Renting a Boat Slip at a Good Marina

Is finding a boat slip to rent at a marina that is family-friendly, has good service and offers resort-style amenities too much to ask?

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People spend a lot of money on their boats and deserve a good place to dock it for the season. But it’s more than just the boat slip. A marina should be like a getaway or vacation every time you go to your boat.

I think a lot of marinas need to step it up. Far too many marinas seem to think they can get away with the bare minimum for their boat slip rentals. Bathrooms are not kept clean. Ship stores are hardly stocked. Dock hands are no where to be found. And you certainly can’t trust your most valuable possession to the maintenance department that has a bad reputation.

A Family-Friendly Marina

For boaters, a marina becomes a second home while on the water. With such a large investment in time and money, boaters deserve to have the best possible home port when selecting boat marinas. Boat marinas offering a variety of service and recreational amenities make boating convenient and pleasurable for the entire family.

So we came to the conclusion that it was time for us to drive a little further and pay a little more for a marina that offers a lot more than the average marina…. and more than just a boat slip rental. Boy was it worth it.

The best boat marinas for families are ones that offer something for everyone in the family. We chose a marina that had important things we needed – like good service and nice docks – but we also wanted things that would be great for kids. A clean bathhouse was a necessity. A big pool with a baby pool was a must-have, along with a nice playground area with grassy areas.

Marinas with Resort-Style Amenities

It’s great to go on boat trips and get away to new marinas in new towns. But there’s no reason why you have to “escape” your home marina to experience some waterfront amenities as a boater.

I think its essential to have at least the following amenities at a marina where you rent a boat slip for the season:

• On-site restaurant and bar
• Swimming pool and lounge area
• Dock-side cable and Wi-Fi internet service
• Dock-side pump-out service
• Laundry facilities
• Well-stocked ship’s store
• Dependable service department
• Fuel dock
• Helpful dock hands

It also helps if your marina has a great view and easy access to waterways for trips. Our marina is also close to some great coves for anchoring out and rafting up with friends.

Boat Service Amenities at Your Marina

All boat marinas should offer basic services for haul out, drop-in, maintenance and unexpected repairs. Exceptional boat marinas should take it a few steps further and offer first-class, quality service.

Above all, be sure to choose a boat marina with reputable, well-trained technicians capable of handling various mechanical services and repairs. On-site repair services are a great amenity when the unexpected happens to a boat.

In addition to repair services, boat marinas that offer convenient services at the dock can keep the focus on boating fun.

• Dock hands for docking assistance
• Pump-out services at dock
• Fuel discounts to slip holders
• Spring commissioning, dry storage and winterizing
• Ship’s store stocked with essential parts and supplies
• Pressure washing (throughout the season)
• Gelcoat or fiberglass repairs
• Painting, varnish or bright work
• Wash, wax and detailing
• Bottom painting

We currently dock our boat at Skipjack Cove Yachting Resort on the Sassafras River (off of the Chesapeake Bay) located in Georgetown, Maryland… and we couldn’t be happier!

As transient boaters on the Chesapeake Bay, a few of the marinas with good amenities we enjoying staying at are Haven Harbour Marina in Rock Hall, MD, Baltimore Inner Harbor Marine Center in Baltimore, MD and at Mears Annapolis in Annapolis, MD.

What’s your favorite marina and why?
Please post your comments!!

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