Cruisers Forum
 


Reply
  This discussion is proudly sponsored by:
Please support our sponsors and let them know you heard about their products on Cruisers Forums. Advertise Here
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Rate Thread Display Modes
Old 19-09-2016, 09:32   #1
Registered User
 
Binarysailor's Avatar

Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: KC, MO
Boat: right now 2 14' lasers
Posts: 24
Opinions on relocation for sailing purposes.

The wife, the 12 year old and I will be moving in the next year to expand our sailing experience. The Mrs. and I are in our late 40s. We have extensive sailing/racing experience but only on lakes/dingies big and small. We have very limited keel boat experience. Our options are limited to continental USA.

The plan is to get a couple of jobs (again), buy a house (again), then a coastal weekender sailboat and spend the next 5 years enjoying it. Eventually we will cruise full time. (Going now is not an option)

For the sake of discussion let's limit the options to Chicago, Houston, Tampa Bay area, or the coast of North Carolina. I have some experience in all these areas. I can think of a few +/- for each location. I am interested in the sailing community's thoughts.

Chicago- Love the idea of sailing the Great lakes. But, why move to sail to a place where sailing is only an option 6 months out of the year?

Houston, Tampa, NC- Would you buy a waterfront house in a place where the water front will advance (potentially a lot) over the next 50 years?

Where would you move to and why?


Sent from my Nexus 6P using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app
Binarysailor is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 19-09-2016, 09:49   #2
Registered User
 
Cheechako's Avatar

Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Skagit City, WA
Posts: 25,453
Re: Opinions on relocation for sailing purposes.

No doubt, NC or Tampa. Better weather, better cruising.
__________________
"I spent most of my money on Booze, Broads and Boats. The rest I wasted" - Elmore Leonard











Cheechako is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 19-09-2016, 09:50   #3
Senior Cruiser
 
skipmac's Avatar

Cruisers Forum Supporter

Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: 29° 49.16’ N 82° 25.82’ W
Boat: Pearson 422
Posts: 16,306
Re: Opinions on relocation for sailing purposes.

Houston and Tampa - pretty much year round sailing but both hot as the dickens in the summer.

NC - not nearly as much winter as Chicago but cold enough several months of the year. Summer usually a bit more pleasant than FL or TX.

Tampa - Tampa Bay which could keep you busy exploring for a while a while and somewhat protected. Then lots of coastal cruising with the option to expand horizons to the Keys and Dry Tortugas.

Houston - Don't know the cruising in that area. Have to ask a local.

NC - Lots and lots of places to go.

Waterfront property. Be prepared to be flooded if a hurricane comes by and that chance includes the entire Gulf and East coast USA. Also bring your big wallet if you're buying anything close to any kind of water, beach front, water front, canal front, ICW, even marsh land frontage.
__________________
The water is always bluer on the other side of the ocean.
Sometimes it's necessary to state the obvious for the benefit of the oblivious.
Rust is the poor man's Loctite.
skipmac is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 19-09-2016, 10:01   #4
Registered User
 
meatservo's Avatar

Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: DFW
Boat: wanting a cat
Posts: 509
Re: Opinions on relocation for sailing purposes.

Houston the most uncomfortable, especially summer, Tampa, not much different, North Carolina would be more pleasant, still gets pretty hot though...

If it were my choice? Pacific Northwest!





meatservo
meatservo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 19-09-2016, 10:21   #5
Registered User
 
ReMetau's Avatar

Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Marathon, FL
Boat: Hans Christian 33
Posts: 652
Re: Opinions on relocation for sailing purposes.

Tampa Bay for sure. Lots of places to sail to year round and thw water is warm enough to swim in as long as you don't mind all the blind mullets.
__________________
Don & Diana
s/v ReMetau - a Hans Christian 33
https://www.remetau.com
ReMetau is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 19-09-2016, 10:42   #6
Registered User
 
Sea Dreaming's Avatar

Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Whoo! Finally made it back to Mexico!
Boat: Cheoy Lee Offshore 38
Posts: 1,458
Re: Opinions on relocation for sailing purposes.

We looked at the Tampa area. The cost of living is lower than where we are in the Denver area. We found costs for houses etc to be quite affordable.
__________________
If toast always lands butter side down, and cats always land on their feet, what would happen if you strapped toast to a cat's back and dropped it? - Steven Wright
Sea Dreaming is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 19-09-2016, 10:47   #7
Registered User

Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Canada
Posts: 280
Re: Opinions on relocation for sailing purposes.

Quote:
Originally Posted by meatservo View Post
Houston the most uncomfortable, especially summer, Tampa, not much different, North Carolina would be more pleasant, still gets pretty hot though...

If it were my choice? Pacific Northwest!

meatservo
A second vote for that!
rallyman1122 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 19-09-2016, 10:59   #8
Registered User
 
callistov42's Avatar

Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Seabrook, Texas
Boat: Vagabond 42
Posts: 292
Re: Opinions on relocation for sailing purposes.

I have lived on Galveston bay for 25 years. Yes it is hot here in the summer but not any worse than Florida. The Clear Lake area has LOTS of boats and great support services (yards, sail makers, etc). The real beauty of the Houston area is that it is cheap! Where else can you buy a waterfront home for $500,000 +/-, 45 minutes from the 4th largest city in the US. Slips are reasonable and you can sail here year around.
callistov42 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 19-09-2016, 11:05   #9
Registered User
 
Binarysailor's Avatar

Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: KC, MO
Boat: right now 2 14' lasers
Posts: 24
Re: Opinions on relocation for sailing purposes.

