Have crossed the Atlantic and spending this winter in the Carribean we plan to cross to New England / Massachusetts via Bermuda in May 2024. Looking for recommendations for mooring or marina there where we can leave Carioca (50ft monohull for approx 6 weeks in June/July at a reasonable cost.

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Chris.Hart - 10 Sep 2023

Have crossed the Atlantic and spending this winter in the Carribean we plan to cross to New England / Massachusetts via Bermuda in May 2024. Looking for recommendations for mooring or marina there where we can leave Carioca (50ft monohull for approx 6 weeks in June/July at a reasonable cost.

Hi Chris,
I would consider finding a spot where you wish to end up and asking again: there are a great number of options. Consider the ease of getting to an airport as well as other considerations.
I would also consider hauling for that period. The yards are mostly empty and you may get a decent price, comparable or less expensive than a marina, but probably not cheaper than a mooring. It is likely safer also from inadvertent damage on the hard.
Keep in mind that some of that time is hurricane season. On the hard, the yard will take some responsibility (likely) while in a marina and/or mooring, I suspect you will be more on your own in arranging preparations: not easy from a distance and when everyone else is in a frenzy of preparation.
My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy

Hello Chris - I am based in Maine. In general, Maine is likely to be less expensive than Massachusetts or Long Island sound. Moorings are also a much better value than marina slips. Moorings will be $40 to $60 per day (maybe less for a weekly rate). Marina slips are typically $2.50 to $3 per ft per day. Rockland Harbor has several good options for moorings and bus connections to airports in Portland and Boston. For an extended period of time, it is best to make a reservation as things do fill up.

Good luck - Bill W

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bweigel2@gmail.com - 10 Sep 2023

Hello Chris - I am based in Maine. In general, Maine is likely to be less expensive than Massachusetts or Long Island sound. Moorings are also a much better value than marina slips. Moorings will be $40 to $60 per day (maybe less for a weekly rate). Marina slips are typically $2.50 to $3 per ft per day. Rockland Harbor has several good options for moorings and bus connections to airports in Portland and Boston. For an extended period of time, it is best to make a reservation as things do fill up. Good luck - Bill W

Hi Bill,
Have commercial moorings improved enough to be trusted in a hurricane?
They were clearly not when I was last in the area. It has been a while since I sailed the US East Coast and during that time, I suspect moorings have improved, but, when preparing for a hurricane while out cruising, I would (and did) look to anchor out rather than trust a mooring (and by that I also mean a mooring field and its closely packed grouping of boats who were often not well prepared for the hurricane: often it is other boats that do the most damage to one’s own boat).
A few seasons ago, in Newfoundland, we had a hurricane come looking for us: well predicted, we picked a location where I suspected we could anchor out safely rather than trust a recreational boat marina or a mooring.
I “hurricane proofed” my personal mooring (Long Island Sound) and my mooring, at the time, had 3 or 4 times the holding and chafing capacity of any commercial mooring I heard about or used.
As a “tell” for trust in a mooring field, look at the boats, in anticipation of a hurricane, looking to get hauled last minute and off their moorings. Then look at the other boats and how many of them show clear evidence that their owners did not make the effort to prepare their boat for the hurricane.
Thanks for your thoughts.
My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy

I agree with Bill there’s more choice in Maine and it’s also more affordable. We faced the same conundrum last year though we were leaving our boat for longer than you. In the end we opted for a haul out and storage ashore which was cheaper and more available in the summer months.
Simon

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Chris.Hart - 10 Sep 2023

Have crossed the Atlantic and spending this winter in the Carribean we plan to cross to New England / Massachusetts via Bermuda in May 2024. Looking for recommendations for mooring or marina there where we can leave Carioca (50ft monohull for approx 6 weeks in June/July at a reasonable cost.

+x

 

Dick - 11 Sep 2023

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bweigel2@gmail.com - 10 Sep 2023

Hello Chris - I am based in Maine. In general, Maine is likely to be less expensive than Massachusetts or Long Island sound. Moorings are also a much better value than marina slips. Moorings will be $40 to $60 per day (maybe less for a weekly rate). Marina slips are typically $2.50 to $3 per ft per day. Rockland Harbor has several good options for moorings and bus connections to airports in Portland and Boston. For an extended period of time, it is best to make a reservation as things do fill up. Good luck - Bill W

Hi Bill,
Have commercial moorings improved enough to be trusted in a hurricane?
They were clearly not when I was last in the area. It has been a while since I sailed the US East Coast and during that time, I suspect moorings have improved, but, when preparing for a hurricane while out cruising, I would (and did) look to anchor out rather than trust a mooring (and by that I also mean a mooring field and its closely packed grouping of boats who were often not well prepared for the hurricane: often it is other boats that do the most damage to one’s own boat).
A few seasons ago, in Newfoundland, we had a hurricane come looking for us: well predicted, we picked a location where I suspected we could anchor out safely rather than trust a recreational boat marina or a mooring.
I “hurricane proofed” my personal mooring (Long Island Sound) and my mooring, at the time, had 3 or 4 times the holding and chafing capacity of any commercial mooring I heard about or used.
As a “tell” for trust in a mooring field, look at the boats, in anticipation of a hurricane, looking to get hauled last minute and off their moorings. Then look at the other boats and how many of them show clear evidence that their owners did not make the effort to prepare their boat for the hurricane.
Thanks for your thoughts.
My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy

Hello Dick - sorry for the slow reply, I have been distracted preparing for hurricane Lee! You are certainly correct that moorings are only as good as their size and maintenance. In the event of a hurricane, the location is as important if not more so than anchor or mooring. Returning to the original question, perhaps hauling-out is the best solution for an unattended vessel.

Thanks - Bill W