Reviews: Delaware City Marina

Reviewed by: Dennis Smith , Unsubscribed, on Aug 3, 2024
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 40'
Draft: 4.0'

Rating: 5

The captains briefing was excellent, and very necessary, with Tim the owner and Foster Shucker. They are a wealth of knowledge. We traveled to Cape May and then all the way to Staten Island. We intended to break this trip up into two days, but Foster saw the weather ahead and contacted us and recommended that if we could, we should go all the way to Staten Island or we might be stranded for several days. Foster kept in touch with us during the day to verify his wind and wave predictions were accurate and even phoned at the end of the day for details for the last of the journey. Never have I seen such expert advice and continual following than this. Charlie, the chief mechanic, did some exploratory work for a potential problem and solved it with a solution that I thought was totally illogical. He was right. Mystery solved and turns out to be a manufacturing peculiarity. The charges for exploration of the problem were very fair. All the dock hands are great and everyone wears lots of hats. My kind of folks. Would definitely recommend this marina to anyone in the area.

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Reviewed by: Ruby Sneed , Our Time, on Jul 14, 2024
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 36'
Draft: 4.5'

Rating: 5

We enjoyed our stop at Delaware City Marina. Tim and Foster were great at helping us plan for our run to Cape May and up the east coast. Both are so knowledgeable about the currents, shoals, and obstacles in the area to Cape May.

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Reviewed by: D. Jenkins on Jul 12, 2024
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 31'
Draft: 3.0'

Rating: 5

We really enjoyed our stay at the Delaware City Marina. Great floating face docks protected from wind and wakes. The facilities were very good and the ships store, well stocked. Personnel were very helpful. This was our first cruise down the Delaware River to Cape May so we found the evening Captain's brief to be Outstanding. We developed our cruise plan based on his brief and guidance and it worked out perfect! His expertise and willingness to answer questions was very much appreciated. We would have liked to have stayed a few days to explore the area, but unfortunately the weather window forced us to move on very early the next morning. On our return, we will plan additional days here.

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Reviewed by: Bev Hewitt , Blue Odyssey, on Jun 26, 2024
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 39'
Draft: 3.5'

Rating: 5

Nice stop - dockhands were helpful and friendly. Tim's weather report about crossing the Delaware Bay is excellent!! He is a great guy to talk to and learn from! Enjoyed the town - very quiet. Fun to see original channel and lock of the C&D. We took ferry out to Fort Delaware State Park, enjoyed seeing some Civil War history.

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Reviewed by: Kevin Williams , m/v Blue Tortuga, on Jun 12, 2024
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 40'
Draft: 3.5'

Rating: 5

Previous comments are true- it's a little narrow (aka Roland Martin) with a stiff current (aka St Augustine) but the staff does a fantastic job mitigating those issues. Restrooms are dated but in good order and clean. If you're there on a Sunday make sure to visit Sunday's cafe, its only open on Sundays and well worth it. The afternoon briefing on Delaware Bay travel is invaluable.

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Reviewed by: Deb And Tj Akey on May 31, 2024
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 42'
Draft: 4.5'

Rating: 5

This was one of the very best stops we've ever made in many many years of cruising. From the first moment, the staff was courteous, knowledgable, professional and welcoming. The canal is narrow and has a strong current, but if you follow their detailed instructions it is very easy. The canal is well protected during any weather or wind state.

The day before arriving, call them on the phone to arrange dockage. They will instruct you to call again once you leave the C&D Canal. At that point they will instruct you to call on the radio as you arrive at Red 6A. They will then instruct you to stay within 40 feet of Green 1 then angle over toward the ferry dock and proceed down the canal. The marina is 4 long face docks to starboard. Be aware of the boat launch to port as you come down the canal, especially on the weekends as it's a very busy boat launch. The fourth dock is for transients with gas/diesel/ and a very strong pump-out at the head of the dock. Once you depart the fuel dock they will guide you to your place on the face dock and tie you up. Then they will turn your boat around using lines so that you are faced back out the channel for your departure. The whole process was quick and completely painless. Zach brought us in, but Charlie and Chris and Tim all handle the docking and are all extremely proficient. They have years of experience at this, so pay attention and all will be well.

