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Rakuflames · 12-05-2012, 16:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by Therapy

Well, if you are starting out in Clearwater then look at Tarpon Springs. There are a few there. Marinas and RV parks.

But the reason for the answer is that Port Hudson Marina (in Hudson)
Port Hudson Marina | Marina - Events - Boat Club - Rentals
is expanding a part of their dirt to make it a RV park.

This would allow you to have a boat there at the marina and your RV within spitting distance. How is that for being able to get a project done without the 45 Min drive to home? (How do I know

)

Also you could leave the boat for summer and escape northwards. You may think where you come from is hot and humid but I dare you to get stuck doing a project at midday. Popping into the AC every hour or so doesn't count.

They don't allow live-aboards per say but will let you spend nights on your boat. Just how this could be enforced if you have a RV that houses your spittoon I don't know but you could talk to Larry or Chris.

Hudson has several marinas, restaurants, motels etc. It also has a contingent of nefarious (mostly harmless) pilferers (someone stole my gps

)but so does the rest of the Sunshine State.

My relation?

If I get an RV'r to sign a years lease I get free dockage for my next cat for life.

.............not really.

I just had my cat there for a little over two years and was happy there.

I suggest going south -- Redington Beach or south. Lots of marinas. The best boat yards are on the Tampa Bay side of St. Petersburg. There are a couple of big marinas in St. Petersburg and more nearby. South St. Pete Beach is very different than the Clearwater -- for instance, no high rises allowed. But there are plenty of condos and prices are depressed right now -- as in REALLY depressed.

Therapy · 12-05-2012, 16:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rakuflames

It's not that bad. If Clearwater in June scares you away, you're a wimp.

Well, you have me pegged then.

Because June to Sept it is really hard on me if I am out in it. On a boat, the coast or not. I have been here since 1974.

My wife does not feel it much. She might "glow" a little

but certainly not sweat.

If I stand in the shade, doing nothing, I will be soaked in 20 min. If I work I can wring out a sweat band and T-shirt every 20 min.

Body habitus may have something to do with it.

Or is that just a wimps excuse?

got seashells? · 12-05-2012, 20:04

After last summer being 110 here in oklahoma 90 doesnt sound so bad but I am proud to say it prove me to be a wimp as well as the 2 stage AC unit. I do so thank all of you for your answers. I am less stressed about trying to get our trip set out now. This is truly what I was looking for.

denverd0n · 13-05-2012, 09:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rakuflames

It's not that bad. If Clearwater in June scares you away, you're a wimp.

I wouldn't disagree, but there are a lot of people that it DOES scare away. Mostly it is those who visit over and over during winter and/or spring, but have never been here in July or August. Then they decide to move down full time, spend one complete summer, and move back to wherever they came from. Check the statistics and you'll see that describes nearly 2/3rds of the people who move to this area.

Personally, I don't understand it. I grew up in Nebraska and I would take Florida in August, over Nebraska in August, anytime. But a lot of folks don't feel that way, and I figure they deserve to be warned.

Therapy · 13-05-2012, 09:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by denverd0n

I wouldn't disagree, but there are a lot of people that it DOES scare away. Mostly it is those who visit over and over during winter and/or spring, but have never been here in July or August. Then they decide to move down full time, spend one complete summer, and move back to wherever they came from. Check the statistics and you'll see that describes nearly 2/3rds of the people who move to this area.

Personally, I don't understand it. I grew up in Nebraska and I would take Florida in August, over Nebraska in August, anytime. But a lot of folks don't feel that way, and I figure they deserve to be warned.

We bought our first house from a couple that retired from NY.

He had a heart attack mowing the grass at midday in the summer.

The first summer.

You gotta ease into this stuff. Still easing......

mangomuffins · 13-05-2012, 09:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by got seashells?

Hello all, we are heading off to Florida in June to look over some long term RV parks, Homes for sale and some boats and slips. we will be going to Clearwater area and wondering if anyone had some tips on boat yards and marina's to visit or what area we should spend most of our time at or away from.. We are 2 years out from retiring and selling it all (started with some of that already) and not sure if we should sell the RV and buy a house or keep the RV for our home when not cruising.

If we should sell everything and live full time on the boat (that we dont have yet) or buy a house to be rented out until we are done with this chapter of life and then move into it.............so stinking many options.

Any way, we are heading out there early June and hoped for some info of where to look so we can start to figure this stuff out. Thanks in advance for anything you can point us to.

