Need Mooring or Anchoring Site - Venice, FL

[kcmarcet]

Hell, I know this isn't really where I should post this, but I really couldn't see the right place to post it. Anyway, I am going tomorrow to look at my first boat, a 19 foot fixed keel daycruiser, supposedly a "Montego" built by a builder in St. Petersburg FL sometime in the 80's. It's a bit smaller than I wanted but not too much. The current owner has it moored off Long Boat Key on the ICW side. I'd like to find a place to moor it closer to where I am in Venice. Anyone know of a place, or can direct me to a site to find a place? Thanks in advance. And the owner said he would even sail it down this way for me.

Ken

[captmick39]

Originally Posted by kcmarcet

Hell, I know this isn't really where I should post this, but I really couldn't see the right place to post it. Anyway, I am going tomorrow to look at my first boat, a 19 foot fixed keel daycruiser, supposedly a "Montego" built by a builder in St. Petersburg FL sometime in the 80's. It's a bit smaller than I wanted but not too much. The current owner has it moored off Long Boat Key on the ICW side. I'd like to find a place to moor it closer to where I am in Venice. Anyone know of a place, or can direct me to a site to find a place? Thanks in advance. And the owner said he would even sail it down this way for me.

Ken

Ken,
Montego's are great little boats.
1-Check Out Sarasota Sailing Squadron, join & You can anchor out there for almost nothing.
2-Sarasota Mooring/Designated Anchorage. It's a temporary fix as they're planning on running off all the folks anchored out/moored there w/the new law coming in October, however between now & then, or at least for the next couple months it would work. I'd go for the sailing squadron 1st (membership is cheap, dinghy can be left there, & folks are in constant watch over all the folks on a hook...bottom's better than the anchorage as well)
3-any place off the ICW on the back side of Manasota Key?

Downside w/2(soon) & 3 now is where You launch a dinghy from to GET to Your boat on a hook.

You also need to make arrangements for a spot on the hard NOW, rather than when the next hurricane has already formed & heading that general direction...get their promise in writing, w/a deposit on Your part. Whether You use it during the season, or a haulout afterward to paint the bottom (by then it'll need it), or as a storm approaches, both the Yard master will appreciate Your intent to protect Your boat, and take good care of You when the time arrives, regardless how You cash in that chit(deposit).

From a guy who lived aboard before marriage while working & going to school right out of that Sarasota anchorage, all three are gr8 locations. Only #3 is really close to Venice.
HTH,
-Mick

[Therapy]

While I have only passed through one time recently, I noted there is a lack of places to anchor. All of it seems to be just the intracoastal and is not wide enough to do what you want.
The only anchorage is -

Venice/Higel - Florida Sea Grant Park

[kcmarcet]

Hey Mick, thanks for the feedback on the Montego. The current owner sent me a pic of it when it was out of the water for bottom paint. It looks pretty good from what i can see in the pic. About docking/anchoring/mooring, thanks for the info about S.S.S. although not any closer than where the boat is now, they have docks, and like you said membership is fairly cheap and docking is definately reasonable. I am way closer to Manasota Key, but like you said, where do you launch the dinghy? I have no idea, I will have to check into it. I thought I read somewhere that there was a mooring field in Roberts Bay. I will have to double check on that one. Right now S.S.S looks like about my best option.

Thanks again for the info and help.

Ken

[Therapy]

Roberts - Florida Sea Grant Bay

[svHyLyte]

There is an anchorage on the southwest side of Robert's Bay, adjacent to the Venic Yach Club, at approximately N27 06.508 W82 27.496. There is also a small marina on Tarpon Center Drive on the southwest side of Roberts Bay that one passes when driving out to VYC or the Crows Nest that appears to have empty slips. You might also check the bulletin board at VYC as once in awhile, local homeowners with unused dock space with rent them out.

On the other hand, aside from the Ocean, there are few areas where one can easily sail in the immediate vacinity of Venice. The previously mentioned Sarasota Sailing Squadron offeres a good mooring area and an excellant venue for sailing (Sarasota Bay) and has friendly members with lots of programs for families and kids.

FWIW...

[captmick39]

Well, You have Better options, & launching on back side of Manasota key is pretty much via N. & South Ends, nada in da middle (private property owners don't take kindly to You marching thru their hydrangeas(sp?) on the way to the bay?

Follow the noted link, & thank the other folks too...
as for SSS, it's pretty cool, ability to network w/hundreds of others of like mind, work on Your boat OUT of the water on the cheap, no "stuffed shirt white pants & blue jacket "yachtie's" croud, just the usual suspects, & most would receive You w/open arms.

Still sounds like the roberts bay (link above) option a far more practical option for driving. Accept the fact that on the hook, You nd to (MUST) ck on daily, or every other day tops. "Stuff" happens.

[kcmarcet]

Well when i did the sea trial with the owner of the boat on Sunday he told me that the SSS isn't too far from where the boat is now. He told me he actually stopped there with the baot a couple of times and said that it was a nice place.

I think for the next couple of weeks i am going to leave it where it is and then maybe when i am up that way I will stop into SSS and check them out for myself, sure it's still a drive, but the boat would probably be a little more secure there.

I figure I will probably be going up that way a couple times a week anyway to get in some boat time for the next month or so, and then I am on vacation the first week in September so that would be a good time to decide what I am going to do with it long term.

[GordMay]

See the Venice entry in the free online anchorage guide

Southwest Florida Anchorage Inventory
➥ Florida Sea Grant - Boating & Waterways - Anchorage Inventory

Venice/Higel Park ➥ Venice/Higel Park - Florida Sea Grant