As to the facilities: The docks are floating and in excellent condition. Power pedestals are well kept. Water is at the dock with excellent pressure even at the very end of the dock. The restrooms are clean and modern and well supplied. The laundry has two washers and two dryers at $1.50 each (2024). They are well maintained and efficient. The store at the office is well supplied with basic parts and if you need anything else most can be had by the next day. There are some snacks and ice and there is a small convenience mart a short walk away as well as many restaurants all within walking distance. It is a very pet friendly marina.

If you are a history buff, there are many historical markers to study along the canal walkway. You can also ride the ferry over to Fort Delaware where they have a Civil War reenactment. Ferry prices are reasonable at $12 each. You cannot land a private boat on the island where the fort is located.

As to the personnel: Tim Konkus, the owner, was unbelievably knowledgable and supportive throughout our outboard repair. He is the primary presenter for their daily weather briefing and route planning from the marina to Cape May down the Delaware River. The briefing was well written and full of helpful information for this area unfamiliar to us and delivered with a bit of humor. Foster, the harbor host for the area, also contributes frequently at the briefing with a lot of useful information and Zach and Charlie also present the briefing on occasion. Charlie, Zach, and Chris were very proficient at handling the docking and turning of the boats and very courteous.

As to the maintenance facility: Pricing was fair and the work was quality. The marina has a travel lift that can haul and launch even larger boats. There is a small storage yard. John is a Yamaha factory trained technician and was able to repair our Yamaha F9.9 outboard. While I don't know all the technicians that work here in the shop, the two I dealt with—John and James—were two of the most polite young men I've ever had the pleasure of dealing with in the marine industry. Having worked in customer service for over 30 years I can always tell the caliber of a manager by the quality of the people who work for him and by the camaraderie among the employees. Tim is clearly an excellent manager because this staff works well together and gets the job done.

I can't say enough good about this place. While we would have preferred not to be sitting here for ten days waiting on parts, it was a great place to be—entertaining, excellent services, great people, and a safe place for the boat. Highly recommend this as a stop.

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Reviewed by: Richard Lewis , Sea-Quel, on May 28, 2024
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 56'
Draft: 4.5'

Rating: 5

Had a great stay. The dockhands were excellent. It is tight if you come in at low tide but they give good directions. The afternoon briefing for those traveling to Cape May was informative. We'll be back.

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Reviewed by: Lance Williamson on Oct 16, 2023
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 40'
Draft: 3.8'

Rating: 5

We had a good stay at Delaware City Marina as we waited for a weather widow to continue our journey. The staff do a great job of giving directions to get into the marina and securing your dock lines. Follow their directions and you will have no problems. Call them on the phone when getting near the mouth of the C and D Canal. Give them your exact location so they can give you appropriate directions. They will have you call them on VHF channel 9 before entering the marina to give you even more directions. Bathroom and showers were just fine. The ships store has a good assortment of merchandise. The little grocery store in town had basic supplies.

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Reviewed by: Lrrryo , , on Jul 13, 2023
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 43'
Draft: 4.0'

Rating: 4

Excellent guidance getting in and out, and great bringing in Delaware bay. But if a walk if you're at the end of the dock. Very helpful, especially if Foster is there.

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Reviewed by: Larry LaBrier , Living The Dream, on Jun 29, 2023
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 47'
Draft: 5.0'

Rating: 5

Well trained crew! They talk you all the way into a very narrow channel and the assistance with docking is amazing to watch. The 4pm briefing on weather and the Delaware Bay is not to be missed. Small town with restaurant choice within an easy walk.

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Reviewed by: Graeme Walker , Confirmed Aquaholic, on Jun 23, 2023
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 54'
Draft: 4.0'

Rating: 5

Lots of good advice from Tim, spent two days on dock, met up with many Loopers. A gpx file showing how to enter/exit would be nice. Great small town, went to St. George for a music festival, great ice-cream, lots of fun taking bike along the river. Great advice on boating Delaware Bay.

