Good place for a slip in Ga, SC, NC?

[Jklotz]

Warning: newbie alert!

My wife (the CFO) and I are wanting to get a boat in the 40ft range in the next year or so and keep it in driving distance from Atlanta. We are beginning the planning stages. We'd like to find a slip to keep it in, plan to use for a week or two a month, doing day, weekend and sometimes week long cruises until we don't have to be in Atlanta anymore.

Savannah is 3.5 hours away (driving), HH 4.5. Where would you recommend keeping the boat? Someplace with good day trip destinations and easy access to the ICW would be ideal. I don't mind having a few amenities but don't need a 5 star resort and have no interest in golf. Basic services like laundry, pump out, showers, water/power are a must. A good community, folks who look after each other, means much more to us than tennis courts or swimming pools.

 

[oguidry]

Charleston is about 45 minutes further than Savannah. Hilton Head is almost the same drive time as Charleston because it is slow going once off the Interstate. Charleston airport is 15-20 minute drive to most marinas.

My guess is that Charleston and Hilton Head have more marina choices. Savannah marinas are not near downtown Savannah.

All three offer the same water and ICW access.

Much more to do other than boating in Charleston.

 

[DavidM]

Years ago we kept our boat at Skull Creek Marina on HH, and used it weekends while we worked in Atlanta. We would leave about 4-5:00 on Friday after work, drive to the marina, drop off our dog at the boat and head out for a late dinner.

Saturday we would head to Beaufort on the boat or an anchorage nearby. Then come home Sunday afternoon. Sounds a lot like what you are planning.

We took a few week long trips down to Fernandino Beach and Cumberland Island. We would take a 3 day weekend trip up to Charleston.

Savannah would probably mean basing your boat in Thunderbolt. There is not much to do in the immediate Thunderbolt area. From there it is a 15-20 min drive to Savannah and limited anchoring there. So HH is much better.

Skull Creek has most of what you are looking for, except laundry, but we never needed it. S C is inside the community's gate but it was never a problem, just stopped and told the guard we were heading for our boat and he would wave us through. But there are lots of other marinas outside the gates.

Good luck with your plans.

David

 

[READY]

Hilton Head and Charleston are both great locations. We kept ours for awhile at Shelter Cove in Hilton Head. Plenty of easily accessible activities on HH.

 

[Hippocampus]

Have spent winters at HH. It would be my first choice. For a more laidback experience at perhaps less money Beaufort SC (not NC) is a good choice as well. Savannah is great fun and Thunderbolt has a great rep as a service yard. But you might want a car for that area. HH has everything needed by dinghy or bike from most marinas. You rarely need a Uber. Currents in HH are modest c/w other places mentioned.

 

[ranger58sb]

Savannah is 3.5 hours away (driving), HH 4.5. Where would you recommend keeping the boat? Someplace with good day trip destinations and easy access to the ICW would be ideal. I don't mind having a few amenities but don't need a 5 star resort and have no interest in golf. Basic services like laundry, pump out, showers, water/power are a must. A good community, folks who look after each other, means much more to us than tennis courts or swimming pools.

Savannah would probably mean basing your boat in Thunderbolt. There is not much to do in the immediate Thunderbolt area. From there it is a 15-20 min drive to Savannah and limited anchoring there. So HH is much better.

Looks like decent public transportation from Thunderbolt to downtown Savannah... so there could be ways around any downtown parking issues. OTOH, we chose Charleston over Savannah, Hilton Head, and Beaufort (SC) for wintering this year and it's working out OK.

Brunswick Landing in south Georgia seems to get good recommendations; haven't been there, though.

We've stayed at Golden Isles (Morningstar) marina on St. Simons Island, and it's very nice. Got a big facelift a few years ago, too. Probably a decent commute from Atlanta.

-Chris

 

[Jklotz]

Thanks guys, I appreciate the info and suggestions.

 

[markpj23]

If paper mills are an issue - as is the case for my admiral - avoid Brunswick and Fernandina. Also 2 active mills in Savannah I believe.

