Reviews: Safe Harbor Beaufort

Reviewed by: Donald Gleason , Seas the Day, on Aug 2, 2024
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 45'
Draft: 4.0'

Rating: 5

Great marina, easy walk to downtown, friendly staff. Definitely be back and recommend.

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Reviewed by: Kay Wilson on May 24, 2024
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 42'
Draft: 4.0'

Rating: 5

Safe Harbor Beaufort Marina.This is a wonderful Marina. Michael and Mikka met us, caught our lines, helped us get docked. They hooked us to power, water, etc. The wind was quite high. They worked diligently to get us safely secured. They told us a little about the town, the festivals. This Marina is very close to the town, you can walk to restaurants. There is a beautiful walk along the water with swings so you can take time to enjoy the day. They do have showers. They have a ship store. Hats off to Michael and Mikka for their assistance in welcoming us to the Marina and helping us get docked.It is a beautiful place to stay.Period.

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Reviewed by: Rick Rhoads , Dreamcatcher, on May 4, 2024
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 43'
Draft: 5.8'

Rating: 5

great marina. a lot of current so plan accordingly. However Troy and the others are great at getting you back iff the dock when you need to leave. Kathy was incredibly helpful and friendly. told us about the sites and brought us some maps. easy access to downtown Beaufort. Floating docks. central fuel dock easy to access. Good showers (shared dressing area though) and bathrooms.

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Reviewed by: Richard Lewis , Sea-Quel, on May 1, 2024
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 56'
Draft: 4.5'

Rating: 5

Staff was very helpful . Marina is very convenient to downtown attractions. Had to leave at slack tide due to current. We were there two days and really enjoyed it. We will be back.

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Reviewed by: Kevin Williams , m/v Blue Tortuga, on Apr 10, 2024
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 40'
Draft: 3.5'

Rating: 2

My negative review is based on the idea that Safe Harbor, having the resources they do, should do a much better job. We stayed here in a mooring ball for 1 night. The marina has no system for mooring reservations, it's on a first come first serve basis so as you're coming in it's a guess if you have a mooring or not. The mooring balls themselves are not maintained. We attempted to secure a mooring ball on 3 separate occasions before we finally found one that could be used on the 4th try. Balls are missing pennants, pennants are broken, some are zip tied so you can't secure it. We witnessed another boat have the exact same issues of hunting for a functional ball. The staff was apologetic and wanted to be helpful. At the very least, if you're not going to maintain the mooring field clearly label which balls aren't functioning to prevent boaters from roaming around the field looking for a functioning one.

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Reviewed by: Francis Gravel on Nov 27, 2023
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 36'
Draft: 6.7'

Rating: 4

Call on 68 for Safe Harbor Marina and 3 guys get out to help me.

Current is nasty and you should always dock on it's opposite side. You will need help to get out as well. Diesel is at 4.59$ and pump out still at 5$. Fresh water availlable at the fuel dock. Nice quick stop.

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Reviewed by: David Waugh , Winds of Change, on Nov 5, 2023
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 39'
Draft: 4.0'

Rating: 5

The current was a little tricky getting in but the staff, particularly Kathy, were great. Guided us in and expertly handled the lines.

The docks were in great shape and the bathrooms were clean.

The location is ideal. A short walk to town.

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Reviewed by: Jim Louy , M/V Soulmates, on Oct 17, 2023
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 60'
Draft: 5.0'

Rating: 3

First and foremost, the people at this marina are excellent! The current is always a bit tricky to maneuver in, but the dockhands are great. We interacted with Kathy the most for the week we were there, and we can't say enough good things about how friendly and helpful she is. This marina has the newer style GFCI shore power outlets, so be prepared for that if your boat's electrical system is known for tripping shore power breakers with the new leakage-current standards. We found the docks to be adequate, with solid gates to keep the docks secure. The laundry area was clean and reasonably priced at $1.75 to $2.00 per wash and dry load. The ship's store is more of a Safe Harbor souvenir shop, so if you need basic marine supplies, you'll have to go elsewhere. We saw several people with dogs, so it appears to be a dog-friendly area. We didn't use the marina Wi-Fi, but there is a strong T-Mobile 5G signal in the area. Pump outs are via one section of dock in the middle of the fuel dock, so be prepared to move your boat to the fuel pump area when space is available if you need a pump out. We thought the general condition of the dock wasn't worth the price, and we'll will probably stay someplace else the next time we are in the area.

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Reviewed by: Lisa Vidor on Jun 18, 2023
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 42'
Draft: 4.0'

Rating: 4

Easy walk into town, although not much was open on a Sunday and Monday.

