West Michigan Marina Preferences?

[We’reThere]

We purchased our boat mid-season this year and our options were limited when looking for a marina... Looking ahead to next year we haven't been all that impressed with the management at our current stomping grounds in Holland so I wanted to reach out to the brain trust here and get your $.02!

My wife and I are in our mid-30s but can fit into just about any crowd. We enjoy socializing but also enjoy peace and quiet at times. The amenities don't have to be outstanding but being able to handle the 3 S's off of the boat would be ideal. We'd like to keep our drive under a couple of hours to get to the boat so that limits us to anywhere between Whitehall and South Haven. Depending on some unknown work circumstances we may consider moving the boat to the east side as well.

So, chime in everyone! I'd love to get your takes on other options. Good, bad, or otherwise. Thanks!

 

[Stee6043]

Hmm...well here are my personal views on the ports I've spent the most time in. Ranked from our favorite to least favorite.

1.) Saugatuck - Of any port south of Muskegon my wife and I enjoy Saugatuck the most. Scenic, lots of shops, fantastic selection of places to eat/drink.
2.) South Haven - I think this is a close second for us. Another really cool city on the water, plenty of places to go, great places to eat/drink.
3.) Grand Haven - A qualifier right now for GH is that you really need a dinghy to enjoy downtown. With the wall closed it can be hard to get into town via a big boat. You can park for free at municipal, if available, but that's hit/miss on Fridays and Saturdays. But downtown GH is a consistent good time for us. Plenty of good places to eat, drink, shop.
4.) Muskegon - Muskegon Lake is nice, big, great for water sports. But there really isn't much to do off the boat that's central, easily accessible. Harbor town would be fun but I think I'd get sick of Dockers and the Deck if that's the only thing we could walk to from the boat. Other marinas I've been to are in parts of the city where I may not be super comfortable after dark with the kids.
5.) Holland - Holland kinda stinks for things to go do off the boat. Not a real downtown to visit. A limited # of places to eat/drink for the size of the lake.

I guess the kicker for my list is that #1 and #2 may be impossible for slips next year. South Haven is under water and Saugatuck, I'm told, always has a waiting list.

 

[We’reThere]

All great info, Stee, as always! Do you have any specific marinas you’d recommend to slip at or to avoid?

 

[rmlsll]

Hmm...well here are my personal views on the ports I've spent the most time in. Ranked from our favorite to least favorite.

1.) Saugatuck - Of any port south of Muskegon my wife and I enjoy Saugatuck the most. Scenic, lots of shops, fantastic selection of places to eat/drink.
2.) South Haven - I think this is a close second for us. Another really cool city on the water, plenty of places to go, great places to eat/drink.
3.) Grand Haven - A qualifier right now for GH is that you really need a dinghy to enjoy downtown. With the wall closed it can be hard to get into town via a big boat. You can park for free at municipal, if available, but that's hit/miss on Fridays and Saturdays. But downtown GH is a consistent good time for us. Plenty of good places to eat, drink, shop.
4.) Muskegon - Muskegon Lake is nice, big, great for water sports. But there really isn't much to do off the boat that's central, easily accessible. Harbor town would be fun but I think I'd get sick of Dockers and the Deck if that's the only thing we could walk to from the boat. Other marinas I've been to are in parts of the city where I may not be super comfortable after dark with the kids.
5.) Holland - Holland kinda stinks for things to go do off the boat. Not a real downtown to visit. A limited # of places to eat/drink for the size of the lake.

I guess the kicker for my list is that #1 and #2 may be impossible for slips next year. South Haven is under water and Saugatuck, I'm told, always has a waiting list.

+1 on what Stee said. We have been in saugatuck for over ten years and have no plans on moving. Only way we would move would be to Charlevoix or the like.

 

[sbw1]

We have used all of the marinas in Grand Haven. The best run is North Shore. Baretts is owned by the same family. North Shore staff is very talented and can fix anything. Facility is good and they have a nice pool. Storage facility is very clean so your boat looks great coming out of storage in the Spring. Barretts has better weather in the spring for outside work. It can be warm and sunny there and 49 and foggy at NS so less predictable working conditions. I think the staff is better at NS. You can schedule a time to launch or pull the boat and it happens. Not so much at Barretts. Grand Isle and the Wharf are ok but not great. All are pricey. Just my .02.

 

[firecadet613]

A good friend slips at Whitehall Landing and loves it.

 

[We’reThere]

Thanks guys! For convenience sake Holland is fairly good for us... Has anyone ever called Yacht Basin or Anchorage home?

