1.75 per foot per night Sunday-Thursday, $2.00-Friday & Saturday
Type of dockage:
floating concrete with 630ft megadock
Live Aboards Allowed:
yes
Live Aboard Notes:
Limited number based on interview with Dockmaster
Monthly Dockage Rate:
$14.00 to $16.00 /ft
Total number of slips/berths:
84 plus 1500ft of transient dockage
Dockside Power Connections:
30/50/100 amp power hookups available
30/50/100 Amp Notes:
$8 for 30, $10 for 50, $20 for 100 per night. 480 3 phase
Dock. Fresh Water Connections:
Available.
Showers:
Available.
Restaurant:
numerous restaurants, cafes and bars within walking distance
Restaurant Recommendations:
Blackfinn Ameri Pub
Waste pump-out:
Available. $6 per pumpout
Wi-Fi Internet Access:
Free WiFi Available
Fuel Availability:
Gas & Diesel Available
Fuel Prices (All Taxes Included)
Reporting Date:
April 23, 2024
Gasoline Price:
Call marina for fuel prices
Diesel Price:
Call marina for fuel prices
Share:
Reviews from Cruisers (2)
Ray Henry- November 22, 2017 - 4:04 pm
Port City Marina is a spectacular new marina in Wilmington. We were there for 6 months. A bit spendy at $14/ft, but well worth it for a short period of you are going to be aboard much of the time. Easy walk to all of the great downtown eateries. Fantastic staff. The Shell has some fun events right there. If you’re not going to be aboard, then likely not worth the cost. Ray Henry
Larry, Port City Marina We recently had the opportunity to spend a couple of nights at Port City Marina on the Wilmington Waterfront and would recommend this marina to anyone who is traveling to Wilmington by water and wanting to stay in a brand-new and well-managed marina. We saw their ad in the banner section of Salty Southeast Cruisers Net and decided to give them a call. We also planned our trip around a tour of El Galeon, a 170 foot, 495 ton authentic wooden replica of a galleon that was part of Spain’s West Indies fleet in the 16th century. El Galeon was also docked at Port City Marina, so our slip was perfect. Port City Marina is conveniently located within easy walking distance of downtown Wilmington restaurants and shops. The River Walk which provides a waterfront walkway to the heart of downtown is easily accessed right outside the marina gates. Another plus we found was that the Wilmington free trolley (WAVE) stops right in front of the marina gates. This surprise transportation really came in handy with the rain showers and thunderstorms we experienced for one of our days. The Marina has state of the art concrete floating docks, 30-50 and 100 amp service, can handle boats up to 250 feet in length and most important, a knowledgeable and helpful staff. Dock Master Josh Alther and his staff made us feel welcome and went out of their way to make our trip there enjoyable. One other note; we noticed that we had little, if any of the effects of the Cape Fear River tidal currents which sometimes brings debris from the river. We would recommend Port City Marina to anyone traveling to the Wilmington waterfront. Mike and Carolyn Hattitude
L-Shaped entrance channel is found east and a bit south of Cape Fear River Marker #59 Channel is marked with green and red markers. Channel is "S" shaped to entrance of harbor. Depth is approximately 5 feet at at minimum tide in parts of channel.
Wilmington Marine Centrer is a good stop….about three miles from down town by Taxi or a long Dink ride up the river. Very sheltered and safe during bad weather. In town…..lots of places to eat and drink. Slainte for Irish a few doors down from Front Street Brewey. A block or so away is Hell’s Kitchen….very much a two thumbs up place for food and drink….was my favorite hang out. Stay in the channel as it gets shallow fast. Ralph Chappell
We kept our boat at the Wilmington Marine Center for the 8 months in 2010/2011 while we were back in Florida for the fall & winter. Skip and his staff were wonderful. I cannot say too much about the level of service we received while there. When we were looking for a place to leave our boat for this layup period that we felt was protected against storms and was convenient to a boat yard, and WMC fit for us. Gregory Poole Marine repairs is located at the marina and DeMann Diesels, Tom DeMann and company, is located across the street. We had repairs done by both companies (bottom painting and misc other work at Poole and Cummins diesel maintenance at DeMann) and McConville Marine (Thrusters & HVAC). John Weber M/V Bombay Lady III 2005 Meridian 411 Sedan Bridge
Wilmington Marine Center, about 1/2 way to downtown up the Cape Fear is extremely safe both weatherwise and security, good prices, and it is a very good boat yard if you need any repairs/maintenance. Just Relax
We stayed at Wilmington Marine Center on the Cape Fear River. It is a surge free hurricane hole at Buoy 59 about 12 miles from the ICW and a couple miles before Wilmington. (A cruise from the marina to downtown Wilmington for lunch is delightful especially when guests visit.) The facility is secure and remote. Are you planning to stay with the boat? There is nothing within walking distance. Last year I paid $400/month plus metered electric. Call Chris (dockmaster) at 910 395 5055. Alan Lloyd Author, Great Loop Navigation Notes
Available. Dockmaster on duty Wednesday to Sunday only
Transient Dockage Rate:
$1.25 per foot per night
Type of dockage:
floating wooden slips and face docks
Total number of slips/berths:
30
Dockside Power Connections:
30/50 amp power hookups available
30/50 Amp Notes:
$3.00/per night - 30 amp power hookup, $5.00/per night - 50 amp power hookup
Dock. Fresh Water Connections:
Available.
