Best North American Cruising Grounds?

byrondv · #1 (**permalink**) 09-17-2007

I have gotten to the point in my life where I am ready to move to a new area - and since sailing is such a large part of my life it has to be considered.

I currently live in Western Michigan (Grand Rapids) and sail on Lake Michigan. In a lot of ways it is a great area. Cheap slips. Fresh Water. Low cost of living. But it is time to move on.

In North America, where would you consider the best place to live, work, and most importantly... sail to be?

Thats right Gui, we are only talking North America here

sailortjk1 · #2 (**permalink**) 09-17-2007

Have you done the Channel?
And where in Western Michigan do you find cheap slips.
I'm at Eldean's at don't consider it cheap (Well compared to Ft. Lauderdale it is........ maybe)

byrondv · #3 (**permalink**) 09-17-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by sailortjk1

Have you done the Channel?
And where in Western Michigan do you find cheap slips.
I'm at Eldean's at don't consider it cheap (Well compared to Ft. Lauderdale it is........ maybe)

Well - for a national level I think the slip prices are pretty low. And I have gone for some of the cheaper slips. For example up in Muskegon I pay 1100 a season for a 28' slip for my 25' boat. Mmm... Roomy... (Rates: http://www.torresen.com/torresen/slips/ )

Of course the marina I have my boat at is boatyard like - but it isn't a bad place to be.

Which Channel are you talking about?

Cruisingdad · #4 (**permalink**) 09-17-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by byrondv

I have gotten to the point in my life where I am ready to move to a new area - and since sailing is such a large part of my life it has to be considered.

I currently live in Western Michigan (Grand Rapids) and sail on Lake Michigan. In a lot of ways it is a great area. Cheap slips. Fresh Water. Low cost of living. But it is time to move on.

In North America, where would you consider the best place to live, work, and most importantly... sail to be?

Thats right Gui, we are only talking North America here

Is money an option?

I do not mean that sarcastically. THere is great sailing out of San Diegeo and nice slips. The ba haha comes to mind. Very dry south, though. A prettier place would be South Florida - the gulf side. I have always liked the keys, Naples, and Sanibel.

The issue will be the money. Houses are well into the 500-600s for something you can put a boat behind. The house will be a POS, though. Naples will be well over a million-2 million. The keys will be somewhat less than that. I guess something liveable for around a million on the water to put the boat behind. None of these are nice, grand houses except maybe Naples/Bonita area.

However, the boating out of there is great. It is all year sailing. You can easily hit the tortugas and the keys. You can be in the Bahamas in a couple of 2-3 days. There are a LOT of islands scattered around S Florida that are undeveloped (on the SW side).

Money no object, I would probably do SW Florida or the keys because you can boat all year. But it is an expensive place to live.

- CD

sailortjk1 · #5 (**permalink**) 09-17-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by byrondv

Well - for a national level I think the slip prices are pretty low. And I have gone for some of the cheaper slips. For example up in Muskegon I pay 1100 a season for a 28' slip for my 25' boat. Mmm... Roomy... (Rates: http://www.torresen.com/torresen/slips/ )

Of course the marina I have my boat at is boatyard like - but it isn't a bad place to be.

Which Channel are you talking about?

About 300 Miles North of you.
The North Channel of Huron is some of the best cruising grounds in the world. It is still a short season. But you can spend many summers there and never get bored. Or so I have heard. I want to be there someday.

byrondv · #6 (**permalink**) 09-17-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cruisingdad

Is money an option?

I do not mean that sarcastically. THere is great sailing out of San Diegeo and nice slips. The ba haha comes to mind. Very dry south, though. A prettier place would be South Florida - the gulf side. I have always liked the keys, Naples, and Sanibel.

The issue will be the money. Houses are well into the 500-600s for something you can put a boat behind. The house will be a POS, though. Naples will be well over a million-2 million. The keys will be somewhat less than that. I guess something liveable for around a million on the water to put the boat behind. None of these are nice, grand houses except maybe Naples/Bonita area.

However, the boating out of there is great. It is all year sailing. You can easily hit the tortugas and the keys. You can be in the Bahamas in a couple of 2-3 days. There are a LOT of islands scattered around S Florida that are undeveloped (on the SW side).

Money no object, I would probably do SW Florida or the keys because you can boat all year. But it is an expensive place to live.

- CD

CD - money is always an issue. I won't lie about that one. Even if I won the lottery I can't see how money wouldn't be an issue. Just maybe in a different way

But really - I would like to hear about all the ideas / best places. Regardless of cost. The practicality will end up being based on affordability based on job opportunities in the area. Something I would have to look into for any areas that seem interesting.

At the very least it is fun to look at places outside of possibility, then try to come up with reasons not to like those places

he he he

byrondv · #7 (**permalink**) 09-17-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by sailortjk1

About 300 Miles North of you.
The North Channel of Huron is some of the best cruising grounds in the world. It is still a short season. But you can spend many summers there and never get bored. Or so I have heard. I want to be there someday.

Oh duh. :P My brain must be a bit slow, he he he

No, I haven't had a chance to do that. Had planned to but lost some vacation time due to some funky business buy out crap (in that the company I worked for got bought out). Ended up not really having the time.

Something I would still love to do though.

tdw · #8 (**permalink**) 09-17-2007

Not that I have much experience with either area but I'd go for Washington (state) or San Diego myself if staying within the US. I found the winds a bit flukey in SD but maybe that was the time of year. PNW is just a Wombats daydream, never having actually been there.

byrondv · #9 (**permalink**) 09-17-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by tdw

Not that I have much experience with either area but I'd go for Washington (state) or San Diego myself if staying within the US. I found the winds a bit flukey in SD but maybe that was the time of year. PNW is just a Wombats daydream, never having actually been there.

Washington is high on the list - but I don't know much about sailing out there. I lived there for about 2 years as a child and never got over how beautiful it was. Or how rainy :P

Nice to have someone else think the area is that nice.

bestfriend · #10 (**permalink**) 09-17-2007

West Coast - San Diego. If you live a little inland and don't mind a half hour to the boat or a little more, it is more affordable.

East Coast - Virginia or North Carolina. But, my cousins live around there and they like to say "its not so much the heat as it is the stupidity" (humidity, get it?)

The East Coast has more places to run and hide from bad weather and more coves, etc, to anchor and enjoy the water and beach. The West is lacking in that area unless you are in Baja or further south. Although the Bay in Seattle is huge and beautiful.

San Francisco is an incredible sailing bay, but thats about it. Not many places to go or anchor, and its very expensive here.