Archive for the ‘Marinas’ Category

Research Storage Before Buying a Boat

Before you buy a boat, it is a good idea to research boat storage possibilities in your area. You want to know that you will have somewhere to store your boat before you make that investment. You can spend some time investigating online and get the scoop on area storage facilities by talking to local boat owners.

Boat storage options include:

Boat Marina
Paying for a boat marina slip is a great way to store your boat on the body of water you want to use on a regular basis. Most marinas charge by boat length or slip length. Compare the rates for more than one facility. Some marinas offer amenities like bathroom facilities, winter storage and even connections for the internet and electricity. Marinas also offer opportunities for socializing with nearby boat owners.

Rack Storage
Racks are also known as small stacks and this type of storage works well for small boats. In many cases, boat owners need to contact the storage facility before they want to use their boat so they can remove your boat from a covered shed where it is kept with other boats. When you finish, they return your boat.

Trailer
Opting to store your boat on a trailer on your own property, means that you can avoid storage fees. This also lets you take your boat with you when you travel or take spur-of-the-moment trips.

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East Coast Boat Owners Prepare for Hurricane Earl

Plan for the worst; hope for the best. Those are the words guiding boat owners along the Eastern Seaboard from Georgia to Maine as hurricane Earl takes aim at America’s Atlantic coast on summer’s final holiday weekend. Weather forecasts warning that Earl could make landfall along the North Carolina coast has boat owners pulling their boats from the water and heading inland. Friday, state authorities started evacuating tourists from the Barrier Islands, many of which are accessible only by boat or ferry.  

With the hurricane expected to sweep up the Atlantic shoreline, similar operations are taking place at marinas and ports all along the Eastern Seaboard. Worried boat owners are keeping a close watch on hourly reports tracking Earl’s trajectory, hoping that their area will be spared the hurricane’s full wrath. Weather forecasters are warning boaters that Earl could also strike the Cape Cod area as it heads north.

The U.S. Coast Guard is warning boaters to heed weather advisories and warnings and stay tuned to emergency broadcast stations. A small craft advisory was issued yesterday for the entire North Carolina coast. Condition X-ray which warns boaters to prepare for gale force winds within the next 48 hours was issued for ports in Morehead City and Wilmington. Dangerous rip currents, rough surf, tidal flooding and high winds are expected as the category 4 hurricane closes in on the East Coast. Gale-force winds are expected to whip current 6-foot swells into dangerous 20-foot waves by tomorrow night. Boat owners are urged to prepare now.

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Oil Spill Shuts Down Gulf Coast Fishing Boats

Concerned about contamination caused by the massive oil spill that threatens the Gulf Coast, the government called a halt to fishing along the Gulf Coast from the Mississippi River to the Florida Panhandle. The ban, which could be lengthy if a way is not found to stop the leak soon, is expected to have a disastrous impact on the area’s fishing, boating and tourism industries this summer and possibly into next year. Oil is already lapping ashore along the wildlife and wild fowl refuges that line Louisiana’s Mississippi Delta area. There is also concern that the problem could expand if the Gulf current pushes oil-slickened waters down the southern Florida coast.

Many recreational boaters were working this weekend to pull their boats from Gulf marinas or move them out of harm’s way south along the Texas and Florida coasts before the oil slick reaches shore. The large extent of coastline affected and popularity of boating in the area makes it certain that the limited marina space that may be available will fill quickly. Many boaters are resigning themselves to storing their boats on trailers this year and launching them every weekend. Dock space on inland waterways and rivers is quickly jumping in demand as recreational boaters look for options.

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