Here’s one I did not know about, but after a conversation with “Southwinds” magazine publisher, Steve Morrell, I learned the entrance to the facility described below, cuts to the east, south of the Cortez Bridge.

Subject: Cortez Cove Boatyard & Marina
Cruising News: We recently had a bottom job done at Cortez Cove Boatyard & Marina in Cortez, FL across the ICW from Anna Maria Island just south of Tampa Bay. We highly recommend this yard to fellow cruisers. They did an excellent job of prepping and painting. AND they allowed us to stay aboard while \”on the hard\”, something that many yards don\’t allow and very important to us as full-time cruisers. The staff was very friendly and accomodating, knew what they were doing, worked quickly and didn\’t \”run up the work hours\”, etc. The price was in line with other yards in the area but the meticulous work was more than worth what we paid!
Larry Sherman

I e-mailed Captain Sherman and asked for more definite access instructions to Cortez Cove Boatyard. He graciously responded below:

Claiborne,
Here is the additional info you requested:
The Cortez Cove Boatyard and Marina is located just south of the Cortez Bridge (a couple of miles north of Longboat Pass) on the mainland side of the west coast ICW at about statute mile 87. The coordinates for the marina are 27 degrees 27.95 minutes north, 082 degrees 40.97 minutes west.
Immediately south of the Cortez bascule bridge turn east off the ICW and then go through the anchorage, past the Coast Guard station, past the A.P. Bell seafood company docks (close to the docks) and you will then see a well marked private channel. Where the channel forks take the channel to port into the boatyard’s basin.
Larry Sherman
s/v Enchantress