Seashells,

You might want to wander down to anna maria island... there are a couple of marinas (as well as a reasonably good anchorage) there and a couple of rv parks right across the bridge in Cortez. Also PLENTY of houses / condos for sale. Nice place and much less crowded than tampa/clearwater. Close to sarasota (also nicer than T/CW). free trolley on the island and cheap to ride to sarasota. Give me a pm when you get here and I would be happy to show you around.

cheers,
mm

Rakuflames · 13-05-2012, 10:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by Therapy

Well, you have me pegged then.

Because June to Sept it is really hard on me if I am out in it. On a boat, the coast or not. I have been here since 1974.

My wife does not feel it much. She might "glow" a little

but certainly not sweat.

If I stand in the shade, doing nothing, I will be soaked in 20 min. If I work I can wring out a sweat band and T-shirt every 20 min.

Body habitus may have something to do with it.

Or is that just a wimps excuse?

Well, it's hot sailng here in the summer because so often the wind dies at mid-day. Then you have NO breeze. If you're on a boat with no bimini -- yikes! But if you're on a long trip you have to sail early in the day because the thunderstorms are most likely to form in the late afternoon. My hard and fast rule is to do anything to avoid sailing downwind -- no apparent wind, and you're moving with the wind, so it's still on the boat.

90's just not that bad. 90% of the country gets that hot or hotter in the summer. What I'm arguing is -- don't single Florida out for "bad summers." Orlando? You bet -- but not the coasts. You can go to the Santa Barbara area of California, but then you'll have the combination of double to triple the living costs PLUS the very real earthquake threat.

Rakuflames · 13-05-2012, 10:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by denverd0n

I wouldn't disagree, but there are a lot of people that it DOES scare away. Mostly it is those who visit over and over during winter and/or spring, but have never been here in July or August. Then they decide to move down full time, spend one complete summer, and move back to wherever they came from. Check the statistics and you'll see that describes nearly 2/3rds of the people who move to this area.

Personally, I don't understand it. I grew up in Nebraska and I would take Florida in August, over Nebraska in August, anytime. But a lot of folks don't feel that way, and I figure they deserve to be warned.

Well, no, 2/3 of the people who move here do not move back. We do have a lot of snowbirds, but if you can put up with the aggravation of taking care of two homes, why not take the best of both climates?

Comparing where I come from, the summers are longer her but MUCH better than Missouri's. I'd have to go a lot further north to even consider being a snowbird. The summers along the coasts here (even Jacksonville, only 15 miles inland, is brutal in the summer -- lived there 8 years) ... are not bad, and better than a lot of places. Die-hard weather complainers will never admit it, though.

Rakuflames · 13-05-2012, 10:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by Therapy

We bought our first house from a couple that retired from NY.

He had a heart attack mowing the grass at midday in the summer.

The first summer.

You gotta ease into this stuff. Still easing......

Heart attacks don't drop out of the blue. The conditions that cause them build for years, and if he'd stayed in NY he still would have had that heart attack, probably shoveling snow.

I don't see any point to scaring people like that, sorry.

Rakuflames · 13-05-2012, 10:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by mangomuffins

Seashells,

You might want to wander down to anna maria island... there are a couple of marinas (as well as a reasonably good anchorage) there and a couple of rv parks right across the bridge in Cortez. Also PLENTY of houses / condos for sale. Nice place and much less crowded than tampa/clearwater. Close to sarasota (also nicer than T/CW). free trolley on the island and cheap to ride to sarasota. Give me a pm when you get here and I would be happy to show you around.

cheers,
mm

Anna Maria Island is GORGEOUS. The only problem is the traffic getting on and off, especially during the season. One of my favorite places and a "must see" for anyone who is going to move this way.

Therapy · 13-05-2012, 10:40

Well, we all have our views.

I have been in Pakistan - 110 in the shade, Texas - same, SC - no hope of cooling rain, etc.

Florida summers with the humidity, in MY VIEW, are brutal.

End of my comments.

**hummingway** · 13-05-2012, 13:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by Therapy

Well, we all have our views.

I have been in Pakistan - 110 in the shade, Texas - same, SC - no hope of cooling rain, etc.

Florida summers with the humidity, in MY VIEW, are brutal.

End of my comments.

Hot and humid is hard to escape vs. hot and dry, AC not withstanding.