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Reviewed by: Xiaolun Sun , Anodyne , on May 12, 2023
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 32'
Draft: 4.5'

Rating: 4

We left our boat on a mooring to go home for six weeks. Dockmaster Michael was very responsive to my inquiries and very accommodating when we had to extend our stay twice. The staff at the marina office were also very friendly and helpful. The bathrooms were clean. Beaufort town was beautiful.

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Reviewed by: Janet Gannon on May 11, 2023
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 37'
Draft: 5.5'

Rating: 4

We reserved a mooring here for a week to enjoy Beaufort. The moorings are in good condition though a bit exposed. Facilities are basic but clean. Docks appear to be in good condition but are filled with derelict boats covered in bittom growth. The current rips through here.

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Reviewed by: Jane Fidler on Mar 19, 2023
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 34'
Draft: 4.0'

Rating: 4

Lots of current here, but once you are settled, you are in the heart of downtown Beaufort. Shower, bathrooms, and laundry are a little hike, but the location is worth the walk.

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Reviewed by: Capt Maria Langer , Do It Now, on Mar 14, 2023
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 32'
Draft: 2.5'

Rating: 4

Strong current, transient boaters are docked on a long t-dock parallel to the river. I had ample dockhand assistance, which I needed for the spot they wanted me in: parallel parked between two larger boats on the inside of the floating dock. This turned out to be a good spot for me because a very large boat across the dock sheltered my boat from a storm that came through the day after I got there. I also had assistance casting off after my two night stay.

Restroom was clean and had adequate toilet and shower stalls, although the changing area wasn't private to each shower stall. Good laundry facility. Free wifi was terrible, "premium" cost extra. Rather than pay an extra $10/night for 30 amp power, I didn't plug in.

Long walk to land and the other facilities. Pet friendly with grassy areas right outside the gate, which is locked at night. Tourists walked by the marina and a handful walked all the way down the dock, but it wasn't a nuisance. No one bothered me at night and I felt safe.

Great location conveniently located close to town with lots of shops and restaurants, as well as historic homes and walking/biking trails.

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Reviewed by: Brent Massey , True Story, on Dec 9, 2022
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 40'
Draft: 5.0'

Rating: 4

The mooring we grabbed was in great shape, and we felt safe and secure all night. We caught some wake from passing boats, but it was infrequent and died down overnight. It wasn't immediately clear where the dingy dock was, but we found it along the shore next to the boat ramp, and there was plenty of room for us there.

We met Emily in the Ship's Store and she was a just the kindest person I've met in a while! She answered all of our questions and gave us the lay of the land and the facilities. She even offered to help get us a ride for provisioning if we needed it. There are beautiful parks along the water, plenty of restaurants and shops all within a comfortable walking distance. We truly enjoyed our stay.

The heads have clearly been updated fairly recently. Unfortunately the exhaust fan in the men's head was not working and it was a bit of a musty sauna in there after so many hot showers. It wasn't a dealbreaker for me, but it had clearly been that way for some time and I would expect Safe Harbor to keep up with that type of maintenance. The captain reports that the women's room was "not fancy, but very clean and comfortable."

Overall, a positive experience. We would stay here again.

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Reviewed by: Hal Goldschlag on Nov 21, 2022
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 37'
Draft: 3.0'

Rating: 4

Charles the dockhand was very nice, knowledgeable and helpful. The marina is situated very close to town and a park to walk the dog. The bathrooms need updating and the docks need to be cleaned.

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Reviewed by: Karen Munson , Oasis, on Oct 31, 2022
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 46'
Draft: 4.0'

Rating: 5

As usual the folks at Safe Harbour Beaufort were friendly and professional. Fast flowing tidal waters can sometimes make this marina a challenge for docking, but the experienced staff is experienced in docking in those conditions. Nice laundry facilities with multiple machines at a reasonable price. Bathroom facilities could use some upgrading. Gates are locked at night for added security. Have stayed here in both fair and foul weather. Plenty to do off the boat. More restaurants than there are days to spend here and haven't met a bad one yet. Took a historic golf cart tour for insight on some historic homes and movies shot here. Fun place to visit.

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Reviewed by: André Blair on Oct 28, 2022
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 40'
Draft: 5.1'

Rating: 5

As usual, SH offers a clean and professional, no surprise, marina and staff. Especially the marina ship store. Needing to go do the groceries, no cab or Uber available. Emily, lent me her personnal car to go do my groceries. Now that deserves a mention here. Nice lady, representative of southern welcomeness. Thank you/ merci Emily and Safe Harbor.

