North Summit Marina Delaware

[scarlet]

Does anyone use this marina? If so I'd love a review. And also any idea how far the sail is to Annapolis?

[ranger58sb]

I've been there, not recently. Decent enough, not great, varies from pleasant to buggy (not much breeze sometimes). Last time we passed by, the whole west end seemed deserted. The times we've stopped there, once overnight (long time ago) it was nice, and since then a fuel stop (and storm layover) worked out well. Workers seemed decent. The restaurant seems to come and go, not sure about current status. ActiveCaptrain reviews would be much more current.

More funner (?) options might be Delaware City Marina on the east end of the canal, or Chesapeake City in the middle (anchor in the bight, or there's a free first-come-first-served public dock, or the Inn has a marina)... or maybe come all the way thru the canal and go to Havre d'Grace... or into the Sassafras River, maybe even all the way up to Georgetown (but you don't have to go that far). The Chesapeake City Inn is often a hopping place, big-time party... and/or the upstairs restaurant was really good on our last visit.

The route from Summit North to Annapolis is very straightforward; my chart suggests roughly 55 NM.

-Chris

[scarlet]

Originally Posted by ranger42c

I've been there, not recently. Decent enough, not great, varies from pleasant to buggy (not much breeze sometimes). Last time we passed by, the whole west end seemed deserted. The times we've stopped there, once overnight (long time ago) it was nice, and since then a fuel stop (and storm layover) worked out well. Workers seemed decent. The restaurant seems to come and go, not sure about current status. ActiveCaptrain reviews would be much more current.

More funner (?) options might be Delaware City Marina on the east end of the canal, or Chesapeake City in the middle (anchor in the bight, or there's a free first-come-first-served public dock, or the Inn has a marina)... or maybe come all the way thru the canal and go to Havre d'Grace... or into the Sassafras River, maybe even all the way up to Georgetown (but you don't have to go that far). The Chesapeake City Inn is often a hopping place, big-time party... and/or the upstairs restaurant was really good on our last visit.

The route from Summit North to Annapolis is very straightforward; my chart suggests roughly 55 NM.

-Chris

We looked at quite a few marina's on the east coast, but we are limited by our mast height (75'). I'll look into Chesapeake City...

[scarlet]

Ok.. so Chesapeake City won't work. they don't have any slips that would accommodate our boat, and it's in Maryland. We are trying to stay in Delaware because of the tax advantage.

[1affiah]

We were based there from 2010-2014 with a 35' cat. Decent people and well able to handle larger boats. There were lots of out-of-staters based there for the same reason. Sorry, no more current info.

[ranger58sb]

Originally Posted by scarlet

We looked at quite a few marina's on the east coast, but we are limited by our mast height (75'). I'll look into Chesapeake City...

Originally Posted by scarlet

Ok.. so Chesapeake City won't work. they don't have any slips that would accommodate our boat, and it's in Maryland. We are trying to stay in Delaware because of the tax advantage.

Ah. Sorry, thought you were just looking for a stop en route; didn't realize you're shopping for a home base.

You might check to see what's available in Lewes, DE. Nice downtown, but we've only stayed at the city dock (which is nice), not somewhere long term. Otherwise, Summit North might be about as OK as you can get. Or maybe Delaware City, which we like more than Summit (but we only pass through); I don't remember any low bridges in the way, getting into there. It's kind of a skinny fairway, might intimidate you at first, but there's actually decent room in there.

Mostly Delaware Bay isn't so great, although it might be OK for day sails -- when you can decide to go out... or not.

Lots of NJ folks we know on purpose bite the bullet and choose to pay MD sales tax (which is capped, at least.... now), and keep their boat here... because the Chesapeake is so nice, so many places to go, so many gunkholes, etc.

-Chris

[scarlet]

Originally Posted by ranger42c

Lots of NJ folks we know on purpose bite the bullet and choose to pay MD sales tax (which is capped, at least.... now), and keep their boat here... because the Chesapeake is so nice, so many places to go, so many gunkholes, etc.

-Chris

We really want to keep our new (to us) boat in Annapolis.. but the taxes would be $15,000 in Delaware we wouldn't have taxes at all. And I think that marina is pretty reasonable. How far is it to the bay from Summit Marina?
I'm just wondering how convenient it will be to take the boat out the canal for a day sale on the bay..

[ranger58sb]

I think day sails on either Bay from Summit North would be viable; in fact, you could do a weekend or multi-day sail in the Chesapeake without tax impact -- I think. Above the bridge for a day sail, further south if you stay over a day or two or three.

LOTS of places to go in the upper Chesapeake (See "Cruising the Chesapeake, a Gunkholer's Guide" -- or something like that -- by Bill Shellenberger, for info about pleasant anchorages). Plus Annapolis, Rock Hall, Georgetown, Bal'mer, Havre d'Grace, etc...

Motoring from Summit North to open water on this side would just maybe mean an hour or whatever before and after...

More convenient to come this direction from Summit North than from Delaware City.