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Reviewed by: Paul Steindorf , Ohana, on Jun 17, 2023
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 45'
Draft: 4.5'

Rating: 4

A little shoal at the entrance to the old canal right off the Bay. Tim gives good directions into the marina and assists with tying up to the floating docks, all side ties. They spin the boat around with lines and current assist. Bathrooms could be updated. Nice sun deck area. Tim gives a daily briefing at 16:00 about navigating down the Delaware Bay the next day.

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Reviewed by: Mike , Pickettes Pub, on Jun 6, 2023
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 37'
Draft: 3.0'

Rating: 5

I wouldn't want to attempt a crossing of the Delaware Bay without first attending Tim's 4p briefing (even though others have done it without problems). Yes, the entry to the canal the marina is in can be tricky but the directions the staff provides is spot on. Need groceries? Instacart delivers. Restaurants, liquor store and ice cream parlor are all within easy walking distance. (Crabby Dick's has some of the best cream of crab soup I've ever had and I bought a quart to go!) The marina store has one of the largest selection of boat products I've seen for a marina of this size in addition to gift shop items.
~ Lori

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

Rating: 5

Great staff. Very precise with entering the channel & docking. If you are doing the Loop don't miss the 4 pm briefing to traverse Delaware Bay.

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Reviewed by: Daniel Warthan on May 26, 2023
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 40'
Draft: 4.0'

Rating: 5

The 4pm discussion with Tim was worth the dockage fee alone! Nice people and helpful. Got Uber to grocery store; walked downtown and enjoyed Crabby Dick's; bathroom/shower facilities were fine.

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Reviewed by: Mark Dawes on Jan 26, 2023
LOA: 42'
Draft: 3.5'

Rating: 5

Docking at this marina definitely requires contact with the staff while still in Delaware Bay and careful maneuvering on the way in. Other posts have more detail.

The marina staff is a lot of fun. Handling the boat on the way in I got a kick out of the banter with the marina owner/harbormaster and appreciated the help from the dock hands. The captains meeting was invaluable and resulted in us changing our next 2 days travel plans to avoid areas of the intracoastal waterway that had become too shallow.

The "piesta de resistance" was the Christmas card from the marina. It's the only one I've ever gotten!

(The town is showing its age, but it doesn't lack for character.)

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Reviewed by: C W on Oct 3, 2022
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 45'
Draft: 5.0'

Rating: 4

Great place tie up. Good brief by Dock master on passage down the Delaware bay.

Nice town and easy walk to stores and restaurants.


Wi-Fi not able to connect at south end of the dock.

Mind the entrance depth at low tide - best to time it closer to high tide than low. We plowed some mud at low tide with a draft of 5ft.

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Reviewed by: Patricia And Steven Stanley , Calypso, on Jun 12, 2022
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 39'
Draft: 4.0'

Rating: 4

Delaware City Marina is wonderful. The staff are extremely efficient and helpful. We were told to tie to the long dock on our starboard side. They then used our port stern line and the current to flip us 180 degrees to tie on our port side. While we were flipping, we moved our fenders from the starboard to the port side. This set us up for an easy departure.

The marina has a nice ship's store, 2 locking coed bathrooms/showers and 2 sets of washer/driers. The 4 star rating (not 5) is due to the limited number of bathrooms/showers for the amount of transients. The internet worked at the dock.

We had planned to stay for 2 nights but decided to depart after 1 to get out before a storm. Too bad…we would have enjoyed seeing the town and eating crab at "Kathy's"… next time…

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Reviewed by: Brian Stainken on Oct 5, 2021
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 36'
Draft: 4.0'

Rating: 3

Two negatives.

1. Shoaling at entry. Sailboat grounded in channel 3' at low tide.
2 Diesel price listed in Waterway Guide was off by .60 /gal. Told I could have that price if I filled over 400g and paid cash. Cash means greenbacks, no checks. I went out of my way to this dock because of stated prices. Filled 192 gals and would not even honor the 200 gal rate.

