Winter storage

[windance]

I posted the following in "Ask the Captain" and realized it was probably more appropriate here.

I am interested in any reader's comments, pro and con, regarding NORWEST Marine in Pawcatuck CT and NOANK Shipyard in Noank CT. Both are prospective winter haul out sites for my Grand Banks 42 and I have no experience with either.
Thanks

 

[TJM]

I am right up the river from Northwest at Westerly marina. It might help if you defined if you were having fiberglass or engine work performed or just looking for a parking spot.

Not to discourage you but Ct has a lovely state tax program in place. If you keep the boat in "state" property for either 60 or 90 days you can get wacked with state tax!!!!!!! During the 1990's we kept our old boat in East Greenwich, RI. We decided to try Mystic for one season, bad move. We got a Christmas card from the state telling us we owe them $6,000 for "sales and use tax". we will never boat in Ct again, and we live in West Hartford, Ct. Its a one time fee so if you have paid it on your current boat you are OK. We have a new bigger boat so we would get wacked again. They have a "finders fee" program that allows bounty hunter type people to collect a percentage of aquired fees.

 

[windance]

Really just looking for winter storage since I do all my own work. Accordingly, I need to be in an open yard without restrictions. I appreciate the comments about the one time fee but, since I have always kept my boat in CT waters, "been there done that". Unless i hear any horror stories about Norwest, I think I'll be storing there since it is so close to home. Westerly Marina was a consideration but I dont think he can handle a boat as large as mine.

 

[Ductboy]

Jack-

A fellow in my marina (Frank Hall Boatyard) also prefers to do all his own work (+/-50' Sailboat) and chooses to winter her at Fort Rachel over in Mystic, just above the RR bridge.

One of the stipulations in my yard is that they must do all bottom prep and painting.

Dan