Chesapeake Bay haul out recommendations

[TBW]

Check with Yacht Maintenance in Cambridge Md
4432054502

[cottonsail]

I highly recommend Washburns boatyard in Solomons, Md.

[Bill whitmore]

try Custom Yacht Service in Irvington, VA

[sail34]

I give Jennings Boatyard Inc. in Reedville Va. 22539 5 stars
excellent yard, protection, people and price
very accommodating

804-453-7181

[JOHNMARDALL]

Lippincott Marine 410 827 9300 at Kent Narrows is an easy-going place with reasonable prices and reasonable everything else. It's also close to many restaurants, shops, West Marine and a great hardware store (Tru Value). The traffic across the Bay Bridge is much improved now that there are no toll booths at the western end of the bridge, but don't plan to cross on Sunday evening when people are coming back from the beach.



Good luck
John Mardall

[Scubaseas]

My experience with Herrington Harbor North was not good. Might have been an issue with my looks and the manager. You have to use their subcontractors. Two of the four of their subcontractors I used screwed up. One did not have the rig down when promised causing me to pay 1/2 the transporter fee from MD to ME when I had to cancel the scheduled haul at the last minute. The other took my money, didn't do the work and disappeared. Not HH's fault but you do have to use people on their list and have everything done the way they want it and they won't work with you at all, even if their recommended people drop the ball. The Broker misrepresented what DIY would be allowed which determined moving the boat since the motor was shot and I doubt it would have made it up to ME under sail.

Had driven down in my VW Camper from Maine, had issues with it and was arranging to have it flat bed towed back to Maine while I had rented a car and was told I had to park it off property while awaiting the tow truck (as estimated two to three days). Mind you this is a fully restored, $35K valued/insured Bus, not some beat up Chevy van and I am paying them $450 a month to park my boat there. It was also middle of the Summer and most of their 3 acres of storage are empty. But no room for a VW Bus to sit for a day or two. Was also told could not stay overnight on the property unless renting a slip versus the land storage lease I had (also different from what Broker told me but whatever). Was not allowed to do some work on the boat. You have to rent and use only their sander and shop vac (even though mine is a higher filter of 5 micron versus their 20 micron). You have to hire them to move any of the boat stands. If you want to drop the rig and transport the boat they will not let you store the mast next to the boat, They have to move it and store it and pay them to move it to the truck, on their schedule. If your rigger doesn't show up on time you still pay the crane by the hour. You may have to tent the boat it you want to sand anything, even using their equipment. Was told I couldn't dump 8 gallons old diesel into their waste oil tank even though their waste oil collector was OK with it. Was told I could not do engine work or start the engine on the hard. Or remove the engine or replace it in situ. Yada, yada, yada...

Beautiful yard, lots of storage space, West Marine on site but I just didn't hit it off with one manager in the office and felt she went out of her way to make things difficult for me. Maybe I pissed her off in some past life. I fully paid for the year my boat was there but would not go there again. Their idea of what is OK DIY and mine were worlds apart. I get why they have their rules but their fees can be a bit mercenary and some of the rules seemed to be applied just to me.

[BCCLover]

Highly recommend TrueNorth Boatworks in Deltaville, Virginia, for a DIY yard. John and Matt are conscientious and careful, and the price is budget-friendly. Other good yards in Deltaville include Stingray Point Boatworks and Chesapeake Marine Railway. Zimmermans in Mathews is fabulous but I don't think they allow DIY; their reputation for good work is legendary. Have no idea what the Zimmerman yard is like in Deltaville but would think the same.

OakHarbor in Pasadena, Maryland, is another spot with a good rep for DIY.

We swore off ever hauling at Deltaville Boatyard again after having to fight, constantly, about the boat size (we took off the bowsprit to make sure we wouldn't be charged for it and every single month had to have the conversation) and after they scratched the boat badly on putting it back into the water and laughed when we pointed it out.

[purplesunrise]

There are not a lot of yards that can do cats so our selection is limited. We found Zimmerman Marine in Mathews a good yard with reasonable prices and a very friendly staff.

[marcjsmith]

Originally Posted by Scubaseas

My experience with Herrington Harbor North was not good

Sorry to hear that, My experience quite the opposite at hhn. yes had to tent the boat when sanding, was able to use my own vaccum sander, and never had any problem working on the engine or running it for 5-10 minutes while sorting out issues.


saw a few boats that had their sticks laying next to them, rather than in the racks on the other side of the yard..


hated the west marine as it was really geared toward power boaters, the deale hardware store was great., and a home depot was 20 min away in a pinch as well.


had issues with on contractor trying to get a fuel return line made, 2.5 weeks hadn't even looked at it. brought it back home and had it made in an hour a hydraulic shop... go figure..



i was paying 250 a month for dry storage....yeah som eof the rules seemed a bit stiff, but I'm sure there's a reason (like some one f-ed up once before and it cost them money in the form of a lawsuit.)

