First Time Looking - Tampa - St. Pete Area

[David Cross]

While not in the Tampa area, I have a Catalina 42 perfectly set up for cruising Bahamas and Caribbean. Currently in Charleston SC. This boat is ideal for cruising couple that will spend a lot of time anchored out and off the grid. If that's your goal you should consider this boat. If you are more keep boat in a Marina and go daysailing or short trips, this is probably not the boat for you.

In Tampa I would recommend Massey Yachts. I worked with Bill Wiard to purchase my boat and he was good. Jeff and Jean Grossman are great people (also with Massey) so they could be very helpful.

David Cross

[bjymd]

Look up Jamie Birch in the St Pete area. She is a buyers agent and will help you find the boat rather than the one onhand.
Welcome to CF...

[Scout 30]

Here's a couple of sources you might want to check out.

The Florida Mariner eBook
http://www.sailboatlistings.com/

[auskiwi]

Re Brokers, I have used Fillingham Yacht Sales in St Petersburg, Have bought and sold thru them, very good service and very Profesional. Phone 727 460 0520, they know sailboats, Good Luck.

[DesTheRed]

All,

Many thanks indeed for the abundance of support, tips, links and general great feedback.

Let me get my head around all of the replies and see where that takes me. Will be back in touch. Just so that you are all aware that this will most likely be a fact finding and research mission to see what is out there and what we like from the outside in.

I am not near ready to plunge into a purchase, will most likely try and charter at sometime, and continue trying to get on a boat down here in Trinidad now and again.

Then more research on handling, gear, repairs... I can see there is an abundance of info aboard the forum. Thanks again to you all and have a pleasant evening.

[denverd0n]

Originally Posted by DesTheRed

Does it not work like a car showroom then, I had envisioned walking around looking at several yachts to get a good feeling of the build quality, space available etc.

No, I don't think it works like that at all.

I have not bought a new boat, so I'm not certain about how that works.

With used boats you have to travel around. Even the biggest brokers usually only have a few boats at their own marina. Mostly, depending on what you are looking for, you travel around here and there to see the boats that interest you. The current owner will have the boat in their own marina, or at a dock behind their house, maybe, or something like that.

The nearest thing to a car showroom is when the big boat shows come to town. Then the manufacturers will have several different models all lined up, and you can go through them. St Petersburg has a boat show with a lot of sailboats that is in December every year (which, of course, doesn't help you).

Good luck!