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Reviewed by: James Brace on Jun 6, 2022
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 40'
Draft: 4.0'

Rating: 3

Used the marinas mooring field. Our Super Looper book mentioned $20/day. But the marina manager says he doesn't remember ever having that rate. It was double that! Most expensive ball ever. But an great town to visit!

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Reviewed by: Gena Olson on May 22, 2022
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 50'
Draft: 3.5'

Rating: 5

Came in with 21 mph winds pushing us on the dock. Superior performance from the dock hands getting us tied up. Nice laundry, restrooms/showers were clean, just OK. Water not hot, but OK. Great small town. Upon leaving the dock hands walked the boat back so a pump out could be done. Wonderful!

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Reviewed by: Steve Meyers , Moku, on Apr 2, 2022
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 43'
Draft: 5.5'

Rating: 2

Dock staff wasn't quite rude, but had no interest in helping catch a dock line. We had to ask them to come help instead of watching us. And when all done, walked away while we were still talking to one of them…

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Reviewed by: Brian Wicks on Jan 18, 2022
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 27'
Draft: 2.0'

Rating: 4

Upon arriving we received excellent assistance from Jey with our lines. Easy to get fuel, pump out and water. Facilities we're nice. Ship store cute, not packed with marine essentials. Must take Uber to downtown Beaufort as the Historic section has no provision stores. Transient dock is exposed to ICW and takes the brunt of a storm from the West.

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Reviewed by: Robert Sherer on Jan 14, 2022
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 42'
Draft: 5.0'

Rating: 4

The docks are floating and in good repair. WiFi works and the dockhands expertly helped us dock. The current is swift here, 1 to 2 kts at times, so you must plan ahead carefully if you are assigned an inside slip. The current swirls a bit so you must be careful when leaving, especially when backing out. The town is great to explore and there are many restaurants to sample. The marina used to have a courtesy car but it was discontinued when the marina was purchased by Safe Harbor. Too bad, it was a great convenience.

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Reviewed by: Jeanne N , Telesto, on Nov 26, 2021
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 38'
Draft: 5.5'

Rating: 4

Pulled into Safe Harbor Beaufort on Thanksgiving so no dock hands which was not a problem. This marina has nice floating docks and a very swift current. Tie your boat up well! Nice showers and laundry.

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Reviewed by: Mo Mo on Jul 12, 2021
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 52'
Draft: 5.0'

Rating: 5

Excellent location, services and staff. In slip pump out big plus as we are finding this harder and harder as we venture north. Great docks. Nice facilities. Steps to beautiful downtown. If you have bikes ask for directions to the Spanish Moss Trail, a real treat!

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Reviewed by: David Merchberger , Slo Pace, on Jul 8, 2021
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 40'
Draft: 3.8'

Rating: 4

In late March 2021 was placed on outer face dock with no issues. Dock hands very helpful and accommodating. Beautiful location close to town and all the history imaginable. Many places for food/drink and even a bakery on one of the side streets off the 'main drag'. Worth searching out. Very dog friendly town.

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Reviewed by: Barrington Ed on May 11, 2021
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 34'
Draft: 5.7'

Rating: 4

Outer docks have recently been refurbished. Dock hands (Kyle,Troy and Mike) were VERY helpful. Men's room looks like what one would expect in a gas station on the seedy side of town. Two dead Palmetto bugs in the shower. Location is GREAT.

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Reviewed by: Jay on Apr 14, 2021
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 38'
Draft: 5.0'

Rating: 2

They are putting you on the face dock. All interior slips are occupied by boats that have not moved in 5+ years. If winds E, N or W ok. Otherwise E thru SW, bad fetch and you are pinned and pounded against the face dock. Better to get under the Lady’s Is bridge and use Lady’s Is Marina. Dock hands also more accommodating/helpful there.

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Reviewed by: Joseph & Alyssa , Willing, on Mar 29, 2021
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 47'
Draft: 4.8'

Rating: 5

We had a great stay. The docks are older but well maintained and secure, and the location is perfect. Troy advised us on the best approach given the current and got us secured on a dock parallel to the current. Easy! Our daughter lost her phone and it was turned into the Ships Store. Sunshine and Heidi mailed it to our next port of call in Charleston. Thank you so much. That was beyond the call of duty! Bathrooms clean and showers hot. Great wifi and cellular. Price was very reasonable for the great level of service. Check out Janet’s Walking Tour of Beaufort. What a great way to learn and have fun.

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Reviewed by: Rob Dare , Liberty Call , on Mar 15, 2021
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 46'
Draft: 4.5'

Rating: 4

Great location with lots to do in town. Great restaurants and shops. Lots of places to take the dogs for a long walk. Docks are worn out and WiFi might as well be nonexistent.