 

[Captain_Michael]

I live in Charleston. Keep my boat on the Chesapeake Bay.

Negatives: hard to find a slip; none cheap; would not attemtp to ride out a hurriance anywhere in the harbor; can see all there is to see in the harbor in a weekend, and when going outside, you have a lot of barrier island lee shores (50+ miles) north and south to nearest destinations; worst feature is the taxman. Boats are personal property in SC and the tax is exorbitant. Berkeley County (and Charleston was no different) wanted me to pay them $5000 annually for the privilege of keeping a $250K sailboat in their waters. I suspect Beaufort or Jasper counties (Hilton Head area) would be the same, so check before commiting.

Plus things about Charleston: good restaurants; tons to see on the land side; good place to winter over (just stay no longer than 180 days); good symphony; colleges all have lecture series, etc. In other words, the land attractions are better than the water ones.

 

[PierreR]

No one has mentioned Chattanooga Tn on the Tennessee River. The location is considerably closer, great destinations and best of all, fresh water storage, a big plus.

The Tennessee river has access to the
GCICW.

Second place that I would look would be on the Apalachicola River near/south of Columbus GA. Can lock through to GCICW

 

[Jklotz]

No one has mentioned Chattanooga Tn on the Tennessee River. The location is considerably closer, great destinations and best of all, fresh water storage, a big plus.

The Tennessee river has access to the
GCICW.

Second place that I would look would be on the Apalachicola River near/south of Columbus GA. Can lock through to GCICW

Interesting, I'll look into that. I was just up in Chattanooga visiting Helmsman to see his H38e. He had an amazing setup, covered dock right down from his house on the TN River. How awesome would that be? Make your coffee in the AM then walk down to the boat to read the paper!

 

[Jklotz]

Thanks so much for all the replies guys, it's really helpful.

 

[Flatswing]

Thanks so much for all the replies guys, it's really helpful.

Another choice on HHI is Windmill Harbour. Just over the bridge from Bluffton, several folks from Atlanta keep boats here. I keep my DeFever here ( though I live across the bridge on mainland.
The main advantage is Hurricane Season. WH is a sheltered basin surrounded by 4 story townhomes which mainly block high wind plus it is accessed by a lock with 24hr. access, no tide (7+ft in the Lowcountry) no currents so no barnacles so bottom cleaning for tube worms every 4-6 months. 24 hr security plus all the things you wanted. Car needed for rapid access to restaurants, shopping etc. exit the lock and you are in Calabogie Sound 500’ to AICW mid way between. Beaufort, SC & Savannah.
Another option is Shelter Cove. Everything right there but 20 minute longer access drive & 30 minutes to AICW due to no wake zone.

 

[Jklotz]

Another choice on HHI is Windmill Harbour. Just over the bridge from Bluffton, several folks from Atlanta keep boats here. I keep my DeFever here ( though I live across the bridge on mainland.
The main advantage is Hurricane Season. WH is a sheltered basin surrounded by 4 story townhomes which mainly block high wind plus it is accessed by a lock with 24hr. access, no tide (7+ft in the Lowcountry) no currents so no barnacles so bottom cleaning for tube worms every 4-6 months. 24 hr security plus all the things you wanted. Car needed for rapid access to restaurants, shopping etc. exit the lock and you are in Calabogie Sound 500’ to AICW mid way between. Beaufort, SC & Savannah.
Another option is Shelter Cove. Everything right there but 20 minute longer access drive & 30 minutes to AICW due to no wake zone.

Thanks. I'll look into it. Sounds nice. We'll be driving over from Atl, so I'll have a car there. Getting into town wouldn't be a problem.

 

[jimfrens]

Stayed at Harbor Town Yacht Basin, HHI, on my most recent delivery trip. Most expensive place I have ever been. $370 for one night, 63 foot boat. Shop around…

 

[Hippocampus]

+1 for Shelter Cove.

 

[henrymei]

New Bern is a great little town with several marinas. Good restaurants. Very walkable.