Mrs.E. has asked me to research and find a winter slip for her GB somewhere
in North Carolina.
(this will be interesting)

Her interest is to take her GB south next fall to a quality marina that can
provide a cursory "watch" on the boat in her absence, has shore power and
cable TV available throughout the winter, and has decent facilities and
amenities. Her plan is to occasionally travel and stay on the boat for a
few days at a time during all but the worst of the winter months. Ideally,
the marina would be located near other points of interest, decent
restaurants, and, of course, shopping centers.

I've searched a few, but, without seeing them first-hand, it's hard to judge
them by website descriptions.
From the website description, Bennet Bros. Yachts/Cape Fear Marina looks
like it's worth investigating and I have emailed them for further
information regarding winter slip availabilities, lease or sale.

Anybody have any recommendations?

Thanks,

RCE

RCE wrote:
I've searched a few, but, without seeing them first-hand, it's hard to judge
them by website descriptions.
From the website description, Bennet Bros. Yachts/Cape Fear Marina looks
like it's worth investigating and I have emailed them for further
information regarding winter slip availabilities, lease or sale.


Bennet Bros is a pretty nice place, a little pricey IMHO but
then it's right in Wilmington. It's also not a good place to
be in a hurricane, but it sounds like you're not planning to be.

A buddy of mine keeps his sailboat right around the corner
from B-B, been thru the place but never stayed there. It
left a good impression.

If it were me, I'd stay in Hampstead but it's a longer drive
to restaurants & theaters etc etc.

There are a couple of good places in New Bern & Elizabeth
City that I have more experience with, also some places to
avoid.

Why not Little River SC or Charleston or the Norfolk area,
just out of curiosity?

Fair Skies
Doug King

"DSK" wrote in message
...

If it were me, I'd stay in Hampstead but it's a longer drive to
restaurants & theaters etc etc.

There are a couple of good places in New Bern & Elizabeth City that I have
more experience with, also some places to avoid.

Why not Little River SC or Charleston or the Norfolk area, just out of
curiosity?

Fair Skies
Doug King


She mentioned Elizabeth City. Any specific recommendations there?
Norfolk, if we could find a decent spot, might be a possibility as it would
be near our son, DIL and new grandkid. Other than a transient visit there
on the Navigator, I don't know much about the area.

Come to think of it, the Navy base there has their own marina. It's
probably for retired Admirals or something though.

RCE

RCE wrote:
She mentioned Elizabeth City. Any specific recommendations there?

I can't recall off the top of my head, but I'll go look.

Norfolk, if we could find a decent spot, might be a possibility as it would
be near our son, DIL and new grandkid. Other than a transient visit there
on the Navigator, I don't know much about the area.


It's a big area. The nicest waterfront IMHO is across the
river in Hampton & Newport News.

Come to think of it, the Navy base there has their own marina. It's
probably for retired Admirals or something though.


No, as I understand it, any retired military personnel has
the right to get a spot. Might be a long wait list, though.
I know that's the case in other areas.

Fair Skies
Doug King

It's been awhile since I've been in the area, but if your looking in the
Norfolk area try Willoughby Bay Marina, or Rebel Marine Lane Brigg's
place, He passed away last Sept, but I think one of his son's Jesse or
David runs it now, its not to far off gate's 3a or 4.
Or if you belong to a yacht club (reciprocal moorage?) you could also
try (NYCC) Norfolk Yacht & Country Club on the Lafayette river just off
of Hampton blvd, not too far from the main gate of Norfolk Naval. UD

""UglyDan®©T"" wrote in message
...
It's been awhile since I've been in the area, but if your looking in the
Norfolk area try Willoughby Bay Marina, or Rebel Marine Lane Brigg's
place, He passed away last Sept, but I think one of his son's Jesse or
David runs it now, its not to far off gate's 3a or 4.
Or if you belong to a yacht club (reciprocal moorage?) you could also
try (NYCC) Norfolk Yacht & Country Club on the Lafayette river just off
of Hampton blvd, not too far from the main gate of Norfolk Naval. UD




Thanks. Added to the list to check out.

RCE

On Thu, 02 Mar 2006 07:24:17 -0500, DSK wrote:

Why not Little River SC or Charleston or the Norfolk area,
just out of curiosity?


The Charleston City Marina is a first class facility and Charleston
has a lot to offer. On the down side, there is a personal property
tax which gets applied to visiting boats after a certain amount of
time and a band of hungry tax collectors to enforce it.

There is a large full service marina north of Beaufort, NC on Adams
Creek but can't remember the name of it off the top of my head.
Wonderful area. We liked Oriental also but the marina we stayed at
(Whittaker Creek) was not full service. There are others however.

