Regal 42 Grande Coupe41' 11"
View Specs & ReviewGordon Pass to the Ten Thousand Islands
Yachting in Naples & Marco Island
A Minted Location · Naples & Marco Island, Florida
If your idea of ownership is dinner in Old Naples with the boat tied a short walk away, the Gulf ten minutes from the slip, and a hundred-thousand-acre wilderness beginning at the next daybeacon south, this is the market built for it. The city runs its own front door: Naples City Dock at Crayton Cove offers 400 feet of transient frontage at $3.25 a foot beside a public fuel dock and a $20-a-night mooring field, and the Coast Pilot writes the approach into the sailing directions — Gordon Pass into Naples Bay, no-wake zones included.
Minted Yachts works this coast from Doctors Pass to Goodland, and everything below comes from each facility's or agency's own published information — the same standard behind every yacht review on this site.
For an owner the market splits three ways: Naples Bay's walkable slips and clubs, the Marco River's big-boat basins — 122 association slips to 100 feet on one side of Collier Boulevard, the yacht club's 27 Riverside slips to 124 feet on the other — and Goodland's boatyard-and-backcountry gateway, where the Ten Thousand Islands begin. Pick your pace, and the boat follows.
Where to keep a yacht in Naples & Marco Island
Dockage here sorts into three clusters. Naples Bay is the walkable one — the city's own City Dock at Crayton Cove, Naples Boat Club's 47 slips and 167-rack boathouse in Olde Naples, the Naples Bay Resort's marina at the head of the bay, plus three private clubs: Hamilton Harbor beside Rookery Bay (its fuel dock is open to the public), the Sailing & Yacht Club's well-documented visiting-boater program, and Naples Yacht Club, whose marina is closed for construction per its own site. The Marco River cluster carries the tonnage: 122 member-owned slips to 100 feet at Marco Island Marina, the yacht club's 27-slip Riverside Marina to 124 feet, the Esplanade's transient program inside protected Smokehouse Bay, and Factory Bay's deep-water basin. And Goodland is the honest answer to the service question — Naples Bay itself no longer has an independent full-service boatyard, so Safe Harbor Calusa Island carries the haul-out, fuel and repair load for the whole run, with Port of the Islands holding the eastern gate to the Ten Thousand Islands. Figures below are what each facility publishes about itself.
Marinas
| Name | Where | Max yacht | Slips | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Naples City DockThe city's own waterfront at Crayton Cove — the only public fuel dock and mooring field inside Naples Bay, with 17 fishing, sailing and sightseeing charters based at the dock and published utility rates ($5–$15 a night by amperage). Office open seven days, 7 to 5. | Crayton Cove — due west of Red 36, Naples Bay | — | — | Rec 90 ethanol-free gas & off-highway dyed diesel; free 24/7 self-serve pump-out |
| Naples Boat ClubThe marina campus in the historic heart of the Olde Naples waterfront — 47 wet slips and a 167-rack boathouse a short walk from the Third Street South district. | Olde Naples waterfront — 909 10th St S, Naples Bay | — | 47 | — |
| The Marina at Naples Bay ResortThe resort marina at the head of Naples Bay, with boat, kayak and paddleboard rentals and a marina store on site — and Fifth Avenue South within walking distance. | Head of Naples Bay — 1500 Fifth Ave S | — | — | — |
| Marco Island MarinaThe member-owned association basin on the Marco River — 122 slips from 40 to 100 feet, beams to 20 feet and drafts to 7 feet, with a heated pool, member lounge, pump-out and dog run. One of the largest big-LOA slip inventories between Naples and the Keys. | Marco River — 1402 N Collier Blvd, Marco Island | 100 ft | 122 | — |
