There is a absolutely wonderful little club on the Magothy, Black Hole Creek, called Patapskut Sailing Association (PSA). You will only get a mooring, in a very protected cove, a beautiful clubhouse but small. All kinds of sailboats that club members can use and their Sail Camp is great, as is MYCs Sail Camp. No pool at PSA, the bathrooms are the best of any around I know of. If my boat was smaller and not a liveaboard (they don't take liveaboards) I would be there in a second. I was going to move there last year but they didn't have a mooring for a boat my size (43' with Davit). They have slips but you will never get one, the waiting list is probably 10 years out. A great group of people there, but like any club there are always a few jerks. Its very inexpensive, less than $1000 a year for a mooring and membership. My favorite spot but like I said, my boat length restricts the availability of moorings for me... Ugh
There is another small marina on the Magothy, North Shore Marina on Broad Creek (Pasadena)... oddly they can take some pretty large boats. Nothing there really and last I looked, the docks are not in great shape...good, safe enough, but could use new decks. The only way to talk to anyone is to go there in person, and hope someone is there at the house.
- Bodkin Marina (not to be confused with BYC) on Back Creek off Bodkin Creek (Still Pasadena)... Charlie is the owner. When I was there in 2004 I paid $1200 for the year. Docks are old, the bathrooms are okay at best, but its extremely well protected and shallow. My draft is 4' and occasionally I was on the bottom... but could power out fine. I do not like Bodkin Inlet... lots of crab pots, exposed to the North, and busy.
- Bodkin Yacht Club (a working club but nice, small, my uncle was Commodore there about 3 years ago) Pool (in water pool), Bar, member use kitchen and dining hall, new docks, and extremely protected and far back the creek. It is a working club, meaning members work there to maintain and run the club... about 40 hours + a year
- Hammock Island Marina (very cool place on its own little island but a little exposed to the north, no boats over 37' so I'm out with the davit. IIRC they quoted me $3500.
- Ventnor is mostly power and small, seems they don't take many sailboats, at least my size or larger.
- Pleasure Cover Marina adjacent to Bodkin Yacht Club is weird, I don't know what it is but the place just is. The owner built this eye sore of a storage facility that looks like a airplane hanger big enough for two 747s... now managed by Suntec. The new management there seems very green? Heard some bad things lately, and the restaurant on site is horrible, Cheshire Crab House.
What you said punahougirl84/Lee about Oak Harbor, Fairview, and MYC is pretty accurate. With kids you would probably be happiest with MYC or Fairview. The pool at MYC is the best around. Plus all the other amenities it has, however if you have work to do its not the best choice IMHO... Oak Harbor would be the first choice, but with kids maybe Fairview would be a better choice?
- Middle River Marinas... I hear a lot of good things about Bowleys Quarters? I know Baltimore Yacht Club well... my Grandfather was Commodore there twice, spent many a summer there as a kid... lots of memories. They currently have a waiting list I believe? Also fairly pricey. Beautiful clubhouse and the best pool around. Diving 3' and 8' with a 12' depth and a kiddie pool. Very protected and technically on Sue Island...but not much anymore. Essex Marina I know well, best friend still keeps his sailboat there, but really nothing other than very well protected and nice docks... fairly reasonable. Many marinas on Middle River... and on the weekends its a very busy river = lots of wake. I don't miss it.
- Forget Bush River, Gunpowder River or Back River.
- Dundalk/North Shore of the Patapsco there are some good finds... Old Bay Marina and another that escapes me at the moment.
- Stoney Creek there is nothing
There are some great marinas in Baltimore but the sail out to the bay is at best 90 minutes... maybe for winter storage but during the season, anything on Rock Creek is really the best spot for anything off the Pataspco IMO. I think that sums up most places I know between Middle River and the Magothy north shore. I looked at Magothy Marina, Ferry Point Marina, and even Deep Creek Marina on the South Shore of the Magothy... either too expensive or not close enough for me. I do love the Magothy River though... but I spent a lot of time there as a kid at our shore house off Broad Creek near the bug "Glass House"... shame the family sold it
It would be worth a lot now!