Questions about Marina's in the Cape Coral area;

AXEL

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Mar 12, 2008
359
Catalina C30 MKIII WEST ISLIP, NY
I own a house in Fort Myers which is currently being rented. I plan to retire in about 2 years (or less). I'm in NY right now and own a 30 foot Catalina which I plan to bring down to Florida. My draft is 3"10". The sailing around Fort Myers doesn't look as good as it does a little further north. I'm thinking of keeping the boat in Cape Coral (close and deeper, protected waters). What are my options for slips? How are the marina's (safe - both weather-wise and crime), what are the annual rates?
 
Dec 19, 2006
5,809
Hunter 36 Punta Gorda
Your less than 4' draft is a plus for sure only knowing very shallow in Cape Coral
and don't know prices for a slip but burnt store was about $12.50 a ft per month and very good for sailing.
I live in Punta Gorda and did keep my H-36 with 5' draft in Burnt Store 4 years ago and sailing in Charlotte harbor is the best you will ever get and I sail in the harbor and if not a far ride by car it would be great until you live in Cape Coral.
 

reworb

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Apr 22, 2011
234
Beneteau 311 Ft Myers Beach
The three marinas in the Cape that are (closest to the Gulf) are Tarpon Point, Cape Harbor and Cape Coral Yacht Basin. Don't want to be much further up the river as it would a take long time to get out to open water As mentioned above Burnt Store Marina is also a good choice. But very little to do in that Marina if you want to walk to restaurants et al. I have no idea of the rates as I keep my boat behind the house. All of those marinas are protected from most weather except tropical systems and then really nothing around here is that protected from a land falling hurricane. As far as crime couldn't say for sure but power boats get "hit" a lot more (this is really power boat country) You should also consider Ft Myers Beach very quick access to Gulf of Mexico, and Punta Gorda/Port Charlotte for sailing in Charlotte Harbor. You could also consider Port Sanibel Marina on the "mainland" just before the Sanibel causeway (https://portsanibelmarina.com/) very nice facilities with great access to the Gulf and Pine Island Sound. Their published rate is $13.50 per foot per month on an annual contract). There are other places but don't know where your house is and how far you want to drive to the boat.

I live in Fort Myers Beach and used to live in Punta Gorda Isles, I find sailing in the Gulf and Charlotte Harbor a bit of a let down. We use our boat a lot less here than when we lived in southern California
 
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AXEL

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Mar 12, 2008
359
Catalina C30 MKIII WEST ISLIP, NY
I'm use to sailing in the protected waters of the south shore of Long Island (Great South Bay). I go off shore once a year for two weeks of cruising. Do you guys spend a lot of time in the open Gulf or in protected waters? The wife and I are use to bays and if we want, sailing over to restaurants and shore side clubs. Is there any of this stuff in these areas?

Also...I currently keep my boat in a rented slip at a private water front home. Do folks in these areas of Florida do the same?
 

reworb

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Apr 22, 2011
234
Beneteau 311 Ft Myers Beach
I now sail in the Gulf only, sailed in Charlotte Harbor when we lived in Punta Gorda. Never sailed in the river nor have I seen many people doing it. Except during a storm I find the conditions very mild no big waves just a chop, nothing to get scared about just makes for an unpleasant ride and hurts your speed. I don't find the conditions in the Gulf any different than Charlotte Harbor. It's just the wife and I and we are in our early 60s so we are definitely not Adrenalin junkies.

Multiple water front restaurants in Ft Myers Beach a few in Punta Gorda along with yacht clubs the same in Cape Coral. There are places to go in Sanbel/Captiva, Naples, Marco Island, Boca Grande etc. just depends on how much time you have to spend on the trip. We also have a little power boat and use that to go to restaurants.

Plenty of people rent out the docks behind their homes as they no long have a boat for one reason or another
 
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Likes: AXEL
Dec 19, 2006
5,809
Hunter 36 Punta Gorda
I live in port charlotte and keep my boat at a private dock in PG 10 minutes out to charlotte Charlotte and Charlotte harbor is like south shore of L I only 10x way better and yes can sail all day in harbor and also some restaurants to go and eat and great anchorage like Pelican Bay for weekend over nighting.
Check out PG sailing club .
 

AXEL

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Mar 12, 2008
359
Catalina C30 MKIII WEST ISLIP, NY
My house is about 40 miles (on RT 75) from Burnt Store. Port Charlotte and PG look great but would be close to 60 miles. How is the traffic on RT 75 all year including snowbird season?

How is the sailing around the Pine Island area?
 

reworb

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Apr 22, 2011
234
Beneteau 311 Ft Myers Beach
As far as traffic is concerned the 75 is not too bad (although we moved here from outside of Los Angeles so perhaps my perspective is off) even when the "birds" are here. The surface streets like the 41 and many many others can be terrible in winter. I would say it depends how you use the boat as to how far you want to drive; day sailing you would not be happy with the long drive during season, spending a couple days on the boat not so bad. As an aside check on a map for Burnt Store because if you're close to the 75 getting there can be a pain.

