Florida

[Member 131497]

Ok... So, to all sailors that have been in those waters exploring, vacationing, retired and went over hoping to do whatever there including lits of gunk holing, anchoring, ect.

What has been your experience regarding the government and shore communities. Is there a lot of RED tape and people making it almost impossible or what? Your imput is appreciated so i can make alternate plans. Also if so, suggestions of alternatives. My plans are for the Florida west coast. Spill your guts people... Thx
C

 

[ggrizzard]

Uh, yeah,,, It's terrible. I live here and I'm going to Costa Rica as soon as I win the lottery!
But seriously folks, I had my boat on the west coast near St. Pete 15 years ago and had no "Gov'ment" issues. I have lived on the east coast of Fla. near Ponce Inlet for 15 years and my only problem is getting the "Snowbirds" in their 60 ft trawlers and sport fish to honor the no wake zones.
Dockage costs in SW Fla. can be much higher than here, but if you buy a house with a dock,
be sure to physically check the depth of the water between you and wherever you want to cruise.
And btw, the weather in the summer is HOT.

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

Uh, yeah,,, It's terrible. I live here and I'm going to Costa Rica as soon as I win the lottery!
But seriously folks, I had my boat on the west coast near St. Pete 15 years ago and had no "Gov'ment" issues. I have lived on the east coast of Fla. near Ponce Inlet for 15 years and my only problem is getting the "Snowbirds" in their 60 ft trawlers and sport fish to honor the no wake zones.
Dockage costs in SW Fla. can be much higher than here, but if you buy a house with a dock,
be sure to physically check the depth of the water between you and wherever you want to cruise.
And btw, the weather in the summer is HOT.

Shhhhhhhh!
Don’t tell anybody. It’s already too crowded here.

 

[Parsons]

I returned from the frozen north, as I am a native coming home after a couple decades. There are a $&!^-ton more people here than when we left a couple decades ago, all with big bank accounts and grey hair. Prices are high, and the yankee immigrants are disparaging of the Latin immigrants that made this state from the 60's on - no knowledge of history or humility. Weather is great for people raised in 100/100 (that's 100 degrees / 100% humidity, for those that don't know - yet). Insurance on a house or boat will set you back, and dockage is sometimes hard to come by. No prob with governments, as long as you are willing to fork over for fees, dockage, etc. Florida has no income tax (like you didn't know that) and it costs the same to run a state government here as anywhere else, so everything comes from property tax, user fees, and poor services (good luck finding a state trooper to write an accident report). Everybody's got a cousin in Miami.

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

Florida has no income tax

thank Disney

 

[Kings Gambit]

Ok... So, to all sailors that have been in those waters exploring, vacationing, retired and went over hoping to do whatever there including lits of gunk holing, anchoring, ect.

What has been your experience regarding the government and shore communities. Is there a lot of RED tape and people making it almost impossible or what? Your imput is appreciated so i can make alternate plans. Also if so, suggestions of alternatives. My plans are for the Florida west coast. Spill your guts people... Thx
C

Your answers depends on what you wish you do in FL. Maybe try some more focused questions?

 

[JamesG161]

And btw, the weather in the summer is HOT.

Don't forget tropical storms, hurricanes, and Red Tide.
______
I lived in Pensacola and my brother and his family in Milton.

Boating and Fishing are a major industry on the coasts. Parts and mechanics are easy to find.
______
If you move there, become a part of Florida!
Jim...

 

[Parsons]

If you move there, become a part of Florida!
Jim...

+1 - There used to be a popular bumper sticker here: "We don't care how you did it UP NORTH". Honestly, if you choose to move, don't bitch about the place you chose to move to. You can regret your decisions all you want, in the privacy of your own head.

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

+1 - There used to be a popular bumper sticker here: "We don't care how you did it UP NORTH". Honestly, if you choose to move, don't bitch about the place you chose to move to. You can regret your decisions all you want, in the privacy of your own head.

Yes. I never met anyone who was forced to move here but plenty seem to enjoy complaining about it.

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

Don't forget tropical storms, hurricanes, and Red Tide.
______

Pretty easy to forget all - the red tide occurs every year, the biggest difference being how sensationalized the MSM want to play it. As to the storms, they are terrible. We almost lost a plant once in a hurricane. Everyone should avoid Florida at all cost and instead enjoy 4+ months of ice and snow and unbearable cold from December through March.

 

[Justin_NSA]

We go to Destin about every other year. Ever since the 80's when I had a project on Eglin. It's terrible! The sunshine. The sugar white beaches. The sparkling clear water.

 

[Rick Webb]

Maybe we need a thread on moving north to Buffalo as everything is so nice up there and so awful down here.

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

Maybe we need a thread on moving north to Buffalo as everything is so nice up there and so awful down here.

Good idea. Unfortunately, I don’t think Florida’s Tourism Bureau will want to spend all this free money now on advertisements saying “visit New York”.

 

[Rick Webb]

How much easier would it be to just sail for maybe just twelve weeks instead of twelve months.

There would be so much more time for other pursuits and I could get so much more done.

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

How much easier would it be to just sail for maybe just twelve weeks instead of twelve months.

There would be so much more time for other pursuits and I could get so much more done.

You’re a better man than me if you sail 12 months/ year here. While our “season” is appreciably longer than it is up north, we don’t do much sailing in the summer - I don’t like my proximity to a huge lightning rod when surrounded by nothing in June - September. The boat becomes the weekend cottage get-away then.

 

[Tom J]

We lived and kept our C310 in Englewood, FL, on the Gulf Coast. We loved to anchor overnight at a number of gunk holes up and down the Intracoastal. Locally, we would anchor behind Thompson Key near Stump Pass for a night or two. We would cruise to the Everglades or the Keys.
Our boat is documented, so we didn't have much to do with the state govt. Just had to get a sticker every year, no problem. We moved to Hawaii 10 years ago, but we still miss Englewood.
I'd say, do it. Go there, live there, have fun.

 

[shemandr]

Regarding shoreside towns harassing boaters: I've noted that Jensen Beach has installed a mooring field with a dingy dock, public rest rooms and probably showers right on the ICW. There are nearby restaurants and other shore attractions. How's that for harassment? The Marine Industry is big here and especially Pt. Salerno. They want boat traffic here.

 

[JamesG161]

I don’t like my proximity to a huge lightning rod when surrounded by nothing in June - September

You totally surprised me on that comment.

You know Ham Radio/SSB very well.

Grounding is NOT a lightning Rod, but brings the top of your mast to Ground potential.

Thus making the strike potential the same as the surrounding water.

I bet if we berthed next to your boat, it would be the best lightning avoidance spot in the marina.
Jim...

PS: Wait... is that just a Florida problem?

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

You totally surprised me on that comment.

You know Ham Radio/SSB very well.

Grounding is NOT a lightning Rod, but brings the top of your mast to Ground potential.

Thus making the strike potential the same as the surrounding water.

I bet if we berthed next to your boat, it would be the best lightning avoidance spot in the marina.
Jim...

PS: Wait... is that just a Florida problem?

Path of least resistance.

 

[JamesG161]

Path of least resistance.

No path, if no strike.

I have been out in Summer squall. Lightning strike in water 100 feet off the Ports side. 15 seconds later Starboard water strike 150 feet. My 65 foot mast in between.

Ground your boat well, for best avoidance, like my boat.

Wait... Maybe Mississippi Gulf waters are different than Florida? Poor Floridians.
Jim...