You did check the bridge heights, yes? I know they're high, but don't remember the actual number... and don't have a chart just here in front of me right now...

-Chris

[scarlet]

Originally Posted by ranger42c

I think day sails on either Bay from Summit North would be viable; in fact, you could do a weekend or multi-day sail in the Chesapeake without tax impact -- I think. Above the bridge for a day sail, further south if you stay over a day or two or three.

LOTS of places to go in the upper Chesapeake (See "Cruising the Chesapeake, a Gunkholer's Guide" -- or something like that -- by Bill Shellenberger, for info about pleasant anchorages). Plus Annapolis, Rock Hall, Georgetown, Bal'mer, Havre d'Grace, etc...

Motoring from Summit North to open water on this side would just maybe mean an hour or whatever before and after...

More convenient to come this direction from Summit North than from Delaware City.

You did check the bridge heights, yes? I know they're high, but don't remember the actual number... and don't have a chart just here in front of me right now...

-Chris

yes.. the first thing we checked was bridge height.. they are over 100 feet. I just really feel like this is a nice location, and pretty protected. I know that hurricanes do hit up that way sometimes...

[ranger58sb]

Yep, a few hurricanes/tropical storms have come through or nearby. I think Irene in about 2003-ish, another I-name more recently, and Sandy came ashore further east (NJ) from where we are but it was still blowy over here.

My sense is that Summit North is as good as many for weather protection, but that'd be a good conversation to have with them right upfront. And it'd be good to read all the ActiveCaptain reviews if you haven't done that already.

-Chris

[Mlp48]

Some research into MD (or other State laws) may serve you well. Many States want to tax vessels if their waters are your vessel's area of "principal use". MD does a lot to assist boaters and collected taxes is how this is paid for. There may be some time when you can be in MD waters and not be subject to MD taxes. I don't know but I have known fellow Marylanders who have stored their boats in DE for tax reasons (and particularly at Summit) and have not raved about it. Summit is fine for what it is but the DE River is closest at hand to Summit and it can have a lot of current and BIG commercial traffic. When I do sail on it, I prepare for biting flies and plenty of them. Just down stream and at the eastern end of the C&D, there is a Nuclear Power Plant but upstream, there's an interesting old battery/fort. There are not a lot of recreational spots on the Delaware that I know of. I'll be interested to know what develops for you !

[Lemonade]

Hi,
I’ve been a full time live aboard in Lewes the last four years. We always have wind and the ocean is super close. No crab pots to worry about like the bay.
Lewes is a great location but has limited slips for larger boats. If your not exaggerating the height of your mast ....😁
Then you certainly are operating a 50+ loa and beamy Boat.
Lewes is a town on a canal with a minimum daily minimum tide change of 5’. Moon/storm tides can make this 8’’. So there is always cross current to deal with getting in and out of your slip.
Lewes Harbor Marina is the only game in town for a boat your size. Most slips in town are private. The one or two private slips that would work for you are taken already.
The currents in the C&D canal are wicked. I wouldn’t consider as a home base unless your ok waiting out the tides. I think it flows up to 6 knots at both ebb and flow.
Hit me up if I can help with anything else.

[scarlet]

All good info. We will have a big boat. It's a lagoon 450... I think as of right now, our plan would be to go west on the canal to the Chesapeake and use that as our main sailing ground. This is our retirement boat and is much bigger than any other we've sailed on so I think that the West Bay would be a better proving ground for us. Thanks for the comment about the tides... I hadn't even thought about that... I am definitely worried about hurricanes but our insurance provider considers it outside the hurricane box, which definitely surprised me because of Sandy. I'm just hoping that with this marina so far inland that we would be a but more protected..

[ranger58sb]

Isabel was the other I-name I was trying to remember. Hurricanes not common up here... but obviously do happen, given Irene, Isabel, and then Sandy. But then you don't have to stay at your home marina all the time if a hurricane is predicted. Given track predictions, sometimes you can get out of the way -- or at least get to a place better suited to weather the weather -- in time. If you'll have discretionary time to do that.

You can ask Summit North what it was like during Sandy; it came ashore much closer to them than it did to here near Annapolis/Baltimore.

The thing about 230V/110V electrics that you asked about in a different thread would be a deal-breaker, for me. Partly that's because I don't know enough about the alternatives, though.

-Chris

[Farseer]

The problem with registering your boat in Delaware than using it in Maryland is DNR will catch you and fine you.
Don't listen to anyone who says different..they will cut you some slack the first or second time they see you(maybe) then drop the hammer.
I live in Delaware and slip my boat on the sassafras in MD..yup it was a pain to pay the excise tax but it's a one time deal after that you register every 2 years for peanuts.
As for Summit North Marina..nice protected place to slip.
Excellent restaurant,decent facilities and pretty close to stores and such.
Good Luck with your decision.

PS: The ride from Summit North to Annapolis is a long one.
Roughly 50 NM and remember you have to motor all the way through the C&D Canal.