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PhilipLankford

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My boat might actually see water this year for the first time in many years!!

I'm trying to decide where to keep it- whether I want it closer to home here on the northern Delaware (preferable, but I really hate the marinas up here...), or if I should just leave it in the Upper Chesapeake or in the canal.

Mike- How long was it taking you to get to SkipJack from here?
 
Anyone know anything about Triton Marina just south of Elkton? Looks close enough to a small airport that I could use to get into.
 
Phil do you have your own airplane? If so then middle river is very close to an airport (a few minutes) that I think you can fly into. Middle river is well situated to Baltimore, Annapolis, and many other great boating venues.
 
I face the same decision every year; and usually end up down in Maryland. I kept my boat at Triton for a month a couple years ago, great marina, but I'm not a big fan of the upper elk. Actually the upper elk is nice, it's the area around Turkey Point, pretty much from the canal down past the bohemia that I avoid at all costs. It gets pretty narrow there, a ton of traffic, and it's always choppy as hell, even on a calm day. It just takes too long to get from the canal down to the sassafrass, so all of the spots we like to go to - Still Pond, Fairlee, Hart Miller Island, Kent Narrows become a more painful trip when you add those last few miles. I'd much rather spend an extra 10-15 minutes each way in the car, and not have to deal with that stretch of water.

There is a small airport over there somewhere, maybe this one?

Massey Aero, LLC
Massey, MD
(410) 928-5270
http://www.airnav.com/airport/md1

And Middletown is pretty close to the Sassafras marinas
http://www.airnav.com/airport/KEVY
 
Hey Phil- welcome back to the U.S. We stayed at Skipjack Cove for a few years and really enjoyed it. The ride from Philly area averaged 90 minutes. Add 15 minutes if Friday rush hour. Once you get there it was well worth the ride. Give us a call to say hello.
 
Phil, from our home in Central Bucks County near Doylestown to Skipjack Cove is anywhere from 1:45 to 2:00 hours depending on traffic. SJC is a nice marina and the Sassafras is a gorgous river. As Rick pointed out, the Middle River does have easy access to Martin State Airport and friends I know how boat there like it but I find that area a bit to busy for my taste. The Elk and Bohemia Rivers have too much shallow water for me and they are too far north for easy access to many destinations. I would suggest you try Skipjack for a season and see how you like it. I'd be happy to show you around those waters if you like.
 
If I had to fly, I would check into Bay Bridge Marina. Bay Bridge airport is a few hundred yds. away, and they made some folks mad this yr. which created alot of empty slips. They created 40' slips, and that is what folks had to pay for as a min.
 
Another fly in option is Lee airport (KANP) and any of the South River marinas (Pier 7 or Liberty)
 
Thanks all. Triton looks like almost walking distance from Cecil County (used to be Raintree I believe) airport. By walking distance, it looks like about a mile. Is that the Elk River?

Rick- I do have a plane, yes. It's kept in Trenton, NJ- so probably a 30 minute flight down to the canal area. I'll check out Martin State/Middle River as well. The nice thing with being north is that I can drive or fly. They wife and baby aren't getting in the plane.

Hey Larry- guess what. I'm a father... :)
 
Is the Elk shallow even if you are south of Triton? Realistically- even though I'll finally get her in the water, I won't put many hours on her with a 6 month old (happy just to drop her in this year, the boat that is- not the daughter :) ), so a wealth of destinations is probably lower on the priorities vs. accessibilty for this season. Hence the desire for possibly fly or drive options. Most of my time on the boat will probably be day trips with a friend or two in the plane.
 
Phil -

On occaision, Triton has been known to get shallow water. Check out Tomes in Port Deposit. But, no airport nearby.
 
Maybe time to get pontoons on that bird and certified for water landings. ;)
 
The Elk isn't marked all that well up there, but if you stay on the correct side, it's deep enough up to Triton. I never took my 40' up there, but the marina swore I could make it all the way without any issues, and I drew about 3'6". The drive to Triton is pretty easy, but really from Philly you are talking about ten-fifteen minutes less each way in the car than to get to one of the marinas on the Sassafras, so I'd go take a good look at both before signing a contract.

By the time you get over to Trenton, get your plane off the ground, fly down to MD, and then spend half an hour walking to the marina - wouldn't it be quicker to drive? Not as much fun I'm sure, but if you want to spend time on the boat?

If I needed a boatel/high and dry, I'd be at Triton in a second - I realy did like the place - but it was my first summer on the bay after transplanting from Jersey Shore. I bailed one month in, and moved down to Duffy Creek, because the river location didn't make up for the short car trip. Keep in mind though, I had a 23' bowrider, so Turkey Point probably beat me up a bit more than it will you. From there, my usual day trips were either lunch in Chesapeake City, anchor in Lloyd Creek, or run up the NE River to Nauti Goose Saloon.
 
Mike- now there's an idea!!! 182s are perfect for floats :)

Alk- you're correct, it's not so much a time thing as it is a "hobby time" thing. I could drive it at least as fast as driving north, preflighting, runup, taxi, etc. BUT.... It's much easier for me once I'm flying anyway to take another few hours to spend time taking a cruise than it is for me to leave the house one more time. You only have so many hobby passes a summer- better use them right! So one day with the plane and another day in the boat is much less palatable than a slightly longer day with both. Heck, I'd even take my motorcycle to the plane to kill all three birds at once!
 
You have Summit North as well. I think there is an airport not too far away on Rt 896.
 
Phil, I used to own a Cherokee and have flown all around this area and also have a boat (where I live) n Chesapeake City.

You can email me at philip sugar (no space) at google's service.

Triton is a bit of a walk, you can get in and out ok.

All of the advice here is right. Summit Airport is not far, but is definitely a drive.
 
I would get rid of the plane and get a bigger boat and drive to sassafras the marinas are really good try the sassafras harbor rite there at the bridge
 
I used to keep my boat at Tidewater in Havre de Grace. Another option to consider...not sure about airport though. This is a decision I always struggle with , but my boat is a 25 footer so I'm not usually overnighting on it. Keeping it on the Chesapeake would include a 70 minute drive each way to use the boat.....gets old after a while. It would be different if I got a bigger boat that I could stay on for the weekend. For now I'm on the Delaware. I trailer to Chesapeake or Jersey Shore when I need a break.
 
I'd put the boat at the Bay Bridge airport/marina on Kent Island. Plus your buddies would REALLY enjoy the short cruise to RedEyes on Sundays. That airport is outside the SFRA that demands constant radio contact.

Perfect base for short cruises to Rock Hall, St. Michaels, Annapolis, Chestertown and fantastic Baltimore harbor...with its cheap seawall tie ups for concerts and great events for war of 1812 celebrations + auto race this fall. IMHO it is a no brainer for you.
 
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