Southern California Marina's - REVIEW

[Iron E]

Currently looking for a Marina for our 35ft Cutter.

Our range is from Oxnard to San Diego. If anyone is willing to give me their experiences, both pros and cons, it would be appreciated.

Some things we would like, if possible:
• Stay overnight 3 or 4 times a week
• Work on the outside of our boat... wood and fiberglass
• Clean showers and bathrooms
• Easy boat access
• Clean and well maintained Marina (Docks, electrical, etc)

Thanks!

[BMD21]

We spent the summer in Cabrillo Marina. Since it's a California Yacht Marina, you can stay overnight as a guest at their other marinas (San Diego for instance.). It's right at the entrance to LA Harbor. We were happy, but ask to see what slips were available, pick the one furthest from the office. The south side has more wind,we were on the north end.


There's a cheaper CYM back in LA harbor, down the main channel, other side of the bridge. No info on that one.


Boris

[Calif.Ted]

Availability is usually the biggest hurdle to overcome, as an extreme example Dana Point has a waitlist of 6-10 years for 35' slip. Traditionally Chula Vista and Channel Islands had open slips but I've heard recently that CI is full for first time in it's history. You should start calling around and maybe narrow your search area for convenience. I'm 10 minutes from Dana but it could take 2-3 hours to drive to MDR.
Here's a guide to every marina on west coast: https://www.thelog.com/digital_editi...gital-edition/

[Bill Seal]

If you want to work on your boat, check out those off Henry Ford Ave in Wilmington. Those on Anchorage Way, "Skunk Harbor" or such. They're back among the cargo ships and railroads, but cheaper and more lenient.

[Montanan]

FYI:

Live aboard slips are limited to no more than 10% of a marina's slips and typically have long waiting lists. Liveaboard is defined as more than 12 days in any month / 3 days in any one week period.

By way of example: L.A. County Code 19.12.1110, prohibits a person from using a vessel as an abode in excess of three days within any one-week period, unless authorized by the dockmaster where the boat is anchored, and issued a live-aboard permit by the Harbormaster at the L.A. County Sheriff Department. It is completely within the discretion of the local dockmaster as to if and whether a live-aboard situation will be authorized in any particular marina.

A permit will only be issued by the L.A. County Sheriff Department Harbormaster upon compliance with the following:
(1) Compliance with the requirements of seaworthiness as described in County Code 19.12.1060.
(2) Installation of a federally approved marina sanitation device of self-contained portable toilet approved by the Harbor Master.
(3) Proof of authorization by the dockmaster.

Live-aboard permits are valid for a period of one year.

[Iron E]

Originally Posted by BMD21

We spent the summer in Cabrillo Marina. Since it's a California Yacht Marina, you can stay overnight as a guest at their other marinas (San Diego for instance.). It's right at the entrance to LA Harbor. We were happy, but ask to see what slips were available, pick the one furthest from the office. The south side has more wind,we were on the north end.


There's a cheaper CYM back in LA harbor, down the main channel, other side of the bridge. No info on that one.


Boris

We've been to Cabrillo... a very nice Marina.

[Iron E]

Originally Posted by Calif.Ted

Availability is usually the biggest hurdle to overcome, as an extreme example Dana Point has a waitlist of 6-10 years for 35' slip. Traditionally Chula Vista and Channel Islands had open slips but I've heard recently that CI is full for first time in it's history. You should start calling around and maybe narrow your search area for convenience. I'm 10 minutes from Dana but it could take 2-3 hours to drive to MDR.
Here's a guide to every marina on west coast: https://www.thelog.com/digital_editi...gital-edition/

Thanks for the link, very helpful.

