Need Help Planning a Trip to Look at Boats ?

[coachmiami]

I've convinced the wife we should spend out 25th anniversary (First week of September) looking at cats... hehe

We live in Atlanta and were thinking of FL, GA, SC and NC. We probably have about 5 days or so.

We have been looking at 36-42' boats for a while and if we can ever sell our horse stables and business we would be gone in a heartbeat.

Anyone have any suggestions on boats/cool places to see in these areas?

Even ideas of where to stay/eat would be very generous!

Thanks

Miami
Dallas GA

[Healer52]

How about a bit later: Welcome to the United States Sailboat Show! | United States Yacht Shows

[SearenitySail]

Probably FL right now. Try lookin on

Yachtworld dot com
sailboatlistings dot com
craigslist

[Cotemar]

Coachmiami,

Here is a FP Mahe 36 right in your back yard.
http://www.yachtworld.com/core/listing/boatMergedDetails.jsp?boat_id=2103770&ybw=&units=F eet&currency=USD&access=Public&listing_id=1606&url=

Here is all the info you would ever need on a FP Mahe 36
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f136/?daysprune=-1&prefixid=Mahe36&order=asc&sort=title

The US to Euro exchange rate is very good right now to even buy new
http://www.catamaran-mahe-evolution.com/

Mark

[DaveOnCudjoe]

Lot's of S/V in the Tampa-St Pete area, also a great place for a vacation.Check Yachtworld and have a good vacation while your at it. Dave

[Palarran]

Probably the largest concentration of cats is in the BVI's and St. Maarten. You could fly to Tortola, spend two days, then fly LIAT to St. Maarten for a couple days.

[Tropic Cat]

I'll second the Florida suggestion, but respectfully point out that most boats for sale are in south east Florida. Plan a trip to Miami-West Palm

[Pete7]

Hmm, do you have access to your wife passport without her knowing and can you delay the dates a little bit?

A trip here would be a really good suprise, anniversary in London and then on to Southampton which is 90 minutes by train:

PSP Southampton Boat Show - Home

Its only a flight away,

Pete

[Abaco]

I second the SE Florida recommendation. Flying into and staying in Fort Lauderdale, gives you access to all the boats here, and easy access to Miami and West Palm Beach on either side. Let me know if you need any recommendations for hotels or restaurants.

[SouthernHiker]

Coach Miami,

let me know how this trip goes for you. Wife and I are from Rome, Georgia just up the road and hope to be looking in about 6 months. I've been trying to figure out the best way to see the most options. I've been dreaming on yachtworld almost daily, and it looks like a roadtrip around Florida seems like the best option for us. Driving down the east coast and then up the west coast.

We've done this drive for fun without looking at boats, but camping a couple of days in the keys and St. Pete in 8 days.

I'd also suggest looking into a trip to Oriental, NC...been looking at their website and seems like there are bound to be good deals on boats up there, but I could be wrong?

[captainteacup]

Hi, You can go anywhere if you sell the business, but if you don't sell you cant buy a sailboat or even take more than five days off. hmmm. Let me think.

If I had a business to sell, I wouldn't need to worry about anthing, but what I have is a boat in Paradise. It's a bit hot sometimes, and I would trade it for a cool mountain night in a heartbeat.

From reading all the posts- I am wondering what you decided to do on your anniversary- you five days off.

I would suggest a trip somewhere exotic to purchase your first panga (a long fiberglass runabout with a huge two stroke gas engine and bimini) and go wild visiting all the marinas in the area. Most areas, the dinghy allows the first timer to find the best deal and have a great time. Stay in a local cabina and eat from the palapa serviing beer and shrimp for $5. You'll find someone with a great yacht and small business on the sand who wants horses and a business immediately.

[coachmiami]

I got busy - haven't logged in and have not gotten notices all of you had posted. Thanks for your thoughts.

The plan seems to be to drive to Melbourne next Wednesday - and I contacted an agent with Edwards who has several good listings locally as well as access to all the ones for sale.

Then we will run up to St Augustine for a night or two - see what is available there - and then end up at Hilton Head Island where we got married 25 years ago!

Here is something to think about (and why I have been distracted) - It looks like we are going to raffle our horse stables business. And I have been looking into how to start raffling cats that don't sell.

Pretty interesting stuff.

@Cpt Teacup - you don't say where you are.

@Palarran - our first son was born on Tortola on our first boat so we know that area - but I think it would be more fun to go slower for five days closer to home (thanks though)

@southern hiker Lets chat!

@pete7 Having lived in Southampton for a while - I am afraid the guinness would kill me!

Thanks again all - and any suggestion for places to stay or to eat in Melbourne or St Augustine would be greatly appreciated!


Miami

[captainteacup]

Hi. I hope this comment isn't too late. I am between two locations during the year- Puget Sound for four months, and the Atlantic side of Costa Rica/ along the Panama border. Sometimes I shoot over to Dominican Republic or St. Thomas for some travelling.

Thanks,


Cpt. Teacup

[RiverRat]

Originally Posted by coachmiami

I've convinced the wife we should spend out 25th anniversary (First week of September) looking at cats... hehe

Originally Posted by coachmiami

Then we will run up to St Augustine for a night or two - see what is available there - and then end up at Hilton Head Island where we got married 25 years ago!

I 'assume' you'll be bringing a lovely piece of jewelry to Hilton Head with you?

K

[captainteacup]

Hi, Sounds like you have your heart and passion on Florida. It's a good location if you like sweating and beating to wind to get to the bahamas. But if I were any older than I am now, I wouldn't do it. I have gotten used to the trade winds, and easy reaches between Central America and the Carribean. If you are planning to get out and are interested in anything but the gulf coast and florida, I would start looking in the BVI or Central America. You could get the same boat 35 cents to the dollar. It's a warehouse of unattended coastal cruisers down here. Costa Rica!