Sailing Perdido Key area

Nov 12, 2012
7
Hunter 240 Lake Willoughby
Has anybody or does anybody sail their H240 or similar boat in and around Perdido Bay/Pensacola Bay areas and ventured out into the Gulf with it? I'm going down there for a couple of months real soon and taking our 2000 H240 and would like to hear of anybodys experiences / advice. Thanks in advance ! Lee
 
May 27, 2004
1,964
Hunter 30_74-83 Ponce Inlet FL
Well, I sailed a Navy Yawl around the bay and into the gulf about 40 years ago. Had a blast!.
 
Jun 21, 2004
2,532
Beneteau 343 Slidell, LA
Great area to sail. Sail Pensacola Bay, Santa Rosa Sound as well as Big Lagoon, ICW, and Perdido Bay if the Gulf is too rough. On nice days with a good forecast and light winds, take it in the Gulf. Beware of squalls in the spring and thunder storms in the summer months. Lots of places to anchor overnight such as Big Lagoon, Navarre, all along Santa Rosa Sound.
Plenty of Marinas between Pensacola Beach, Bayou Chico, and Orange Beach, AL with transient slips and restaurants. Sailed there many times for about six years on 33 to 39' charter boats. Just a really nice place to sail; wish I had my boat there now!
 
Jan 1, 2006
7,039
Slickcraft 26 Sailfish
Please report on your experiences there after 3 months. Sounds like a good place to look at for relocation.
 
Oct 19, 2017
7,732
O'Day 19 Littleton, NH
The shrimp are large and they know how to cook seafood. Best oysters are from Apalachicola, about 150 miles farther along the panhandle. Stayed on a sailboat on Dauphin Island in Mobile Bay for several weeks, back when the first Rocky movie came out. Great oysters there too. Sailed in and out of Panama City numerous times as a kid, with my family. If you like fishing, the Miracle Mile reef, at least use to be, some of the best Florida had to offer. There's a big amusement park named after the reef, if you are going with kids. I don't know the sailing in that part of Florida well. I do know the Gulf coast of Florida is generally my idyllic area to sail. The Gulf can get rough but, there are always places to land with good protection and/or barrier islands.
I also want to read about your adventures, so please keep us posted. Thanks.

-Will (Dragonfly)
 
Oct 27, 2016
0
Seattle
And now a word from the sponsor...
Replacement in-deck solar panel


Finally, a drop-in replacement for the in-deck solar panel on Hunters built from the early 90s through the mid-2000s. Improved for longer life and greater output.
See the product
 
Nov 12, 2012
7
Hunter 240 Lake Willoughby
Been sailing around Perdido Key for the last 2 months and loving it! Have done Big Lagoon, Perdido Bay and ventured out into the Gulf twice so far and planning on going there again today. Been a little difficult getting used to the shallow waters and have kept the keel retracted most of the time just to be safe. The only draw back to sailing where we are at the west end of the Key near the Al. line we have to motor or sail (if the wind is right) up around Ono Island and than back to the west to get out at Perdido Pass ( about a 2 hour motor each way) or go to Pensacola Pass which is just about the same distance. We are definitely coming back next year for 2 months sure beats waiting for spring to come to Vt. One other thing I did while down here is have a second axle put under my easy tilt trailer. Didn't have any problem coming down but am feeling a lot better about haveing the added protection and stability of the second axle. I do have a ? about partial stepping of the mast. Has anybody ever done such a thing to go under a slightly low bridge? The Ono bridge has 24' of clearance (so they say) and my specs say we need 32' so if I could leave everything rigged and just lower the mast some I could motor under the bridge and save 1.5 hrs. each way to the Gulf.
 
  • Like
Likes: Will Gilmore
Oct 25, 2011
576
Island Packet IP31 Lake St. Louis, Montreal
I'm sure you've found the anchorage at Fort McRee. One of my family's favorites, in the area.