Myrtle Beach, SC - Sailing Good?

Stu Jackson · Mar 15, 2013

Rich, I'm on the left coast, but have you tried Active Captain yet?

Gunni · Mar 15, 2013

North: Wilmington, and the Cape Fear river. A real town. Marinas are in Southport. This is ocean sailing country. The river is treacherous, and Cape Fear is like a mini-Hatteras.

South: Charleston: A real city, with a real sailing scene and some protected sailing.

Myrtle Beach is an amusement park with golf courses, and Harleys. Not a sailors town.

Bob J. · Mar 15, 2013

I've spent a ton of time down there, it's a party town.
Compared to sailing up north, there's the ocean & that's about it.

jibes138 · Mar 15, 2013

Oriental, Bath, Belhaven, New Bern, Elizabeth City, etc. Lots of sailing places on the pamlico, water is skinny so it can get pretty choppy but sailing is good, Ocracoke is the major destination. If you prefer beaches and open ocean Beaufort is great, I dinghy to the beach all the time, or kayak. Easy to get out the inlet and go to cape fear or charleston. Storms are a big problem here though, you need a haulout plan or a great set of ground tackle as most marinas expect you to evacuate when a storm comes along. I would settle in the Charleston area before Myrtle Beach. Myrtle Beach is "honky tonk", while Charleston has great culture and magnificant local beaches like Isle of Palms, and Kiawah Island.

Kermit · Mar 15, 2013

I'm in Myrtle Beach even as we speak. Visiting my snowbird in-laws. I've never ever seen a sailboat here. Saw an airplane pulling an advertising banner last week, though.

Chris Patterson · Mar 15, 2013

Man, Myrtle Beach sucks big time. It's nothing but a cheap tourist trap, and nothing to offer a sailor. Like said, Wilmington has a better sailing community, and Southport as well. I've said this before, but I can live anywhere on this planet I desire, on a moments notice, and I'm here. And yes, N.C. is good to boaters, especially sailors.

Or as jibes said, Beaufort, or Charleston. I wouldn't live in that ghetto trailor park myrtle beach for ANY amount of money...

luken7 · Mar 15, 2013

jibes138 said:
Oriental, Bath, Belhaven, New Bern, Elizabeth City, etc. Lots of sailing places on the pamlico, water is skinny so it can get pretty choppy but sailing is good, Ocracoke is the major destination. If you prefer beaches and open ocean Beaufort is great, I dinghy to the beach all the time, or kayak. Easy to get out the inlet and go to cape fear or charleston. Storms are a big problem here though, you need a haulout plan or a great set of ground tackle as most marinas expect you to evacuate when a storm comes along. I would settle in the Charleston area before Myrtle Beach. Myrtle Beach is "honky tonk", while Charleston has great culture and magnificant local beaches like Isle of Palms, and Kiawah Island.

Oriental is the official sailing capital of North Carolina, enough said.

Kermit · Mar 16, 2013

Chris Patterson said:
Man, Myrtle Beach sucks big time. It's nothing but a cheap tourist trap, and nothing to offer a sailor. Like said, Wilmington has a better sailing community, and Southport as well. I've said this before, but I can live anywhere on this planet I desire, on a moments notice, and I'm here. And yes, N.C. is good to boaters, especially sailors.

Or as jibes said, Beaufort, or Charleston. I wouldn't live in that ghetto trailor park myrtle beach for ANY amount of money...

Ahem. Be careful here. MB is not much of a place to sail, but it is NOT a "cheap tourist trap" or a "ghetto trailor (sic) park."

JustDucky · Mar 16, 2013

I think you are currently in one of the finest sailing locations available. NC has some nice sailing locations but IMHO it can't compare to NE.

Bob J. · Mar 17, 2013

Rich,

Something else to consider if you're going to purchase a home down there also. If I understood it correctly the yearly property tax is based upon something like 5% of the homes value. That's 10K a year on a $200,000 home...

shemandr · Mar 17, 2013

Albermarle

Rich Stidger said:
Does this area have decent sailing? Is NC a boater friendly state?

I don't know if it's important to you, but Albemarle Sound's water is brown, at least where I could observe it from the Elizabeth City area. I think it's a result of the tannins leached from the swamps the fresh water percolates through. I'm not saying polluted but not clear. Swimming is vital to me in hot weather. I don't like swimming if I can't see under water. And then someone told me here there are no alligators here... "Who mentioned alligators?

Is this a subject for consideration? And, are there places here where there are alligators?!!!!!" There is the Alligator River. How did it get it's name?
And yes I did look at real estate there.

Bob J. · Mar 17, 2013

Rich Stidger said:
I have two relatives that own nearly brand new homes valued between 125-175K in Myrtle Beach and nearby Surfside. The larger home has a tax bill of $500/yr. That is a tenth of what I am paying now in Massachusetts.

Interesting, someone I know is getting ready to retire there. The home they've purchased
is in one of those community type of settings so maybe the number they discussed included association dues/fees on top of taxes. I do know he said it was 5% of the purchase price but maybe that's a one time shot.. Had quite a few brews that evening.

I hear you on the 10th of what you're paying now, NH is not much better.

Gary_H · Mar 17, 2013

shemandr said:
And then someone told me here there are no alligators here... "Who mentioned alligators? Is this a subject for consideration? And, are there places here where there are alligators?!!!!!" There is the Alligator River. How did it get it's name?
And yes I did look at real estate there.

Hey... gators got to eat too!!

dohcdelsol93 · Mar 17, 2013

Myrtle beach isn't terrible so long as you stay away from the strip anytime from bike week in may to the start of September when the tourists go away.

I've seen lots of sailboats outside myrtle, Murrels inlet.

It was all the sailboats there that I saw growing up as a kid when we'd be getting onto party deep sea fishing boats that caused my sailing bug.

While I'm into sailboats half the size of yours I'd agree agree with the others that much better sailing destinations are just north and south of you if you're in Myrtle.

Personally I don't like Charleston because I don't like cities.

But If I could be in a little town like on Folly beach Id be much happier. Only having surfers and one hotel full of tourists to deal with wouldn't be so bad.

All my life i've been only 3 hours from both myrtle and Chuck town so my ideas of the areas may be a little bias...the grass is always greener on the other side mentality....when i retire I plan on retiring to Indian Rocks beach or Venice Florida. I prefer the blue water, white sand and much friendlier winters. I drive by 14 hours of beaches just to take a beach vacation.

To me all the east coast beaches are the same until you get into southern florida. I really don't consider it a beach unless there are natually growing palm trees and the water is warm.

Marc14857 · Mar 17, 2013

Stay Where You Are

Rich

If you can stay where you are. I have friends who retired and relocated to MB and sold their sailboat. Previously they spent years sailing out of Mystic and San Francisco. Other than going out on the ICW into the ocean a day sail, sailing down there is nothing like up here. Day trips to various ports is limited. Southport is beautiful but its a a weekend type trip.

We weighed all this and recently moved up here to Stonington CT to be able to sail up here when we retire which is only a few years out.

Marc

tkanzler · Mar 17, 2013

Marc14857 said:
We weighed all this and recently moved up here to Stonington CT to be able to sail up here when we retire which is only a few years out.

I lived in CT for decades (grew up there, too, in Fairfield County), and the admiral and I have considered retiring to Stonington. I envy you, though, as I don't know if and when we'll end up back in CT, particularly that part of the state. I don't miss Fairfield County, though.