Belhaven, NC offers some really nice back country cruising in the
immediate vicinity but I can't speak to the marina question. There is
one there with a web site:

http://www.riverforestmarina.com/marina.htm

Coinjock? :-) 32 oz prime rib every night!

What about Great Bridge, VA? There is at least one large marina there
and it is not far from Norfolk.

"Wayne.B" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 02 Mar 2006 07:24:17 -0500, DSK wrote:

Why not Little River SC or Charleston or the Norfolk area,
just out of curiosity?


The Charleston City Marina is a first class facility and Charleston
has a lot to offer. On the down side, there is a personal property
tax which gets applied to visiting boats after a certain amount of
time and a band of hungry tax collectors to enforce it.

There is a large full service marina north of Beaufort, NC on Adams
Creek but can't remember the name of it off the top of my head.
Wonderful area. We liked Oriental also but the marina we stayed at
(Whittaker Creek) was not full service. There are others however.

Belhaven, NC offers some really nice back country cruising in the
immediate vicinity but I can't speak to the marina question. There is
one there with a web site:

http://www.riverforestmarina.com/marina.htm

Coinjock? :-) 32 oz prime rib every night!

What about Great Bridge, VA? There is at least one large marina there
and it is not far from Norfolk.


Thanks for the thoughts. I don't know why she mentioned North Carolina,
although there's some really nice places there. On further reflection, I
think somewhere in the Norfolk area would be better. She (we)could visit my
son and daughter-in-law and new grandkid more often. I think I'll
concentrate on this area.

Coinjock? Did they downsize the prime rib? When we were there you could
order a 48 oz. Felt like Fred Flintstone at the dinner table. If we put
the boat there for the winter, I'd have to ship the General Lee down to use
for a daily driver.

RCE

On Thu, 2 Mar 2006 06:42:01 -0500, "RCE" wrote:

I've searched a few, but, without seeing them first-hand, it's hard to judge
them by website descriptions.
From the website description, Bennet Bros. Yachts/Cape Fear Marina looks
like it's worth investigating and I have emailed them for further
information regarding winter slip availabilities, lease or sale.

Anybody have any recommendations?

Here's a question I've never fully considered:

How far south do you need to be before it's safe to leave the boat in
the water without winterizing the engines, water tanks, heads, etc. ?

Here's another vote for Wilmington, NC. But I would look into mooring up
along the City Riverwalk versus Bennett Bros. Bonnet is a nice yard, just on
the edge of town, but you can't really walk to eat or shop, and, it is next
door to the sewer plant. You can look up the dockmaster from the city
webpage, and I'll bet he'll cut you a great deal for a winter stay. There
are a few other small marinas on the river, two local beach operations, and
then down the way, Southport, as Gene mentioned earlier. If you want a
really nice experience, check out BaldHead Island. It's totally isolated,
but one of my favorite spots. But like I said, if you tie up on the city
docks, you can step off the GB and right into a number of restaurants and
bars. I doubt they have Cable however, but power and water can be
had.Wilmington has a large downtown historic district if you are into that
sort of thing, and plenty of hardcore shopping by car. Down the road is
Myrtle Beach(60mi) for the true outlet addict, and more golf courses than
you could ever play.Not many great marina locations however, and you'll need
a car and some patience to get around. Charleston is 150mi away, but that is
one expensive city, and the city marina isn't walking distance to anything.
Wild Dunes is nearby on the Isle of Palms, and a great resort facility if
you got the bucks. Everything in Charleston is pretty crowded, and I'd be
surprised if you could get long-term dockage. So that's Southern NC. Going
the other way is New Burn, Beaufort, Oriental, all nice, nautical, but
smallish cities. They are also a long drive to anywhere. So check out
Wilmington. It's a good mix.



"RCE" wrote in message
news
Mrs.E. has asked me to research and find a winter slip for her GB
somewhere in North Carolina.
(this will be interesting)

Her interest is to take her GB south next fall to a quality marina that
can provide a cursory "watch" on the boat in her absence, has shore power
and cable TV available throughout the winter, and has decent facilities
and amenities. Her plan is to occasionally travel and stay on the boat
for a few days at a time during all but the worst of the winter months.
Ideally, the marina would be located near other points of interest, decent
restaurants, and, of course, shopping centers.

I've searched a few, but, without seeing them first-hand, it's hard to
judge them by website descriptions.
From the website description, Bennet Bros. Yachts/Cape Fear Marina looks
like it's worth investigating and I have emailed them for further
information regarding winter slip availabilities, lease or sale.

Anybody have any recommendations?

Thanks,

RCE