First boat search is overwhelming

[tommyt]

Guys,

Four years ago DNR was seeing the first snowflakes in Ohio and thinking about a vacation home in Florida for a few weekends a year. The snow must have melted and he went on to something else because he was never heard from again on this post. From there we have him putting a boat on Lake Erie (same snow) and then a 2 month cruise to Florida? This guy was obviously not looking to be a cruiser.

[chuck5499]

I am going to agree with Sailing dog and comaraderie -- think about what you are doing and what it is really going to cost - there are lots of boats for sale but where are you going to put it - dockage in south fla is a real problem -- second is insurance - we have those named winds and trying to find insurance is a real problem and when the company finds you are not close enough to go to the dock to make you boat hurricane ready you may have even more trouble -- third if you have a problem at the marina who is going to fix it when you are called - we had one guy at the dock hire someone to take care of his and was subsquently kicked out of the marina as the person did not do a good job (it got lose and hit my boat) - - why not contact the guys below at Fla Yachts and go through their Sailtime program - they keep one of their boats at my marina and i can tell you it is really well taken care of - they are hunters but what can i say

sales@floridayacht.com

chuck and soulmates

[cardiacpaul]

is my eyesight failing me as well or is this thread one day short of being 4 years old.

[sailingdog]

CP-

Yup...just about four years old...I checked the two posts above mine but not the OP... Your eyesight is fine...

[mike dryver]

dido on the above, bought a 37 ft Gulfstar nov. 04 new the boat always in the marina i know and has never been south, and maintained reality well. having said that the first fall and spring spent $8,000.00 on upgrades and asundries ((essentials) missed survey)) stuff/repairs(done myself). total 1st yr. $54,000.00 + $8,000.00. it doesn't take long for this to add up so be careful. we had budgeted $100K for boat and repairs over 1st 2-3 yrs. sails need to be replaced only for performance issues. they are orig. 1979. electronics are all old (but serviceable) other than a new gps plotter. but anyway if your not in a rush you can do a lot with $65K if you spend wisely. just don't use the whole wadd on the boat!!!!
good luck mike

[chuck711]

Your thoughts on keeping a boat in more a temperate climate is good. However I was a Great Lakes Sailor and relocated to North Carolina
after a 2 1/2 year Caribbean cruise on our Cal 33 ,which sadly is now up for sale. We've found Florida to be a very expensive boating area. Also really didn't like how boaters were treated as well as the congestion on the water. Not a Sailors spot at all! Don't even think about Hurricanes! Which is a Sailors greatest threat!

We've found North Carolina a great place to boat. Our new floating docks
are less than $200 per month which includes a clubhouse etc.......
The temps are moderate and we stayed aboard last winter. You also might find that you can live for so much less than the north you might retire early. Chuck clcjr54@hotmail.com

[JakeLevi]

I am working on deciding between North Carolina or Texas, lots of time to decide. They both offer a lot, and are about the most affordable to base out of that I have seen so far. Excellent fishing available from both, fresh and salt. Possible slightly more hurricane threat with Texas. More of them with NC. This spring will be checking out both. I liked much about Fla but too expensive for me.

[sailingdog]

Jake-

The hurricane threat isn't necessarily higher in Texas, since most hurricanes tend to go north and east...rather than north or north and west... Texas probably gets hit less often, but when it gets hit, it probably gets hit harder. North Carolina probably gets hit more often, but probably not as hard each time... so I'd say it's pretty much a wash.

[JakeLevi]

Thats what I have been thinking, I think it will come down to going and looking and picking the one that I like the best. Texas is supposed to have taken the hardest hurricane hit at Galveston recorded in the US.