[Danilo Kayaker]

Hello sailors, I just found this site and I'm really excited with the stories and all the people here. I always practiced kayaking and a year ago I started sailing, which is my new hobbie. I'm planning on vacations in Florida in May 2015 and would like to rent a kind of hobie cat or other small sail boat to enjoy with my wife during the day at the beach. Anybody can help me know if May is a good month for sailing in Ft Lauderdale area? Any advise on what and where to rent?

Thank you!

 

[Multihullgirl]

welcome,

May should be nice. It's always nice in Ft L

The only beach cat rental I can remember seeing is actually in Miami on the causeway between Miami and Virginia Key

 

[Clarks Hill Windbag]

Welcome!

There's a couple new P2P resources for finding rental boats https://getmyboat.com/ or https://boatbound.co/

Let us know how it worked for you!

 

[miatapaul]

Can't help you with the Florida rental, but perhaps a local will offer some suggestions, and perhaps a ride in something bigger if it will work out. By the way I would like to make a correction sailing is not a hobbie, it is a lifestyle, and perhaps life itself! ;-)

 

[Faster]

If you're vacationing at a resort they often have hobie cats and other options available.. maybe check that out too.

 

[Dougfarrar]

They rent hobie cats on the beach at the Bahia Mar marina

 

[Sunphish]

There are at least two U.S. Sailing Centers in Florida. Great organization and they do offer some rentals. I am a member at usscmc.org here in Stuart, FL. Give them a call and get all the info. Smooth Sailing.

 

[Danilo Kayaker]

Thanks for the advises, the forum is great, terrific participation. One more question about rental in Florida, do anybody know what requisites are needed for a 21 ft sail boat rental? I found that people born after 1988 need some licence but I found nothing for older people. I'm 43 with a licence from my country, but nos sure if it's valid...anybody knows?

Thank you!

 

[denverd0n]

Specific to the needs of a license, the details are here...
Florida Boating Safety and Education

Bottom line: if you were born before 01-JAN-1988 then you do not need any sort of license.

 

[Danilo Kayaker]

Thanks Denverd0n, your reasoning is clear and I agree on that, it's just that sounds strange that you arr allowed to sail without license just because you are older than 26...maybe.
Fair winds!

 

[denverd0n]

Well, basically, they had no license requirement at all for a long, long time. Like most states in the U.S. Then they realized that maybe some sort of certification would be a good idea. But they didn't want to force all the guys out there who had been boating for 40 years to go get a license before they were legal. In fact, if they had, all those guys probably would have voted them out of office at the next opportunity! So, instead, they came up with this compromise.

Doesn't really make a lot of sense from a logical perspective, but from a political perspective it is the way things are done.

 

[Danilo Kayaker]

Hello again sailors, after continuing my research I found some very nice ressorts with cottage and boat included for rental in Key Largo. Have any of you experienced this option? Price is very good and they offer 20-24 feet sail boats. Any advice will be appreciated!

 

[Danilo Kayaker]

Thanks again Denverd0N, I thought something like that was the reason for no license requirement for people not so young like me hahahaha. To me it sounded strange because in my country (Argentina) I had to take a 24-hr theory + 50-hr practical training to get the license, not to mention the associated bureaucracy (medical exams, fees, etc). Thanks again!