Reviews: Kingston City Marina

Reviewed by: Bob Menzie , Steadfast, on Jul 7, 2024
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 37'
Draft: 3.8'

Rating: 5

If you are looking for a quiet and secluded spot to dock for the night in Kingston, this is not it. For us, we couldn't have been more pleased. Patrick Sheehan, dock master, was responsive and very helpful. We stayed for two nights and by the end of our stay, we felt we had a new friend. The power, water, and WiFi were great! Good voltage, municipal water, and fast connectivity. We travel with an active dog who needs exercise. Kingston is very dog friendly and there seem to be endless options for a good long walk. The truly unique feature of this marina is the location right in the center of all the activity. There are excellent restaurant choices, unique shops, art scene, and we enjoyed a live concert with the best possible seats - our boat's fly bridge. If you enjoy people watching and you have a dog who enjoys bird watching, Kingston City Marina is an excellent choice!

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Reviewed by: Larry LaBrier , Living The Dream, on Jul 6, 2023
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 47'
Draft: 5.0'

Rating: 2

I was hoping the reviews were overstated….they aren't.
We never connected with anyone by radio, after passing the dock and running down a very narrow channel, we got a phone call.
No one to meet us , we were totally on our own to dock. The location is great, but the noise from the bridge work is almost unbearable. Hopefully it ends at 5pm.
Try a different marina!

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Reviewed by: Chris Ensing , Pau Hana, on Jul 1, 2023
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 31'
Draft: 3.4'

Rating: 2

We felt the price was high at $3 a foot for very little amenities. We would have liked to stay the night on this side but opted for the other side of the creek at another marina. We dinghied back to here and were charged $10 for 2 hours to tie up. We basically had no choice as there are no dinghy docks in Kingston. Kingston seems to have a lot of potential & could be a very charming stop but the town seems run down.

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Reviewed by: Capt. Mac Rubel on Jun 5, 2023
LOA: 48'
Draft: 5.0'

Rating: 2

Turn off the Hudson on Right Descending Bank at the Rondout Light and head up the Rondout River channel 1.25 miles and the marina will be on the river's north shore right in the center of the historic village of Kingston. Docks are floating and, for boats under 35', there will be slips. Up to four larger boats (to 50') there will are side ties, several of which will require careful maneuvering when docking. There is current in the river but it is not strong. At the moment there is major bridge work being done on the Wurts Street Historic Bridge. The air compressors supporting the sandblasting and painting are just off the west end of the town dock. It appears that they work for 7 am to 5 pm six days a week. You want to make sure that you are not put on that end of the dock: The compressors are loud. When the work is finished I would raise the rating to three stars.

The marina is a municipal property and it is clear that there is an investment program to maintain the facility at an acceptable level but it is also clear that the target level is "usable", not "fabulous". Protection from wind, wakes, waves, and current is very good. Everyone obeys the "No Wake" sign. Cell signal was very good for the three carriers and there is marina Wi-Fi, but the signal did not reach our slip so we could not test it out. There is a key coded security gate to get down to the floating docks, and a single, utilitarian, key coded bathroom/shower is located off the docks, in the local park. Our slip had two 30 amp power outlets so, if you have 50 amp shore power you will have to have your own combiner adapter to make it work. Dock depths at the far upstream end of the 600 foot dock were 7' MLW. Dock cleats are well secured and properly spaced. The marina is an acceptable place to dock your boat but that's about it.

In real estate they say that it is all about location. Why would you want to stop at Kingston Municipal Marina? Location, Location, Location. If you are looking for a place to spend an extra day going ashore it would be hard to do better than Kingston, even without a car. For provisioning, Hannaford's is about 3 miles away and Stewarts is only a mile up the road. Both use delivery services. Two liquor stores are within a mile of the dock. There are ten restaurants within a half mile of the dock, including one that sells outstanding local ice cream. There are several galleries and art cooperatives in the historic district and, for those who are interested in boats and boating history, the Hudson River Maritime Museum is a must stop. All the history you never knew. Have you ever heard of the Rondout Canal? History is staring you in the face. This is really a great destination stop, worth spending and extra day comfortably visiting the city.

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Reviewed by: Brian Wicks on Jun 8, 2022
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 27'
Draft: 2.0'

Rating: 4

Better than I thought based on reviews. Great location for restaurants- kudos to Savona restaurant. Facilities ok. Electricity worked great.

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Reviewed by: Wade A. on Jun 20, 2021
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 45'
Draft: 4.0'

Rating: 2

Pro: Right on the city waterfront. Good water and power. Great restaurants, Maritime Museum, farmers markets, etc. Goof Uber/taxi service. Lots going on, especially on weekends

Con: Floating aluminum docks for larger boats are TERRIBLE. They are unsteady, noisy, often too hot for pet feet, and regularly covered with duck poop. Limited privacy from the waterfront promenade. One unisex restroom/shower for all transients. One good dock master out of three. Area can be noisy on weekends,

Conclusion: An OK choice if peace and quiet are not priorities. There are better, but less convenient choices in Kingston.

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Reviewed by: Steve Dudka on Jun 8, 2021
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 40'
Draft: 3.6'

Rating: 2

We came to the Kingston City Marina to weather a storm and enjoy the downtown. Our second time to Kingston. I believe I need to say something regarding what is advertised versus what is given as a service. First the website is misleading and we thought it was $2.00 a foot when it was actually 2.25 plus power. We were almost under the bridge beside the outflow pipe for the storm drains and who knows what else. It stunk! We are hooked up to the "Marina Guest WiFi" and it does absolutely nothing. The floaters we are on are secured at each end only to the seawall and are easily over 200 ft long. We had to secure our boats directly to the seawall to prevent the dock pulling away as higher winds were forecast. As a recognized stopover for cruisers and some loopers, this service is totally unacceptable. The city needs to step up their game and make some not so expensive improvements to encourage visitors.

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Reviewed by: Rob Dare , Liberty Call , on May 28, 2021
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 46'
Draft: 4.5'

Rating: 4

Nice marina in a great location. The new lease holder is working hard to improve the marina. The location is perfect in the middle of downtown with a large shady park. Surrounded by great restaurants. Lots of nice places to take a dog for a walk.

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Reviewed by: Eddy Johnsen , Spiritus, on Jun 14, 2018
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 36'
Draft: 4.0'

Rating: 2

The best thing about this marina is the location. Sheltered by the high cliffs of the Roundout Creek and in a no wake zone, you are in the middle of the old downtown waterfront of Kingston. Several good eating establishments, from fine dining to casual fare, are within a five minute walk of the marina. The Hudson River Maritime Museum is worth a visit to learn about the fascinating and vital roles that the Hudson River and NY canals played over the last century.
Unfortunately, the city is not investing any resources to help this facility reach its potential. The docks, electrical outlets, and single restroom need to be modernized.

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