Restaurant:
many nearby
Restaurant Recommendations:
Pilot House (910-343-0200), Phoenix Cafe (910-343-1395), Circa 1922 (dinner only, 910-762-1922), Dixie Grill (breakfast, 910-762-7280)
Provisioning Possibilities:
convenience story within walking distance, taxi ride necessary to reach local supermarkets
LPG (Propane) Availability:
Available. Walk of some five to six blocks will take you to U-Haul Moving & Storage or convenience store at Third St (910-762-8708, 508 North Third Street) where LPG tanks can be refilled
Last night someone boarded our boat while we were sleeping. The person tried to take our TV but it was bolted down. He quickly grabbed the first two things he saw that he could carry – my husband’s laptop and (of all things) a small fan. We never heard a thing and didn’t discover the theft until 5:45 a.m. when Jim got up and found the saloon door wide open. We’re are very grateful that nothing else was taken and even more so that no one (including the bad guy) was hurt or worse. So how did this happen? We certainly have to take some responsibility for it. We were tired and were focused on our plans to leave in the morning instead of being in the present. Either one of two simple things would probably have prevented this. We have a very simple motion detector “driveway” alarm which we had set every night except last night. We also have a procedure for verifying that the door is locked which we had done every night except last night. We let ourselves get too comfortable with a place we’ve stayed at three times but have learned a very valuable lesson and actually got off pretty easy. Bottom line – if you stay here or at any unsecured dock, be vigilant with your security measures! Paula aboard m/v Sea Eagle
Paula Spence, M/Y Sea Eagle- September 2, 2013 - 5:30 pm
We spent Labor Day weekend here (our third visit). Still love downtown Wilmington. It’s so alive with people and places! Went to the free Friday night concert and then the Farmer’s Market on Saturday. The only negative with the area is that there is no grocery store within walking distance so make sure you’re stocked up before you get here. There are two negatives about the Cape Fear River. 1) Lots of large logs always floating down the river that get jammed under your swim platform or between your boat and the dock. We ended up putting out large ball fenders to make more space. 2) Repeatedly being seriously waked by all sized boats and even jet skis. I ended up calling one of the tour boat companies to complain (nicely, of course) and they did slow down quite a bit for the remainder of our visit. But I really wish the city or someone would look into making the area near the docks a no wake zone.
We traveled up the Cape Fear River in Sept 2012 to stay at the Wilmington City Dock and enjoy the sights of this charming mariners city. Docked across from the Battleship North Carolina, the City dock is affordable with water and power, but no other services. Great location to tour the city (shops and restaurants). Loved the Front Street Brewery – great food and drinks. Only concern here is debris in the river. Pulled 3 TREES out from under and between my running gear so be careful. Worth the trip and would definitely go again. Tom Callan
We were in Wilmington for a few days, but would have gladly stayed longer. Water and power available, but no fuel or other services. (Told you can use Hilton facilities but not comfortable with “sneaking” around.) Location can’t be beat for browsing, shopping and dining. Highly recommend the Front Street Brewery for excellent food. Directly across from the BB North Carolina. Watch out for floating debris and ensure you check your stern for trees (in my case 3) fouling the running gear. Tom Callan
Just spent a week here on the dock in front of the Hilton. Would have stayed a month but the city will only give a daily rate and it was just too expensive to stay longer. I am utterly enchanted with downtown Wilmington and the city dock access to the area is excellent. The wooden River Walk runs for a mile along the riverfront and is just alive with walkers, runners, etc. We even had a very large 5k race group come running by one afternoon. The battleship North Carolina is right across the river and open for touring. The Cape Fear Museum and the Wilmington Railroad Museum are both within walking distance and very worth the time. Farmers Market on Saturday morning, beautiful old homes, gorgeous old churches, lots of shopping and plenty of restaurant variety, Wilmington has it all. The only negatives are dock cost, being waked fairly frequently and many large logs floating up and down the river. Paula Spence, M/Y Sea Eagle
flanks the easterly banks of the Northeast Cape Fear River, just north of the Isabel Holmes – Highway 133 bascule bridge. Airport - Wilmington International ( ILM ) - located 5min drive from Cape Fear Marina. Minutes to Historic Wilmington and internationally acclaimed Wrightsville Beach. Hurricaine safe haven.
