Seeking opinions on living and sailing around Clearwater

Nov 30, 2007
271
Hunter 36 Forked River, NJ
My Florida native wife is growing less and less tolerant of NJ winters, and has lately been very energetically pushing for a move back to her original comfort zone, near Clearwater. Her Florida experience, however, is not that of a sailor, but more of a beach-goer. While I can appreciate the obvious elements that attract to the area, I have some doubts about how it would work for everything else, and especially sailing. Although we lose on sailing from late October through April in NJ, we have spring, some fall, and all of the kids' summer vacation to choose to sail if we want.

I think the Clearwater coast would offer lots of cool day trips and overnights, and satisfy some of the BVI experience we know and love,. But also... I know summers are hot. and humid. and stormy. and someone even said windless.

Do all/most sailors who cruise in summer need a generator and ac? Is the heat and humidity as oppressive as I read about? Is it advisable just to take the summer mostly off from sailing? Is it better to live and sail somewhere else year round? Are there any sail-only, or mostly-sail marinas near to Palm Harbor?

I hope to hear all opinions. I'm lucky enough to have a good home-based job, so my employment is not a worry. It's nice to save on income tax and property tax (at least while the coast still looks like it currently does, and before it starts shrinking faster). I like non-chain restaurants way more than chain restaurants. I'd like to know my kids are getting a strong public school education.

Like anything else, I'm sure there are trade-offs. I'd like to know better what I'd be trading.
 
May 12, 2004
1,502
Hunter Cherubini 30 New Port Richey
Freezing winters for oppressively hot, humid summers. Year round sailing instead of shoveling snow. Summer sailing is hit or miss. But, you can always put the hook down and go for a swim. Water temps in summer range from 80 to 90 degrees. What you don't spend on heating your house in winter will be taken by the AC in summer. A wash.
A genset and AC for the boat is nice to have if you anchor out overnight but you can get by if there's a breeze. July, August, and Sept. are the worst but doable.
Lots of marinas from Clearwater to Tarpon Springs. All I know of are sailboat friendly.
Good seafood restaurants abound.
As for schools, I have to say, as a retired educator, we have some of the best, some in the middle, some others. Like anywhere else, it depends on where you live. Affluent communities usually have engaged parents and students which makes a big difference on the quality of education. The teachers can do their jobs and teach instead of playing disciplinarian all day. But, I digress.
Come on down and check us out.
 
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Oct 19, 2017
7,733
O'Day 19 Littleton, NH
Banooma,
I grewup in Clearwater in the 60s and 70s. I lived aboard for over 3 years in 6th, 7th and 8th grade at Clearwater Beach Marina. We did not have AC. I sometimes put a box fan at the head of my bunk and blew it across me. My brother lived in Palm Harbor in the early 2000s and put a daughter through high school there. It sounded like they had all the usual problems with public education. All very typical and a darn sight better than the infamous 70s when Fl was among the nation's worst. As Roland typed, engaged parents make an enormous difference no matter where you go. Teachers have a broad and complex job made harder when home life isn't in partnership to the education environment.

Clearwater Bay is very sailboat friendly and there are fantastic possibilities for all the sailing you could wish. We took regular trips up to Cedar Key and down to Key West and Dry Tortugas. You can even sail to Key Largo, for example, go home, leaving the boat in the Keys, then, later, make a longer trip to the Bahamas and the BVI or USVIs without any huge passage making or single large unit of time just getting there. It really is ideal. Fishing is excellent, food is everywhere from 2 star to 5 star. Clearwater Beach and Pier 60 is one of the best beaches anywhere, with interesting things to do like Sunset Craft Fair at the foot of the pier. There is also a nice private beach and yacht club called Carlouel at the north end of the beach. Its been there forever.
I think it's a great choice for you.

