Hotel
- Thread starter pumpkinpie
- Start date
It's a well established marina, tied to a recently renovated resort hotel property.
Can't relate the 'rocky' part, but others will chime in soon.
Can't relate the 'rocky' part, but others will chime in soon.
I stayed there a few nights this past fall and very protected in most slips and went in there because wind was forecasted to be very high wind and while tied up in slip we were not
rocking and rolling and did stay in there at the city mooring balls and when wind I think out of north was very bad and very protected except out the north or east can’t remember.
But your wife will love all the Amenities and is walking to so much and super great location for farmers market and so many to eat and location is great and while in slip you are very protected.
Nick
rocking and rolling and did stay in there at the city mooring balls and when wind I think out of north was very bad and very protected except out the north or east can’t remember.
But your wife will love all the Amenities and is walking to so much and super great location for farmers market and so many to eat and location is great and while in slip you are very protected.
Nick
Well, it’s been quite a while since we lived in St. Petersburg. We had our boat at Bayboro Marina, not far from the Vinoy Basin where your marina is located. Vinoy Basin is open to the east, which means it is open to the fetch across Tampa Bay. With easterly winds, which are the most common ones, small seas and wind waves roll into the basin. Any boat anchored there overnight, which used to be permitted (don’t know if it still is), or otherwise, gets to rock and roll. Personal observation and experience. It’s not pretty. I don’t know if the hotel has done anything to further protect its marina’s slip area from incoming “seas.” But if not, you might experience the same boat movements as anchored ones although those are typically more exposed to the opening.
The marina was actually installed so it was rumored, for folks w/big power boats to drive up from, say, Sarasota, park at the marina, and then get a room at the hotel to spend the weekend, or whatever. I doubt you’ll be happy there on the long term; BUT, it could work for a short-term solution to your problem. With westerly winds or calm, the basin is fine.
Further advice: get on the waiting list, if there is one, at Bayboro. If there is a current availability, choose it over Vinoy.
The marina was actually installed so it was rumored, for folks w/big power boats to drive up from, say, Sarasota, park at the marina, and then get a room at the hotel to spend the weekend, or whatever. I doubt you’ll be happy there on the long term; BUT, it could work for a short-term solution to your problem. With westerly winds or calm, the basin is fine.
Further advice: get on the waiting list, if there is one, at Bayboro. If there is a current availability, choose it over Vinoy.
Last edited:
It takes a pretty stiff prolonged wind to affect the Basin. Not that big an opening. 
The fall, winter, spring northeast wind can blow 15 to 20 kt for a few days running, but not necessarily all day each day. The wind gradually veers east, then southeast. There it sits until the next cold front blows through. In summer, there is generally less wind around. The afternoon summer sea breeze is from the west/southwest. Still, it’s not all that uncommon for a strong summer wind to arrive from the east or south. Nevertheless, Vinoy could be fun for a time.
I remember one blustery July 4th when it was too rough to anchor outside the downtown marina breakwaters to watch fireworks. We ended up rafting w/friends behind the breakwater near the airport east of Demens Landing. The principal yacht holding the raft, an Irwin 54, started dragging with the raft and had to be repositioned. Me own first mate was tapped to drive the raft to the new position
!! It was so rough we spent the night rather than make even the short hop back over to Bayboro. Of course, it was by then night and we had been imbibing all afternoon and evening. So, as I said, experience. There is enough wind, often enough from the bad directions, to potentially make Vinoy Basin uncomfortable at various times and for various periods to occasionally coincide with when the OP might wish to be there, etc.
I remember one blustery July 4th when it was too rough to anchor outside the downtown marina breakwaters to watch fireworks. We ended up rafting w/friends behind the breakwater near the airport east of Demens Landing. The principal yacht holding the raft, an Irwin 54, started dragging with the raft and had to be repositioned. Me own first mate was tapped to drive the raft to the new position
!! It was so rough we spent the night rather than make even the short hop back over to Bayboro. Of course, it was by then night and we had been imbibing all afternoon and evening. So, as I said, experience. There is enough wind, often enough from the bad directions, to potentially make Vinoy Basin uncomfortable at various times and for various periods to occasionally coincide with when the OP might wish to be there, etc.
Last edited: