Starting out in Florida?

[Billnpr]

Often recommended on this form is to start with a smaller sailboat to learn and move up for the complete novices. The Florida Keys have plenty of motels that have 22 foot sailboat to use free with the rental of a room or cottage. The keys are a wonderful place to learn to sail with beautiful water on either side.

[Davy J]

Is it ridiculous to consider sailing direct from Everglades City to Dry Tortugas in early May on a Hunter 240?

Glansing,

You can certainly sail from Everglades City to the Dry Tortugas. However, you would want a very good weather window there and back. You would also need to be very self supported. There is no food, fuel or water there. You would also burn up quite a few days of your two weeks sailing there and back.

As far as snorkeling you would probably be better off just picking any point in the Key's chain and find the nearest inshore reefs. The main reef is around five miles out, but there are plenty of shallow reefs inside Hawk Channel.

As an alternative, you could find a dive OP or snorkel operation. Their boats could get you out to the nice snorkel spots much faster than a sailboat.

And, if you haven't tried it, SNUBA is a great experience. It got me hooked on diving.

[Glansing]

Thanks, Davy. All good points. Especially the 2 days each way of just sailing to Dry Tortugas. I may save that trip for another year. Any recommendations for researching good snorkeling spots, anchoring, provisioning, and parking the vehicle/trailer while in the keys? I am familiar with Active Captain, but local knowledge is always great.

[dennismenace111]

Originally Posted by sanibel sailor

I would suggest SW Florida- Ft Myers/Port Charlotte. No insult to SE Floridians, but there are few destinations there without going to the Bahamas. Here we have sheltered waters, open Gulf, Charlotte Harbor, undeveloped barrier islands. Not as boat-centric and less sailing here generally, but less expensive, much less crowded, and a better place to learn. There is a more Midwestern flavor vs the Northeast metropolitan flavor of Ft Lauderdale.

I've live in South Eastern Florida since 1955. Years ago, we had a huge sailing community...not so much anymore. Ft.Lauderdale is all mega yachts. Boats that you seek are rare. You would gave better luck on the west coast of Florida. Tampa/St.Pete, Sarasota, Cape Coral, Ft. Myers and Punta Gorda areas are more sailboat rich cities. Be wary of buying any boat in the Florida Keys. Many have been used as liveaboards due to the high cost of housing in the Keys and have not been maintained.

[Scaramanga F25]

I have lived and cruised both coasts, the Keys and the Panhandle.

You can find a deal for $8K. You will need a friend with much expertise.

Begin on West Coast. You will be MUCH happier with very shoal draft,-3'.

[dennismenace111]

Originally Posted by Ellevan

Looking for some advice on beginning my first sailing/cruising adventure in South Florida. I live on the west coast of Canada but I'm interested in getting away for the winter months with my partner next fall. It rains here nearly 8 out of 12 months, the water is beautiful but frigid, there are far fewer sailboat choices and resources, and the winds are confused and light during the nicer months... Still an amazing place to explore no doubt and I'm sure one day we'll set up here.

The idea is to either just wing it and find a boat after arriving in South Florida while renting a room, or to find an online special and then have a destination. From what I've read Ft. Lauderdale is a pretty boatcentric spot. I'm talking about a 25'-30' beginner cruiser with a little work needed. Is this realistic? I mean we're both pretty adventurous and spontaneous, willing to struggle a bit and be thrown into it.
What attracts us to that area are the sheer number of boats, the many experienced sailors around, the warmth, and of course the eventual ability to sail across to the Bahamas and beyond after much learning and practice. We would of course have to head back to Canada at or before the 6 month mark, but this would work really well for our seasonal work schedules. If we had found a boat that we wanted to keep we would look for storage on the hard. I see many young people on youtube getting small boats and having great success this way in the SE, but I don't think I've seen anyone just show up from elsewhere and make it happen. Is anyone on this forum from the area and willing to share their experience or simply their advice? Are there any Canadians reading that have done this themselves?

Aside from what everyone says about South Florida.....the absolute best sailing in the state is Biscayne Bay near Miami. Second best in my opinion would be Charlotte Harbour near Ft. Myers and Punta Gorda.

[kwikreports]

I have lived in Florida, the Caribbean and am now back in Ontario. I have owned and operated boats in all locations and currently have a 31' sailboat which I bought and use in the Great Lakes.

I was looking at sailboats in that range in the Florida and Caribbean areas and was disappointed in a lot of what I reviewed. This was mostly due to the fact that I had already owned a boat on the Great Lakes before I began working abroad. The difference between a boat that has been operated in saltwater to ones in fresh, to me, where stark.

