Jan 24, 2009
450
1981 Cherubini Hunter 27 Shipwright Harbor Marina, MD
I'm going out tomorrow afternoon before the front blows through, the weather has been really nice the last weekends. I'm moving to the Bay in the next year or so, tired of dealing with all the hydrilla in the marina, even it is a sign of a healthy river.
 
Jan 22, 2008
8,050
Beneteau 323 Annapolis MD
...I'm moving to the Bay in the next year or so, tired of dealing with all the hydrilla in the marina, even it is a sign of a healthy river.
Have you found a place to live and/or keep your boat?
 

SG

.
Feb 11, 2017
1,670
J/Boat J/160 Annapolis
The Sargasso Sea-like hydrilla is no fun in the Potomac! I ended-up in a bunch of that on a Hobie Cat years ago. The wind died and we were sort-of stuck in shallow water that, if you fought to get through the hydrilla, you were trying to push the boat out by wading in ankle deep muck. Finally the wind picked-up enough to drive us SLOWLY back into the channel on the Potomac. (We were in one of the coves on the Maryland side and had to go back up stream.)

I took our boat around to refuel it before I put her away for the winter yesterday morning. Nice breeze about 8 knots, sunny skies, only three other sailboats out (early in the morning). I wish I had all day to use her. GREAT sailng sometimes in late November and December...
 
Jan 24, 2009
450
1981 Cherubini Hunter 27 Shipwright Harbor Marina, MD
@Ron20324 - I talked to both Herrington Harbor and Shipwright Harbor (which is tucked in the same area), a neighbor friend had his boat in Shipwright when it was a family business, but it has since sold. I'm leaning towards Shipwright, but may not move this year, I'm sewing new covers for my cushions and being able to run up to the boat (10 min. vs. 1 hour to Deale, MD) and check fit and otherwise work on smaller projects is still very convenient. (There's no lift at Belle Haven, so those kinds of projects will have to wait until I'm in a larger marina). Working towards a "bucket list"-type cruise around the Bay/DelMarVa for a couple of weeks at some point before I can't.
 
Jan 24, 2009
450
1981 Cherubini Hunter 27 Shipwright Harbor Marina, MD
Thanks @THECUSCUS , my neighbor told me his story: he was actually in Shipwright for years, but the service deteriorated to the point that he moved his boat (early 2000's H36-something - you'd think I'd remember) over to Herrington Harbor and then shortly afterwards found out that Shipwright had been sold.
I got a different and (seemingly) nicer response from the office at Shipwright when I emailed them and Herrington about slips, so I was inclined to go there. You have a point that with the same management corporation behind them, Shipwright may become cookie-cutter and not as personable as I remembered it.
 
Sep 25, 2008
957
Macgregor & Island Packet VENTURE 25 & IP-38 NORTH EAST, MD
Last spring I purchased an IP38 that was kept at Herrington and I wanted to leave it there for a month, until I found out how much they wanted. I went over to Shipwright and they wanted half of what Herrington wanted. They had just been bought out and were fixed the docks, pool and rest rooms. They also told me they were getting rid of all the boats that were stored on land and that if one wanted to work on a drydocked boat, it would have to be at the lot "next door" (Herrington). I wonder if their prices went up now? Granted, Shipwight wasn't as nice and polished as Herrington and didn't have all the amenities, but all I wanted was wet storage. Being at the "top" of the Bay, I am amazed at what people pay for slippage down there.
 
Jul 12, 2011
1,165
Leopard 40 Jupiter, Florida
I'd love to hear what you say about the Chesapeake scene, but could you throw some more location info in? I'm thinking this might be a nice retirement location, especially away from the frozen north. My boat's been on-the-hard for a month now.
 
Jan 22, 2008
8,050
Beneteau 323 Annapolis MD
There are 33-foot slips here on Back Creek. Not mine, but in my marina. PM if interested. Parsons, the Chesapeake has got to be the best place to have a boat. Many cities/towns on the waterfront; forgiving sandy bottom in most places. Oodles of anchorages. I'm keeping my boat ready to sail, and will probably winterize in January. West Marine (two stress), Fawcetts, Bacons.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Likes: bawlmer
Sep 15, 2013
707
Catalina 270 Baltimore
You guys are making me jealous. I haul out every other year or so and this is the year. I figure I already missed 5 good sailing days so far. If you don't mind flushing fifteen dollars worth of anti freeze each trip you can get some awesome sailing in over the winter months here. Last February I had a 65 degree day with great winds and had a blast on the Patapsco. You can do that often in the winter here. This is a very temperate place to stay in the water. You very rarely have ice and due to the number of boats here there are many good places to buy sailing stuff at reasonable prices. Also there are many places to explore. You could spend years here and not run out of places to go within one or two days sail.
 
Jan 22, 2008
8,050
Beneteau 323 Annapolis MD
I'd love to hear what you say about the Chesapeake scene, but could you throw some more location info in? I'm thinking this might be a nice retirement location, especially away from the frozen north. My boat's been on-the-hard for a month now.
There's an inch-thick book called "Guide to Cruising the Chesapeake Bay", put out by the folks that do the Chesapeake Bay Magazine. Subscribe to that for monthly reading material. I'm sure there are other books, too.