 

[firecadet613]

Thanks guys! For convenience sake Holland is fairly good for us... Has anyone ever called Yacht Basin or Anchorage home?

The previous owner of mine kept it at Eldeans. I was there a few times. Appears very well kept and they have a good service / storage department. Pool too.

 

[We’reThere]

The previous owner of mine kept it at Eldeans. I was there a few times. Appears very well kept and they have a good service / storage department. Pool too.

I won’t say anything disparaging, but we don’t intend to spend another season with Eldean.

 

[firecadet613]

I won’t say anything disparaging, but we don’t intend to spend another season with Eldean.

Well first hand info vs someone stopping by a few times always wins out! I will say, they were the most expensive haul out I've paid to date....

 

[Phasma]

I’ve been in Grand Isle for 3 years. New general manager inherited a mess. He truly intends to, and is, turn things around. The entire South pier of the marina is closed due to the flooding earlier this year. All of the boats from south pier have been stuffed into north pier. Very few available slips. I’ve been told by staff that they probably will not reopen south pier next year. With the restricted services, closed pool, no onsite restaurant or one within walking distance, and expensive slips and storage it probably should be a number 3 or 4 on your list of possibilities. I will say that the general manager Pete is working on things and will get it back up to where it needs to be but its going to take some time. The service department seems to be very good but due to the covid shutdown got a little behind in scheduling. Overall a nice marina that will become a great marina again. Getting in now, if you can, may skip the rush later.

Keenan marina and Northshore seem to be the two best in Grand Haven. The Wharf doesnt appear to be too bad either. Keenan and Barrets are both floating finger docks. Northshore is pretty tough to get into but has nice grassy areas in front of most of the slips. Not sure about availability in The Wharf.

South Haven is fine but keep in mind that if the big lake is rough you are trapped. There is nowhere to go except to dinghy downtown. Weekends downtown get a little rough and not family friendly after about 8pm. Quite a bit of roudy drinking. A lot of shops and restaurants is a plus. Municipal marina was flooded out earlier this year. Not sure of their status. Could be limited slip availability if they are still closed.

love Saugatuck. We run down for the weekend frequently and spend weekends on the hook. Great shops and restaurants as well as night life. Fairly family friendly until after 10pm. Tower marine has some slip availability but is on the Douglas side of the river. Tower has a pool, service and boat store. Pretty nicely kept. You will be on a waiting list for anything on the Saugatuck side. Saugatuck city built a new large dinghy dock this year right next to downtown. Its much improved over what they had and is free to use.

Holland appears to be pretty limited as you already know. With Macatawa being a complete no-wake lake being near the channel is important.

Stee already described Muskegon accurately.

St Jo is possible but I know little about it

 

[Stee6043]

Thanks guys! For convenience sake Holland is fairly good for us... Has anyone ever called Yacht Basin or Anchorage home?

I spent a couple days at Anchorage waiting out some weather a few years back. The people were nice enough from what I recall. We enjoyed the on-site restaurant, pool and party store. I felt right at home with their slips. They appear to be identical to the fixed docks we have at Grand Isle in Grand Haven.

Someone above mentioned floating docks as a marina feature. If you're wide open to considering new marinas I'd personally strongly favor one with floating docks, all else being equal. The more I travel around to marinas with floating docks the more I loathe fixed docks. First world problems, yes, but us fixed dock users only have the perfect height dock for what, 3 years out of every 20? ha.

 

[Boatingnut]

In Saugatuck, check out the Saugatuck Yacht Service. I was there for 10 years, and if you get on the list now, you will have an excellent chance at getting a slip, based on history. Not cheap, though.

 

[Charlesoceanone]

Does anyone know the depth at the city dock in saugatuck? Need to pick up some people and thought that would be quick and easy. I draw 5’. Thanks

 

[Stee6043]

Does anyone know the depth at the city dock in saugatuck? Need to pick up some people and thought that would be quick and easy. I draw 5’. Thanks

Are you talking the dinghy dock near the park? I'd think that might be a bit sketchy with a boat your size. I think you'd be better off hitting a gas dock like Sargeant. Not a lot of "quick and easy" in Saugatuck...

 

[Charlesoceanone]

Yes I believe it was called Coughlin park. I was already there on Saturday. I scoped it out with my dinghy once we got there. Saw 7 feet all the way from the no wake maker to the t head. Was able to pick up family in the morning but couldn’t get close in the evening. The dock was packed. We dropped off at Sargents gas dock.