-Will (Dragonfly)
 
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Jul 27, 2011
4,990
Bavaria 38E Alamitos Bay
The "sailing season" in FL is mid-October to early May. There is plenty of good sailing plus good anchorage availability during those months. It's also the racing season, of course. Summer sailing is a crap shoot, where one is more unlucky than lucky most of the time. However, I remember sailing down Tampa Bay more than once on a NE breeze in June heading for some suitable destination to anchor out. Summer thunderstorms are nearly every day July - September--so that's a issue. Yes, it's hot. I carried a residential window unit w/me that I fixed to the companion way and supported by hatch boards whenever we'd go to a marina for a weekend during summer.

Also, I meant to mention, there is often a light (on-shore) sea breeze in summer to assist the Wet Wednesday sailors. Usually 10-12 kt. Plus, if you're lucky enough to catch some of the breeze of an evening "pop-up" thunderstorm w/o being too near it, that can push you along nicely.
 
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Sep 25, 2008
7,077
Alden 50 Sarasota, Florida
Unlike the northeast, weather forecasts here are very accurate so the summer thunderstorm season is easily predictable allowing year ‘round sailing albeit on mother nature’s schedule.

It’s not the heat -it often is hotter in NJ than here in the summer. The humidity here is typical of any tropical climate so A/C on a boat is essential in our opinion, particularly if you lan on sleeping comfortably.

As far as good restaurants, you won’t live long enough to try them all as the options are virtually limitless anywhere along the Gulf coast.
 

SFS

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Aug 18, 2015
2,066
Currently Boatless Okinawa
No state income taxes in FL, which you mentioned, and sales tax is not collected on food at the grocery store. Liquor is cheap.

I suspect housing is cheaper down here too, though I don't know the Jersey market.

Can't speak to the quality of schools, except to say that I believe there are yearly standardized tests here.

It is hot, particular if you get much farther south than Sarasota. If the heat bothers you, then your sailing seasons will simply flip, and this one is longer. If the heat doesn't bother you, you can sail year round. You get to give up the cold, and the wife is happy.
 
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Jun 21, 2004
2,532
Beneteau 343 Slidell, LA
And, the threat of hurricanes. Make sure to inquire about flood insurance for your prospective home; don't get caught without it regardless of what anyone tells you. Our real estate agent told us a week before Katrina that we didn't need flood insurance on our new home; I told her she needs to give better advice. We flooded and had full coverage; she had none. Moral of the story is that it's too reasonable in cost, not to have it. Also, make sure your boat is covered for full value. I am sure that lots of people in NJ had substantial financial loses during Sandy, from not having adequate insurance. Hurricanes are a threat that you learn to live with; there are severe weather considerations wherever you go. We visited Clearwater, St Pete, and Sanibel / Captiva; all nice places. Check them out.
 
Oct 10, 2011
619
Tartan 34C Toms River, New Jersey
Although our past winter hasn't been bad it still sucks. I have a place in Ft. Meyers Beach and love it down there. would be there permanently, but alas Grand Kids. So I escape whenever I can.
I have been a lifelong resident of Jersey. Except for 4 years in the late 60s for uncle Sam. But if I was or had a young family I would seriously consider leaving. Some of the highest Real Estate taxes in the nation, and now there planning another increase in the gas tax, they tax pensions and social security. The list goes on.
Your sailing season is considerably longer there and in my opinion far more interesting destinations.
 

Sumner

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Jan 31, 2009
5,254
Macgregor & Endeavour 26S and 37 Utah's Canyon Country
..... I'm lucky enough to have a good home-based job, so my employment is not a worry. .....
If you have a choice in Florida on the west coast, personally I'd go a little further south to the Port Charlotte area. Lots of options there for sailing in Charlotte Harbor and up and down the west coast. Not too hard to find someone with a dock they will rent since they aren't using it unless you can afford to live right on the water. I'd live off the water personally and pay less for a house and insurance and keep the boat on someone else's dock, and worry slightly less about hurricanes.

Is it Clearwater because your wife still has family there or just because that is her old stomping grounds? If family wasn't an issue then a little further south would be my option.

