HELP! OUR HATTERAS 42 LRC IS HOMELESS.

NICE SLIP NEEDED ASAP ; We just bought a 42 foot Hatteras long range cruiser. We’re looking for a slip at a friendly marina that has some amenities, a pool would be great. We’re planning to do a series of shakedown cruises along the coast before we head to the Bahamas in December. 14.5 foot beam a 4 foot draft. Hoping for less than a 1 hour drive to international airport, we live in Indiana.

Welcome aboard. Congratulations on your new boat.

Thank!! We love her.

Any particular state?

I should have said somewhere along the Florida East Coast preferably mid East Coast for pricing

Did you try Hilton Head or Light keepers marina at North Myrtle Beach? Might also try Grande Dunes at Myrtle Beach.

Try Kennedy Yacht Club in Titusville

I will try those right now.

I’m hoping someone checks this that has a great slip, and their boat is on the hard having some service done and they would love to sublease me there slip for a couple of months. I know that may be naïve and overly hopeful,, but i’m pretty lucky and if I don’t ask, it won’t happen

Welcome aboard the TF, Rays Hatt, and congrats on your 42 LRC. Here in Jacksonville, Palm Cove Marina has a pool and is on the ICW, a ten-minute drive from the beach and about 30 minutes to the airport: Palm Cove Marina - The Complete Boating Center I believe their policy limits overnighting aboard to 30 days max.

Also nearby is the Ortega Landing Marina, now a Port 32 "lifestyle resort," if that tells you anything about their business model: Port 32 Marinas Jacksonville Boat Storage at Ortega Landing Nice amenities include a pool, protected location well upriver from the ocean, and also about 30 min to Jacksonville International Airport.

Down in St. Augustine there is the beautiful little Camachee Cove Marina, just off the ICW and close to the inlet. It is now part of the Windward Marina Group (a chain like Port 32). Has a pool and a very decent restaurant on site. Kind of a drag getting to the airport though. Camachee Cove Yacht Harbor - St. Augustine, Florida

Best of luck with everything.

I’ve found a few slips near Cape Canaveral area. One is at a marina. One is a private place. Is there a good cruising in that area where I can do shakedown cruises? Anybody have any suggestions?

The Cape Canaveral area is mostly plain ole ICW cruising, following the body’s until you get to St Augustine to the north. You can take a mooring ball to the south of the Bridge of Lions. Your mooring fee covers dinghy dockage and shower facilities at the city marina.

St Augustine is kind of charming with its cobblestone streets. The Castillo de San Marcos fort just north of the bridge is worth a visit.

Further up the coast just past the Ga line is Cumberland Island N P where you can anchor in protected waters and tie your dinghy up at the northern park dock and hike down to the Dungeness ruins and see the wild horses.

Can’t think of anything exciting south of CC.

DAVID

DavidM said:

The Cape Canaveral area is mostly plain ole ICW cruising, following the body’s until you get to St Augustine to the north. You can take a mooring ball to the south of the Bridge of Lions. Your mooring fee covers dinghy dockage and shower facilities at the city marina.

St Augustine is kind of charming with its cobblestone streets. The Castillo de San Marcos fort just north of the bridge is worth a visit.

Further up the coast just past the Ga line is Cumberland Island N P where you can anchor in protected waters and tie your dinghy up at the northern park dock and hike down to the Dungeness ruins and see the wild horses.

Can’t think of anything exciting south of CC.

DAVID

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Thanks for the ideas.

Rays53hatt said:

NICE SLIP NEEDED ASAP ; We just bought a 42 foot Hatteras long range cruiser. We’re looking for a slip at a friendly marina that has some amenities, a pool would be great. We’re planning to do a series of shakedown cruises along the coast before we head to the Bahamas in December. 14.5 foot beam a 4 foot draft. Hoping for less than a 1 hour drive to international airport, we live in Indiana.

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Easy answer. The best marina that I found anyplace on the east coast is Brunswick Landing Marina in Georgia, right above the Florida border. BLM is a full service marina. It's huge. It used to be the Navy's hurricane hole in that area now converted to a great marina with an active liveaboard community so there's folks to watch your boat when you're not there. Since I was there a long time ago, I've heard it's expanded the cruiser's lounge and it's much larger now. There is a cool little downtown right next to it. It has the absolute best sunsets I've ever seen. It is also a short drive to Jekyll Island and it's driftwood area. In my experienced opinion, it's the only place to be. My blog of cruising down the east coast, including our stay at BLM, is all in my blog. Google "Trawler Drift Away" and you'll find it at the top of the list. Many many photos there as well.

