Best location to search for sailboats around E Florida

[sambo37]

Hi all. Finally retired this month and looking to book flights to Florida to look for a sailboat to purchase. Any ideas about best areas to start (East Florida). Thanks for any suggestions. Cheers.

[Rockinar]

Why dont you find what youre looking for before you book a flight. All the brokers there have websites with their listings. Its cheaper that way.

[Chotu]

St Augustine, Melbourne, Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Key Largo and Key West.

Population centers, basically.

[denverd0n]

Miami/Ft Lauderdale stretch will have the most available. Around Jacksonville there are quite a few also. I also would not rule out the west coast. There are a ton of boats available between Tampa and Ft Myers.


Though, all things considered, I would agree with the suggestion to spend some time shopping online.

[sail sfbay]

Originally Posted by sambo37

Hi all. Finally retired........... look for a sailboat to purchase. Any ideas about best areas to start (East Florida).......

Congratulations on retirement!! I would start with YachtWorld AND local yacht brokers.

https://www.yachtworld.com/boats-for...state-florida/

[surazo]

I agreed .First Look on internet which is your boat and then contact several brokers and several sites and only done that travel to visit the boats .I spent a lot of time in florida viewing boats and finally stop and going into the internet and found a nice Irwin 37 in www.auctionexports.com and in popyachts.com

[skipgundlach]

YMMV but I did:

Search for all the types of boat I thought would work.

Sort by type, size, cost, location on a spreadsheet.

Isolate markets and deal with a single broker - preferably one who'd act as a buyer's broker, specifically - per market (MIA-FTL-WPB can be a single market, or perhaps WPB a separate one) so you can have it all scheduled by one source.

Have them ready for you to come and do a whirlwind tour. Take notes; I took videos too when I got there.

Plan on a second trip. If you found a type (name, model) inappropriate to your must-have list, don't see more of them than one. The first round - if you do the entire FL coast - likely will have many candidates worth a closer inspection. If I were doing it again, and wanted that limited market, I'd start at MIA and work my way up the coast. After JAX, with my now-favorites in hand, make the trek back. As you find ones, on a much more detailed look that look like offer-able boats, do that (be sure you have a pile of money if you're going to do more than one, as most will want 10% deposits), but make each subject to further inspection, or some other way you can drop it on finding a better suit to your needs. Natch, make each contingent on sea trial and survey (sea trial should be part of the survey, if it's going to be thorough); an engine/s survey ditto if you have ANY reservations, and if your surveyor doesn't climb, a separate rigging inspection (ours did, and had a very pertinent observation about the spin block being recalled; I turned it in at a boat show and got the replacement in hand).

But by all means, if you are flying in, and have all the associated costs with an extended trip, get your ducks in a row before flying. MIA/FTL is by far the largest pool of available boats on the FL east coast, and it gets thinner as you move north...

Good luck in your search. I made 5 circumnavigations of the FL peninsula, and one trip from BWI to CSC before I found our "type" and from that point it was swift...

[Ken Z]

You need to look at sailboats for sale by owners fl. Lots of boats, in a big state.

[Catboat Willy]

Congratulations on retirement! First I would think about what it is I am going to do with that boat and where I'm going to keep it. Most boats on the west coast of Florida will be of a shallower draft that the boats on the east coast. If your eventual goal is to sail on the west coast of Florida and the Bahamas, your sailing area will be greatly increased with something that has a shallow draft. If your sailing area is mainly the east coast of Florida, no worries. To me, boats are like tools, you've got to pick the right one for the job you want to do.
Bill......de W2CWL/MM

[sambo37]

Thanks to those who responded, much appreciated. But, yeah, the internet/ Yachtworld thing is what I've been doing the last few years as retirement approached. I planned on being on my way a couple of years back, but, well, what can ya do. Maybe I'm missing something but the Yachtworld et al searches aren't what they used to be; seems to be very little of interest that comes up. Primarily I'm interested in finding a Morgan 384, Pearson 367, Bayfield 36 or, possibly, a Tartan 37 or Tayana 37 in good to excellent condition (part of the problem perhaps). First the Caribbean then South Pacific up to Vancouver and the BC coast. Thanks again.

[sambo37]

Originally Posted by skipgundlach

YMMV but I did:

Search for all the types of boat I thought would work.

Sort by type, size, cost, location on a spreadsheet.

