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Florida Boatyard

1K views 7 replies 2 participants last post by  WHOOSH 
#1 ·
We are looking for a boatyard in Florida to put our boat on the hard april-october.We have been leaning towards St Augustine but recently have been considering the west coast.While the boat is on the hard we plan on having some Awlgrip work done,we have a 39 Southern Cross that draws 5/6 with a mast that is 56 feet.Thanks in advance
Heidi
 
#2 ·
Heidi:

With your mast height, you''ll have to go ''round (via Vaca Key and Marathon) to reach the West Coast...so that might affect your decision about using WC yards.

For long-term storage, the two most popular (meaning reasonably priced with good security) yards seem to be Glades and Indiantown. The former is up the river above Ft. Myers and gets excellent reports...but you complicate the issue by also needing an Awlgrip job. (You''d probably need to research that wherever you end up, as its the few workers who will do that job for you that matter, not the yard operation as a whole).

Indiantown can be reached on the Okeechobee Waterway from the Ft. Pierce area (it''s before the infamous RR bridge just E of the Lake) and I hear they have a long waiting list for summer storage, but a call will tell you the story.

Both marinas are listed in Florida''s waterway guide, ''tho Glades ad is small so keep your eyes peeled when looking in the Ft. Myers section.<g>

Jack
 
#3 ·
Jack
Thanks for your advise.We are in Marathon till the end of Feb.Glades was on my list the only negitivte thing I heard was the burning of sugar cane can leave your boat a mess which brings me to my next question how do you prepare your boat for storage in Florida?
Heidi
 
#4 ·
I use to keep my boat dry docked at Salt Creek marina in St Pete I liked the place and they were not to expensive but that has been a while back so maybe you could ckeck them out and let the rest of us know. I would think that if you are leaving the boat during the summer inland might be the best bet HURICANE is the key word.
 
#5 ·
Heidi:

Re: prepping a boat for long-term storage in moist/hot FL, I would first suggest you look into a dehumidifier. If placed amidships and with a few cabin fans to help it out (if you''re okay with leaving the DC circuits energized), it will help immensely to keep down fungi growth.

Other steps I''d encourage you to consider are:
1. Cover all ports and hatches (either simply using curtains or with aluminum foil to save the curtains from the U/V)
2. After shutting down the reefer, do a thorough galley clean with disinfectant, sealing inside jars or plastic containers any food not in a can.
3. Stuff all thru-hulls and seal any other openings as best you can to keep the critters out; you''ll find this a bit challenging where the dehumidifier is left to drain its condensate (galley sink, most likely) so perhaps in that case you''ll stuff the rag around the drain line at the sink.
4. If considering a cover, make sure it''s previously demonstrated it can be used for extended periods with minimal chafe; don''t forget that thunderstorms and violent winds are possible. You may find a yard will prohibit use of awnings
5. Every bin, locker, drawer and door should be left open in order to maximize air circulation. Ditto cabin sole hatches

I hadn''t heard the caution about the cane fields depositing debris on boats, and I''m not sure I believe it. Glades is on the outskirts of Ft. Myers, not well up the Caloosahatchie R. I''d check that out further.

Good luck! You might also consider paying for a below-decks check once or twice early in the storage period, just to add peace of mind for only a small cost.

Jack
 
#8 ·
Heidi:

Glad to hear you''ve ended up with a plan you like. After the boat''s settled in and you have a good feel for the place you''ve chosen, consider authoring a short report for others (SSCA Bulletin, perhaps; and perhaps here and at Noonsite) so the rest of us can benefit by your insights.

Good luck on a safe, bug-free stay!<g>

Jack
 
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