looking for marina from Chapel hill area

mquiet

mquiet

Well-Known Member
Aug 4, 2009
1,500
North carolina
Boat Info
1999 480 Sedan Bridge
Engines
Caterpillar 3196
Looks like the relocation is slowly occuring. If I reside near Chapel Hill, what would be a good marina from that location? I will most likely be crusing down from Portsmouth, NH.

Thanks for any help and suggestions.:huh:
 
scootdogg said:
are you planning on boating on the coast or one of the lakes?
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Sorry, I should have clarified. I will be looking at a coastal marina. Based on a size of our boat, I think the ocean would be best. Thanks
 
Pftttt, Norman has much larger boats.......

Just kidding, I would opt for the coast also. There are more options there. As for a marina, there are many. Ocean Isle is nice, close to Myrtle Beach without having to be inMB/SC. Willimington is nice, close to Bald Head island and the barrier islands, also the Cape Fear river. It really all depends on how you boat. Condo style or use the boat. That's my take on it.
 
From chapel hill you are 3hrs from Wilmington which is a straight shot down I40.

If you are looking for a full service Marina I would check with inlet watch. It is close to Carolina beach and the Cape fear river. It is probably the most central location for day trips up and down the coast.

wrightsville beach is just a 10min ride from the end of I40. seapath Marina would be a good choice.

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islandhopper00 said:
Pftttt, Norman has much larger boats.......

Just kidding, I would opt for the coast also. There are more options there. As for a marina, there are many. Ocean Isle is nice, close to Myrtle Beach without having to be inMB/SC. Willimington is nice, close to Bald Head island and the barrier islands, also the Cape Fear river. It really all depends on how you boat. Condo style or use the boat. That's my take on it.
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We tend to be weekend cruisers. We will stay on the hook overnight, but the kids like to just cruise for a little while and then swim. we like to find beaches and use tender. I do appreciate your help, it is difficult to research from 1000 miles away.
 
Harbor Village Marina, Hampstead NC. 10 miles north of Wilmington. Great beaches, plenty of places to anchor. Much less conjested. Very Pretty water,
harbourvillage.com
 
mquiet said:
We tend to be weekend cruisers. We will stay on the hook overnight, but the kids like to just cruise for a little while and then swim. we like to find beaches and use tender. I do appreciate your help, it is difficult to research from 1000 miles away.
Click to expand...

With kids I would recommend areas north of Wrightsville beach. Anything in Wrightsville and south includes alcohol and lots of traffic. Would second harbor village, while its a 17mile run from there to a marked/navigable inlet there are tons of places to just cruise and swim. It's an area that is a lot more family friendly. When the weather is nice and the tide is high.The water near the beaches is clean and clear.
 
I live in Wilmington and keep my boat at Snow's Cut, just in Carolina Beach. When it is more congested South of WB. I like being close to the river or the ocean. When it's rough, we tend to anchor in the river or cruise up to downtown Wilmington's river walk. We also spend a lot of time in Southport.

Just a different perspective.
 
Goin' Coastal said:
I live in Wilmington and keep my boat at Snow's Cut, just in Carolina Beach. When it is more congested South of WB. I like being close to the river or the ocean. When it's rough, we tend to anchor in the river or cruise up to downtown Wilmington's river walk. We also spend a lot of time in Southport.

Just a different perspective.
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I just got back from a two day to trip to NC...loved the weather. Is Snow's Cut the name of the marina? I could not find when googled.

thanks
 
Snow's cut is the water way that connects the ICW(sound) to the Cape Fear river. Federal point, Water Fronte Marina, Joyner marina and Inlet Watch, are all close to this area.
 
Carolina Beach and the Snows Cut area is a great location, the wet slips are pretty easy to find and are reasonably priced about the only negative thing I would ever say is that you would be coming in from Chapel Hill. In the summer that will add another 30-45min to your trip. You would have to cross Wilmington in the peak of tourist season :)
 
rbryn said:
From chapel hill you are 3hrs from Wilmington which is a straight shot down I40.

If you are looking for a full service Marina I would check with inlet watch. It is close to Carolina beach and the Cape fear river. It is probably the most central location for day trips up and down the coast.

wrightsville beach is just a 10min ride from the end of I40. seapath Marina would be a good choice.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

I got confirmation:smt038 I will try to set up the family around the Apex area and keep the boat down RTE40 in Wilmington. Harbour village and Inlet Watch have been the two marina's mentioned, based on my family with kids and our desire to swim(scuba) and just lounge on the boat is one marina better than the other in order to get more days on the water? We will be arriving on April 23 and was going to take a couple of days in the area looking around. Any additional insight would be great. Big question is to cruise down the coast or have it hauled. I guess it is cost versus fun:smt101
 
Inlet watch has a large boat yard on site, there is alot of noise etc going on all the time. It is also surrounded by houses and condos, they do however have a pool. You would definatley have to pull your boat during hurricanes, its right across from Carolina Beach inlet. Harbour village is a great hurricane hole. We have no pool, but great beaches and swiming. Alot less crowded in the marina and the waters around. Also, coming in from Raleigh area, it will be 30-45 minutes closer. Traffic out to Carina Beach on weekends is a nightmare. Everybody is different, look at both. As you can tell, we are at Harbour Village, but we were put our boat in Carolina Beach first. Only stayed a couple of months.
 
I kept a boat at Sea Path Yacht Club in Wrightsville Beach for several years. Don't be put off by the yacht club name. It's a marina with privately owned slips that owners rent. Great facility just off the ICW with easy access to Masonboro inlet. Walk to restaurants, nightlife. I hope to get back there someday!
 
I talked with the Harbor master today and told me that I should never talk a 43ft Sundancer out on the ocean??? Now I know I am from New England, but I used to run a 27ft boat from the Cape to Nantucket and the Vineyard all the time. Is there a major difference in sea condition down there? He said I would stick to the ICW and the rivers. Could someone clarify.

Thanks,
 
I think he's misspoke or something.

The ocean around the Carolinas have a bad reputation for being rougher than other areas, but not so much that you can't go out in the ocean. Could be how shallow the area around Willimington is. I run the ocean all the time in my little 240da. In fact my boat club and I ran from Little River inlet to Cape fear river inlet last weekend, it was a nice trip.

I think maybe he has a problem with cruisers or something. Every day small boats go out on the ocean fishing. Some all the way to the gulf stream.
 
If you want family friendly with plent of places for the kids to swim... Check out harbor village. Only bad thing about harbor village is that it is a 17 mile run to a safe inlet to get to the ocean.

Inlet watch near Carolina beach is right across from the inlet. Good location. With young kids though you don't want them near the inlet and swimming spots are a bit less plentiful.

Either way I would tell you to get a slip month to month for a bit until you can explore the area a bit before signing a yearly slip. The boating areas between inlet watch and harbor village are as different as night and day.


As for the ocean... The seas are different than new England. We have more windy days and the seas/swells are closer together than in new England making it feel like its rougher. Just imagine an uncomfortable water day in new England and turn it into a daily experience :)

Most days seas are 2-3 nearshore with about 6-7sec apart with winds out of the east. On days the winds come from the west the seas will lay down to 1-2 and wave period will climb to 10sec plus which is more like new England's seas. We will play offshore in just about any sea state as long as the wave period is 9sec or more and never really notice it.
 
Rbryn,

I think I will take your advice and go month to month. I will start with harbor Village, but it sounds like we could cruise south to the Inlet and check that out. If your family is ever around on the weekend, it would be great to start meeting some CSR's down there. 3 weeks to go and counting:smt038
 
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