Liveaboard marina near Orlando Fl or Kissimmee Fl?

zatara74 · #1 08-13-2009

Hello!
I'm a Nurse looking to move to central Florida and I am looking for a marina near Orlando or Kissimmee that allows liveaboards. Can anyone offer me some suggestions? I saw an old thread from 2003 that discussed a few on the east and west coasts such as Titusville's municipal marina but 1. I'd much rather be closer to Orlando and 2. The post is from 2003 so Im not sure the advice is still valid. Thanks for helping and any advice would be appreciated!! Thanks!!

Zatara

CaptainForce · #2 08-13-2009

It's important to realize that Orando and Kissimee are not on the water. Titusville will be the closest location to live aboard unless you speaking of being confined within a small lake. 'take care and joy, Aythya crew

Cbarg · #3 08-13-2009

If your draft is less than 5' and you are less than 47' tall I think you can make it to sanford on the st. johns river which isn't far from orlando.

zatara74 · #4 08-13-2009

Thank you both for replying!! I agree that it looks like Titusville would be my best bet if I want to be right "on" the water. I realize that being in one of the lakes would "lock" me into land but what Lake options are available?

There are more than a few sizable lakes in the area, Lake Topo, Lake Kissimmee, any options closer to central Florida even if having to be in a lake? From Titusville your looking at at least an hour commute one way each day and I'd prefer something closer. Thanks All!!

Zatara

Beersmith · #5 08-13-2009

definitely check out Sanford. It is the closest place with a large marina that I know of that isnt on the coast.

RealityCheck · #6 08-13-2009

You should note that most of the "lakes" around Orlando are round...

They are round for a reason. They are sink holes that have filled.

Some years back I was camping at a resort near Pearson Florida with a small such lake about 15 acres in size and about I would guess up to 8 feet deep in the center. One AM when I got up the lake was gone.

Seems a "plug" had dropped out and emptied the lake into the limestone aquifer that runs all over Florida. Just like a plug in a bath tub. It was a muddy mess for a year or so until with some work the hole was covered and with rain and runoff the lake refilled. Not sure I would want to take a swim with my little rubber ducky inter tube. Don't like the though of being flushed away.

One of the large lakes near Sanford was in the 1970's a large shopping center and car lot. One day the sink hole opened up and took several homes, two car lots ( think one was Hollar Chevrolet) and a block or two of businesses and grew in size for several days. It is now a park with a nice large pond/ small lake.

Any body of water that is round or near round in Florida need to be given a due consideration. This is particularly true when we have a few years of drought. Not something the Chamber of Commerce points out but something to note.

fullkeel7 · #7 08-19-2009

Yeah, most all inland lakes in central Florida are sink holes and are pretty shallow (wish I'd never bought that bass boat with a depth sounder). The typical live aboard sailboat would find a LOT of bottom in most lakes. That includes East and West lake Toho and last I saw, no liveaboards. Sanford does have a real nice marina and one I'd have recommended...in the '60's and '70's. If you want to work in Orlando, the traffic is very heavy and would be a GOOD hours drive from Lake Monroe.

The power boat traffic on these larger lakes are intimidating and bothersome. The commute from Kissimmee into Orlando is as bad, if not worse than Sanford into Orlando. Both are going to take in excess of an hour.

Another option might be out SR 528 (the "Bee-Line" or "Beach-Line" as it's now called). Toll expressway toward the coast, so with a "SUNPASS", it's under a 50 minute commute from the south side of Orlando. There are a couple of marinas just off the Beach-Line and are connected to the Canaveral Barge Canal that connects the Indian (ICW) and Banana Rivers to Port Canaveral and the ocean. Harbortown Marina(321-453-0160) is the nicer and is a full service marina. (I have no connection) It's closer to the lock that allows access into the Port.

Being a nurse, I would think you would be most welcomed in any Central Florida city that is close to the Orlando/Kissimmee area. Titusville and Cocoa do offer a live aboard a better opportunity to do some actual SAILING, more than any of the big lakes ever will... I hope this isn't too much of a downer, it's just the way the traffic jumbles.

Good luck with your search.

BTW, on hwy. 520 close to Cocoa, there's a large hospital (Canaveral, IIRC) that sits on a man-made island close to several marinas. If ya think of it as a big houseboat, you can live and work on the water!