Windmill Harbour: what to know before you buy

Key facts

• Size: 172 acres and 428 residences: full-size homes, patio homes, villas and townhomes (Windmill Harbour Association).
• Jurisdiction: unincorporated Beaufort County, outside the Town of Hilton Head Island (association; Beaufort County GIS).
• Harbor: 258 slips of 30 to 70 feet behind a lock about 70 by 19 feet, with about 8 feet of water inside. Staff run the lock daily from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., 7 p.m. in daylight saving time (Marina Owners Association).
• Slip costs, 2026: MOA dues $3,508 a year for a 30 to 40 foot slip or $4,677 for 45 feet and up, plus an $820 POA assessment per slip (MOA, January 1, 2026).
• Home assessment: the association's fee page lists $3,152 a year for a home, townhome or condo and $1,576 for a vacant lot (undated page; confirm the current year).
• Transfer fee: paid by the buyer, equal to the most recent annual assessment on the home, lot or slip (association).
• Leasing: no rentals under six consecutive months (Covenants Section 5-2 and Amendment 6, recorded January 3, 2019).
• Flood zones: in our check of about 330 improved parcels, about 45% are Zone X, 44% shaded X and 11% AE with base flood elevations of 8 to 10 feet (Beaufort County flood zone layer).

Where is Windmill Harbour?

It's on Jenkins Island, between the US 278 bridges, with its gate on Harbour Passage. By road it's about a mile to the Skull Creek bridge onto Hilton Head, about 5.5 miles to Hilton Head Island Airport, about 8.5 miles to Coligny Circle and about 40 miles to Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport (our measurements on OpenStreetMap road data). The planned US 278 eastbound bridge replacement runs right past it; see the US 278 corridor project.

What changes because it's outside the Town?

Several things. The Town of Hilton Head Island's rules don't apply; Beaufort County's do. In practice:

• Beach parking: the association notes that owners aren't eligible for the Town's resident beach parking permit, which requires living or owning property inside the Town. Metered spaces and free parking at Coligny Beach Park are open to everyone.
• Rental permits: the Town's short-term rental permit doesn't apply. Beaufort County requires its own business license and short-term rental permit for unincorporated rentals, but Windmill Harbour's covenants bar rentals under six months anyway.
• Transfer fee: the Town's 0.25% real estate transfer fee applies to sales inside the Town, so it shouldn't apply here. Confirm with your closing attorney.
• Permits and flood rules: building permits and floodplain rules come from Beaufort County, not the Town.

How does the locked harbor work?

The lock keeps the harbor at a steady level regardless of the tide. Boats call the harbormaster on VHF channel 14 to pass through during staffed hours. Slip owners and renters can get an electronic key fob for a small fee and be trained to run the lock after hours. The marina says the lack of tidal movement slows marine growth, so many boaters have bottoms cleaned only two or three times a year. The association calls it one of three private lock-controlled harbors on the East Coast.

Slip rules are strict. A boat can't be longer than the deeded slip, measured from its first to last fixed point, including swim platforms and outboards. No more than two boats can share a slip, and their combined length can't exceed it. Live-aboards are limited to 14 nights a calendar month. Slip renters get a gate pass, but slip owners and renters who don't own a home there are admitted only to reach their slips and the marina.

What does a boat slip cost to own?

Slips are real estate, sold under a condominium form of deed through brokers or by owners; the marina office doesn't sell them. You don't need to own a home in Windmill Harbour to own a slip, and you don't need to join the South Carolina Yacht Club. For 2026, MOA dues are $3,508 a year for a 30 to 40 foot slip and $4,677 for 45 feet and up, billed twice a year. The slip also owes an $820 annual POA assessment, an $820 POA transfer fee when it sells, and Beaufort County property tax. Owners who let the marina rent their slip pay the MOA a 25% commission; slip rentals are month to month.

What does the POA charge homeowners?

The association's fee page lists $3,152 a year for a dwelling unit (homes, townhomes and condos), $1,576 for an undeveloped lot, a $788 consolidated-lot charge (two joined lots under one owner with one house), and a $340 lot maintenance fee for vacant lots. That page isn't dated, and the marina's January 2026 sheet shows the slip assessment at $820 rather than the $788 on the POA page, so confirm the current figures in the resale documents.

The transfer fee is charged to the buyer of a home, lot or slip and equals the most recent annual assessment on that property for the year of the sale. Villas and townhomes in sub-regimes, including Westwind Villas, Spindle Lane and Leeward Passage, have their own dues on top. First Service Residential manages the association, with an on-site manager.

How do the gates work?

The main gate is for residents and guests in four-wheel vehicles. Owners get decals and a PIN at the gatehouse and call in guests at 843-681-6405 or through Dwelling Live; guest passes can't be used for contractors. A transponder opens the automatic right-hand lane; the 2026 rules list them at $25, and the security page says the first one is free. Construction vehicles with six or more wheels use the back gate. Contractors pay $15 a day or $250 a year for a four-wheel vehicle, more for larger trucks.

Can you rent a Windmill Harbour home?

Only for six months or longer. Covenants Section 5-2 and the 2019 amendment to Section 5-1 define residential use as occupancy that can't be rented for less than six consecutive months, and the 2026 rules repeat it. Full-time tenants can get decals after giving security a copy of the lease.

What flood zones are in Windmill Harbour?

A mix of X and shaded X, with AE along the edges. Of about 330 improved parcels we checked against Beaufort County's flood zone layer (FEMA map effective March 23, 2021), about 45% were Zone X, 44% shaded X (moderate risk) and 11% AE, with base flood elevations of 8 to 10 feet. Check the exact parcel and see is Hilton Head in a flood zone.

Questions

Sources

1. General facts, fees (POA/MOA) and local information, Windmill Harbour Association (checked October 2026)
2. Amended Rules and Regulations, April 28, 2026 (recorded Book 4571), Windmill Harbour Association (checked October 2026)
3. Restated covenants and bylaws (2018) and 2019 amendments, Windmill Harbour Association (checked October 2026)
4. Frequently asked questions and 2026 slip ownership rates, Windmill Harbour Marina Owners Association (checked October 2026)
5. Flood zones and municipal boundaries, Beaufort County GIS (sampled October 2026)
6. Business Services (unincorporated short-term rentals), Beaufort County (checked October 2026)