| The Esplanade MarinaDockage at the Esplanade Shoppes inside protected Smokehouse Bay — individually owned slips from 25 to 60 feet with the marina running the transient program, and dining and shopping steps off the dock. | Smokehouse Bay — 760 N Collier Blvd, Marco Island | — | — | — |
| The Marina at Factory BayThe deep-water basin on Factory Bay off the Marco River — transient dockage plus slips for sale and sublease; call for specifics, as the marina publishes no slip counts. | Factory Bay — 1081 Bald Eagle Dr, off the Marco River | — | — | — |
| Port of the Islands MarinaThe eastern gate — about 20 minutes east of downtown Naples with direct access to the Ten Thousand Islands and Everglades backwaters, plus fishing charters and eco tours from the basin, which its site calls home to one of Florida's largest concentrations of wild manatees. | Faka Union Canal — 525 Newport Dr, east of Naples on US 41 | — | — | — |
Yacht clubs
| Name | Where | Max yacht | Slips | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hamilton Harbor Yacht ClubThe Collier Enterprises club at the quiet end of Naples Bay — 35 wet slips and 325 dry-storage slips ringed by 160 acres of protected wetlands, under 10 minutes to Rookery Bay or out Gordon Pass by the club's own count. | South Naples Bay — beside Rookery Bay reserve | — | 35 | Public fueling facility — open to non-members |
| Naples Yacht ClubNaples' first private club, founded 1947 and a founding member of the Florida Council of Yacht Clubs — FCYC members get their first 24 hours of slip use free with advance reservation once the marina reopens. | Olde Naples — 700 14th Ave S, Naples Bay | — | — | — |
| Naples Sailing & Yacht ClubThe east-bay club with the best-documented visiting-boater program on Naples Bay — reciprocity spelled out on its own guest pages, slips reserved through the dockmaster. | East side of Naples Bay — 896 River Point Dr | — | — | — |
| Marco Island Yacht Club — Riverside MarinaThe newest big-boat marina in the region, christened November 9, 2021 for the 50-foot-plus demand gap — 27 slips from 50 to 124 feet with beams to 24 feet, a dock system built to withstand 4-foot waves, and a Clean and Resilient Marina designation (September 2024). | Marco River — 1400 N Collier Blvd, Marco Island | 124 ft | 27 | — |
Figures are as each facility publishes them on its own site; blank cells mean the facility doesn't state a number. Confirm slip availability and current rates directly — or ask us to make the calls.
Cruising from Naples & Marco Island
Gordon Pass & Naples Bay. Gordon Pass, 16.5 miles north of Cape Romano, is the front door — the entrance to Naples Bay and the north entrance to the inland waterway of the Ten Thousand Islands, with a dredged channel from the Gulf up to the US 41 bridge about 2.5 miles above the pass, marked by a buoy, lights and daybeacons. No-wake is the law between Daybeacons 7 and 10 in the pass and from Daybeacon 29 to the bridge in the bay — the Coast Pilot writes both zones into the sailing directions. The dockmaster at the municipal basin assigns berths and monitors VHF 16. The US 41 bridge at the head of the harbor is a 32-foot fixed span with 10 feet of clearance; few craft go above it.
Doctors Pass. Five miles north of Gordon Pass, privately dredged between two stone jetties into Hurricane Harbor, Venetian Bay and Moorings Bay. The Coast Pilot reports shoaling to less than 2 feet in the channel to Daybeacon 14 (2013 report) — treat it as a local-knowledge pass and check conditions before you commit.
The inside route. An 11-mile marked waterway of creeks, bays and dredged landcuts links Marco to Naples: centerline controlling depth 3.6 feet (2000 survey) to the junction with the Gordon Pass entrance channel, then 7.6 feet (2006 survey) on to Naples. Shallow-draft boats own it; everyone else runs outside.