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Reviewed by: Ross Wiltse on Aug 13, 2021
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 40'
Draft: 2.9'

Rating: 4

Interesting location. This is on a old barge canal, a lot of history about the C&D canal. Tim directed us into the marina. At first it seems obvious, the reality is, make sure you have and understand the instructions for arrival. Plenty of water to get in. Side tie only, on a long dock. Tim gived a crossing briefing, and it is well worth the time to understand the tides and currents for the Delaware bay run to Cape May. Local knowledge is worth the discussion with Tim.

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Reviewed by: John Tyrell on Jul 10, 2021
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 39'
Draft: 3.7'

Rating: 3

Great location midway between Baltimore and Cape May. Plenty of water at the docks; lowest water seems to be coming in off the Delaware River where we saw 5' at low tide. Call the marina ahead of time for excellent directions into the marina. Professional dockhand, Tim, gave great instructions for long fixed floating dock and used the current to turn us around. He also gave a detailed weather and chart briefing. Wifi was not working while we were there – was told that it had been hit by lightning and would be fixed in a few days.

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Reviewed by: Jeffrey Skoda on Jun 19, 2021
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 65'
Draft: 6.0'

Rating: 5

Tim and his team are first rate. We only stayed one night, but should have stayed another. The downtown area is quaint and has several good restaurants and bakery.

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Reviewed by: K Courshon on Jun 11, 2021
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 36'
Draft: 4.0'

Rating: 4

This is our first time visiting the marina. Contacted the marina on VHF channel 9 and was provided guidance on entering the Delaware City Branch Channel from the Delaware River. It is important to heed this local knowledge as low tide provides very thin water along the banks. In addition to the parallel docks running along the northern side of the channel there is the Delaware City/Fort DuPont public boat ramp on the south side which you may come upon quickly.

The dockhands provide expert assistance in docking and getting power hooked-up quickly. The marina is a single long dock for transients. The bathhouse was nice and clean. The WiFi was not working due to a recent storm, but with our cellular booster our cell phones provided a suitable substitute as a hot spot.

In the afternoon the marina hosted a captain’s meeting to provide weather/tide/current information and local knowledge for those traveling down the bay to Cape May. While not continuing down the bay on this trip, we found the information useful and added another website (NOAA’s Operational Forecast System) to our tool bag. Thanks Tim and Tristan.

The marina is a short walk to food (we recommend Kathy’s) and shopping. Some stores and the ferry to Fort Delaware are only open on weekends.

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

Rating: 5

Very knowledgeable staff that was very helpful. Owner was on the fuel dock overseeing his operation and ensuring all went smoothly. Two Dock Hands used a bow line and current to turn us around as the channel is very narrow. This worked flawlessly as they do this everyday to help boaters have a safe departure.. They really know their business. Tim’s Delaware brief was worth the stop all by itself. Everyone learned a lot and had good plans for the next day. The Cruise was exactly as predicted. We were able to get a repair down quickly with no advance planning at a great price. Lots of nice places to take a dog for a walk. There is a hound dog that patrols the marina yard that barks loudly at everything passing by which can make taking the dog for a walk harder.

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Reviewed by: Paul T on Jun 22, 2019
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 54'
Draft: 6.0'

Rating: 5

We have just spent a couple of days at Delaware City and will be back in the fall. Firstly the boat handling crew know what they are doing. Listen and there are no pissues. They have done this for years and many thousands of boats. Secondly there are great walks / bike rides to be had along the old canal and the C& D if you want exercise. The marina store is comprehensive and they can get most parts the next day if you don’t have them. The town is small but has character. Lastly, and to me most impressive, is the brief Tim gives daily to the boats traversing the Delaware River and Bay. He explains the usual route, the wind forecast, current forecast and most importantly how they interact. He walks you through the forecast models and shares the online links that should be used including body data, wave size calculator etc. Very, very comprehensive and complete briefs with plan B and C options.

