Marinas in philly?

J

J Abbey

New Member
Feb 7, 2010
22
SOUTH WEST FLORIDA
Boat Info
280 SUNDANCER 2005
Engines
TWIN 4.3
Getting transfered to philly { King Of Prussia ] what suggestions on marinas in that area do you guys recommend. Any in fresh water that are nice.:huh:
 
Welcome to Philly! Man from southwest Florida to Philly what a change. KOP my old stomping grounds.

From a local boating perspective your options are South Jersey Shore (where Philly goes to on the weekends) which is salt water. I still have a place for the shore in my heart. I love the smell of the salt air (read "marshes at low tide" and creosote from the wood bulkheads on the local canals) and the boardwalks and the beaches..

But I've since relocated outside the Philly area and now boat on the Northern Chesapeake! Fresh water in the north and brackish <sp?> in the mid and salt in the south.

You are in an excellent location to reach the eastern shore of the northern bay in a little over an hour to just under 2 hours car ride (depending on how far south you want to go on the eastern shore, I am thinking maybe Rock Hall is as far south as you might want to consider?). With a 280 my vote is for the bay, great cruising. Many Philly folks on the Bohemia and Sassafras rivers, many folks here on the board as well.

Let the South Jersey vs. Chesapeake debate begin... I am popping some popcorn now!

Best of luck with your relocation!
 
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OK...The debate begins... the Chesapeake is great place to boat if you don't want to swim in the water, and don't care about beaches... There are great places to explore in the Chesapeake, and you would enjoy keeping your boat there... But, if you want a "Shore Home" near the beach, you can't beat the Jersey Shore... Where in the Jersey shore is another debate... If I were you, and I wanted the beach, I would probably keep my boat in Schooners Marina http://www.schoonerislandmarina.com/ in Wildwood, for the following reasons:

1. The Wildwood beaches do not charge for access
2. Wildwood is just to the north of Cape May which is one of the best beach town in US.
3. Schooners has floating docks.
4. They have a very nice pool

I live in Toms River, and there are great places to boat here, but coming from the Philly area, the south Jersey beaches are IMHO better...

And you can join us a the 2010 Atlantic City, Rendezvous
 
Good points! It is a heck of a walk to get to that beach. I know I used to work at McDonald's there on Rio Grande Av... Then its a whole other walk to get from the beginning of the beach to the water! LOL!

I remember going out fishing with my dad on our boat when there actually was a sunken schooner there in that marina... I am showing my age now... The changes at that marina are nothing short of a miracle, someone had vision, it is a great facility today.
 
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There's also several places on the Delaware River near or relatively close to Philadelphia.

1. Philadelphia Marina (Dave and Busters)
2. Neshaminy State Park Marina
3. Wiggin's Park Marina
4. Riverside
5. Dredge Harbor
6. Clarks Landing
7. Bordentown Yacht Club
8. Trenton Marine Center

Doug
 
I'll have to agree with Alegria and throw a vote in the direction of the Chesapeake Bay. I actually live right where you're moving to and keep my boat in Fairlee Creek (Great Oak Landing Marina). It takes my family and I exactly 1:40min door to door. The marina is great. You'll have to weigh the options you have b/c other than the great people in both locations, the boating will be different. If salt water is a problem, than the Northern part of the CB is your choice. If a "real beach" is important, than NJ is your best bet. Either way, as long as your on the water....all is right with the world. :grin:

If you choose the Chesapeake, PM me I have a ton of marina info in a spreadsheet you may find helpful.

http://mearsgreatoaklanding.com/


Welcome to the area.
 
:thumbsup:Great Oak is a Great Marina... We always make that our first stop on our trips to the Chesapeake Bay... Jelly Fish Joes and the Pool are about the best I've been to...

NoThanksDad said:
I'll have to agree with Alegria and throw a vote in the direction of the Chesapeake Bay. I actually live right where you're moving to and keep my boat in Fairlee Creek (Great Oak Landing Marina). It takes my family and I exactly 1:40min door to door. The marina is great. You'll have to weigh the options you have b/c other than the great people in both locations, the boating will be different. If salt water is a problem, than the Northern part of the CB is your choice. If a "real beach" is important, than NJ is your best bet. Either way, as long as your on the water....all is right with the world. :grin:

If you choose the Chesapeake, PM me I have a ton of marina info in a spreadsheet you may find helpful.

http://mearsgreatoaklanding.com/


Welcome to the area.
Click to expand...
 
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South is too far - crazy traffic down to Chesapeake or Delaware beaches during the summer. I'd recommend harbor cove, seaview harbor and trump marina in NJ. You'll be on the water in much less time and they are all very nice marinas with great docks and friendly people.
 
gerryb said:
South is too far - crazy traffic down to Chesapeake or Delaware beaches during the summer. I'd recommend harbor cove, seaview harbor and trump marina in NJ. You'll be on the water in much less time and they are all very nice marinas with great docks and friendly people.
Click to expand...

Sorry. Don't agree with the traffic issue. I live in West Chester and we commute to Rock Hall EVERY weekend in under 2 hours. We used to be on the Sassafras (1hr 30min) but not as many places to cruise from there. It's great river though.

I highly recommend my marina, Lankford Bay. Nice people, feels like a picnic grove for boats. When weather is bad on the bay, we still have a great weekend on the water ecause there are a lot of gunk holes near by.

I love the shore too. I used to own a place down there. If you like fishing "outside" i.e. salt water, then the shore is the way to go. It is also good if you like all the things that are available at the shore such as rides for the kids, beaches, boardwalks, restaurants etc. If your not familiar, facation there first before you decide this sounds great. It's not for everyone.

At the shore, there is less places to go (in your boat) and weather cuts down the number of days that it is pleasant to go for a ride.

If you like cruising to lot's of new destinations, sleeping on the hook even when the weather is not perfect, running your boat almost every weekend, extending the season from April to November, then check out the Bay. We love the Bay.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLJ_ASE8ZEM

IM me if you have more questions.

PS We swim/float around all day long. We even have a favorite beach; "Conquest."
 
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Another thing to weigh in on your decision is the ride period to get to your boat.

If you like to just drop down to your boat on a whim after work, neither the Bay or NJ Shore are going to suit you well.

Doug
 
rcknecht said:
:thumbsup:Great Oak is a Great Marina... We always make that our first stop on our trips to the Chesapeake Bay... Jelly Fish Joes and the Pool are about the best I've been too...
Click to expand...

Shoot me a message when your in my neck of the woods...the cocktails will be on ice.
:grin:
 
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