Capri Pass & the Marco River. Big Marco Pass is completely closed off by a barrier island, with shoals extending a mile seaward — Capri Pass, half a mile north, is today's entrance, marked by lights and daybeacons, local knowledge advised. Inside, the Big Marco River runs about 11 miles east then south to Gullivan Bay with a midchannel controlling depth of about 4 feet and repeated shoaling reports between Capri Pass Light 2 and Daybeacon 18 — the Coast Pilot tells vessels drawing 2 feet or more to obtain local knowledge. Both fixed bridges over the river clear 55 feet; mind the charted power cables beside each. Coon Key Pass, the marked south approach to Goodland from Gullivan Bay, carries about 4 feet with a mean tide range of 2.6 feet at Coon Key. Caxambas Pass along Marco's south shore changes continually and its private daybeacons are not charted — locals only.
The run north. There is no protected waterway between here and the Caloosahatchee — the Coast Pilot's Intracoastal coverage begins at that river — so the Naples–Fort Myers leg is an open-Gulf passage. Plan it like one: weather window, fuel margin, and a boat that likes a seaway.
Rookery Bay & the backcountry. South of Gordon Pass the shoreline belongs to the Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve — 110,000 acres of protected coastal land and water reaching toward the Ten Thousand Islands, with Keewaydin Island's beach as the flagship stop. FWC manatee protection zones blanket Collier County waters, and the agency's own guidance is the rule to live by: the regulations as posted on the water govern.
- Keewaydin Island — Barrier island between Gordon Pass and Capri Pass — Rookery Bay reserveThe region's sandbar and raft-up hotspot — the reserve itself says thousands of boaters visit each year, with least terns and loggerhead sea turtles nesting on the beach. Camping in designated areas year-round unless posted; glass containers prohibited, fires only in designated areas, pets leashed. Pack out everything.
- Naples Bay Mooring Field (City Dock) — Naples Bay — off Crayton CoveThe city's mooring field beside the City Dock — a pump-out and Y-valve tag are required before taking a ball, and the fuel dock's free 24/7 self-serve pump-out is right there. The only public moorings on Naples Bay.
Service, refit & supplies
Shipyards & refit
| Name | Where | Max yacht | Dockage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Safe Harbor Calusa IslandThe region's working yard: engine and propulsion, electrical, electronics, fiberglass and detailing with hoists and lifts on site, dry storage for 15–45 ft boats, and hurricane haul-out for boats 17–45 ft to 24,000 lbs — the most complete service offering between Naples and the Keys. | Goodland — 385 Angler Dr, the Ten Thousand Islands gateway | — | Yes — transient slips 30–55 ft (beam 18.5 ft, draft 5 ft, unrestricted height) |
On the Naples & Marco Island calendar
Nesting season on Keewaydin — March through August, when the Rookery Bay reserve restricts access to parts of the island's beach for nesting shorebirds; least terns and loggerhead sea turtles both use it as a nesting ground, so the posted closures are part of the sandbar calendar.
Summer rates on the Marco River — May through September, when Marco Island Marina's published transient rate drops a dollar a foot — the association's own seasonal calendar, and the local signal that the quiet season has arrived.
Goodland's October reopening — Little Bar, the Goodland landmark since 1978, closes for the summer and reopens in October per its own site — the informal start of the backcountry dining season out toward the Ten Thousand Islands.
Yachts we'd shortlist for Naples & Marco Island
Reviewed the same way as everything on this site — specifications verified against the builder's own numbers.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Keewaydin Island and can I anchor there?
Keewaydin is the barrier island between Gordon Pass and Capri Pass, inside the Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve's 110,000 protected acres — and it's the region's sandbar hotspot, with the reserve itself noting thousands of boaters visit each year. Anchor off the beach; there are no facilities ashore. Parts of the beach are restricted March through August for nesting least terns and loggerhead sea turtles, camping is allowed only in designated areas, glass is prohibited, and everything you carry in comes back out.
Can I run the inside route between Naples and Marco Island?
