Catalina 25 @ Florida Keys

[BreakAwayFL]

:-D Good price too (I think)

[Lake Superior Sailor]

Good Luck with your boat! Sounds like your well on your way...Dale

[BreakAwayFL]

Just touched base with Geico again, they said due to the low insured amount ($20k) and the small size (25) an inspection wasn't neccesary.

[CalebD]

Now to find that mooring field that isn't such a long ride to get to.
Using google only Boot Key harbor on Marathon showed up for me. Hopefully with your 'boots on the ground' you will find a place on Key Largo.
Congrats on the insurance.

[Perithead]

Awsome job with the insurance. I have been thinking about getting some on my little 17'. I figure I could get a good bit more than I paid for her, it would probably help me sleep better at night (on the boat).

[BreakAwayFL]

Worst case there is a well known long term anchorage in Jewfish Creek I have been thinking about to lay double anchored. I'm also trying to find the rules in the area about dropping my own mooring.

[denverd0n]

The Catalina 25 has come in four versions: swing keel, fin keel, wing keel, and water ballast. Just curious which one yours is. If it's the fin keel (4' draft) you're going to have to keep an eye on your depth, as there are a LOT of areas around the keys where it is shallower than that. Personally, I would consider the C25 with swing keel a nearly perfect boat for weekending around the Keys.

Anyway, good luck and have fun with your new boat.

[BreakAwayFL]

I have the fin keel. i thought about a swing keel model, but as I anticipate crossings to the Bahamas, I prefer the security/stability that a 1900 pound fin keel offers.

The caveat is of course that most of my sailing WILL be done in the Keys, so I'll have to spend a bit more time on the charts.

[CalebD]

If you are going to be doing any anchoring down there keep in mind that the state of Florida will now issue fines for anchoring in or disturbing the sea grass beds. Here is an example of a high profile case where the proposed fines were substantial:
Treasure Hunters Are Fined for Destroying Sea Grass in Florida - NYTimes.com
I could not find a link for the schedule of fines for this. This article seems worth looking over too:
Florida Keys Boating & Fishing Tips
Florida is no longer the wide open last frontier it used to be when it comes to boating. When it comes to building on land it seems you can get away with much more if you grease the right political palms.