I was at the boatyard once into July and said hopefully never again, but had no real air conditioning in the boat so it was miserable. If you aren't on the boat they everywhere you go will be air conditioned. You will pick up a lot longer sailing season and way more opportunities for destinations in my opinion,

Now would I ever leave Utah for Florida as a permanent residency? No way :)

Sumner
===================================================================
1300 miles to The Bahamas and Back in the Mac...
Endeavour 37 Mods...

MacGregor 26-S Mods...http://purplesagetradingpost.com/sumner/endeavour-main/endeavour-index.html
Mac Trips to Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, Canada, Florida, Bahamas
 

19thol

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May 2, 2014
111
Hunter 30 St.Petersburg, Fl
Been in St.Pete for 9 years now from Phila. I can't imagine living anywhere else. 5 mins from the gulf, 10 mins from downtown St.Pete, where there is always something going on, usually very family friendly. Keep the boat @ John's Pass, 5 mins out to the gulf, sail year round, don't have air con on the boat, don't feel the need. Our bumper sticker says something like " where we live is better than where you vacation".
 
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Jul 27, 2011
4,990
Bavaria 38E Alamitos Bay
I’d say Clearwater is more “cosmopolitan” than St. Petersburg. The waterfront in CW is more “maritime like”and larger than the downtown area of St Pete which has a big tourist population in winter. Not necessarily boaters. But, the St. Petersburg Yacht Club ($$) is there, and the St. Petersburg Sailing Association, also downtown. As to non-sailboating activities there is the usual dining out, plus concert attendance, fireworks shows, art festivals, sports bars w/local teams in baseball, football, and hockey; craft breweries, beach going, fishing, wilderness parks to visit, historic sites (St Augustine), the Cape, National Seashore, Epcot Center & Disney World, plus several other theme parks. These are all fairly close; inside the 100 mi to perhaps 150 mi radius. St. Augustine being the furtherist.

If you want travel, heading south by car there are the FL keys. Heading north then west by car you can make New Orleans in a long day. Likewise Savannah, Georgia (north) or Montgomery, Alabama. Tampa International Airport can fly you anywhere in the world, St. Pete-Clearwater airport also has a few good routes w/ Allegiant.

Back to boating. Sail to the Dry Tortugas, & Key West. Some friends have gone St Pete to Havana. Much easier to do from FLwest coast than the east coast.
 
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Sep 10, 2012
220
Hunter 450 Gulfport, Florida
Port Charlotte gets the river water from the Caloosahatchee and that water like most drainages is brown which also colors the gulf, further North and the water is beautifully turquoise colored and clear. Brown water will float a boat just fine, just less appealing to the eye or swimming.
 
Nov 30, 2007
271
Hunter 36 Forked River, NJ
Thanks for your ideas. No decision yet, but I'm sure it would mean selling Rocinanate here in NJ and moving on to a Roci 2 in the area. If I'm making that plunge, I figure I will probably go for air conditioning. And if I'm doing the move for the admiral, we may also need to cross over to the dark side by becoming two hullers. Probably another discussion for another day, but she is less prone to seasickness on a cat and something like a Gemini might be a compromise we can live with. Currently, we mostly daysail on Barnegat Bay. It's protected, but long and pretty wide, and always windy. This would be a very different experience. If I can keep her patient enough, we'll take a few days to bareboat charter out of St. Pete or nearby. I've been to Clearwater and St. Pete before, but only by land. I'm guessing I'd probably take a year without a boat and rent or charter to get a sense of all the options available. Maybe by then, the admiral would back down from the second hull request, and the money could be spent elsewhere - like a longer monohull with a wing keel.

At this point, the exact location is up in the air. Her folks are in Palm Harbor. Mine are, and probably will stay in NJ. We'll see if they might arrange to stay in the area during cooler months. Not quite there yet. I agree that parenting is a very important aspect to education, and just hoping to find schools where other parents feel that way.

This could be just my mistaken impression based on a google map, but is the west coast of Florida near Tampa better cruising than St. Augustine?
 
