Moving from San Diego to Florida.....

[bruce v]

Boats are much like cars. They are worth way more in sentimental value than they are worth in reality. Not saying your vessel is not high quality and of real value but you need to let go of it to sell it. You have received the information (very good) regarding suitability due to draft showing it not a good idea. The other side of the coin, California is the best boat market going when it comes to monetary values. The question then becomes one of your willingness to let go. Unfortunately we are never compensated for the love and care we have invested in boats or houses. They do tend to grow on us. Take some time to research the real market value of your vessel in comparative terms. It is not going to be easy to let her go but it is obvious you have a greater concern to deal with. You are already making the move for your wife's work and that is obviously higher priority than your boat. From personal experience, I can tell you that letting go of the second love of you life is not easy but it beats replacing the first and another vessel will eventually come along to take its place. C'est la vie!?

[tuffr2]

Boats are like cars...a very true statement. I have a boat that is worth more to me than any one on the planet. That is a strong statement...but true.

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[aliddell]

Sell the boat in CA. I have lived and owned sailboats in CA and FL and there is no contest in my book. FL has great sailing but the real prize is the Bahamas. 7' would be very hard to deal with in either place. unless you are going to the Caribbean or across the pond, I would sell in CA and buy in FL...there are many great boats in FL and in my opinion less expensive.

Good Luck!

[bluetequila]

Sell it...!

[sailpower]

Others have made that work but you will face the double whammy of shipping cost and reduced market value once you arrive.

Can you get a good number there?

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[denverd0n]

Just to pile on a little more... Shopping for a boat here in Florida, I would not even waste my time looking at one that had a 7' draft. In fact, over 6' it had better be darned near perfect, and offered for a bargain-basement price, or I'm not going to give it a second look.

Sell it in California. Good luck.

[waterman46]

Then what do you do with a large monohull in FL?

I knew the Bahamas had a lot of thin water but I'm dismayed to read the advice about needing such very shoal draft there. Having seen all of the few great anchorages in CA several times over the last 35 years, I was thinking about sailing our Morgan 462, 6'0" draft if I keep her lightly loaded, from our Oakland home to a new permanent home in Florida in 2017-18. I want to live with warm clear water and where we don't have to put on heavy jackets when ths sun goes down.

The Morgan is a "shoal draft model" and I know it to be relatively so, compared to all my friends boats over 35'. But our draft puts us in the marginal range it seems, for the Bahamas and ICW at least. I'm just wondering what you all do, who own larger monohulls in Florida?

[denverd0n]

You do what you have to do. You keep a close eye on the water depth. You track the tides and go through shallow areas when the tide is high. You stick to the channels more than boats with shallower draft. Like it or not, you skip some anchorages and some marinas, just because they don't have enough depth.

You can manage with a 6', or even 7', draft in Florida and the Bahamas. It just takes more effort, and more planning ahead.

[CHM]

I draw 5.5 ft in Ponce Inlet and I have the ICW is no problem as long as you stay in the channel even for a 6-7 ft draft. However, once you leave the channel, all bets are off. Even the charts are not perfect so you have to go slow and watch your depth carefully. If your intent is day sailing or motoring through the ICW and exploring anchorages, I agree with selling the boat and finding a shoal draft boat. If you plan to take the boat outside and offshore, you can make it work. There are times when I see a multihull anchored in a nice little spot where I would never go wishing I had less draft, but there are quirks to every boat.

Good luck with your decision.


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[Phisher]

Pride of ownership is difficult to overcome. The previous answers are spot on. The keys and the Bahamas would be a serious challenge for you. I am in the market and have been looking at boats and there are a lot of boats available here in Florida. Good luck to you and I feel for you and your dilemma.
B.

[FSMike]

In the Bahamas we anchor our cat (3'10" draft) in some secluded places with less than 5' of water at low tide.
That doesn't stop me from occasionally wishing I had a centerboard cat with 2' draft lol.

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by Yngvepau

I currently have a 2000 Tartan 3700 with a 7'25 inch keel that I have spent lots of money on to get it where I want it. Now my wife has a job offer on the east coast of Florida and I am concerned that the keel is to deep to really be able to use the boat there. Due to this I had basically made up my mind to sell it and buy a new boat with a shorter keel.

So basically what I am seeking advice on is twofold;

1) Will I be able to use the boat up and down the Intercostal/marinas along the east coast and the Bahamas/Caribbean region? and
NOT VERY WELL

2) When I decide to sell it on the East Coast, will the keel length be a disadvantage and make it harder to sell? YES

Also is it worth the cost of Sailing/Trucking the boat to the east coast. If sailing the boat I probably need to take the mast down and service all the standing rigging. Likely at least $15000-$20000

I hate the idea of selling the boat, but am concerned with the cost of moving the boat, using the boat and reselling the boat in the future.

Any and all thoughts opinions are welcome.

See BOLD

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by waterman46

Then what do you do with a large monohull in FL?

I knew the Bahamas had a lot of thin water but I'm dismayed to read the advice about needing such very shoal draft there. Having seen all of the few great anchorages in CA several times over the last 35 years, I was thinking about sailing our Morgan 462, 6'0" draft if I keep her lightly loaded, from our Oakland home to a new permanent home in Florida in 2017-18. I want to live with warm clear water and where we don't have to put on heavy jackets when ths sun goes down.

The Morgan is a "shoal draft model" and I know it to be relatively so, compared to all my friends boats over 35'. But our draft puts us in the marginal range it seems, for the Bahamas and ICW at least. I'm just wondering what you all do, who own larger monohulls in Florida?

6 ft is doable. There are many places you wont do. I came down the ICW from So Carolina.The Bahamas were OK with 6'-5" in a boat I had. There were places where it was nip and tuck for sure and I ran aground a few times in Fl. I hit a few times in the Bahamas. With proper care and knowledge you can do it fine. Not the Keys much though.

[Stu Jackson]

I am facing a similar challenge, so let me share my observations. We just moved from San Francisco to Vancouver Island (to support my wife's 95 year old father). Left our boat of 18 years in The Bay Area. Wife actually asked if I wanted to stay on the boat while she moved! Yeah, right!

While draft is not an issue for me, "love", experience with this boat, and the hassle of finding a new one, certainly are on my radar. One simply cannot include the $$ one's put into the boat. I redid the entire electrical system on mine at great expense. I even keep track of it, but that is not the point. It's a sunk (pi!) cost.

We have tons of Catalina 34s in Florida. IIRC, NOT ONE has the fin (5'-7", really 6' loaded). They all have wing keels (4'-3").

The advice you've been given is correct. I wouldn't take that boat, nice as it definitely is, to FL.

The trucking costs, then learning you made a mistake and can't sell it there makes NO sense. Consider yourself very, very warned.

In my case, I have an $8K de-rig, truck and re-rig cost facing me if I moved the boat. I could sail it up the coast, which would take at least 2 months. I could sell it there and may not find an identical boat with all the systems and improvements I've made to mine to make it mine. I could sell it and buy another type of sailboat, but I'm the Secretary of the Catalina 34 International Association --- don't think so!

Or I could switch gears and get a nice MY with heat and an enclosed steering station. Lots to see and do up here.

Lots of options. But them's the choices.

Good luck.