Depths:
6 ft.
Address:
1701 Jel Wade Dr Cape Fear Marina Wilmington, NC 28401
floating wooden docks and face docks with steel pilings
Live Aboards Allowed:
yes
Total number of slips/berths:
70
Dockside Power Connections:
30/50/100 amp power hookups available
Dock. Fresh Water Connections:
Available. Hookup available at every slip
Showers:
Available. Separate Men's/Women's Climate Controlled
Laundromat:
Available. Laundromat on-site
Restaurant:
Numerous; 3 minute car ride to historic downtown Wilmington
Restaurant Recommendations:
Catch (James Beard Nominee Chef, 910-799-3847), Pilot House (910-343-0200), Dock Street Oyster Bar (910-762-2827),Circa 1922 (Dinner Only, 910-762-1922), Le Catalan (910-815-0200), Dixie Grill (breakfast, 910-762-7280), Manna (AAA 4-Diamond, 910-763-5252)
Provisioning Possibilities:
Whole Foods, Trader Joes, Food Lion, Harris Teeter supermarket 10 minute car ride away. Also available Fresh Market, Publix, Local farmer’s market (Saturday - Seasonal - Downtown)
LPG (Propane) Availability:
Available. Available nearby.
Waste pump-out:
Available. Available free at every slip.
Wi-Fi Internet Access:
Free WiFi Available, Free updated WiFi at every slip.
Try Cape Fear Marina 910-762-1256 (Chris) and also Bennett Bros Yachts 910- 772-9277 (Tricia). Both are for the same marina but may offer two different rental arrangements. Wilmington, NC on the Cape Fear River. George McNeir
When traveling in the region consider touching base with Wilmington NC. Just a short passage up the Cape Fear River will provide a bounty of provision options. Bennett Brothers Yachts @ Cape Fear Marina can haul 70 tons and provide a mechanical second opinion that could make the run up the river worth while. Consider the “Fun to Fuel Burn” formula when making a decision to visit. Can’t put a dollar value on the fun you will have in Historical Wilmington. See you soon! Peter Kurki
Could not agree more on the comments on Bennett Brothers. We have been there twice in the last six months with our Bristol 47.7 Frances and the ride up the Cape Fear to Wilmington is well worth it. Their staff is expert on all systems and they are very practical in their advice, starting with Tricia Bennett and Al Noble, their service manager. Van and Emily Beck
I want to thank you again for getting me your contact at Bennett Brothers the other day. He was able to recommend a company in Florida that deals with marine hydraulics and just last week we received our refurbished cylinder back from them. Has not been re-installed, yet, but so far we are very happy with their service and we will commend that company. Here’s their website: http://www.rigginghydraulics.com and the contact name is Buk Miller. Many thanks to you!!!! Cheers, Elke
We’ve stopped here before. liked it, and will stop again. The dockmasters are very helpful and gave us good info on highly qualified assistance we needed from Bennett Brothers. Also, very nice people live here on their boats. We’ll be back. Bru Brubaker
Subject: Bennett Brothers Yachts Cruising News: We would like to report a positive experience on repairs, technicians, and personnel at Bennett Brothers Yachts, Wilmington, NC. The employees are extremely hard working, knowledgeable, collaborative, and fairly priced. I would look forward to doing business there again. Bennett Bros. is located on the Cape Fear River, a short dingy ride to the historic downtown. We have no commercial connection with BBY; just want to report the satisfaction with our experience. Bill and Laura Bender Kindred Spirit III Grand Banks 42 Cl
We keep our boat in Southport and brought it to Bennett Brothers for some pre-cruise work in January of this year. I have to say that the quality of service was excellent – both technically and for the project management. Steve Wallace is an outstanding Manager. In short – friendly folks, great service at a reasonable price and without unhappy surprises. Before we departed south Steve told me to contact him if we had any questions or problems on out trip. I did so on a couple of occasions and he came through with solid information and, in one case, a source for a failed pillow-block. I highly recommend them. Hank S/V Haanli
Bennett Brothers Yachts has the best “in my opinion” on the east coast GAI am a member of the Cape Fear Marina and have two 50 foot slips. This Cape Fear/Bennett Bros. is a definite hurricane hole and well protected. Just my 2 cents. Come on up but make sure you call them ahead of time….. it can get populated fast….. 910-772-9277. GM
We stayed one night at Bennett Brothers in early April. The facility was fine. If the current is strong, it might be a little tricky getting into the slip. We talked with a gentleman who works at the marina about continuing up the Northeast Branch of the Cape Fear. He was very helpful. Jean Thomason
