Corpus Christi v. San Diego

[craboutofwater]

Hello-

I am new to sailing, although i have been around boats a long time. I currently live in New Mexico, but have recently decided I would like to relocate near the water. I am considering San Diego (i grew up in socal) and am also considering the Corpus area.

I plan to buy a boat locally and live aboard. My goal is to save enough to go cruise with my children for a few years. I should be able to accomplish that wothin 24 months.

Does anyone have any thoughts as to living aboard, quality of life, cost of living, etc in the San Diego area vs. corpus? I would also like to know a bit about the sailing communities in each.

Any thoughts would be extremely helpful. Thanks a ton.

[dwedeking2]

I grew up in So Cal. I love San Diego as a city and especially the waterfront areas. With that said I moved out of California in 2010 due to the laws, taxes, fees, and cost of living. Also due to regulations limiting the number of liveaboards it can be difficult to find a space in San Diego (at least last time I looked into it).

[SantaFeTrailer]

Hey Crab, welcome from another New Mexican. For me it would be more Texas vs. Cali in general. Both certainly have their issues - which is why I live in the middle.

[craboutofwater]

Thanks Trailer! I would assume you get down to Elephant Butte fairly often?

[roverhi]

Can sympathize with craboutofwater. Regulations up the wazzoo, expensive slip fees and higher taxes to boot but the weather sure is great in San Diego. Spent a little time in South East Texas and the winters can be cold and the summers very hot and humid. Would assume everything would be less costly in Texas than SD though no recent personal experience. Not so great cruising in either place unless you head down to Mexico though the Channel Islands can be fun to explore on the West Coast.

Might consider SF Bay. Slip fees were reasonable in Alameda, warm but not hot in the summer and wasn't too cold to sail in the winter. Live aboard could be a problem in desirable areas but something always seemed to turn up somewhere. Exploring the Bay was an adventure and the Delta has tons of areas though cold in the winter. As long as you stayed out of San Francisco, things weren't too crazy. Never go into the city with anything in your car you can't afford to lose.

[ElGatoGordo]

I'm a Texan, lived aboard a short while but very familiar with the area. Also lived in SD many years ago. The easy comparisons are :Texas is way cheaper, way fewer people overall on the water, esp in sailboats, way fewer rules/laws to interfere with your plans. BUT water quality isn't great compared to CA, quite shallow, and I agree SD weather is far better. Texas gives you a good start point to the Caribbean either direction.

My clear choice is Texas for freedom from govt interference and simple living.

Depending on lots of factors, you might look at Port Aransas or Rockport, both nice little towns with small sailing fleets but huge boating communities. Or if work is an issue, the Clear Lake area South of Houston is rife with liveaboard options and plentiful, good paying jobs (obviously depending on your career)

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[belizesailor]

Used to keep my boat in Corpus. Great bay for day sailing, but good crusing anchorages are few and relatively far away (for a weekend anyway). Had two bikes so we could cruise the water front. Enjoyed our time there.

Pic: sailing back in thru the jetties...

[Adelie]

Don't know Corpus but live in SD currently. The biggest problem I have here is there's a limited number of destinations. You can sail up and down the bay which is fun the first 3 or 4 times. You can sail out onto the Pacific but it's not much of a destination. With 6-10hr you can sail up to mission bay and back. TJ and Ensenada are over the border and involve customs etc both ways. Oceanside is 8-12 hr each way. Catalina Island is 14-18hr there and 8-12 coming back.

There is plenty of racing which is good for learning basic sailing skills but destination sailing is how you learn a whole bunch of other cruising skills like navigation, anchoring, . . .


A house is but a boat so poorly built and so firmly run aground you would never try to refloat it.

[liveaboard60]

While Corpus is nice, I'd look at Port Aransas (other end of the bay) very cool town, lots to do. Weather is great, and Island Mooring isn't bad, though I dock at the city marina.. Then there is Aransas Pass and Rockport, so there is lots of places to tie your line..

Of course being Texas, you are welcomed with open arms.. And you can't beat the BBQue.. flk k

[SniperSailor]

I lived many years in Corpus, and have visited San Diego and consider relocating to that area. Both have their plus's and minus's.

If you are at all interested in entertainment out side of your boat, Corpus, and Texas in general, is not the place. Heck, just Balboa Park will keep you busy for days. California has an openness and a culture built on tolerance that appeals to me though I must say the Bay area is a bit ummmmm, left of my position.

There is no comparison in the food. If you like BBQ, then Texas is your place. Outside of that you best like cilantro as its in everything. San diego, on the other hand has a wide variety of good foods.

As mentioned above, there will be far less gub'mint interference in Texas, though that is not always good. Human nature, unchecked by reason, can destroy a lot. Some regulation is necessary. And prices are much better in Texas.

If you are into shooting there is no debate.

Either way, congratulations on beginning the next chapter of your life.

[KadeyKrogen38]

Keeping a boat in Texas is a fraction of the cost in SD.

[Briandownsouth]

I've lived in both places. San Diego is by far the winner in almost every category. Even more so if you have kids school age. Texas schools just don't compare. It does cost a little more and there are more taxes but the trade off is worth it.

[craboutofwater]

Thanks to everyone for the thoughtful advice. It helps tremendously to have such a broad range of opinions on the subject from so many who have knowledge of both regions.

[CREX]

Hey crab. I live in T or C. Have a C27 on trailer, used to be slipped at the Butte. Only way I'd go now because it's very expensive sailing these days. But I checked out Corpus Christy a few years ago and found some reasonable prices. I lived in S. Cal. A while back and it was getting hard to find liveaboard and really expensive. Could only imagine cost now. FL was the best, but now it seems expensive and getting more and more regulated. Good luck... Hope this helps.

[Hoosiersailor]

One other consideration is where you plan to cruise with the kids in 24 months. You have some pretty cool options from both but if you plan to do some coastal cruising with kids, TX might be a better option.