Rays53hatt said:

NICE SLIP NEEDED ASAP ; We just bought a 42 foot Hatteras long range cruiser. We’re looking for a slip at a friendly marina that has some amenities, a pool would be great. We’re planning to do a series of shakedown cruises along the coast before we head to the Bahamas in December. 14.5 foot beam a 4 foot draft. Hoping for less than a 1 hour drive to international airport, we live in Indiana.

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Check out Hammock Beach Resort in Palm Coast, Florida. Nice amenities and 35 minutes from Daytona Airport and one hour from Jacksonville Airport.

Rays53hatt said:

I know that may be naïve and overly hopeful,, but i’m pretty lucky and if I don’t ask, it won’t happen

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Excellent philosophy! And enjoy your new boat!

Try Cape Marina in Cape Canaveral or Cape Crossing Marina and Harbor Town Marina on Merritt Island. Orlando International AirPort is a straight shot from all three via SR 528 aka Beachline. My 58’ LRC is moored at Cape Crossings now. It was in the yard at Cape Marina being rehabbed for almost two years. It takes me 40 minutes to get to OIA. 528 intersects I-95 just west of the Indian River (ICW). I live 3 miles from my LRC. Plenty of shopping close by including Publix, Aldi’s, Target, Sam’s, BJ’s and West Marine. All within a 5 mile radius. Plenty of restaurants. All the major chains and local favorites in the port, at each marina on Merritt Island and within 7 mile radius. Contact me if you need additional info on the area. I’ll help you get acclimated if you keep your 48 LRC in this area.

Thank you so much for the input. I will absolutely reach out to. Harbourtown Marina. I’ve already talked with cape Marina and they seem pretty great. Incredibly nice person on the phone. but the location, looks like it could be bumpy? Any experience

Yes. It can be bumpy depending on the weather. I love the barge canal marinas, Harbor Town and Cape Crossings. The wind can get blustery in the area and the marinas will be like glass because they are sheltered by trees and buildings. 528 runs right next to them. “Door to door” the Orlando International Airport is 40 minutes and adjacent to 528. EASY!!

BowtomyStern said:

Check out Hammock Beach Resort in Palm Coast, Florida. Nice amenities and 35 minutes from Daytona Airport and one hour from Jacksonville Airport.

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Moon said:

Yes. It can be bumpy depending on the weather. I love the barge canal marinas, Harbor Town and Cape Crossings. The wind can get blustery in the area and the marinas will be like glass because they are sheltered by trees and buildings. 528 runs right next to them. “Door to door” the Orlando International Airport is 40 minutes and adjacent to 528. EASY!!

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I absolutely will check those out. And thanks for the heads up on calm Waters on blustery days.
I was looking at Google Earth and I’ve been in canals before with barges and when they go by, they threw up a pretty big swell. Does that swell come into the marinas and does everybody get bounced a couple times when barges go by?

The marinas on the barge canal are also sheltered from wakes caused by passing traffic. Harbour Town has an island breakwater and Cape Crossings has a central opening and is located next to the SR 3 bridge and a waterfront restaurant. Traffic on the barge canal is monitored closely. Ironically there is little barge traffic on this waterway these days. It enables vessels to travel from the ICW (Indian River) to Port Canaveral and the Atlantic Ocean. There is one lock just before the port. It is an easy pass with little water level change. Tide change is not an issue on the barge canal or Indian River until you get south to the Sebastian Inlet area. Do not attempt to transit the Sebastian inlet. Stick to Palm Beach, Ft. Pierce or Port Canaveral.

We kept our boat at Harbortown. Agree, not much in the way of commercial traffic. However each year would be an interesting display as dozens of dolphins would gather at the canal/Banana River to mate, swimming all around our boat (engine off).

If you’ve ever wondering what Flipper’s schlong looks like…. don’t ask.

The Safe Harbor location in Stuart, FL (Harborage Yacht Club) has some available slips and you get all the benefits of safe harbor membership including unlimited transient reciprocity at any of their locations. You would be about 40 minutes away from Palm Beach International airport. Call Harbormaster Kat at 772-692-4000 / 561-785-9984 or email kmunoz@shmarinas.com.

My boat lives there, it is a beautiful facility. It has two pools, captains lounge/clubhouse, gym, onsite restaurant and pool bar, shuttle service, laundry/showers, pump out in your slip service, included dockbox, discounted price fuel dock.