Conference vicki::boats

    Tom, perhaps you should try down South....it closer to the Tuna
    grounds anyway! Dutch Harbor on Narragansett Bay is expanding, but
    is mostly moorings. Has excellant access to the Bay and Block Island
    Sound. Not a long drive from your place.
    
    Regards,
    Jerry
    

    I have been at Hewits Cove Marina now for four years and have
    enjoyed it.  There is a fair amount of traffic in the Back River;
    and the commuter boats arrive and depart from there also.
    It is well managed, has an excellent marine service company
    named Back River Marine right at the docks and in general has
    a good group of people there.  They get between $80 to $90 per
    foot for the season.  They have their own security and a local
    restuarant (The Pilot) that is good for breakfast and lunch.
    
    Parking, as at all marinas, can be a problem on weekends; however,
    I noticed that the commuter boat parking has been expanded to the
    end of the road, so that this should relieve the problems on weekends.
    
    Better hurry, Marina Bay went condo and many of the people from
    there have been trying to get into Hewits Cove.

    I can tell you about the marina's in the danvers/beverly area if
    you are interested. My 25 GW will be at port marine in danvers and
    it is 50/foot, they also have a marina in berverly that runs around
    90/foot. Let me know if you want any details.
    
    Bruce

    Re .1- Thanks, Jerr, I had been thinking seriously of Narragansett
    bay; I'll check out Dutch Harbor. I do like several things north
    of the Cape, though, especially in the early summer- whale watching,
    the blessing of the fleet weekend in Gloucester, and July 4th on
    the Esplanade. I'm thinking about spending part of the season south,
    and part north.
    
    Re .2- I was in Tern Harbor Marina, across the river from Hewitt's
    Cove, for a year. I prefer a less urban environment. What's more,
    whenever the tide was low the exposed bottom smelled to me like
    it had more than natural mud among its constituents.
    
    Re .3- The bridges up the Danvers River are a real hassle for me
    (I need 16 feet of clearance), but I am interested in the Port Marine
    site in Beverly. Nice looking floats. I am concerned about the amount
    of traffic in the channel (wakes). What do you think of the management?
    
                                          TOM

    Tom,
    
       Since I will be using port marin this year for the first time
    I cannot really comment on the management except that they
    want to make money. The floats and stuff are in nice shape
    and I have not heard anything bad but they do not provide much
    in the way of service. they do have a gas dock down at
    beverly. There is a lot of traffic comming out the mouth of the
    river but the harbor masters have a high presence during week ends
    when the traffic is heavy and keep people going slow. The one
    nice this about beverly is good access north and south you are
    protected by the barrier islands around salem sound.
    I know that port is trying to get everyone on a yearly contract.
    I think the beverly slips were going to run about 120/foot a year.
    I am just paying for the summer since my boat was already laid
    up for the winter, we will have to see about next year.
    
    BTW what kind of boat do you have and do you fish?
    
    Bruce

I've been at Port Marine in Danvers for over a year.  They are forcing everybody to a yearly
contract, winter and summer combined.  I've also met and talked with other people there,
and the general consensus is that the slips are ok, but the services stink.  Also, the prices
have been going up LOTS every year.  I plan/hope to be able to get out of there sometime
in the next year.  I have heard that when they start renewing 1989 contracts, they'll be
going up again.  It is convenient to Stellwagon, and pretty well sheltered, but I don't 
think its worth the price.  Of course I'm a tightwad, and don't think that there are many
marina's that are worth what they charge anyway :-).  As for the management, haven't heard
much good about them.

Joe

    I've been looking at Marinas in the Boston area (I live in Arlington)
    and there isn't exactly tons of reasonable choices.
    
    The Shipyard Quarters Marina in the Navy yard seems to have been
    subsumed by dockominium developments.
    
    Constitution Marina is in a great location, but has enormous rates, is
    right next to the mega-I93-central-artery construction which makes it
    a mess to get in and out of.  Boat owners get parking passes, but I
    was told it's every man for himself insofar as guests go.  And despite
    all this, there is a waiting list.
    
