICW markers where seaward is defined as southbound so the red markers are now on the left at least for the left hand channel. If you proceed up the right hand channel to Gallant Channel the Red Markers are on the right. If from the ICW you turn into the channel to go to the yacht basin the markers again follow the RRR rule and reds are on the right. It all gets pretty confusing to people without local knowledge and it keeps the salvage/towing companies quite prosperous.

Another issue is that I have seen people go a marker too far on Gallant Channel. When nearing the end of the channel a green marker #35 is clearly visible and appears to be in line with the current channel. The problem is that it is an ICW marker and there's a shoal that is awash at low water between the end of Gallant Channel and this marker. Sailboats usually just stick their keel in the bank, but I've seen big power boats high and dry on this shoal several times.

[S@m]

Thank you for all of the information, guys. I think I have successfully located a marina that can take the yacht I'm looking at; Beaufort Docks in Beaufort, NC.

Once again, thanks for all the help!