Two good sets of recommendations!

I have heard good things about Hinckley, but we use Thunderbolt Marine. Their primary business is mega yacht type boats, but they do plenty of smaller boats too, including sailboats of every size and description. Their hourly rates are good, but a few notes:
1) they are very thorough, and don’t do things half baked, so those cheap hours mount quickly
2) they charge for everything: dockage, “yard fee” etc.
On the other hand 3) they will give you a very thorough work order/estimate in advance, which tends to estimate on the high side so that “surprises” are minimized unless something is discovered once they open ‘er up.
4) They stand behind their work with the highest degree of integrity.
Our most recent experience with them was pretty amazing in this day and age. The project manager for boats under 100′ is a younger guy named Phillip Howe. He was a QC guy (I think) with
Mainship prior to Thunderbolt, so is familiar with trawler and simpler craft. He will not BS you, and will steer you away from unnecessary or ill advised repairs and projects.
There is a “captain’s lounge” at the yard, and the marina across the basin, which is part of TMI, has very nice shower and laundry facilities.
George
“Incentive” Hatteras 56MY
currently anchored off Cocoa FL.. actually wore a T-shirt on the
flying bridge yesterday! Headed to Vero Beach later on.

I too heartily agree with Bill and his recommendation for Hinckley Yacht Services. We were at Hinckley off & on this past summer. We left Life’s2Short there for 5 weeks when we went back to MO to visit friends & family. We also had to return back to Hinckley after heading north when we had an elcectrical fire on board just south of Hilton Head. The guys in the yard are outstanding and really know their business!! I never met Dustin when I was there but you can call Mike Pranschke @ 912-629-2400, Mike is the Service Operations Manager. We also found that Hinckley had the best in-the-water transient rate of anyone in the Savannah area. Note that the tides are between 8 & 10 foot in that area, plan your approach at slack tide if at all possible, high slack tide if they are going to put you on the inside of the face dock!! Hinckley is not a true marina when it comes to all the bells and whistles a transient might need but they have clean showers and a great crew to support your
mechanical needs!! Tell them Life’s2Short sent you.
Brenda & Todd Lanning
M/V Life’s2Short

We stayed at Thunderbolt Marina last year. Very nice. The laundry and restrooms are air-conditioned. There are a few restaurants in the town of Thunderbolt and it is an easy run to grocery store (new Piggly Wiggly) and Home Depot. Bussing into Savannah is easy. Big yard across the harbor has excellent service. The marina delivers newspaper and Crispy Cream donuts to your boat every morning. Try to tie on inside of dock as current can be swift here and there are numerous crab pots in stream.
Isle of Hope a little further downstream is also nice. It is harder to get into town from here but they have a courtesy car. Marinas up the Savannah River are run by hotels and are expensive.
B. Deans
OCEANUS

Turner Creek intersects the ICW south of Thunderbolt. I have never considered anchoring here, as the Herb River is close by and usually makes a good overnight haven. There are also two facilities on this stream, Sail Harbor Marina, which is primarily a repair yard, and Hogan's Marina, which is somewhat small craft oriented.

Subject: Anchorage
Message: Nice anchorage short ways up Turner's Creek-Just south of the avannah River.!2 feet in the Creek but Hogan's Marina will lert you tie up for $5 not $10.
Howard Glaser

Moving south, the Georgia portion of the Atlantic ICW follows the Vernon River for a brief stretch, before heading through shoal prone Hell Gate. As Captian Rick notes below, it is a simple matter to depart the Waterway, and cruise upstream on the Vernon to some nice anchorages. Both of the havens he describes below are covered in my “Cruising Guide to Coastal South Carolina and Georgia.”
We have never had trouble with the holding ground near “Beaulieu,” but after reading about Rick’s experience here, we’ll take another look during research for the next update.

After a false start due to anchor dragging, we spent a pleasant night on the Vernon River last week (9/28). Our first attempt was near Beaulieu (N31d55.99m/W081d06.92m) in calm wind and ebbing tidal current. The hook set well for the first hour or so, but then an 8mph SSE wind and the newly incoming tide started us moving upriver. We relocated around the bend, past Breakfast Creek, to Montgomery (N31d56.25m/W081d07.69m) and stayed pegged to the spot in 7 feet (at low water) to 15 feet (at high water) through three tide swings. Next day we departed about one hour after high water and passage out the Ossabaw Sound north channel was pretty much routine.
Rick George, MV Hale Kai

Who is suprised, (NOT me) to hear that the name Hinkley is associated with quality service. I’ve always been impressed every time I’ve visited on of this famous company’s repair yards. Sounds like the Thunderbolt, Georgia facility lives up to this proud tradition!

After a recent electrical fire on board Life’s2Short I wanted to take a moment to thank the crew @ Hinckley Yacht Works in Savannah (Thunderbolt) GA. It’s so refreshing not to hear “Hmmmm, never seen this before?” from a mechanic when they step on board. The guys (Tim & Michele) who helped me rewire a number of items that got fried were fast, very knowlegeable & professional! I would highly recommend Hinckley to those of you who might need assistance as you travel the ICW!
I would also suggest to those of you who have a davit motor to check and make sure that it has some type of fuse or breaker in-line, ours did not. What happened was that over years of use the wire on the control box of the davit motor wore through, shorted itself out on the crane and melted the wire and every other wire that was touching it as it passed along 30′ of chase.
It’s quite scary when you’re anchored out enjoying the evening on the sundeck and all of a sudden your smoke alarm goes off. You then open the salon door and can’t see 3′ in front of you because of all the smoke rolling through your home! However no one was hurt (physically) and we were able to head back south to Hinckley under our own power.
Just thinking about this has made me thirsty, anybody for a Bloody Mary?
Brenda & Todd Lanning
M/V Life’s2Short