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Reviewed by: George Sangiuliano on Aug 1, 2018
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 62'
Draft: 5.5'

Rating: 5

This is a great place in a quaint town. The owners and management at Delaware City Marina are terrific people anxious to help from the minute we arrived. I was towed in because I lost my shift & throttle controls. I was stranded and worried about finding someone to do a repair. Tim the owner stepped in, pulled a few strings with people he knows, and within a day had people at my boat working on it. They gave us such hospitality and friendship. They drove us to town when we needed and helped us in any way they could. When it was time for us to depart they worked with us; my boat is 62 feet they helped us to turn the boat around in order to leave. They knew just what to tell me to do to use the current to swing the boat around and head out to the bay. Their process worked perfectly and we were on our way. It's a great place to stop at. To the management and staff I say: Thanks for everything and we'll see you again. George

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Reviewed by: Bill on Jun 22, 2018
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 55'
Draft: 4.0'

Rating: 1

Not recommended. We had 2 1 night stays enroute to/from Philly. Staff on first night provided direction and assistance for turn just upstream of the fuel dock. Very tight. On second stay, under direction of staff and with them having a bow line in hand, we hit a submerged rock pile during the turn. Damage was minor, but hired a diver for $300 to make sure.

Marina management claimed it was entirely my fault and that they had turned larger vessels in the past. While that may be true closer to the fuel dock, the channel narrows up stream of piles. The rocks and shoals were not marked.

As a retired engineer, the Waterway guide numbers for approach depth and maximum length are BS. On our four transits of the entrance, low water depth is 5 feet or less at the entrance and the channel width is about 80 at the widest. Vessels of 114 feet is absurd. Mud flats are what you see at the public dock at low tide near the entrance. The attitude of the management in this situation is either about integrity or competence - not good.

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Reviewed by: Matt on Jun 11, 2018
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 56'
Draft: 4.0'

Rating: 5

Highly knowledgeable staff and very welcoming. Most helpful dock hands on the ICW. The captains' weather and current briefing was extraordinarily helpful and educational about the Delaware river and estuary system with great practical tips for the next day.

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Reviewed by: Howard Entman on Jul 22, 2017
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 45'
Draft: 5.0'

Rating: 5

My marina star ratings are based on what it is I am expecting and wanting from a specific marina. If the marfina advertising talks aboutg a spa-like facility with swimming pools, tennis courts, courtesy cars, and tiki bars, then that is what I am expecting.

However, most often what i want is a safe place to tie up my boar, manned by knowledgeable dock folks, who are pleasant and helpful when needed.

That is why I have given this marina a 5 star rating.

It is not a luxury facility. Some might say it is bare-bones. But their instructions as to how to enter their creek, how to prepare the lines for this narrow channel, and the dockhands expert knowledge of how to turn around a 45 foot boat in a 65 foot wide channel were excellent. When in the office, everfy one was pleasant and helpful, talking proudly about their small town.

The electric service was good, and the wifi worked. Even though there was a strong current in the creek, the boat was secure. Tim, the owner, asked us when we were leaving, and was willing to have a dockhand available no matter what time we wanted out.

I would definitely come back here again

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Reviewed by: Harold Hutchins on Sep 14, 2016
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 36'
Draft: 2.5'

Rating: 3

Was towed in after fuel(out) and water leak. Sea tow Karl was great, marina manager had to wait for us and assured us he could get us on our way. Got welcome basket. Good restaurants close.(Lewinsky 's). However, the "mechanic" looked at the leak and suggested Uber to pep boys for leak repair supplies and said"um, interesting"regarding the fuel issue. We did Uber to a(Wal Mart). Needed spare filter for fuel problem and gave marina manager part# and old filter. He ordered different brand, arrived, was not right, he was annoyed with me. Magma grill use not allowed (vehemently). DYI'd own repairs. Good stop for gas and restaurants and they had a well stocked marine store. But, I think I would have got back on the water sooner if towed back to the Jersey side. I was new to this boat, and would have paid a boat mechanic if one was interested. Got thank you note mailed to my home.

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