[jordanbigel]

Originally Posted by Calif.Ted

Availability is usually the biggest hurdle to overcome, as an extreme example Dana Point has a waitlist of 6-10 years for 35' slip. Traditionally Chula Vista and Channel Islands had open slips but I've heard recently that CI is full for first time in it's history. You should start calling around and maybe narrow your search area for convenience. I'm 10 minutes from Dana but it could take 2-3 hours to drive to MDR.
Here's a guide to every marina on west coast: https://www.thelog.com/digital_editi...gital-edition/

Chula Vista is definitely wide open. I live here, for now. It's 2+ hours to the sea, so yeah, plenty of slips and lowest costs in the area (SD).

[jordanbigel]

Originally Posted by BMD21

We spent the summer in Cabrillo Marina. Since it's a California Yacht Marina, you can stay overnight as a guest at their other marinas (San Diego for instance.).

Actually, the CYM in S.D. (in Chula Vista to be precise) is no longer a CYM, it is now Safe Harbor South Bay.

[grakker]

I'm in Channel Islands. They are pretty strict about the 3 days a week. I got this slip last summer and when I walked in and said that I was there for a slip the lady got all flustered and said they didn't have any available. I had reserved the slip a month before and it was OK once I gave her my name. Unfortunately I live in OC, but skipping rush hour it's often less than a 2 hour drive. The number of boats that I've never even seen anyone step foot on, both up here and in OC is crazy.

[Brewgyver]

Originally Posted by Montanan

FYI:

Live aboard slips are limited to no more than 10% of a marina's slips and typically have long waiting lists. Liveaboard is defined as more than 12 days in any month / 3 days in any one week period.

By way of example: L.A. County Code 19.12.1110, prohibits a person from using a vessel as an abode in excess of three days within any one-week period, unless authorized by the dockmaster where the boat is anchored, and issued a live-aboard permit by the Harbormaster at the L.A. County Sheriff Department. It is completely within the discretion of the local dockmaster as to if and whether a live-aboard situation will be authorized in any particular marina.

A permit will only be issued by the L.A. County Sheriff Department Harbormaster upon compliance with the following:
(1) Compliance with the requirements of seaworthiness as described in County Code 19.12.1060.
(2) Installation of a federally approved marina sanitation device of self-contained portable toilet approved by the Harbor Master.
(3) Proof of authorization by the dockmaster.

Live-aboard permits are valid for a period of one year.

It might be worth noting that the above only applies to Marina Del Rey. While I've seen other threads in this and other forums refer to the 10% limit as being a State law, it is not. Before leaving California, I had a boat in Ventura West Marina for eight years, where the limit was 50%.

[Brewgyver]

Iron E, you gave Oxnard as the northern limit, but don't rule out Ventura Harbor, only 5 miles further.

[Iron E]

Originally Posted by Brewgyver

Iron E, you gave Oxnard as the northern limit, but don't rule out Ventura Harbor, only 5 miles further.

You bet... still within my range. My range was more of what you'd call guidelines than rules.

[mikereed100]

If you have any interest in cruising, then Ventura or Channel Islands will be your best option. Easy access to the Channel Islands. There is a wait list for liveaboard slips in Ventura, even at Ventura West with 50% liveaboards. Several years ago we were able to get a liveaboard slip in CI at Peninsula Marina and were able to work on the boat at the docks, but the docks were falling apart and they are getting ready to do some heavy construction at the old Zombie Apocalypse Hotel next to the marina.

[Don C L]

One of the reasons that Channel Islands may be full is that a good number of slips are being rebuilt (in Peninsula Yacht Marina anyway). You might consider getting your name on waiting lists ASAP wherever you'd like to be. In terms of close access to the Channel Islands, the size of the harbor and potential availability of slips, I would highly recommend Channel Islands harbor. But I actually like Ventura harbor better for location and ambience. In stormy southerly weather Ventura harbor will usually close before Channel Islands, but most folks aren't going anywhere in that weather anyway. If your main target is Catalina then there is San Pedro and Wilmington that may have openings. I haven't checked lately but I bet there are slips available in Wilmington. But, and apologies to all in Wilmington, that is a good harbor to be from IMO.