Isolate markets and deal with a single broker - preferably one who'd act as a buyer's broker, specifically - per market (MIA-FTL-WPB can be a single market, or perhaps WPB a separate one) so you can have it all scheduled by one source.

Have them ready for you to come and do a whirlwind tour. Take notes; I took videos too when I got there.

Plan on a second trip. If you found a type (name, model) inappropriate to your must-have list, don't see more of them than one. The first round - if you do the entire FL coast - likely will have many candidates worth a closer inspection. If I were doing it again, and wanted that limited market, I'd start at MIA and work my way up the coast. After JAX, with my now-favorites in hand, make the trek back. As you find ones, on a much more detailed look that look like offer-able boats, do that (be sure you have a pile of money if you're going to do more than one, as most will want 10% deposits), but make each subject to further inspection, or some other way you can drop it on finding a better suit to your needs. Natch, make each contingent on sea trial and survey (sea trial should be part of the survey, if it's going to be thorough); an engine/s survey ditto if you have ANY reservations, and if your surveyor doesn't climb, a separate rigging inspection (ours did, and had a very pertinent observation about the spin block being recalled; I turned it in at a boat show and got the replacement in hand).

But by all means, if you are flying in, and have all the associated costs with an extended trip, get your ducks in a row before flying. MIA/FTL is by far the largest pool of available boats on the FL east coast, and it gets thinner as you move north...

Good luck in your search. I made 5 circumnavigations of the FL peninsula, and one trip from BWI to CSC before I found our "type" and from that point it was swift...

Thanks so much for the detailed response Skipgundlach; very informative and helpful. Pretty much following the scenarios which you describe; but, wasn't real sure of best starting location. Cheers.

[sambo37]

Oh, and one other point...I'm finding a lot of broker's aren't all that keen about responding to say the least.

[carlosproa]

Originally Posted by sambo37

Oh, and one other point...I'm finding a lot of broker's aren't all that keen about responding to say the least.

I guess my question are:
- are you planning living on board full time?
- if so where?
- are you handy? All used boats requires repair
- where would you go once the boat is ready to cruise?
- have you owned a sailboat before?

If you are living aboard be careful that is getting harder to find places that take live aboard in Florida.

[sambo37]

Originally Posted by skipgundlach

YMMV but I did:

Search for all the types of boat I thought would work.

Sort by type, size, cost, location on a spreadsheet.

Isolate markets and deal with a single broker - preferably one who'd act as a buyer's broker, specifically - per market (MIA-FTL-WPB can be a single market, or perhaps WPB a separate one) so you can have it all scheduled by one source.

Have them ready for you to come and do a whirlwind tour. Take notes; I took videos too when I got there.

Plan on a second trip. If you found a type (name, model) inappropriate to your must-have list, don't see more of them than one. The first round - if you do the entire FL coast - likely will have many candidates worth a closer inspection. If I were doing it again, and wanted that limited market, I'd start at MIA and work my way up the coast. After JAX, with my now-favorites in hand, make the trek back. As you find ones, on a much more detailed look that look like offer-able boats, do that (be sure you have a pile of money if you're going to do more than one, as most will want 10% deposits), but make each subject to further inspection, or some other way you can drop it on finding a better suit to your needs. Natch, make each contingent on sea trial and survey (sea trial should be part of the survey, if it's going to be thorough); an engine/s survey ditto if you have ANY reservations, and if your surveyor doesn't climb, a separate rigging inspection (ours did, and had a very pertinent observation about the spin block being recalled; I turned it in at a boat show and got the replacement in hand).

But by all means, if you are flying in, and have all the associated costs with an extended trip, get your ducks in a row before flying. MIA/FTL is by far the largest pool of available boats on the FL east coast, and it gets thinner as you move north...

Good luck in your search. I made 5 circumnavigations of the FL peninsula, and one trip from BWI to CSC before I found our "type" and from that point it was swift...

One further question for you if you don't mind. As your search was obviously systematic and thorough, did you find that there were many boats available that weren't on the internet/ yachtworld etc? Thanks in advance.

[Capt Clark]

Originally Posted by sambo37

Oh, and one other point...I'm finding a lot of broker's aren't all that keen about responding to say the least.

Sambo37,

I am a broker in Miami Beach and I would be glad to respond to any questions and to help you find a boat. As you probably know, it’s still a sellers’ market with limited supply. PM me if you are interested.

Capt Clark