Yachts For Sale In Charleston

The city of Charleston is located on Charleston Harbor just south of the midway point of the South Carolina’s coast. Charleston Harbor runs 7 miles southeast to the Atlantic Ocean. This natural harbor’s average width is 2 miles, except at the entrance which is about 1 mile wide. Four tidal rivers drain into the harbor—Wando, Cooper, Stono and Ashley Rivers. Besides these main rivers and the harbor, Charleston, is surrounded by coastal islands, Atlantic beaches, salt marshes, creeks, lakes and ponds. With so much water in this Lowcountry area, it is ideal for recreational fishing and other water sports and activities like kayaking, eco-tours, dolphin watching and so much more, in this sub-tropical coastal climate that rarely sees snow in winter.

United Yacht Sales can help you find the perfect yacht for sale in South Carolina. Give us a call today at 1-772-463-3131 about purchasing a new boat or listing your current yacht on the brokerage market.

To search for more boats for sale in Georgia and narrow by city, you can begin here:

• Beaufort, South Carolina
• Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

One of the greatest attractions is the city’s history commemorated with landmarks, its antebellum and later period architecture, carefully preserved for generations to admire, though not all the city’s history is admirable. Charleston was originally founded as Charles Town in 1670 with settlers brought in from Bermuda and Barbados in the West Indies, who brought their slaves with them! Originally located on the west bank of the Ashley River, it was abandoned ten years later for its present site, on a peninsula formed by the Ashley and Cooper Rivers. From there it quickly grew to become the 5th largest city in North America by 1690, as its growth was propelled by trade and especially, the slave trade for labor to work the plantations of cotton, coastal rice fields, indigo for dye (in 1747) and other cash crops of the antebellum period.

Along with pine timber and deer skins from the interior and major cash crops, the slave trade brought immense wealth to Charleston. Powerful plantation owners and merchants wielded political control to protect their interests that resulted in conflicts with the Federal Government over the slave trade and led to the Civil War in 1861, with the first shots fired at Fort Sumter. The City of Charleston formally apologized in 2018 for its role in the slave trade, after CNN called attention to its history. Today, the city is known for tourism and has been consistently ranked Best City in the US over the past few decades by Travel & Leisure magazine. In 2013, T&L ranked Charleston as Best City in the World!

Charleston (which was renamed at the end of the Revolutionary War in 1783), encompassed only 4-5 square miles up to World War I, and then greatly expanded to include the six districts of Charleston. The Downtown Historic District is also known as “The Peninsula” and the loaded with historical sites, landmarks, museums, antebellum mansions, cobblestone streets, the Historic Charleston City Market landmark that is 2 city blocks of indoor market, Joe Riley Waterfront Park (8 acres on the Cooper River), historic Nathaniel Russell House, festivals, King Street and George Street for the renowned Lowcountry cuisine, to highlight just a few of Downtown Charleston’s attractions. History buffs can take the ferry to tour Fort Sumter where the Civil War began. The residential West Ashley District, bordered by the Ashley and Stono Rivers, was the original site of Charles Town and is now commemorated as Charles Town Landing. Johns Island District, the far western limits of Charleston, is bordered by the Stono River and Kiawah River and location of the legendary Angel Oak Tree, a southern live oak which is over 60 ft. tall with a wide canopy that covers 17,200 square feet and is estimated to be 400-500 years old. The James Island District is a popular residential area located between Downtown and the city of Folly Beach (location of the McLeod Plantation). James Island recently incorporated as its own town in 2012. The Cainhoy Peninsula District is the far eastern limits of Charleston and bordered by the Wando River and Nowell Creek. Also predominantly residential, the Daniel Island District is located north of Downtown between Cooper River and Wando River.

Charleston has had many cultural influences—southern US, English, French, West Indies and West African. The Gullah community of former slaves’ descendants has had a major influence on the early development of jazz (Louie Armstrong) and Geechee dances that influenced the 1920s dance craze (Charleston Rag). Multi-cultural influences are also evident in the cuisine of local seafood featured in gumbos, she-crab soup, fried oysters, Lowcountry boil, deviled crab cakes, red rice, shrimp & grits, with rice being a staple of many dishes. Charleston has many annual food events; major events are the Taste of Charleston, Lowcountry Oyster Festival, Charleston Food & Wine Festival and many more. Some other popular events are the Speloto Festival, America’s premier Performing Arts Festival founded in 1977 by Pulitzer Prize winning composer, Gian Carlo Menotti, MOJA Arts Festival, Charleston Fashion Week—held annually in spring in Marion Square, Holiday Festival of Lights, Charleston International Film Festival, and the Historic Charleston Festival of Houses and Gardens, to name a few.

For visitors arriving by boat, there are a plethora of marinas on the riverbanks and creeks in the area. Here are a few popular marinas that offer transient slips as well as wet (and dry) storage slips. Check dockwa.com for more choices, further details and reservations.

Charleston Harbor Resort & Marina is the largest marina in South Carolina with 17,000 linear feet of floating dock space. Located on the banks of Cooper River, the marina has 450+ slips 33’ to 66’ in length and can accommodate vessels to 120’. The marina offers resort amenities, captains lounge, excellent facilities, pump-out, wi-fi, fuel, water, power. 

Cooper River Marina in Charleston County Park has easy access to Charleston Harbor and can accommodate vessels up to 150’ on its transient dock. Located on Shipyard Creek in North Charleston 2-miles north of Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge and 15 minutes from Downtown. The marina offers long-term annual contracts for vessels up to 42’ in its deep-water slips on floating concrete docks and features email service, wi-fi, facilities, free parking, pump-out and more. There are no draft or height restrictions.
Charleston City Marina is a membership Safe Harbor Marina with a “mega dock” of transient slips and floating concrete fuel dock. The membership wet slips can accommodate vessels from 30’ to 455’; 65’ beam x 18.5’ draft. There are also mooring balls available. The marina offers amenities such as wi-fi, power, water, cable TV, pump-out, fuel dock, ship’s store, marine services and a waterside restaurant.
Another Safe Harbor Marina is the Bristol Marina on the Ashley River next to Charleston’s historic district.

This location offers easy access to open water and the rich culture of Charleston. Transient slips are 10’ to 55’ LOA and maximum 14’ height, 12’ beam, and 9’ draft. This marina’s amenities include fuel dock, wi-fi, cable TV, water, power, pump-out, dock boxes and more. (dockwa.com)
Daniel Island Marina & Boat Club (Membership) is located on a bluff above Clouter Creek and features a 385’ face dock, 425 dry and 54 wet slips, fuel, ship’s store, outdoor deck bar and more. Transient slips are available, as well as annual contracts.

The Harborage at Ashley Marina provides a courtesy shuttle to Downtown Charleston. The main face dock can accommodate vessels to 125’ x 55’ height (due to bridge restrictions). The marina, located in the medical district of historic Downtown Charleston, has 230 wet slips. Amenities include wi-fi, power, water, fuel, facilities and more. Restaurants and grocery stores are within walking distance. (dockwa.com)