Thunderbolt Marina

A Waterway Guide User on May 29th, 2026:

Easy access to this marina. Attentive dock hands greeted us and helped us settle in with all lines, cables and hoses. NICOLE MADE IT A POINT TO CIME VISIT US THE NEXT MORNING WITH MAPS AND AN INTRODUCTION TO SAVANNAH. SHE SHOULD BE THE CITYS AMBASSADOR! She told all the places to go. Beautiful grounds with a large gazebo for meeting up with friends, grilling or just watching the river go by. Nicely situated amenities. Nice laundry facilities. Spent 2 nights there. So relaxing. Easy fuel up and departure. Highly recommend. .

A Waterway Guide User on November 5th, 2025:

See previous, very good docks, Dockmaster Nicole is a pro.

Matt on June 4th, 2025:

everything about this marina was great, especially the dockmaster!! close to eats, marine store and a great per foot price. would recommend any time!

Matt on June 2nd, 2025:

Great assistance from the staff, good protection from the river and nice facilities.

A Waterway Guide User on May 24th, 2025:

We were there for a month May 2025. Waiting on an engine part to be shipped from overseas. They have fuels, Pumpout, and service yard, although the yard is primarily set up to service the mega yachts in the basin. As a transient you will be on the face docks. Nicole and Frank are helpful dock masters. Any service or work done by outside vendors will have a service charge added on by Thunderbolt which could be up to 25%. Baths and showers were marginal, the sewer line is inadequate requiring toilets to be snaked periodically. Two each washer and dryer, one washer broke while we were there. Within walking distance of three restaurants, two of which not recommended. River Supply easy walk for great marine supply store. Security gates with codes. Courtesy car. Will need to Uber for anything else. All that said, Savannah is a great tourist town, but about a 20 minute drive from this marina.

A Waterway Guide User on May 21st, 2025:

Stay here almost every trip, nice floating docks, 20' water at face dock, good shore power, good fresh water, god staff, courtesy car.

Anonymous on May 14th, 2025:

We had a great stay at Thunderbolt Marina, Nicole was very helpful getting us tied up and Frank was great as well. They have a courtesy car - 2 hour limit - which was very helpful for provisioning. We would stay here again.

A Waterway Guide User on April 20th, 2025:

We were on the inside face dock. The cops patrol the waterway so there's very little wake. There are restaurants in walking distance. Tubby's was good. They also have a loner car. There are 4 toilet shower combos but there's no waiting. Also a nice lounge for Docktails.

A Waterway Guide User on April 15th, 2025:

We stayed three nights at Thunderbolt Marine and enjoyed our time there. The staff were friendly and helpful. Bathrooms and laundry are nearby. There is a screened in patio area where we gathered with other Loopers. Two washers and two dryers. The snacks in the marina office were reasonably priced. There is a courtesy car for your use.

Caroline on April 6th, 2025:

A Waterway Guide User on April 1st, 2025:

Very happy we chose to stay here four nights instead of Savannah docks downtown. Dockhand Frank met us upon arrival so docking went well. He is experienced, nice and checked us in. Showers were clean and close by. Laundry was good too. The marina is far from downtown but we had friends with a car so that was a bonus. Thunderbolt does have a courtesy car with a two hour limit that we used a few times during our stay. LOVE the option of courtesy car!! Walmart & Publix are in the same plaza and short car drive away. Tubby's Tank House restaurant is a short walk from marina and we ate there a few times. It's dog friendly too. Thunderbolt has two areas (one is screened in) for socializing and we had docktails with fellow Loopers. It was a fun stay but buggy with the no-see-ums this time of year.

Frederic on March 19th, 2025:

A Waterway Guide User on October 14th, 2024:

Frank, dockhand, was very helpful, 50 amp was good for 100 amp boat, dockside fresh water good pressure, 20' depth at dock, no courtesy car after 6 pm,

Steve on August 26th, 2024:

Joel on August 22nd, 2024:

A Waterway Guide User on August 15th, 2024:

We stayed with Thunderbolt Marina one night until our boat could be hauled out and put on the hard so that the yard could have the props reconditioned. Keith and Glenn in the yard were excellent to work with and the props were worked quickly and the communication was good. We had to move off the boat, of course, while she was on the hard. We had some strange electrical issues while plugged in to 50A power while on the hard so you might watch that. Once a tropical depression moved through town we launched again and we stayed with Thunderbolt Marina a couple of nights. Mark, Greg, and Jeremy were excellent dockmasters and helped in any way possible (Jeremy even carried out my trash.) I had one docking in wind and current and Greg was excellent at guiding my first mate with the rope work. There is a courtesy car for provisioning. We did Uber into downtown Savannah a few times. Fares were $30-$40. Great restaurants are 1/2 mile up the road and very walkable unless it is scorching hot. Be aware that there is a compulsory charge for a pump out. Also, there may be a charge if you bring in an outside contractor to perform work on your boat. This will not be an issue if you coordinate with the yard first. Their mechanics seem to be very good and can handle pretty much everything you need. There are laundry facilities and nice restrooms and showers. They also have screened-in as well as outdoor areas to sit and relax. All in all Thunderbolt Marina is a great place, has a great staff, at a reasonable price to have work done or stay for a while around Savannah.

Anonymous on July 12th, 2024:

Great place to stop. Everyone is super nice and the marina is well kept. Good restaurants around and they have a car you can borrow. What’s not to like.

Kim on May 28th, 2024:

Kelly on May 8th, 2024:

Excellent marina! Well-maintained, secure facility with gracious and professional staff. Both professional and welcoming. We especially enjoyed Jeremy on the dock when we arrived. Hard-working young man. We'll definitely plan to stay here again.

John on April 27th, 2024:

Very helpful and courteous staff.

Lorin on April 7th, 2024:

Greg guided us (Firsttimers at Thunderbolt) with excellent docking instructions and help tying up. Good facilities on site.

Robert on March 29th, 2024:

Great stop & location. They need a recycling program though.

A Waterway Guide User on February 29th, 2024:

This is my third stay at Thunderbolt and it remains one of my favorite marinas on the ICW. Excellent service from Dockmaster Greg. I love that the marina is so laid back and has everything I need to catch up after a bunch of nights at anchor: laundry, good showers, courtesy car, restaurants within walking distance, water, power, pumpout, and reasonably priced fuel. This time, I even fired up my ebike and rode into downtown Savannah -- it's just 5.5 miles -- for some shopping. I cannot recommend this place enough.

Michael on December 17th, 2023:

Very good marina. Ample support no matter your need. My only, and very minor, criticism was the bathroom/shower housekeeping could have been a bit better. On the other side, the dockmaster was super helpful as I was coming in alone. He even texted me an annotated map of the marina with my route in to my slip.

A Waterway Guide User on December 5th, 2023:

Our first visit to Thunderbolt Marina has been fantastic. The facilities are top-notch. The dockhands made docking our boat easy, even in tricky conditions with currents and wind, especially since we were on an inside dock and we are new at boating.
We got the recommendation to stay here from brokers and yacht transporters, and it turns out they were spot-on. Thunderbolt has this incredible repair facility, making it our go-to place for any work we might need. . They have outstanding security and regular boat checks and while we were away from the boat, this gave us peace of mind.
Greg and the staff are not only friendly but also super helpful. Besides keeping an eye on our boat they also shared valuable tips about exploring the area. Thunderbolt isn't just a place to park boats; it's a haven for boaters looking for a peaceful spot with top-notch amenities, such as a loaner car, etc., along the Georgia coast. We're confident our boat is in good hands with the Thunderbolt team and we will stop again on our way back north!

A Waterway Guide User on December 4th, 2023:

Reserved a slip here to let some cold weather pass and ended up having some work done to correct a mis-installed boom vang and alternator. The marina staff was great upon arrival and the process of getting work done was easy and professional. John, Grant and staff quickly worked us in and were up front about pricing and set reasonable expectations. The work done was excellent. We will come here to have more service done on our boat for sure! Bonus - Loaner car at the marina was a big help for provisions! Thanks to Greg, Michael and the rest!

A Waterway Guide User on November 25th, 2023:

This was my second stay at Thunderbolt and I would definitely stay again. Laid back marina with good rates and affordable fuel. Good showers, laundry, and courtesy car. (Please, folks! If a marina gives you a car to use for free, the least you can do is add fuel if the tank gets below 1/2 full!) Savannah is about $12-$15 away by Uber/Lyft. This trip, we bicycled to Bonaventure Cemetery and toured the beautiful grounds on Thanksgiving day.