Oct 19, 2017
7,733
O'Day 19 Littleton, NH
This could be just my mistaken impression based on a google map, but is the west coast of Florida near Tampa better cruising than St. Augustine?
No.
But I think it is. Where do you want to cruise to?
The Atlantic coast, down to the Keys, is the doorway to the Caribbean. But the people are nicer in the Gulf Coast. I never once heard anyone who moved there complain that it was better in New York. The East Coast, heard that all the time. It's just more relaxed.

-Will (Dragonfly)
 
May 12, 2004
1,502
Hunter Cherubini 30 New Port Richey
Probably another discussion for another day, but she is less prone to seasickness on a cat and something like a Gemini might be a compromise we can live with.
If your Admiral is prone to seasickness this IS the time to talk about it. Sailing the east and west coasts are two different animals. On the east coast, depending on where you keep your boat, it can be a long slog down the ICW to open water and by open water I mean the Atlantic Ocean and all that that entails. Not always for the faint of heart. Here on the west coast, again depending on where you keep your boat, it could mean a thirty minute ride to the Gulf of Mexico but then you are in the Gulf. Generally calmer, no big rollers coming at you but much shallower meaning short choppy seas in a blow but also much more protected. Also here on the gulf, distances between ports can mean a short day sail or an overnighter at most. Also a lot more places to put the hook down next to one of the many barrier islands.
I also am prone to seasickness although not as much as when I was younger and less experienced so when I moved here from New England fourty seven years ago and started boating in the gulf I thought I had found Nirvana.
Also, as Will Gilmore stated, "It's just more relaxed."
 
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Nov 30, 2007
271
Hunter 36 Forked River, NJ
While there is an appeal to long-distance voyages to me, I think the more practical goal for this crew is better aligned with the better protected island hopping BVI-ish sailing (my sailing Nirvana so far). As a point of reference, I love the sail from Virgin Gorda North Sound to Anegada, over the rollers, while my crew daydreams about the inner island legs of the trip. The longer voyages are something we could always still work up to....
 
Apr 16, 2017
841
Federation NCC-1701 Riverside
Not mentioned is how safe weather wise the trampa bay area is.

Storms from the Atlantic are weakened going over the everglades, and storms from Cuba are weakened going through the mountains.

The only issues are storms running north offshore (rain flooding and surge) or the demons from the Yucatan that make it across the gulf and hit head on. Those are very rare. it happened last year but early in the season and we just got lots of rain.

Clearwater is an extremely busy ICW area. Ive been stuck on the causeway watching hundreds of boats go through like its Corsucant on Starwars. Check out south of Tampa for quieter places.

Summer. The morning and evening winds die down so much that an evening light will appear to reflect from trampa all the way to the skyway bridge at the mouth of the bay. ive never seen water so flat, looks like a solid.

one morning while going over Gandy bridge saw a SUP out in the calm middle like it was normal to be 2 miles "offshore".
 
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Oct 19, 2017
7,733
O'Day 19 Littleton, NH
Yes, the ICW and Clearwater Bay can get busy, but there is plenty of room on the South side of the causeway. I lived in Bradenton for a while and the south end of Tampa Bay is even less crowded.
I would also point out that North of Clearwater, Palm Harbor, North, is even more relaxed. Tarpon Springs has full service haul-out facilities. As a kid, I remember incredible scalloping on the Tarpon Springs Flats. The biggest issue North is depth. There are not as many deepwater ports.

-Will (Dragonfly)
 

JRT

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Feb 14, 2017
2,039
Catalina 310 211 Lake Guntersville, AL
FWIW, I lived and grew up in FL, including Miami, Lakeland, Daytona Beach and when we leave Northern Alabama, when the kids are set, we are aiming for the gulf area for all the reason given. I love the Daytona / St Augustine area, but the gulf is such a nicer calmer place to live and enjoy life. The St Augustine area is nice because there are several options to get you closer to open water, but as noted it is the Atlantic so not the same as the gulf.