Cockrell's Marine Railway in the Little Wicomico River, Heathsville, VA (West of the Chesapeake south of the Potomac River) has removed a finger pier allowing for the hauling of multi-hulls on the marine railway. Our boat, Pretty Penny, a 49 ft. power cat with 23 foot beam was just hauled there. They repaired a soft spot in one keel, wash and waxed the hulls and gave her new bottom paint. They also did some head work that was worth every penny we gave them! We would highly recommend the work of Andy and Miles Cockrell that work the marina. They are a full service marina with qualified engine mechanics and they do allow do-it-yourself work. They also have a travel lift that can handle some trawlers and sail boats. This marina has a couple of bad reviews in Active Captain. We personally know one of the reviewers. He got an estimate he thought was too high and did not use the marina and based his review on that alone. The Little Wicomico River does have a little tricky entry through a partially silted jetty. Enter to the North side, then move immediately to the south side and multihulls with less than 4 foot draft should have no problem. Two passenger ferries use enter this river twice a day, as well as many large local fishing boats. Anything close to 5 feet should enter only on a high tide. We draw 3 and a half feet. Smith Point Sea Rescue assists boaters in the Smith Point area free of charge. Hail on Channel 16 if you need them. They can also offer advice on entering the Little Wicomico. Contact us is you need further info on the capabilities of this marina. We will be joining the crowd moving south shortly to spend our 6th winter in the Bahamas, primarily the Exumas, the Jumentos, and Long Island. Hope to see some fellow power cats there again this winter. The number of power cats we encounter grows every year. Penny and Bob Kingsbury (Pretty Penny 49 ft. Crosswater) "The true worth of your travels lies not in where you come to be at the end of your journey's end, but in who you come to be along the way." Follow along on the travels of "Pretty Penny" on our blog at http://prettypennycruise.blogspot.com

*Gary & Elizabeth Haring* *Pegasus44PC@gmail.com* *Manta 44 Powercat* *Apollo Beach, Florida * * * * * Penny and Bob Kingsbury (Pretty Penny 49 ft. Crosswater) It is always nice to get useful information about boating from boaters and it is even more useful when it regards the type of boat you own. As catamaran owners we have unique requirements that do not apply to the majority of boaters. How many times have we heard about a great opportunity only to find out that we cannot take advantage of it because of our beamy bottoms? This limits competitiveness and choice forcing cat owners to sometimes accept less than quality customer service, still I will not give up my cat. Fortunately, the marine industry is changing or perhaps they are only reacting to what the enlightened cruising public has known for years, that two hulls are better than one. Still some marinas and yards feel they are doing cat owners a favor by providing access to their facility. I understand that a cat fills up a slip where they may be able to dock two boats and that the T head was designed to accommodate larger longer yachts so the dock master might have some justification in their hesitation to place a cat for the fear of lost revenue. Some compensate by charging more and a few charge double. Understanding their perspective does not make this any more palatable. Yards are even harder to comprehend. Hulling out my 44 foot power cat I often find additional fees added only due to my boat being a cat. Never mind that blocking is so simple that it takes half the time of a traditional mono hull power boat and with the light displacement there is much less bottom to deal with. Yet how many times have I paid extra for pressure washing, sanding, and painting. They claim there is more bottom but the physics does not support this. The displacement on a 44 foot trawler weighing 74 thousand pounds must result in more bottom than a 44 foot 27 thousand pound cat yet I pay more. When confronted with these facts some suggest that I take my boat elsewhere. I suspect these people talk with all their customers this way and sometimes I follow their suggestion yet the majority feel empowered due to the limited competition that exists forcing me to keep my opinions to myself. Double standards are truly not the American way of doing business and these yards will ultimately suffer from their attitude. My wife and I cruise extensively on Pegasus often hulling out in strange and exotic locations and not all have been a completely enjoyable experience. I thank you for the name of a cooperative yard. I am still looking for one in my local Tampa Bay area that I could recommend. When I find one I will post it. Please keep the info coming especially concerning the Bahamas. We have been hesitant to travel there since the downturn in their economy. We have never had a bad experience in the Bahamas yet my wife is cautious pointing out that our boat screams money painting us as a target. I miss the Bahamas more than her because I love to dive. Our last trip was to the Jumentos where I believe in Flamingo there is this wonderful reef near the entrance channel that is simply pristine. Enjoy your cruise and we hope to share an anchorage with you some day. Gary** On Sun, Oct 21, 2012 at 10:00 AM, P. King <rnpking@hotmail.com> wrote: > > Cockrell's Marine Railway in the Little Wicomico River, Heathsville, VA > (West of the Chesapeake south of the Potomac River) has removed a finger > pier allowing for the hauling of multi-hulls on the marine railway. Our > boat, Pretty Penny, a 49 ft. power cat with 23 foot beam was just hauled > there. They repaired a soft spot in one keel, wash and waxed the hulls and > gave her new bottom paint. They also did some head work that was worth > every penny we gave them! > > We would highly recommend the work of Andy and Miles Cockrell that work > the marina. They are a full service marina with qualified engine mechanics > and they do allow do-it-yourself work. They also have a travel lift that > can handle some trawlers and sail boats. > > This marina has a couple of bad reviews in Active Captain. We personally > know one of the reviewers. He got an estimate he thought was too high and > did not use the marina and based his review on that alone. > > The Little Wicomico River does have a little tricky entry through a > partially silted jetty. Enter to the North side, then move immediately to > the south side and multihulls with less than 4 foot draft should have no > problem. Two passenger ferries use enter this river twice a day, as well as > many large local fishing boats. Anything close to 5 feet should enter only > on a high tide. We draw 3 and a half feet. > > Smith Point Sea Rescue assists boaters in the Smith Point area free of > charge. Hail on Channel 16 if you need them. They can also offer advice on > entering the Little Wicomico. > Contact us is you need further info on the capabilities of this marina. > > We will be joining the crowd moving south shortly to spend our 6th winter > in the Bahamas, primarily the Exumas, the Jumentos, and Long Island. Hope > to see some fellow power cats there again this winter. The number of power > cats we encounter grows every year. > > Penny and Bob Kingsbury (Pretty Penny 49 ft. Crosswater) > > "The true worth of your travels lies not in where you come to be at the > end of your journey's end, but in who you come to be along the way." > > > > Follow along on the travels of "Pretty Penny" on our blog at > http://prettypennycruise.blogspot.com > > _______________________________________________ > Power-Catamaran Mailing List >

> looking for one in my local Tampa Bay area that I could recommend. When I I've never used them, but Progress Marine Services in Salt Creek (St. Pete) is expecting (or may already have) a new lift that can handle 26'. New 94 Ton, 26' Beam Travel Lift Coming October 2012 http://www.progressiveboatyard.com/ -rja