Good Thai restaurant and several other restaurants within walking distance.

My only complaint is the confusion on my arrival about where I was supposed to park. (Oddly, this happened last time I was there, too.) I would definitely stay there again.

Michael on November 20th, 2023:

Marina and facilities were clean and secure with great service.

A Waterway Guide User on November 6th, 2023:

Outstanding service (thanks Jeremy). Piers were fine but higher than others so rig your fenders higher. Bathrooms were clean. A short Uber ride to Savannah. We will be back.

Barbra on October 28th, 2023:

Thunderbolt Marina staff were all friendly and helpful. Loved the courtesy car, gym, and inexpensive laundry

A Waterway Guide User on October 27th, 2023:

We stopped at Thunderbolt Marine for only a short while as we just needed a pump-out. The pump-out is at their fuel dock and is a wide-open approach if coming from the north. The current can be swift around the dock, so definitely do your best to dock against the current. The fuel dock is about a foot higher than most docks, so give your fenders a shorter tie. The dockmaster warned us of that ahead of time, so we were prepared… and thankful! Overall, a very accessible and quick place to stop.

A Waterway Guide User on October 14th, 2023:

First class operation, 23' at face dock 4 hours after high tide, Dock hand Greg is superb, docks are great, $2.25' plus $15.00 for 50 amp, $30.00 for 100 amp., courtesy car available. Electric service is good.

A Waterway Guide User on September 4th, 2023:

Excellent service. The crew at the marina did a wonderful job getting us docked during a rip current and choppy conditions.
They were very knowledgeable and helpful with getting our boat fueled up and pumped out even though we did not have the proper fittings.
I would highly recommend Thunderbolt Marina for any of your fueling and pump out needs.

John on August 9th, 2023:

A Waterway Guide User on August 1st, 2023:

Great stop for a night as we cruised up the ICW. Pulled up and got fuel then just walked the boat up the dock away from the pumps for the night. We had about a 1 kt current while docking, but dock hand was great. Clean bathrooms, Laundry was $3 a load. Courtesy car for use allowed us to get over to West Marine and Kroger. We walked out the gate to Tubby's Tank house for dinner and drinks. Fun place.

A Waterway Guide User on July 18th, 2023:

Great dock hands, love the air conditioned large laundry, nice clean restrooms, outdoor screened room, and courtesy car! Easy dockage fuel and pump out.

Gordon on July 17th, 2023:

Dwight on July 15th, 2023:

Anonymous on April 25th, 2023:

Great stay

A Waterway Guide User on March 12th, 2023:

I spent three nights here in early March 2023. I didn't get any donuts, but that does not impact my review.

I liked the place. There are several long floating docks and I was fortunate to be put on one of the inside ones. The river current is still strong there, but there was less motion from the wake of passing boats. Dockhand Greg assisted me, which was probably necessary with the current, which moves in either direction depending on the tide. The marina has a working boat yard and works on many very large boats. There was some noise on Thursday and Friday for that, but Saturday was quiet.

There are several restaurants within walking distance in the town of Thunderbolt. There's also a marine supply store in town.

The marina has a courtesy car that I used to visit Walmart, Publix, and yet another local marine supply store. (Ever notice that no one carries Volvo branded oil filters?)

Downtown Savannah is an Uber ride away. It cost $15 + tip each way. I highly recommend Savannah Glides History Tour by Segway if you want something fun and different. If you go on a Saturday, be sure to visit the Farmer's Market in Forsyth Park. From there, it's a long but very enjoyable (and easy) walk all the way to River Street where you'll find the usual tourist shops and restaurants. Vic's was excellent for lunch. The city has lots of history and amazing architecture; don't let $35 worth of cab fares keep you away from it.

The marina offers discounts for Boat US members on docking and fuel: 15¢. I topped off my tank before leaving for $4.76/gallon at a time when most ICW marinas are getting $5.50 or more.

It was a good stay. I'd definitely stay there again.

A Waterway Guide User on June 6th, 2022:

Stayed 2 nights. There is mention of busses to Savannah but that is old info. Used rideshare. Krispy Kreme delivered to the boat first morning!