North of Pine Island and out to Boca Grande which is Charlotte Harbor good sailing (for here) south of Boca Grande to the Sanibel Causeway not as good. I haven't seen a lot of a lot of sailing when we have been in that area (to go to South Seas or Tween Waters in Captiva) I don't recall seeing anyone out for a sail mostly boats motoring up and down the ICW.
 

AXEL

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Mar 12, 2008
359
Catalina C30 MKIII WEST ISLIP, NY
This is not looking to encouraging. It's sounding like the only "good" sailing is up around the Punta Gorda / Port Charlotte area which will be a good hour drive on RT75 from my house in Fort Myers. We do a combination of day and over night sailing. I'm use to my boat being about a 10 minute drive but I did expect that would not be the case in Florida. An hour+ will take some getting use too.
 
Dec 19, 2006
5,809
Hunter 36 Punta Gorda
Burnt Store marina is on bunt store road and on border of Cape Coral, check the map.
When I kept my boat at Burnt Store Marina a friend from Cape Coral would come sailing
With me often and was at least 30to 45 minute ride for me,there is a restaurant and deli
In the marina and nice pool too
The sailing out of Burnt Store Marina is very good and sailing to Boca Grand inlet out into the gulf and Boca Grand Island has stores marina restaurants and Pelican Bay is a great state park Cayo Costa and also near Cabbage Key has restaurant dollar bills covering the ceiling all very interesting only by boat.
I don't know much about Cape Coral because I draw 5' and that area very shallow and very small
Open water to sail in but do go to pine island all motoring anchor by Berths.
To really do any good sailing from Cape Coral must go down to Ft Myers and out into gulf or up to Charlotte Harbor.
I check out Charlotte Harbor before moving from Long Island and sailed in the Peconic Bay and 2 years sailing out at Greenport and now sail in Charlotte Harbor since 2008 and lived in linden hurst when I was in high school for many years and lived and worked on LI until 2008
Burnt Store maybe good place to start with.
Nick
 

Sailm8

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Feb 21, 2008
1,746
Hunter 29.5 Punta Gorda
I live in PGI and sail Charlotte Harbor. What kind of sailing do you do? You looking for day sailing or overnight - multiple days out. My dock in PGI about as far from Charlotte Harbor as you can be by water - 50 minutes. There is little wind until about 11pm on most days. I was disappointed in not being able to easily go out for a sunset sail. It takes some planning. On the plus side we now go out for 7 - 10 days at a time and cruise Charlotte Harbor. For reference, the BVI's will almost fit inside Charlotte Harbor. You don't see many boats because it is so big. We like to anchor in Pelican Bay for days at a time. This is after chartering all over. My wife said "We have the best anchorage right here in out backyard. Why are we traveling all over?" Couldn't argue with that at all. We have been here 17 years and still love it.
 

reworb

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Apr 22, 2011
234
Beneteau 311 Ft Myers Beach
This is not looking to encouraging. It's sounding like the only "good" sailing is up around the Punta Gorda / Port Charlotte area which will be a good hour drive on RT75 from my house in Fort Myers. .
The sailing on the Gulf is just as good is it is on Charlotte Harbor if I gave that impression I didn't make myself clear. My wife prefers the Gulf for me they are about even.
 

AXEL

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Mar 12, 2008
359
Catalina C30 MKIII WEST ISLIP, NY
Sailm8, up here in NY the wife and I go out most weekends and stay over night. I do some day sailing during the week but I am working right now. I expect my sailing habits will change when I retire. Right now I am so use to just driving 10 minutes to the boat and being out on the bay 5 minutes after I leave the dock. It sounds like I am going to have to make an adjustment in Florida.

Seadaddler, did you bring your boat down to FL from LI or buy it there? If you brought it down did you sail or have it transported?

Are you guys able to sail all year down there or is there a preferred season(s)?
 

Sailm8

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Feb 21, 2008
1,746
Hunter 29.5 Punta Gorda
Are you guys able to sail all year down there or is there a preferred season(s)?[/QUOTE]

Answer: Yes and no. It is awfully hot during the summer and in my opinion you need A/C at anchor. My season, and most of my friends, runs from mid to late September until Memorial day. Those that can get out to the harbor quickly, day sail during the summer until the afternoon Tstorms pop up around 3pm most days.
 

reworb

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Apr 22, 2011
234
Beneteau 311 Ft Myers Beach
We sail all year round, although the winds are more dependable in winter and you do not have to concern yourself with thunderstorms. If you can go sailing any day of the week you will get a lot of sailing in. My wife works five days a week and while I can single hand (although I find that boring) I have two boats on my dock and really need her help getting the sail boat away from and back to the dock so I only go sailing when she is off and the weather doesn't always cooperate in summer with her days off. That's really why I don't find the sailing as good as So Cal where the weather was much more dependable.
 

Sailm8

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Feb 21, 2008
1,746
Hunter 29.5 Punta Gorda
I forgot to add that many people rent a dock from private owners. This is very common but just be sure thst you can get out all year long.