Brunswick Landing Marina Adverse to C-Dorys

[Storm Dog]

I feel it nessesary to interrupt my trip to let c-brats and other boaters of the current slip rental policy at Brunswick Landing. I've seen such glowing reviews and recommendations by many others, but in my book, a disqualification. The rental policy is a 35 foot minimum on slips. So my 25' C Dory will pay what a 35' Mainship trawler will pay! No Bueno! The slip fee isn't even posted anywhere, other than great loop cruising guide 2020 edition, which apparently out of date. If money were no object, I could be cruising in a much larger boat, in much more comfort. But funds are an object, hence I'm cruising in my 25' C-Dory. Sorry for the rant. No I'm Not.

Flame Off:

Stormin' Dog

[thataway]

Justly unfair. But there are places like that in the boating world. Never go to Miami or Fort :Lauderdale....

I have had a few run-ins with Registered length vs measured length--I Just let it go and enjoyed the place.

[ssobol]

I have found places that charge by the foot, except that there is a minimum fee. My CD-22 can result in a "minimum fee" charge.

I have also found places that charge a fee for the slip (e.g. $100/night/slip). If your boat can fit, it's a hundred bucks whether it's a 30 footer or a row boat.

[BTDT]

One of my all time favorite marinas is Alton Marina in Alton Illinois. Their transient fee is $1.30 per foot with a 30 foot minimum. I thought it was every bit worth the $39 per night fee.

Given your frustration with Brunswick slip prices I suggest staying away from the Florida Keys in the winter months

[gulfcoast john]

BTDT:
Agree Alton is a fine example of a well-run, best value marina with heated pool, wake protection, and super clean showers with rig parking and a ramp.

Agree Key West marinas can be expensive in winter. We have trailered down to https://stockislandmarina.com/
the past 6 winters to escape the frigid misery in Pensacola, which can get down to 40 degrees and rainy in some uninhabitable years. (You guys wouldn’t know anything about that). For 2020 they are also starting the agreed absurd 35 ft min per night policy, so this winter we will take our business over to Boca Chico NAS marina, 500 yards away.

Retired military like you can make reservations for up to 30 days (extendable) up to 6 months in advance for $1 per foot per night, but with a 30 foot min or $30/night for a slip in Key West.

Key West floating dock with power for $30/night!

Store the trailer for free on base (vs $10/day at City Marina, $10 launch fee). I need to call this week for Dec, before you get the last slip.

https://www.navymwrkeywest.com/programs/2e66f2c5-f885-481a-8c48-74255891a53b

The only suitable ramp in Key West for a TC255 is City Marina at Garrison Bight. Then head west then south counterclockwise around Mallory Square to Boca Chica; what looks like a clockwise circle and Cow Pass is impossible for a TC255. Uber back to your rig. Sounds like complex logistics, but not for us.

Glenn: They didn’t charge us the 35 ft fee and seemed downright desperate for business in Jun 2019. The other really weird thing was that they charged 4% extra for using a credit card (most merchants pay 2%) but they would accept an out of state check on a Sunday!
If you were that kind of guy, you could of have said OK, stayed Sunday, filled up the gas tank, and written a bad check for it all. Not that I approve of that stealing, but it’s weird that with assuming fixed overhead marina costs one would rather have a slip be empty with zero profit over a 25 ft C dory generating $50 a night profit over it being empty.

John

[Ashley Lynn]

sublet the remaining 10 feet

[Hunkydory]

That would have irritated me too, but not much, as I can see the reasoning behind the policy. I ran into dock master & policy in Hoonah, Alaska that irritated me enough that even though tied up for the night, I headed out instead to anchor near dark. The policy was a $10 surcharge for any dingy not mounted on board the mother boat on the long transient docks without slips. The policy was started due to the larger boats tying up their dingy that often would exceed 20 feet, behind or in front of the mother boat. I had hip tied the 12 foot Mokai to the CD22 where it wasn’t taking any more space & my width was much less than other boats on the dock. None of this mattered to the dock master, who said the Mokai was a dingy & not aboard, so pay. I was only paying $11 for the CD22 & thought on principal, the extra $10 for the Mokai ridiculous. In this case as John said, some money would have been better for the Marina than the none they got from me. I asked him, why didn’t he just charge for the total space on the dock of the combined boats & he said it was easier for the Marina personnel with this policy.

Jay

[Storm Dog]

Thanks for all the comments and info, everybody!

Glenn

[Byrdman]

Hi Yall! Made it up to the cooler weather of the Puget Sound from the Southeast heat.

Heat as well as insects greatly effects summer boating in the south east.

At times a genset for Margarita blenders and AC are required. The blender also makes healthy stuff the docs want in our bodies too.

I love my/our C-Dory boats as they allow us to anchor out away from marinas when traveling and only hook up to that yellow heroin (that yellow 30amp shore power cord that provides comfort...but cost by the foot and night)… and then there is the summer with heat and insects.... which causes me in my softer days/nights to have AC on board for button down sleeping without bugs ..
which requires a gen set to run as you find anchorages without other boats as to not nuke them with night noise and fumes…. so claiming your spot early making noise and ensuring others on approach looking for a nice quiet spot... that this aint it unless of course they can deal with a small gen set running most the night.

the challenges of being over blessed with good health and a boat capable to travel and stay over night are endless. But, I pray I can deal with it as I find ways to help others along the way. As Im over 60 now I can do things I wont be able to do when Im 75-80. I also can not do some very simple task as effortlessly as I could when I was 45. So if we are 45-65 we can still help our fellow boaters who may not be what they once were.

Looking at Gulf Coast winter home and checking marinas... Biloxi Boardwalk Marina (fun winter places within walking distance).. for a 90 day prepaid slip with non floating slips/docks for a 25' boat (measured tip to tip...) which is about what my 22 Angler is... cost with 30amp electricity:
90 days prepaid: $875.50... or....
$288.50 a month.... or..
$9.61 a day....
$ .3846 a foot per day for the true 25' tip to tip or...
$ .4371 a foot per day for my CD 22 Angler...

So I have one beer at a local establishment enjoying boating on the coast life with others on the bar stools soaking up local knowledge....rather than 2 and go back to the cockpit for the second beer... and I get my local knowledge education and slip free! I learned this after Dave Ramsey Financial Peace ….

Toss the lines! See yall soon!

[Marco Flamingo]

And then there is my experience in Alert Bay. The harbor master said that my boat was so small that he would feel guilty if he charged me. So he didn't.

Mark

[PaulNBriannaLynn]

I'm late to the party but I should have suggested Jekyll Island marina on the ICW as opposed to Brunswick. Jekyll is a very nice facility, they have courtesy golf carts and beach cruiser bikes, a hot tub, a restaurant and bar. Its also a pretty good base camp for exploring Jekyll beaches and all the trails and parks that criss-cross the island.

Brunswick doesn't have much to offer in my opinion. I imagine in its heyday around mid century it was a happening place, but its been a long time since those days.