Sport Cruiser(up to 30feet) as small hotel room in Miami - how crazy is it?

[Alex788]

Sport Cruiser(up to 30feet) as small hotel room in Miami - how crazy is it?

Hello, friends!
I'm new to that forum, so hope i won't brake any local rules with my first introduction/question post

From time to time i was sailing in Croatia/Montenegro waters since 2009.
We lived on Adriatic sea back then and sail pretty often. oh boy, i miss those waters very much. We had rent 40-54 feets different sail boats for a week or so and went to the open waters...

Few years ago i moved to lovely West Palm Beach area in Florida, have setup all my family needs and start thinking about getting back in see almost every day )))

So, Florida....power boats paradise, but not many sails boats here and it's not that popular as in Europe (IMHO), all this water channels with low hight bridges makes sailing more complicated and there is not many island to travel around...etc etc. (i'd love to change my opinion, i hope its all due lack of local experience)
For now i could't find fellow crew to join for at least weekend trips on sail boat

That been said, i have start looking on smal Power Cruisers like Sea Ray Sandancer 260 (or similar >2010) to buy for my family trips, dock it down to Miami area (i live 1 hour north in West Palm) and use it on weekends or whatever like hotel room for myself and family short local trips down to Miami.

What you think? Will it worth it? Im new to local waters and just started to do research, so im intrested in all: Marinas prices, storage details, ancoring spots, prety much everything. May be somebody have realized same idea already?
Any inputs will be appreciated!

PS i guess my "International bareboat skipper sail license" (IYT) will be useless in US?

Nice to meet your all!

Alex

[Ita]

Hi Alex.
You don’t need a license to operate a boat, as long as you don’t use it commercially (personal use).
Marinas usually go 18 per feet per month, they’re some long waiting time to get a spot. For small boat you can find dry storage.
Miami is a totally different place than WPB, plenty of open water south of Rickenbacher bridge, lots of sailboats and anchorages , take a look at the charts ( download Navionics on your cell phone), 16 miles to Boca Chita key.
Miami Yacht Club have docks and moorings, required membership

Hope this helps
Walter

[john61ct]

What is the hotel room part?

[Lost Horizons]

The cost of a transient slip in Miami is compatable to a hotel rate.

[JPA Cate]

Welcome aboard CF Alex788. Yes, it might be able to be done. However, you should check on whether there are liveaboard restrictions at the marina you will leave the boat at. Also, if your real love is sailing, perhaps a small sailboat would work for you?

Ann

[ranger58sb]

Originally Posted by Alex788

That been said, i have start looking on smal Power Cruisers like Sea Ray Sandancer 260 (or similar >2010) to buy for my family trips, dock it down to Miami area (i live 1 hour north in West Palm) and use it on weekends or whatever like hotel room for myself and family short local trips down to Miami.

What you think? Will it worth it? Im new to local waters and just started to do research, so im intrested in all: Marinas prices, storage details, ancoring spots, prety much everything.

Can work easily. You just need to check marina rates, etc. to work out what you can afford. If you expect to be able to plan your trips with some lead time, a "high-and-dry" (boatel) storage situation could maybe work, maybe less expensive, boat better sheltered when you're not there...

Lots of boating opportunity in the Miami/FLL/Keys areas... so were it me, I'd consider it a boat, hotel room as secondary. Go lots of places...

Another option is to keep the boat in West Palm, and make your trips to Miami by boat... with local trips in between times.

-Chris

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Alex.

[alansmith]

You don't mention your budget for purchasing s boat. You can get a Corsair F 27 in a traikerable boat. Hardly a better boat made for the Keyes. You can use overnight type slips at the marinas and just pay the fees. When not using the boat it is sitting in your storage lots or parked in front of your house on the Bermuda grass costing nothing. Even a small pickup can handle hit. Honestly... check it out. Finish Line up in Stuart is where you should talk to the guys about the F27 or F-31 if you go bigger. You won't be disappointed.

Miami and Fort Lauderdale... unbelievable the amount of money they want for yacht storage, berthing, or even a mooring ball. That is why a traikerable boat makes so much sense. These trimarans are perfect for Floridian waters. Best of luck Alex.

[Dave22q]

I think you will find live-aboard slips are the only option. Compare your slip rental to hotel costs over a month. As short term transient slip rental is much more expensive per day I suspect dry storage and splashing when needed would be a PITA and not save you much if anything. I see no benefit in trailering for your intended use unless you can find cheap, secure storage reasonably close to a ramp and I doubt you will find much.

[alansmith]

Dave, perhaps you didn't understand his usage? He wants a boat that he can use for a hotel room occasionally. He doesn't mention living on board. Miami has one of the most expensive dollar/foot in USA. Also boats rot quicker in warm water/sun. Higher maintenance costs. You can get an F27 off the trailer in less than 40 minutes just being lazy. You can store the boat in front of your house or driveway for zero cost. If you leave it in a storage yard u looking at 1-2 C notes a month. Compare that to slip, bottom cleaning, and tropic rot sitting in a marina and you are looking at overwealming divergent comparisons.