    Then there's Admiral's Hill in Chelsea.  This place looked reasonable
    and had plenty of parking.  It abuts some nice park along the Mystic
    river on one side, but has a just lovely view of the Chelsea warehouse
    and tank farm district on the other side.  Rates were half of
    Constitution ($50/ft) which almost leads me to ask what's wrong with
    it. Does a view of the Boston skyline really double the rates?
    
    There was beat-up place called the Chelsea Yacht Club right under the
    foot of the Mystic River Bridge.  Couldn't get in.   Also a place in
    Medford called the Riverfront Yacht Club.  Both of these were of the
    (low end?) unmanned type where your membership key lets you in.  The
    one in Medford is ten minutes from my house but you'd have to allow a
    45 round trip in and out of the Mystic River (ugh).  Try these later.
    
    Boston Harbor and the Mystic River have brown water.  Not too
    appetizing.   Someone suggested a couple places in Winthrop.  Might
    check these out later.   Salem/Marblehead are getting a bit far away. I
    wouldn't consider anything South of Charlestown - don't need to fight 
    the Central Artery to go boating.
    
    If anyone has any comments on these places, let me know.

    You are right, the marina operators in Boston are not shy about
    chargeing.
    
    I lived abord fron 78 - 81 at the Constitution Marina, so may be I can
    shed some light on the area.
    
    Constitution Marina, great location, walk to the Garden, Northend, and
    subway. Good access to 93 and the Distressway. The view is OK. The
    facilities (docks, water, elec, showers ect) are good. The best feature
    is that the marine is sheltered on all sides, only at high tide durring
    a major storm do you bounce around, or if there is a lot of traffic
    going or comeing from the Charles river. This place also has parking,
    and if there is an overflow, it is a reasonable walk to the shopping
    center in Charlestown.
    
    Shipyard Quarters I'v never docked here, but have visited friends
    there. The location is OK, the view is good, the facilities are good,
    and they have a resturant/bar, which can be an advantage or
    disadvantage, depending on your view. Parking is not included, and
    what there is, is not cheep. From my view a drawback is that the marina
    is not well sheltered, and you tend to be in constant motion most of
    the time, you may get used to it, but will your guests?
    
    Admirals Hill, I have only driven by (water and land), the location by
    water is good, it's well sheltered, and has good access to the main
    harbor. By land, it's quite an area, they have parking, but I'm not
    sure how secure. As fot the view, just keep you back to the gas farm.
    The docks looked god, but I'd want to look at the rest of the
    facilities.
    
    The other three places you mentioned are Yacht (I use the term loosly)
    clubs. These are working class clubs, which in my opinioun is the way 
    to go, you gain a lot of knowledge from some of these folks, and keep
    your costs down too. The problem is that these clubs have waiting lists
    to join, and you need a sponsor (current member) to apply, but it's
    could be worth your effort.
    
    If mony was not an object then the choice would be Constitution Marina,
    but since I work for DEC, in reality I would look closely at Admarials
    Hill. You can travel north in your search, but consider the fact that
    the Harbor at Boston is easy to get around even in the dark (well most
    of it).
    
    Good luck in your search, and if you have questions, send me mail.
    	

    Well Consitution is going to having parking problems for at least 2-3
    more years, or that would be my choice too.    Admiral's Hill actually
    has better facilities for the boat - haul out, winterize,
    gas/diesel/etc.  I guess I should ask about security for the parking
    lot (although the immediate area is really quite nice, leaving a car
    overnight *anywhere* has to be something you ask questions about.) But
    I sorta suspect the mere fact that this place is in Chelsea is
    responsible for the half of the 50% rate drop from Constitution.
    
    This little search has been fun.  Boy have I seen some boats from all
    ends of the spectrum.  There a complete trash wood trawler (about 50')
    at one place but the decks were adorned with flower boxes all over the
    place.  An obvious live-aboard.  I'll bet its only movement is to turn
    it around twice a year :-)

    This discussion is more than a year old.  I got a quote from Admiral
    Hill Marina in Chelsea for $240/month to keep my boat (24') there
    during the Fall.  I guess I'm going to try it unless someone has
    a recent experience - all the feedback I get is positive with the
    sole exception of the route you gotta take through the Produce Market
    and/or tank farms and other industrial blight to get there by car.
    But it's 20 min from my house and as far as I can see the places on
    the North Shore (Danvers et al) are just as expensive and not nearly
    as convenient.