Good thoughts! What about boat buying and sailing opportunities? Why the PNW? What is the sailing season like there?

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app
Binarysailor is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 19-09-2016, 11:06   #10
Registered User

Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Nanaimo BC
Boat: modified Spray 56' oa
Posts: 378
Re: Opinions on relocation for sailing purposes.

Definitely not the Salish Sea and inside to Alaska Too many secluded anchorages and no challenges to fishing/foraging .Tides are scary and a too steep learning curve avoiding rocks covered in oysters. Most towns have livaboard marinas Which a plus as who would want to row ashore in the rain
topmast is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 19-09-2016, 11:29   #11
Registered User

Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Oriental, NC
Boat: Bristol 35.5
Posts: 1
Re: Opinions on relocation for sailing purposes.

http://www.forkandbottle.com/books/c...#chcompanionWe moved from Austin, TX to Oriental ("The Sailing Capital of North Carolina) over the last two years, and have been full-time since the spring.

Positives:
- Great community of sailors: competitive but everyone wants everyone else to get better
- relaxed, 900 permanent residents, there are two stoplights in the entire county
- sailing on the Neuse River/Pamlico Sound is a lot of fun, and runs from April through December. Two good boatyards in town, about 8 boats per permanent resident. (Do the math. If you're in North Carolina, this is a great place to keep your boat.) Active racing community.
- lots of live music for a town this size
- Lots of places to cruise to from here, ICW goes right by on it's way to Morehead City and Beaufort.
- Real estate is super reasonable for waterfront property.

Cautions:
- we are still working, but both in jobs we can do from our home offices. Not a lot of industry here
- we waited until our kids were off to college
- if you want symphonies/ethnic restaurants/opera/real theater, Raleigh/Durham is two hours away
- It's not as hot as Austin, or as humid as Houston, but it is more humid than we expected (July-August)
- Yes, storms come through here -- trees shelter us from the wind but a long-lingering storm to the East can raise water levels along the Neuse dramatically. Most houses are up 9+ feet for a reason. The standing examples were named Irene and Isabelle. Worry about it every five years or so.

It all depends what you're looking for, but we love it!

John

p.s. I initially wanted to move to Bellingham or the San Juans, but my wife couldn't stand the weather. Our concerns with Houston/Clear Lake (where I have family) were that it was a day's cruise from the Gulf, and where do you sail to from there besides Galveston?

p.p.s. I believe in global warming, but I don't think it's going to drive us out of here in my lifetime.
jrcoombs is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 19-09-2016, 11:43   #12
Registered User
 
Binarysailor's Avatar

Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: KC, MO
Boat: right now 2 14' lasers
Posts: 24
Re: Opinions on relocation for sailing purposes.

That is very helpful! Thks

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app
Binarysailor is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 19-09-2016, 11:51   #13
Registered User

Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Jacksonville, FL
Boat: Pearson 367
Posts: 550
Re: Opinions on relocation for sailing purposes.

Chicago is expensive. San Diego is expensive. The sailing season is year round in San Diego so why not consider it? In the Gulf side of florida I've been told that the summers are hot and muggy and not much wind (from a friend in pensacola). San Diego has consistent westerlies and year round sailing. Also, not sailing related; Don't buy property without experiencing all 4 seasons. If you wan't to cruise in 5 years then I wouldn't buy property at all.
LLCoolDave is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 19-09-2016, 12:00   #14
Registered User

Join Date: Jul 2016
Posts: 797
Re: Opinions on relocation for sailing purposes.

If you want to cruise the Pacific - Oregon/Washington. If you want to cruise the Caribbean/Med - North Carolina.
__________________
We are sailors, constantly moving forward while looking back. We travel alone, together and as one - to satisfy our curiosity, and ward off our fear of what should happen if we don't.
SV DestinyAscen is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 19-09-2016, 13:23   #15
Moderator
 
Jim Cate's Avatar

Join Date: May 2008
Location: cruising SW Pacific
Boat: Jon Sayer 1-off 46 ft fract rig sloop strip plank in W Red Cedar
Posts: 21,134
Re: Opinions on relocation for sailing purposes.

If the move is aimed at being exposed to LOTS of sailing activity, one should consider the SF By area. Year round intensive racing at levels from casual beer can to serious semi-pro. A wide variety of sailing conditions with very consistent F6+ in the summer months, strong tidal currents and enough commercial traffic to encourage your learning COLREGS! Laid back summer cruising to the Delta, and several useful oceanic destinations close enough for weekend visits.

Downside is high cost of living, very high population density and California crazyness.

But great sailing...

Jim
__________________
Jim and Ann s/v Insatiable II, lying Port Cygnet Tasmania once again.
Jim Cate is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
sail, sailing

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes Rate This Thread
Rate This Thread:

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Copy of a full survey needed for reference purposes. AFKASAP General Sailing Forum 8 29-09-2015 13:16
Using a PLB for Other Purposes GreggL Health, Safety & Related Gear 6 24-11-2012 06:30
StackPack and Weight Considerations for Racing Purposes sandycohen Deck hardware: Rigging, Sails & Hoisting 6 04-08-2011 16:15
Valuation of boat for VAT purposes espresso Europe & Mediterranean 5 05-01-2009 09:55
Knife - Safety purposes ireaney Multihull Sailboats 21 24-09-2008 23:56

Advertise Here


All times are GMT -7. The time now is 21:52.


Google+
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Social Knowledge Networks
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.

ShowCase vBulletin Plugins by Drive Thru Online, Inc.