Chesapeake Bay Marina recommendations?

[xort]

T37
I checked...you are right! Sorry, I don't know where I got that number. Maryland seems to be middle of the pack in tax rates. Not to bad, especially considering the location.

So the Maryland sales tax rate is 5%, if you pay 5% or more to some other state, and have proof of that, you shouldn't have to pay taxes to Maryland. They don't have a use tax do they?

[SailorMitch]

In Maryland, if the boat is documented, you just have to "buy" the little sticker, which I think costs something like $12 a year. The tax rate is 5 percent, and if you paid that rate or higher elsewhere, there is no additional sales tax.

Cam -- yes, many cities counties in Virginia have a personal property tax on cars and boats. According to a friend who lives in Norfolk, the only locality down there that does not have such a tax on boats is Portsmouth. There's something about moving your boat to Portsmouth the first part of each year when the tax is due so that you do not have to pay the Norfolk tax. Thus, as far as I know, it's easy to get around the tax but you have to move the boat to Portsmouth.

On the whole, the western shore of Maryland (especially Baltimore-Annapolis area) is a pretty good place to keep a boat given BWI airport.

[haukebo]

Maybe I should keep my boat in Delaware for the summer, as they have no sales/use tax on boats there...anyone know of any good marinas there?

[T37Chef]

Be sure to check out the threads on sailing in the Delaware Bay.

[CDRA]

The Delaware river and bay are not such a bad sailing area, parts are industrial and parts are undeveloped. You need to develop your chart reading skills, plan with the tides and pay attention to the commercial traffic, but a great many interesting locations from Lewis DE, Cape May NJ, the C&D canal and all the way up river to Trenton NJ.

Check out Anchorage Marina at the end of the approach lights to Phila Airport (delawarerivermarina.com), not the best marina but inexpensive, live aboard ok, close to a bus to the airport and Philadelphia.

[CDRA]

Marinas in Essington PA, a two mile waterfront with at least 8 marinas, down river from Philadelphia, with about 17 ft depth at low tide.

The Lagoon (thelagoon.net) $50/foot for the season aslo has a nightclub, hotel and resturant.

Rosse Marina in Essington also does repair work.

Anchorage Marina about $40/foot for the season, less for winter has the only fuel dock on the PA DE side of the river between the C&D and Philadelphia.

About 3 hrs at 5 knots to Center City Philadelphia.

Above Philadelphia; Neshaminy State Park Marina on the PA side and Winters Marina at Riverside NJ (winterssailing.com).

Neshaminy has probably the best winter storage with security provided by Park Rangers, State Police and Township Police patrols, but 3 to 4 hrs depending in the tide from center city, and a full days sail before you get to the bay.

On the Delaware Bay more marinas on the NJ side than DE side, and more "natural" than near Philadelphia, with protected wetlands, but Lewis DE is probably the prettiest destination.