We went up to Wilmington for repair work at Bennet Brothers. We have a cat 23.5 beam. They have a 24 foot travel lift. The work was professional and price for repair work were given before the work. Two issues are when you go up the Wilmington River is try to plan it with the tides, and the bridge to Bennet Brothers opens 6pm to 6 am on demand, then at 10 am , and 2 pm. John Pholeric
We always divert up river to this facility. The floating docks are very well maintained. Pumpout is routine on Fridays, or on request. Pricing is very attractive for dockage. We rely on the expert yard for cogent recommendation and quality work. Management: Tricia Bennett, Owner and Steve Wallace GM are immediately available if questions occur with which people at the operating level may need help. Although there is no useful public transportation nearby, an Enterprise facility a couple of miles away has good pricing, and weekend specials. Wilmington itself has every level of store needed, including Harris Teeter, Food Lion, Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, Walmart, Lowes, Home Depot. Many Department Stores and Specialty shops are also there. It’s a great stop. Stephen Deitch Nightingale
We had work done there this Spring and were very pleased with the results. The docks are nice floating docks just north of town…not a great location for sightseeing unless you dinghy about a mile southward, but a great location as a hurricane hole or to get work done efficiently and reasonably. Betsy Johnson Rick ‘n Roll
Claiborne: The “Salty Southeast Cruisers” may find this useful. Beth & I on Nightingale were headed north a couple of weeks ago, but instead of stopping in Wrightsville Beach with all the transients, we asked for a slip we could hold for 6 – 7 weeks…we have grandchildren here and were going to stay for a while. None of the marinas in the cruising guides wanted any part of us. We guess there are a limited number of transient slips here and everyone we called wanted to save theirs for the transients…and get the $2 per foot, the electricity $ and sell diesel fuel. I guess we can’t blame them, but it didn’t help us any. We were referred to Bennett Brothers Yachts in Wilmington, and couldn’t be happier. This is a clean marina, adjunct to a full service boatyard. Everyone we have met on staff could not have been more service oriented. And while we’re here we will use the yard. BBY is just north of downtown Wilmington on the Cape Fear River. It is about an hour north of the AICW cutoff (Snow’s Cut) at our sailboat speed at slack water. Downsides? No fuel dock. River current…but you always have to account for that particularly upstream. It is a bit isolated. BBY has a discount arrangement with Enterprise for anyone staying longer term. Since we will be here for some time we did rent a small car. Pumpout is at every slip and security is excellent with a combination locked gate at night. If it is appropriate for our fellow cruisers, we strongly recommend Bennett Brothers. Beth & Stephen Deitch
Reviews from Cruisers (2)
Port City Marina is a spectacular new marina in Wilmington. We were there for 6 months. A bit spendy at $14/ft, but well worth it for a short period of you are going to be aboard much of the time. Easy walk to all of the great downtown eateries. Fantastic staff. The Shell has some fun events right there.
If you’re not going to be aboard, then likely not worth the cost.
Ray Henry
Larry,
Port City Marina
We recently had the opportunity to spend a couple of nights at Port City Marina on the Wilmington Waterfront and would recommend this marina to anyone who is traveling to Wilmington by water and wanting to stay in a brand-new and well-managed marina.
We saw their ad in the banner section of Salty Southeast Cruisers Net and decided to give them a call. We also planned our trip around a tour of El Galeon, a 170 foot, 495 ton authentic wooden replica of a galleon that was part of Spain’s West Indies fleet in the 16th century. El Galeon was also docked at Port City Marina, so our slip was perfect.
Port City Marina is conveniently located within easy walking distance of downtown Wilmington restaurants and shops. The River Walk which provides a waterfront walkway to the heart of downtown is easily accessed right outside the marina gates. Another plus we found was that the Wilmington free trolley (WAVE) stops right in front of the marina gates. This surprise transportation really came in handy with the rain showers and thunderstorms we experienced for one of our days.
The Marina has state of the art concrete floating docks, 30-50 and 100 amp service, can handle boats up to 250 feet in length and most important, a knowledgeable and helpful staff. Dock Master Josh Alther and his staff made us feel welcome and went out of their way to make our trip there enjoyable. One other note; we noticed that we had little, if any of the effects of the Cape Fear River tidal currents which sometimes brings debris from the river.
We would recommend Port City Marina to anyone traveling to the Wilmington waterfront.
Mike and Carolyn
Hattitude