If your draft is shallow, yes. The Coast Pilot describes an 11-mile well-marked inland waterway of creeks, bays and dredged landcuts between Marco and Naples: centerline controlling depth 3.6 feet (2000 survey) to the junction with the Gordon Pass entrance channel, then 7.6 feet (2006 survey) on to Naples. Deeper boats run outside — and note the Big Marco River itself carries only about 4 feet midchannel, with the Coast Pilot advising local knowledge for anything drawing 2 feet or more.
Which Naples and Marco Island restaurants can I reach by boat?
The Dock at Crayton Cove keeps four first-come slips on Naples Bay and calls itself the best boat-access restaurant in Collier County. On Marco, CJ's on the Bay ties up free at 8 public docks on the Smokehouse Bay sea wall — 30 feet each, 4 feet of draft, overnight by the Esplanade dockmaster's permission — and the Snook Inn's homepage says come by boat, dolphins included. Celebration Park on the Bayshore canals invites boat arrivals too. Landmarks like Kelly's Fish House and Tin City publish no patron docks — tie up at the City Dock and walk.
Where can I dock in downtown Naples?
Naples City Dock at Crayton Cove — the city's own marina, due west of Red 36 on Naples Bay. It publishes 400 feet of transient frontage at $3.25 per foot per night, reservable up to 3 months ahead, with utilities from $5 to $15 a night by amperage, a fuel dock pumping Rec 90 ethanol-free gas and dyed diesel, and free 24/7 self-serve pump-out; hail VHF 16. Naples Boat Club adds 47 wet slips and a 167-rack boathouse in Olde Naples, and the Naples Bay Resort's marina rents overnight slips a walk from Fifth Avenue South.
Is Naples a good home port?
For the owner who wants town and wilderness on the same tank, few places match it: a city-run waterfront with published rates, big-boat slips to 124 feet on the Marco River, and the Ten Thousand Islands starting past Goodland. The honest trade-offs: the run north to Fort Myers is open Gulf — there's no protected waterway south of the Caloosahatchee — the inside routes are shallow-draft water, and Naples Bay no longer has an independent full-service yard, so haul-outs mean Safe Harbor Calusa Island in Goodland. Tell us how you'll use this coast and we'll match the boat: TS@MintedYachts.com or +1 (404) 805-9819.
How do I enter Naples Bay from the Gulf?
Through Gordon Pass, 16.5 miles north of Cape Romano — a dredged, marked channel leads from the Gulf through the pass and up to the US 41 bridge about 2.5 miles above it, per Coast Pilot 5. No-wake is enforced between Daybeacons 7 and 10 in the pass and from Daybeacon 29 to the bridge in the bay, the municipal dockmaster monitors VHF 16, and the 32-foot fixed span at the head of the harbor clears just 10 feet — few craft go above it. Doctors Pass, five miles north, reported shoaling to less than 2 feet toward Daybeacon 14 (2013 report), so treat it as local-knowledge water.
How does the Naples mooring field work?
First-come, first-served — no reservations. The city publishes the terms on its City Dock page: $20.00 per night for vessels to 43 feet LOA, 18.5-foot beam and 5-foot draft, with a maximum stay of 4 consecutive nights and 8 nights in any 30 days. A pump-out and a Y-valve tag are required before you take a ball, and the fuel dock's self-serve pump-out is free around the clock. The dockmaster's office at Crayton Cove is open seven days, 7 to 5, on VHF 16.
Where do large yachts berth at Marco Island?
The Marco River. Marco Island Marina, the member-owned association basin, runs 122 slips from 40 to 100 feet with beams to 20 feet and drafts to 7 feet — transient dockage at $4.25 per foot per day to 59 feet, $4.75 for catamarans and 60-plus, plus 6% tax, a dollar less May through September. Across the boulevard, Marco Island Yacht Club's Riverside Marina — christened November 9, 2021 for the 50-foot-plus gap — carries 27 slips from 50 to 124 feet with beams to 24 feet and a Clean and Resilient Marina designation. The Esplanade adds $4-a-foot transient dockage inside Smokehouse Bay.