Bye Bye Florida

[Jolly Roger]

There’s a story on my boat’s website that everybody should read who lost a boat in the two recent hurricanes, or who might be thinking of getting their boat out of Florida. We’ve found a safer, (and a lot cheaper) place to keep our boat.
BYEBYEFLORIDA

[neilpride]

There is no safe place in the path of a cat 5 hurricane, perhaps luck or good preparation can mitigate the damage.

The only safe measure is to stay out of the latitudes where hurricanes strike.

NC, is exposed to storms.

[gonesail]

I would not consider NC a mild winter climate. but then again I am a Floridian that enjoys the warm weather

[Shrew]

Link was broken:

BYEBYEFLORIDA

that page is also not on your navigation page. I was able to manually browse to it.

[s/v Jedi]

New Bern is a very nice place but it gets brutal hits from hurricanes where flooding is really bad and many boats are lost.

Winters are brutal imo…

I love Florida, even now that Nicole caused damage to Jedi by taking out a solar array. I’ll just build a stronger version and double the power

[Jolly Roger]

Originally Posted by Shrew

Link was broken:

BYEBYEFLORIDA

that page is also not on your navigation page. I was able to manually browse to it.

The link is automatically applied as the file name, the full URL can be found by double clicking and copied to any browser.
The story is not on the site yet because a longer version will be published in a boating magazine later next year. I just wanted to inform Florida boaters who might have been badly affected by the hurricanes and thinking of getting out, of the pleasant sailing area we have discovered, in more ways than one.
JR

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

New Bern is a very nice place but it gets brutal hits from hurricanes where flooding is really bad and many boats are lost.

Winters are brutal imo…

I love Florida, even now that Nicole caused damage to Jedi by taking out a solar array. I’ll just build a stronger version and double the power

The best part about that is “double the power”.


But yeah. I took quite a beating on a boat I built brand new. It was absolutely pristine. Now tons of cosmetic damage.

I learned my lesson too. Don’t leave your boat UNATTENDED in Florida. That was my lesson.

Well, actually I learned this twice. The other time was man made. The man made stolen list includes:

Hypalon RIB
Outboard
Bicycle
Kayaks
Break in and theft of several things and big value
Even stole my beloved 80lbs Manson supreme right off the bow!!

[Jolly Roger]

Originally Posted by Chotu

The best part about that is “double the power”.


But yeah. I took quite a beating on a boat I built brand new. It was absolutely pristine. Now tons of cosmetic damage.

I learned my lesson too. Don’t leave your boat UNATTENDED in Florida. That was my lesson.

Well, actually I learned this twice. The other time was man made. The man made stolen list includes:

Hypalon RIB
Outboard
Bicycle
Kayaks
Break in and theft of several things and big value
Even stole my beloved 80lbs Manson supreme right off the bow!!

Like I said - more reasons than one. I rest my case. JR

[smj]

We spent the last 2 summers at NW Creek Marina in Fairfield Harbor as my father lives in New Bern. Great marina with wonderful people running it, but be aware that it was bought out by a corporation this past spring and our dockage was about double this summer vs. the summer of 2021. Still way cheaper than most places in Fl. though, and the housing has taken the same hit.

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by Chotu

The best part about that is “double the power”.


But yeah. I took quite a beating on a boat I built brand new. It was absolutely pristine. Now tons of cosmetic damage.

I learned my lesson too. Don’t leave your boat UNATTENDED in Florida. That was my lesson.

Well, actually I learned this twice. The other time was man made. The man made stolen list includes:

Hypalon RIB
Outboard
Bicycle
Kayaks
Break in and theft of several things and big value
Even stole my beloved 80lbs Manson supreme right off the bow!!

If they steal your anchor then it was too small anyway

[Chotu]

For me it’s the heat. You can get boat work done 3 months out of the year. That’s it. The rest of the time it’s awful.

Different if you are at a dock with air conditioning or whatever. But if you are just living, it’s unbearable.

[DragonflyBob]

We have the same heat and hurricane risk on Lake Pontchartrain but we don't have near the influx of peope and strain on the existing infrastructure that is starting to make many areas of Florida less desirable places to be as well as becoming unaffordable.

I've done some racing up by Nags Head and Duck to the north and I loved the area. Congrats JR!

[Jolly Roger]

I would add that I appreciate not everyone can just uproot and move to another state. But if you have had your house flattened, and maybe lost your boat as well, as some no doubt have in the Fort Myers area, it might be a good time to consider getting out, and the Pamlico is a very nice sailing area on the east coast, nearly all year.
However, nowhere is immune to weather, or free from the risk of hurricanes, and the Pamlico marinas are susceptible to wind flooding, because it’s almost a land locked sea. We had a rise of 3’ feet as Nicole went past, but it was anticipated, and we acted accordingly.
The cost of keeping a boat in Florida is rising exponentially, as more craft arrive with more immigrants, and marinas have waiting lists of people willing to pay. The monthly dues for my 50’ foot schooner in Fairfield Harbour is now just one quarter of what I paid in central Florida, what with the cost of travelling to and fro from Orlando on the 528 toll road. It now takes me exactly six minutes to get to my boat and the only vehicle which might add a few minutes is the postman or a slow golf cart.
For us, it’s also about quality of life, the considerably reduced traffic, the seasons, and nearness to family, etc. Always a matter of personal choice, but also financial. I would add that I also saved $800 a year on my insurance. They don't like Florida anymore, so if you can get it you will just have to pay.

[Bobby Lex]

Just like every boat is a compromise of sorts, so is every State. Take "weather" for example. Yes, there is bad weather in Florida (e.g. hurricanes). But there is very good weather too. Tropical, warm/mild, 365 sailing days per year. (Back in the day a major newspaper in the St. Pete/Tampa area would give away their daily paper FREE on any day that the sun didn't shine at least for a few minutes. They only averaged about 5 free giveaways each year).

Combine that mostly lovely weather with over a thousand miles of coastline -- second only to Alaska, and some of the world's most beautiful beaches. No wonder Florida is considered a boater's paradise.

But it's not all just one thing. No State is. You have to pick what is a good fit for you and each of us has different priorities and expectations.

Interestingly enough though, year after year Florida is either the #1 or the #2 State for people moving TO. So apparently it's still a good fit for an awful lot of people. North Carolina is #4, so it, too is apparently a good fit for many others as well as the OP.

Bob

[S/V Illusion]

I’ll take Florida weather any day compared to elsewhere in the US but regret so many other people feel the same way. It’s getting too crowded here and I’m glad to see at least one guy leave.