Friendliest marinas in Florida?

[IrishWake30]

I'm hoping to get a variety of responses. Which are the friendliest marinas for liveaboards in Florida? I'm getting ready to haul across the country with my boat, and I don't have a preference yet where to end up.

Any suggestions on marinas, locations, and why you think it's the best marina to live for a little while would be appreciated.

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by IrishWake30

I'm hoping to get a variety of responses. Which are the friendliest marinas for liveaboards in Florida? I'm getting ready to haul across the country with my boat, and I don't have a preference yet where to end up.

Any suggestions on marinas, locations, and why you think it's the best marina to live for a little while would be appreciated.

I have lived at Pasadena Marina and Twin Dolphin in Bradenton. Of the two, both are very good and about the same price for what you get, but I prefer TD.

First of all -- no bridges to get where you want. The sail out the Manatee River is beautiful.

But the marina itself is very nice. Heated pool and jacuzzi, bbq grill. If you want to have friends over they'll set a table up for you at the pool. At the marina across the river, food isn't allowed around the pool.

The staff are knowledgeable and tremendously helpful. You get what you pay for and then some.

It's located right at the heart of downtown Bradenton, which is quite nice, lots of good restaurants near by, public library, theater and museum all within easy walking distance.

Gated access to each main dock, and they change the codes often. As a single female I feel very safe here. There was no security at Pasadena.

Only drawback is that it's right on the Riverwalk. So if you don't like jazz, too bad, because you will hear it during the jazz festival. There is no reserved parking; you park on a public street, so you are not guaranteed a parking space. When I came home on July 4 the police let me use their lot (right across the street from the marina) only because my driver's license listed the marina as my address. But we all had a spectacular view of the fireworks behind those gates.

The shower rooms are spacious and clean. I just like it here very much.

[IrishWake30]

Thank you! As an afterthought, I should add that I am a single female. I'm glad you mentioned that. I'm currently in a marina that is 90% fishing vessels, and the fishermen here have no qualms about their dislike for sailboats and/or females on their dock. I'm hoping to find a place where people are respectful of others, more mature in behavior, and have enough manners to treat a woman as a woman, or at least have enough respect to realize that not everyone who owns a boat speaks using the f-bomb at least three times in every sentence.

[zeehag]

regatta pointe and port st joe were awesome nice when we were there--- friendly and the residents are helpful in both...more liveaboards in regatta pointe than in psj, however...

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by zeehag

regatta pointe and port st joe were awesome nice when we were there--- friendly and the residents are helpful in both...more liveaboards in regatta pointe than in psj, however...

Regatta Pointe is not a marina I would recommend at this time. A fair number of people who were there have moved across the river to Twin Dolphins.

[FSMike]

Originally Posted by IrishWake30

Thank you! As an afterthought, I should add that I am a single female. I'm glad you mentioned that. I'u currently in a marina that is 90% fishing vessels, and the fishermen here have no qualms about their dislike for sailboats and/or females on their dock. ---

My ex told me that she spent a fair amount of time living at the shrimp boat docks in Key West aboard her 35' yawl.
She said it was not unusual for her to be down below and hear a shrimper come by very close to her boat and hear a loud "splat" in her cockpit.
She would come up and look in her cockpit and find a nice snapper/grouper fresh out of the ocean for her dinner.
Of course she was a single hander female sailor who expected no special privileges and realized what the working fishermen went through to make a living.
Or perhaps you're referring to sport fishermen rather than commercial fishermen.

[mellowseas]

I like hidden harbor, st augustine, fl. Very live aboard friendly, reasonable, nice group of people including 2 or 3 single live aboard women. I also like St. Augustine.

[Kashmir cat]

Palm Coast Marina. Located on the ICW half way between Daytona Beach and St. Augustine in the beautiful planned community of Palm Coast. Its a small, well protected marina in an idyllic setting, run by the same friendly and accommodating staff that have been there for over 10 years. My wife and I lived aboard there from 2000 to 2002 on our previous boat. Our current boat has been docked there since 2007. Great spot!

[Stu Jackson]

Is ANYWHERE in FL OK for you? I hear it's a big state.

[IrishWake30]

Originally Posted by Stu Jackson

Is ANYWHERE in FL OK for you? I hear it's a big state.

Anywhere coastal with a marina. It's not my final destination, but perhaps a 6 month stay to complete preparations on my boat.

[IrishWake30]

Originally Posted by FSMike

Or perhaps you're referring to sport fishermen rather than commercial fishermen.

Yes, it's the weekender sport fishermen I'm referring to who have no tolerance for us who are on sailboats.

[IrishWake30]

Originally Posted by mellowseas

I like hidden harbor, st augustine, fl. Very live aboard friendly, reasonable, nice group of people including 2 or 3 single live aboard women. I also like St. Augustine.

Thank you! I'll check it out. I appreciate your response.

[IrishWake30]

Originally Posted by Kashmir cat

Palm Coast Marina. Located on the ICW half way between Daytona Beach and St. Augustine in the beautiful planned community of Palm Coast. Its a small, well protected marina in an idyllic setting, run by the same friendly and accommodating staff that have been there for over 10 years. My wife and I lived aboard there from 2000 to 2002 on our previous boat. Our current boat has been docked there since 2007. Great spot!

It sounds like a great location! Thank you!

[The Way]

I can second Palm Coast Marina. Liveaboards are very social and helpful. Most have been there a long time, but accepting of newcomers.

Fair winds,
The Way

[zeehag]

i found friending with the sports fishermen actually let a little testosterone out of the bag as it were and they react a lil better when they have someone who is not a snotty yotty ragbagger blowboat typical..yada yada yada--bring them beer and they friend right up and you may even get a fishie out of it...

just sayin.


dang i miss the splat of a fishie in the morning......



and if my draft isnt to deep for regatta pointe i would yes go back there.... especially if my sailmonster friends recommended it again.