looking for a marina next year - NJFishing.com Your Best Online Source for Fishing Information in New Jersey

markn911 · #1 09-21-2010, 12:21 PM

I just bought my first boat and need some suggestions as far as where I am going to put it next year.
I am looking for somewhere it is easy to dock at (little current) as god knows I am going to need all the help I can get.

My wife and I either want to be in Point Pleasant or the Highlands. The boat is going to be used primarily for fishing so it would definitely be best not to be to far from the inlet.

We looked at the Manasquan River Club and my wife really liked it because of the pool. They do not have finger piers and was wondering if that makes it harder to get in or would it actually be easier?
Does anybody have any thoughts about Green Cove? They have a pool as well and I want to keep the wife happy. When she's happy I'm happy (why doesn't that work in reverse) The boat is a Wellcraft 270 Coastal and drafts about 3 feet.
Thanks for any help you can give a newbie!!

Gerry Zagorski · #2 09-21-2010, 01:13 PM

If your boat has an outboard and you are on a fixed peer that likely means you will be forced to enter the boat from the bow. The reason is you want to keep the outboards tilted up to keep them out of the water. This usally creates a large gap between your stern and boarding ladder. That's why most people with outboards on fixed peers tie bow in and board on the bow of the boat. Having said that, it is pretty tricky and much less convienient to board a boat from the bow.

For this reason, floating docks with peers between the boats is definately the preference for outboard boats since you can board from the side. And you don't have to worry about the tide swing either.

If your boat is an inboard, fixed docks and a stern in tie up is fine although at low tide it can still be a little tricky climbing down the ladder and boarding the boat.

markn911 · #3 09-21-2010, 02:02 PM

Thank you for the reply

I do have 2 outboards and I think you have to go in stern first at the Manasquan river club. It seems most people have built a plank to get in the boat if they have outboards.
The problem I see there is what in the world do you when you get back in to get the plank back. I don't really think I want to cart around each day.

Again any suggestions on marinas I should check out would be greatly appreciated

Thanks again...Mark

Capt. Lou · #4 09-21-2010, 02:03 PM

The channel club up the Shrewabury R. has all the goodies for your wife. Well run, nice docks. However it's a ride to the hook from there.
However in a samller OB boat further down river you can safely run outside the channel once you learn the river & save mucho time.
Belmar municipal probably has some of the nicest docks around , but no pool ,although your close to a lot of towns .
MRC is also nice ,I used to lay up there in the winter when I docked in Belmar,nice for summer I would guess although never docked here.

Gerry Zagorski · #5 09-21-2010, 02:38 PM

Mark I don't have any marina suggestions for you but can tell you the plank is a pain in the ass.... What most people do is tie a line to it and leave it perched up on the dock. When they get back they grab the rope with a rope gaf to get the plank.

What I've seen others do is not use a plank at all and tie bow in and board on the bow. Rather then attach fixed stern lines to pillings they put them on a pulley system with heavy weights attached. The weights keep the bow of the boat off the bulkhead when it's resting in the slip. When they want to board, in addition to the 2 fixed bow lines, they have a separate line off the bow that allows them to pull the boat closer and tie that line off to keep the bow closer while boarding.

In any case, there is no great way to have an outboard boat on a fixed peer. A floating dock with peers is your best best.

markn911 · #6 09-21-2010, 02:40 PM

Thanks Captain Lou..the channel club certainly would make the wife happy and myself as well...how far of ride is it to the hook from there??

markn911 · #7 09-21-2010, 03:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gerry Zagorski

Mark I don't have any marina suggestions for you but can tell you the plank is a pain in the ass.... What most people do is tie a line to it and leave it perched up on the dock. When they get back they grab the rope with a rope gaf to get the plank.

What I've seen others do is not use a plank at all and tie bow in and board on the bow. Rather then attach fixed stern lines to pillings they put them on a pulley system with heavy weights attached. The weights keep the bow of the boat off the bulkhead when it's resting in the slip. When they want to board, in addition to the 2 fixed bow lines, they have a separate line off the bow that allows them to pull the boat closer and tie that line off to keep the bow closer while boarding.

In any case, there is no great way to have an outboard boat on a fixed peer. A floating dock with peers is your best best.

Thanks Gerry, you confirmed what I thought...the plank is a pain in the ass

Thanks again

Gerry Zagorski · #8 09-21-2010, 03:25 PM

It's got to be in excess of 8 miles, most of which is in no wake zones. There is a "clammers" channel that leads from the bridge out to sandy hook that takes you out of some of the no wake zones, but unless you know it, I would not advise trying to use it.

Ryan W · #9 09-21-2010, 03:37 PM

Back when my family owned a boat, we kept it way up the shrewsbury, and I'm betting that the ride would be like 30-40 mins (was like a hour for us- surefire way to ensure that we sold the boat- 1 hr ride to find the fish). Trust me, you're much better off ensuring that you have a short ride to the fish. I think that the marina near the bank off of 35 in PP had slips open (near the RR bridge, but I'm not sure). Your best bet is to go down there and stop by every marina, see how you like it, and ask if they have slips. I'm betting that they've got quite a few openings with the economy the way it is.

Capt. Lou · #10 09-21-2010, 06:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by markn911

Thanks Captain Lou..the channel club certainly would make the wife happy and myself as well...how far of ride is it to the hook from there??

You can run outside the cans from the Oceanic bridge for short distance to Sea Bright, once thru that 36 bridge past Bahrs you can run outside the channel all the way to mouth of the bay. A word of caution , this section of river is heavily polsiced on WE so pay attn.
My boat drew a little over three ft. so stayinf in tight to the cans you'll be OK.
I'm in no way telling you to run this route w/o first familarizing youerself w/ the river. If you go go to the Channel Club it's as stated about 8 to tip of SH.
A good chart & DF plus gaining local exppierance in making this run should be first & foremost on your list. I did not do it in late fall on NW blowout days, I took the channel under those conditions. Fog or nite always used channel that goes w/o saying !!
Anyway you cut it it's can be 30 mins in the river to the mouth of the bay. Like was stated earlier it's tough to plaese your wifre at a dock that offers nothing but rock N roll seating via passing wakes. Look around that's the best advice.
Some great fishing docks this can be an issue due to their location.