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Reviewed by: Heading South on Mar 12, 2021
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 40'
Draft: 4.0'

Rating: 3

The town and restaurants were right there and that was nice. The docks were well worn and the ramp at low tide was quite steep. Overpriced for the facility

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Reviewed by: Scott Tucker on Dec 27, 2020
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 50'
Draft: 4.0'

Rating: 5

Great staff! Beautiful location close to town and all the history imaginable... a perfect place to spend a few days while working my way south.

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Reviewed by: Rob Irvine on Jan 9, 2020
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 35'
Draft: 0.5'

Rating: 3

Great location for walking the seaside town of Beaufort. The staff was very accommodating. Good wifi. Head facilities were just ok and not located within the marina. If you are heading south and need the bridge open you must get to the bridge before 1500 or else you'll wait until 1800 and the marina will be then closed.

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Reviewed by: S/V Reliant on Dec 4, 2019
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 33'
Draft: 5.0'

Rating: 4

Friendly folks, nice docks, WiFi was so so, but this is marina WiFi it seems. Walking distance to tons of stuff. Showers were stalls with curtains., but OK (guys at least), Free parking if you need a rental car or something.

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Reviewed by: FloridaVic on May 18, 2019
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 40'
Draft: 4.0'

Rating: 4

Very accomodating, knowledgeable dockmaster, friendly staff. TERRIBLE WiFi. Quaint, old southern town. Lots of good restaurants, lots of history. 2nd time here, one of our favorite AICW stops.

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Reviewed by: John Rockwell on Nov 19, 2018
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 40'
Draft: 4.0'

Rating: 3

A mixed review. When I called ahead they asked if I was sail or power, had a single or twin screw. That mean's they are paying attention to where they can put you and are thinking about the boat capabilities.+1.

When I came in, the dock guy could not understand the concept of making a spring line fast to the dock (important as the current is strong and the spring line makes docking simple.) -1.

The main dock is worn out. -1.

Downtown Beaufort. +2.

Heminway's Bistro. It's a dive bar with the best lunch in town. Just a few steps away. +1.

The wifi. I could walk a message faster. -1.

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Reviewed by: Robert Sherer on Jul 1, 2018
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 42'
Draft: 5.0'

Rating: 4

Great location to explore downtown, Beaufort. The only drawback is the current. They prefer smaller boats (under 45') to be on the inside of the facedock. The current swirls a bit on the inside and we almost came to grief (the previous boat almost did too) when I tried to back out against the current. If you're on the outside of the facedock, it's not a problem.

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Reviewed by: MALCOLM FARREL on Jun 4, 2018
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 47'
Draft: 4.3'

Rating: 4

Beaufort is a nice place to visit. Dock staff competent, helpful and friendly. Be aware and plan for the strong currents. Passing smaller boats don't slow, so face dock can be a bit bouncy, particularly when the wind is up.

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Reviewed by: Terrance Godbold on Apr 16, 2018
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 36'
Draft: 4.0'

Rating: 5

This is the second time we have stayed at this premiere marina on our second time around the loop. For loopers, it is a must stop. Great facilities, great town.

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Reviewed by: Eddy Johnsen , Spiritus, on Apr 4, 2018
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 36'
Draft: 4.0'

Rating: 4

There's no denying that the city Beaufort is a fabulous place to visit! Waterway Cruising Guide thoroughly, and accurately, sings her praises! The most helpful piece of advice I was given: Before getting there, take the time to look at a tide schedule and develop a docking strategy not only for your arrival, but your departure as well. Other than the peak slack period, the current really rips through this marina.

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Reviewed by: Dena Hankins , Nomad, on Feb 12, 2018
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 32'
Draft: 5.0'

Rating: 5

Both the dock staff and those in the office/store were very helpful. We ended up staying an extra day to provision and warm up.

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Reviewed by: Paul T on Jan 26, 2018
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 54'
Draft: 6.0'

Rating: 4

We enjoyed our one night stay at the marina. They have a courtesy car which can be used during office hours only so plan to use it early. Pump out is by a pump out boat. Dog friendly and easy in / out. If traveling north be aware of the bridge opening hours if air draft is 28’ or more.

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Reviewed by: Chris Caldwell on May 14, 2017
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 50'
Draft: 5.0'

Rating: 4

A few unpublished notes. Mooring field downstream of marina, $20 night includes dinghy dock & showers. Tie up to the bulkhead upstream of marina 50 cents foot, no power or water. Beware high tide range of 7 feet making dock lines tricky. Use downriver half of bulkhead for deeper water. Sometimes a cruise ship will overnight here proving deep water.

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