When I took this into consideration and the difference in the dollar my decision was easy. As mentioned above I now have a sailboat that has spent its life in fresh water and am looking at outfitting it to take it through the canal systems, sail it down the ICW and on, which is an adventure in itself.

[Davy J]

Any recommendations for researching good snorkeling spots, anchoring, provisioning, and parking the vehicle/trailer while in the keys?

Can't help with the truck/trailer part as we normally just sail down from Tampa.

However, in addition to regular marinas, there are a number of RV parks that also have boat ramps and marina facilities. Fiesta Key RV resort, Sunshine Key RV resort and Sugarloaf KOA all have ramps and docks, as well as a few others.

You might also check out picking up a mooring in Marathon's Boot Key Harbor. There is parking for the liveaboards there. Bahia Honda State Park is also an option.

Our favorite is Looe Key reef. You can anchor in Newfound Harbor and daysail out to the reef. Or get a ride from Looe Key Dive center on Ramrod Key.

Here is a link to fishing and dive spots:

https://www.floridagofishing.com/loc...rts-fknms.html

[dennismenace111]

Originally Posted by kwikreports

I have lived in Florida, the Caribbean and am now back in Ontario. I have owned and operated boats in all locations and currently have a 31' sailboat which I bought and use in the Great Lakes.

I was looking at sailboats in that range in the Florida and Caribbean areas and was disappointed in a lot of what I reviewed. This was mostly due to the fact that I had already owned a boat on the Great Lakes before I began working abroad. The difference between a boat that has been operated in saltwater to ones in fresh, to me, where stark.

When I took this into consideration and the difference in the dollar my decision was easy. As mentioned above I now have a sailboat that has spent its life in fresh water and am looking at outfitting it to take it through the canal systems, sail it down the ICW and on, which is an adventure in itself.

Great lakes boats get used 4 to 6 months a year, whereas Southern boats get used year round in harsh sun and salt. Not to mention the occasional hurricane. Given the choice, a northern, fresh water boat is only 1/3 the age of a Southern Boat in terms of usage.

The other factor is heat. Doing work on your boat after March is difficult just because the heat and humidity is is unbearable!

[RLMM]

I know of an early model C&C 30 in Eau Gallie that needs an owner. Floating in a quiet marina/ hurricane hole that would let you do the work and get ready to sail. It's not pretty at this point, is a project, without a doubt, but would give you a great starting point. Eau Gallie is just south of Cape Canaveral, part of the city of Melbourne. South from there you could choose to go to the Keys or the Bahamas. Or if you want the west coast of Florida, through the Okeechobee to Ft Myers and Sanibel. American Airlines and Delta fly into Melbourne as well as Allegiant (I think) Better check that one. Let me know if I can help.

[Davy J]

To Glansing, and anyone else following along, forget about Sugarloaf KOA. Just checked and they are still closed due to Hurricane Irma. As a matter of fact, Bahia Honda State Park was closed last time we were there.

So, if you are going to the Key's, especially the area around Big Pine Key, Make sure the facilities are back open for business.

[tomfl]

Originally Posted by dennismenace111

Aside from what everyone says about South Florida.....the absolute best sailing in the state is Biscayne Bay near Miami. Second best in my opinion would be Charlotte Harbour near Ft. Myers and Punta Gorda.

As someone who grew up in Coral Gables and raced one design boats in high school in Coconut Grove , raced in Tampa Bay while at USF, traveled the state while at law school at FSU racing, and after graduation raced all over in places like Jacksonville and Stuart, and kept my boat in Ft. Myers for a couple of years. No place in Florida comes close to BKH. Took me 15 minutes to get past the last red marker and in open water; maybe 30 minutes to Washerwoman reef to dive, maybe an hour to the big reef at Sombero. Not to mention walking to grocery store, Home Depot, and West Marine and a very helpful social atmosphere.

[Sand crab]

Is BKH Boot Key Harbor? I had to look that up and I grew up in Fla but moved away a million years ago.

[Glansing]

Appears so since I easily found the Home Depot, grocer store, and looked like a hundred boats anchored there. Thanks for all the suggestions. Please keep then coming.

[Davy J]

and looked like a hundred boats anchored there.

Those boats are not anchored there, what you are seeing is the Mooring field operated by the Marathon City Marina. You can pick up a mooring, use the dinghy dock, there is parking for vehicles, bicycles, showers, restrooms, laundry and other amenities.