Are u aware Dave how long it would take u to take your monohull down to Key West from Lauderdale? Instead, how about pulling it down there in a couple of hours? How about during the summer you want to do Maine for a couple of weeks? How long will it take you in your mono to get there? F27 can go to windward at 65mph with the air conditioner on.

Dave... I'm not trying to rankle your chain. I'm saying you probably never sailed on a Tri. What king of boat speed you got Dave in 7 knots of wind to windward? On the F27 you would be close to wind speed. Off the wind you might be doing 10 knots. Downwind surfing you would be in low teens. Most likely you'd be engine on.

For many people it makes a lot of sense. Florida is perfect for fast shallow draft boats. It is so boring for me to cruise the same waters year in and year out. With traikerable boats you drive and splash. On west coast I sail Sea of Cortez, San Juans, Tahoe, Delta, San Francisco, Channel Islands etc. try doing that on your mono hull in 12-18 months. Perhaps you can understand that there are advantages for these type of craft. Florida is perfect. The best boats for the working family man are these trailerable boats.

Ciao.

[alansmith]

Alex, I'm in a rampage mode. Listen my European friend. The Miami boat show is coming up in February. Best boat show in USA. Just so close to you. So near in time. Don't do anything yet. Research. Go to the show and get a ride in the Corsairs and many types of boats. You might need to start making contacts soon so you can get rides. It is a zoo. Crazy busy. You will understand what these trimarans and monos can do with costs, sailing speeds, cost of slips, etc etc. then also educate yourself through yacht world.com and sailboatlistings.com what the used boat market is like. Then it just a matter of money and preferences.

Keep in mind also the Florida's best sailing are shallow water in the Keyes and estuaries. You will understand how draft of the boat plays a major role in limitations. Exciting time for u. Good luck. U live in sailor heaven. Fishing, lobstering, diving. Nirvana.

[captlloyd]

I think you have a good idea, maybe tweek it a bit. Rather than docking in Miami area, go North a bit and dockage gets cheaper. There is a million sailboats in Florida, your assumptions are off a bit there also. Powerboat, sailboat, Florida is a boating paradise. Google marinas.com, cruisingguide.com, active captain.com, you will find reasonable dockage and the information to contact them.

[Dave22q]

Originally Posted by alansmith

Dave, perhaps you didn't understand his usage? He wants a boat that he can use for a hotel room occasionally. He doesn't mention living on board. Miami has one of the most expensive dollar/foot in USA. Also boats rot quicker in warm water/sun. Higher maintenance costs. You can get an F27 off the trailer in less than 40 minutes just being lazy. You can store the boat in front of your house or driveway for zero cost. If you leave it in a storage yard u looking at 1-2 C notes a month. Compare that to slip, bottom cleaning, and tropic rot sitting in a marina and you are looking at overwealming divergent comparisons.

Are u aware Dave how long it would take u to take your monohull down to Key West from Lauderdale? Instead, how about pulling it down there in a couple of hours? How about during the summer you want to do Maine for a couple of weeks? How long will it take you in your mono to get there? F27 can go to windward at 65mph with the air conditioner on.

Dave... I'm not trying to rankle your chain. I'm saying you probably never sailed on a Tri. What king of boat speed you got Dave in 7 knots of wind to windward? On the F27 you would be close to wind speed. Off the wind you might be doing 10 knots. Downwind surfing you would be in low teens. Most likely you'd be engine on.

For many people it makes a lot of sense. Florida is perfect for fast shallow draft boats. It is so boring for me to cruise the same waters year in and year out. With traikerable boats you drive and splash. On west coast I sail Sea of Cortez, San Juans, Tahoe, Delta, San Francisco, Channel Islands etc. try doing that on your mono hull in 12-18 months. Perhaps you can understand that there are advantages for these type of craft. Florida is perfect. The best boats for the working family man are these trailerable boats.

Ciao.

perhaps you read poorly. check the transient prices for weekend slips (yes if you sleep on board they will treat that as live-aboard). Slips are not always available when and where you want them. OP talked about a cheap hotel alternative you talk about great sailing. He wants to sleep in Miami when home is an hour away. My point was that a boat may not be an economic solution. By the way in many marinas down here 40' is the minimum slip charge.

[Alex788]

Thank you all for so warm welcome and all this useful information at start!
I agree on many points that been said!

i choose WPB area for more queit, family style of living, more bang for buck housing, less tourists crowd etc etc... and looks like boating here upnorth will be also remarkably more calm and cheaper from FLL and Miami.

We all want to kill two birds with one stone, in my situation i pretty often drive down to Miami to meet friends and for business reasons, thats why my initial idea was to keep boat there to spent night on it from time to time.

i'll continue my research, no rush for me, will make marinas list, make calls and visit in person, get prices. Will try boats, visit boat shows and hope to come up with somthing in the next year or so, get a boat, store it in the my area and then contuniue explore the local waters. Will keep that plan in mind

[Alex788]

Originally Posted by Dave22q

He wants to sleep in Miami when home is an hour away. My point was that a boat may not be an economic solution. By the way in many marinas down here 40' is the minimum slip charge.

You absolutely right, as more i research, as more i see that hotels always will be cheaper option.