You Are All So Amazing ! Kudos !

[BareFtGrl]

Ok...so we recently bought our first sailboat and since I have been reading (lurking..ha ha!) you all have helped me get a great first boat (total score for me on this deal), or so my instructor tells me and also the marina manager.

We've had a few lessons so far and have taken her out sans instructor once already.

I just wanted to let you know just how much you really have helped and what a wealth of knowledge this forum is for us.

Soooo...we're starting out on our Hunter 25...but in a few years we'll settle into a 37 to 45 footer.

Thanks!! and I mean that from the bottom of my heart! <3

[Strait Shooter]

Welcome and congratulations on your boat. I did the same thing, lurked for years, learned a lot, bought my first and am now on my second boat. I WILL blue water sail on my own craft. That I can even hope to achieve this is due largely in part to lots of.good people.

There's a great group of people here, helpful, knowledgeable, friendly and at times funny as hell.

Welcome aboard!

[eastendsailor]

Congrats! I'm employing the same strategy.

[Unicorn Dreams]

Welcome Aboard

[Johnathon123]

Welcome

We need PHOTOS

please

[rgscpat]

There should be plenty of Hunter 25 pictures around. But, I hope soon the OP will post some action pictures of her boat out sailing to add to her avatar picture! Time on the water is good.

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, BareFtGrl.

[GreenOnions]

I'm new here too and I've also been thrilled by the positivity and how helpful everyone is!

[brutb]

Welcome to CF, congrads on your new boat...

[h20man]

Originally Posted by BareFtGrl

Ok...so we recently bought our first sailboat and since I have been reading (lurking..ha ha!) you all have helped me get a great first boat (total score for me on this deal), or so my instructor tells me and also the marina manager.

<snip>

Welcome to C.F. BareFtGrl

[BareFtGrl]

Hey thanks for the warm welcome! Seems to happen all over in the boating community...it's awesome...I love it!

I was out this afternoon looking for a new (a tad bit farther south) marina to slip her and I met so many nice people who were real friendly and so helpful.

As I was leaving one of the marina's I must have had this ridiculous grin on my face...because I was thinking how happy I am to now be a part of it all. I know, I know...there's always a jerk in every crowd, but I sure you all know...there's a whole lotta more jerks trapped on land. I'd like to keep 'em there!

Ok well, I gotta buncha questions...so I guess I'll find the right topic areas and let 'em fly. Hee hee!

Amber

[four winds]

Not sure how much farther south you want to find a slip.

But I spent my first ten months at the Gulfport Municipal Marina in Gulfport, FL. Not a bad spot to start out at all, in my opinion.

One big plus is the bay just outside the marina channel to day sail in at a moments notice. It's Boca Ciega Bay, not Tampa Bay. And if you want to go off shore is not that far to Stucture C bridge and the channel to the ocean.

A good place to gain some experience for me.

I've spent the last few weeks moving north to the pan handle.

[BareFtGrl]

Hey thanks Four Winds...it's gonna be a little while before we get that far south...although it is definitely on the agenda! My best friend lives in Port Charlotte. Takes us about two hours to drive that way. I was looking in the Clearwater/Dunedin area and so far...I looooooove Marker 1 marina in Dunedin. Oh the amenities!! And easy access to the waterways there. Not so awesome up here in New Port Richey...but not terrible either. We're going to head to Clearwater for a few months...then St. Pete...then Sarasota..Port Charlotte/Gulfport...so...we'll probably be there by the spring. Do you think there is a waiting list? I wonder how booked up they get.

[four winds]

No waiting list right now. The economy helped them down to 70% occupied. It's month by month with 15 days notice to leave. So you could stay a while and move somewhere else easily.

Your boat length would put you on Pier 2 I think, at the best price. It's not a fancy place, but the docks are in very good shape, with pumpout at the dock as well. Surrounded by small residential housing, it's quiet at night. Not a live aboard marina, but you can stay weeks at a time without anyone saying a word. No laundry facility, but very clean bathrooms.

The staff is friendly and will respond quickly to any issues with the infrastructure. Like a bad ac outlet or squeaky gate or whatever. Good security with gates also.

Again, for me the best amenity is the bay ten minutes from your slip. And not a bay with tankers crossing, and high traffic. Good place to gain experience day sailing.

It's where I bought my boat last year, so I stayed until I was ready to move north.