Summer in S. Fla

[duffer69]

Taking anew Ben 40 from Kemah Tx. To S. Fla. Any suggestion for a great and safe place to summer? I.e. Marina and some easy sailing for newbies.

[Unicorn Dreams]

Hello neighbor,

try Boot Key Harbor in Marathon.

[Don1500]

Originally Posted by duffer69

Taking anew Ben 40 from Kemah Tx. To S. Fla. Any suggestion for a great and safe place to summer? I.e. Marina and some easy sailing for newbies.

What is the draft and Bridge Clearance?
If you can go 5' draft and <55' clearance you might want to think about docking on Lake Okeechobee (Pahokee) It's a nice marina, cheap ($5.00 an foot), and you have (limited) but safe sailing. Also access to either the Gulf or Atlantic without going around the Keys. I am not affiliated with them. It's just a place I found that I will be going, From Kemah maybe, when I finally sell the house and buy the boat. I have spoken with them and they sound like very nice people.
Loggerhead® Club & Marina - Lake Okeechobee - Pahokee Florida Wet Boat Slip Marina offering Boat Slips and Docks for rent

[AnchorageGuy]

Originally Posted by Don1500

What is the draft and Bridge Clearance?
If you can go 5' draft and <55' clearance you might want to think about docking on Lake Okeechobee (Pahokee) It's a nice marina, cheap ($5.00 an foot), and you have (limited) but safe sailing. Also access to either the Gulf or Atlantic without going around the Keys. I am not affiliated with them. It's just a place I found that I will be going, From Kemah maybe, when I finally sell the house and buy the boat. I have spoken with them and they sound like very nice people.
Loggerhead® Club & Marina - Lake Okeechobee - Pahokee Florida Wet Boat Slip Marina offering Boat Slips and Docks for rent

Unfortunately the Okeechobee Waterway is restricted to about a 3 1/2 foot draft on route 1 and 1 1/2 foot draft on route 2 right now because of the drought conditions in the Lake watershed. We are in the Fort Myers area right now and you might consider the Fort Myers City Marina. If you will be living aboard, there are few marinas available on the SW coast. Chuck

[maxingout]

If I was in south Florida, I would make arrangements to have the boat hauled in the event of a hurricane. I would also consider going up the Indian River to Lake Okeechobee. Many marinas force you to leave the marina in the event of a hurricane.

If you are going to be out and about on the yacht, I would get a humongous anchor - something like a Fortress FX-125 and I would sail in an area that had a good bottom for holding in a storm. The FX-125 weighs 70 pounds and has immense holding power in good sand and mud.

[Vasco]

Just keep going and enjoy the Bahamas.

[zeehag]

bahamas would be great in a hurrycame--ye think???
watching weather is important in this season-- ye get more than a week of notice before it hits ye, and even t 7 kts, isnt that difficult to find a hole in which to hide.... do have fun and goood luck. i was in manatee river anchred for many lil electrical storms 2009-2010-- was not bad--- goood holding and fairly well protected-- but they werent hurrycames.....port st joe has a good marina....dont know aboutthe hurrycame protection thing--from there i would go to white city--is well protected.....

[Don1500]

Originally Posted by Waterwayguy

Unfortunately the Okeechobee Waterway is restricted to about a 3 1/2 foot draft on route 1 and 1 1/2 foot draft on route 2 right now because of the drought conditions in the Lake watershed. We are in the Fort Myers area right now and you might consider the Fort Myers City Marina. If you will be living aboard, there are few marinas available on the SW coast. Chuck

Thanks for the info. I thought the COE kept the lake at a navigable height. Live and learn.

[rgscpat]

Boat US recently had an article on how to look at whether marinas will protect your boat in a hurricane. Floating piers with really tall columns (to cope with a big storm surge) worked best. Dry storage with screw-in ground anchors and dry stack storage in recently built barns were also good.

[KestrelBuck]

Although during my ownership my boat was in Tampa Bay / St Pete for only a few months, I liked the area. Many marinas and good access to lots of good sailing.

The previous owner had the boat in that area for a decade.

[AnchorageGuy]

Originally Posted by Don1500

Thanks for the info. I thought the COE kept the lake at a navigable height. Live and learn.

The Engineers can't do much when the rains don't come and the lake begins to dry up. There is only so much water and when that goes away, deepening the channels won't help. The only relief at this point is lots and lots of rain. A tropical system will do it, but we don't really want to see that fix any time soon. Chuck

[capttman]

If you want to go to the east coast Telemar Bay Marina in Satellite beach is a safe hurricane hole and there is limited sailing on the intercoastal and a short hop to the ocean, I am not affiliated with them but have kept my boat there last 4 hurricane seasons.. Quiet close to shopping and every thing else... Well there's my two cents

[HopCar]

I really like Charlotte Harbor as a cruising ground. Take a look at Burnt Store Marina. It's just north of Ft. Meyers and south of Punta Gorda. Sanibel and Captiva Islands are a short sail across the bay.
Burnt Store Marina

[dlockhart]

South of Naples about 20 miles and north of Everglade City, about 7 miles up the Faka Union Canal is Port of the Islands Marina. Lots on Mangroves and hidey holes on the canal and the marina itself is pretty far inland which would help subdue a storm surge although the draft is an issue at low tide.

[offline]

Considering that the City of West Palm Beach just declared they have only 22 days worth of water left... I'd say avoid the area.

Depending on draft you may find Stuart a good location.