[Scubaseas]

Originally Posted by marcjsmith

Sorry to hear that, My experience quite the opposite at hhn. yes had to tent the boat when sanding, was able to use my own vaccum sander, and never had any problem working on the engine or running it for 5-10 minutes while sorting out issues.


saw a few boats that had their sticks laying next to them, rather than in the racks on the other side of the yard..


hated the west marine as it was really geared toward power boaters, the deale hardware store was great., and a home depot was 20 min away in a pinch as well.


had issues with on contractor trying to get a fuel return line made, 2.5 weeks hadn't even looked at it. brought it back home and had it made in an hour a hydraulic shop... go figure..



i was paying 250 a month for dry storage....yeah som eof the rules seemed a bit stiff, but I'm sure there's a reason (like some one f-ed up once before and it cost them money in the form of a lawsuit.)

I don't have a problem with rules. I do have a problem of asking both the Broker and Office if it's OK to do X,Y and Z and then be told by HHN no, you can't do that, after I bought the boat of course. I also was really put off when my car/bus broke (unexpectedly obv.) at 1530 on a Friday and I was not able to get a rental car that day but was told no way my dog and I could stay on the property over night. It's quite possible the manager thought I was trying to pull one over on her. Or I just look like a dirt bag. Still pretty poor way to treat a paying clientIMHO.
There are a few places to RV camp within 10 miles and the bar across the street said I could over night in his lot if it came down to it. I fully understand that they don't want people living in their RVs on site but don't tell me it's OK on the phone and after I drive 550 miles and have a busted vehicle to then tow it off the property. When I am paying you rent to be there and offer to put up a bond that some one will come and tow it out within a few days. Ultimately I went over her head to her boss who as it turns out had stopped by earlier in the day to chat with me and reminisce about old VW busses and lost youths. I explained my problem and he looked at the other manager like she had three heads. This while we are looking out at a parking lot with about literally 300 open parking spaces that won't be filled until three months or more away.
So, OK, I can't actually work on the boat, I'll move the boat. No mast next to boat. Pay to move boat and mast twice before the truck arrives. Rigger did not have mast down. Oh well. Was told "It was too hot" to work. Loos 50% of total transport fee. Not HHN fault.
If you want a nice storage yard and a pool and a restaurant are important HHN is a fine yard. If you are going to DIY better check twice what they'll allow.

Glad HHN worked out for you. Wasn't my cup of tea.

[GregW1309]

I used Rappahannock Yachts, Irvington VA. They did well on haul outs. The also can do most maintenance jobs, top quality. You can DIY work on anything above the waterline. About an hour’s drive from Richmond airport. Yankee Point Marina (Corrotoman river) is more protected (from hurricanes) than Deltaville or Irvington, but I haven’t used them.

[LouK]

Personally, I’ve got too second the recommendation for the earlier mentioned Oak Harbor Marina. They’re close to Baltimore & BWI and are an extremely well run operation, well protected & quite reasonable- 3 things that are hard to say about a single marina.

LouK

[johnnyH]

Cobbs Marina in Norfolk is excellent

[doublewide]

On the Chesapeake, we like Deltaville and Middlesex County in general for boat storage. There are several yards. We have visited or used both Zimmerman's and Deltaville Boatyard. I am sure there are others that are just as safe. Both of these yards are well above sea level, with pleasant staff and reasonable prices. Last time we checked - and you would be wise to check for yourself - Middlesex County, and I think Hampton Roads and Virginia Beach (there may be others) charge no personal property tax on boats temporarily in the county, or "under repair." Many other states, and some counties in Virginia may tax your boat if it is in the county on tax day.

[Sailshabby]

Originally Posted by wildernessdave

We don't have a specific area in mind because we will be leaving the boat and going home to Minnesota. We want to be north of Cape Hatteras for the hurricane season so the Chesapeake seems like a logical place to haul out. We are open to suggestions through out the bay.

Reasonable storm protection, ability to work on our own boat, reasonable prices are the main criteria. We will also have to get to an airport to fly home, so access to an airport is a plus, but we are pretty creative with transportation so that is lower on our list of priorities.

Thanks!
Dave

Airport takes Deltaville out of the mix (and I’ve kept boats there before). It’s a haul and a half to either Richmond or Norfolk area.