Live aboard Snowbirds - Toronto to Florida yearly migration. Is anyone doing this?

[undercutter]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

Your eligibility for OHIP is not directly tied to taxation. I think you can remain a resident for tax purposes, but still fail to meet the requirements for provincial health coverage. Rev Canada’s rules for residency are broader and cover many more factors. OHIP only cares if you have been in the province* for "for at least 153 days in any 12-month period.”

As soon as we hit the USA border our passports are scanned and a digital record of our departure is recorded. When we come back the same happens. It is technically possible to compare these two records. I predict this will start to happen soon if legislation doesn’t block it.

*Travel within Canada, but outside your home province, counts towards your 212 day max. each year. But here there is no easy way for “da man” to track us.

Good thing as I spend less than 3 months of the year back home. Can't take the cold anymore.

[AiniA]

After five years away cruising we are increasingly feeling that the more enjoyable sailing is to be had in warm places we visited. Don't want to be too nasty but we found that the usual lake cruising is OK, but nothing special and not very good sailing in the summer with the light winds we get. Wondering if we should just keep our boat (current or a different one) in the Eastern Caribbean and come home for the summers. Don't want two boats - too much work and too much cost.

[hamburking]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

While I have not seen it, gut feeling is its a very well kept boat with a much better than average engine and generator, large enough to be very comfortable and with a 4'3" draft, very ICW friendly

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...le-178784.html

Or this one...solid boat, shallow draft...and cheap.

Pearson P35 shoal draft sailboat | eBay

[rwidman]

Originally Posted by toddmurray

........... I've read somewhere a diesel engine may need to be rebuilt around 10,000 hours. ...............

And how many trips north and south do you think that will be? How old are you now and how many years do you expect to cruise north and south?

Do the math and you'll find it doesn't make a difference.

[ramblinrod]

Originally Posted by AiniA

After five years away cruising we are increasingly feeling that the more enjoyable sailing is to be had in warm places we visited. Don't want to be too nasty but we found that the usual lake cruising is OK, but nothing special and not very good sailing in the summer with the light winds we get. Wondering if we should just keep our boat (current or a different one) in the Eastern Caribbean and come home for the summers. Don't want two boats - too much work and too much cost.

Opinions can certainly differ.

I love sailing in warm climates when the Great Lakes are frozen.

I love sailing in different regions that have varying geology and culture.

I love sailing in freshwater.

I hope I never have to make it either / or, but can have it all.

Clean, clear, cool, freshwater. Can't beat it for swimming.

[hamburking]

Originally Posted by ramblinrod

I love sailing in freshwater.

Clean, clear, cool, freshwater. Can't beat it for swimming.

The great lakes really are great sailing lakes...they must be for us to put up with 10 months of winter just to go sailing 2 months a year.

In many places, the water is clean enough to drink from right over the side...and by late summer the water is plenty warm for swimming.

[Mike OReilly]

I love the Great Lakes, especially the northern lakes like Superior and the North Channel (Lake Huron). If it wasn’t for the fact that the water turns cold and hard 1/2 the year, I’d never leave.

(Although Superior rarely warms up enough to swim in)

[admiralslater]

Originally Posted by AiniA

After five years away cruising we are increasingly feeling that the more enjoyable sailing is to be had in warm places we visited. Don't want to be too nasty but we found that the usual lake cruising is OK, but nothing special and not very good sailing in the summer with the light winds we get. Wondering if we should just keep our boat (current or a different one) in the Eastern Caribbean and come home for the summers. Don't want two boats - too much work and too much cost.

I'm sitting on the boat in Bequia right now and yes the sailing here is great . I did the ICW years ago and had hoped to do it again with my wife on our Winter boat . We keep the boat in Grenada for the off season and the easy connections to Toronto from the commonwealth Islands gives us lots of flexibility.In fact my wife flew home for a week just yesterday.
For us the two boat solution works so far ,I will never think that what I do on the fresh water boat is maintance again after the salt water work.

For Us the repetition on the Ditch might get a little much but I plan on doing it again . Perhaps every other year might work and then travel somewhere different in the off year

[Kim Gregory]

Todd,

Last time I did the trip was 1982, plan to go again soon!

From Ann and Bob Sherer blog:

The first of two "55 ft" bridges on the Cape May canal is actually 52 feet at high tide.
See the page at:
Cruising Down the ICW 2017

- Kim