1 mile from inlet and 3 knots of drift VS 8 miles from inlet and no drift though has worse bottom fouling.

[Qomomoko]

Hello.

I am making great learning from using ACTIVECAPTAIN, WATERGUIDE and NAVIONICS but it is time to reach out to the forum. Hope to take more involvement in local sailing thru the Saint Lucie Sailing Club.
I have not owned a sailboat and in my experience, I have dealt 90% with sailboats moored in very protected marina; COCONUT GROVE SAILING CLUB in Miami, Fl.

I am now choosing a marina to LIVEABOARD but plan on sailing 1-2 times a week. I am new to the area so do not know the waters as well as I did in South Florida. I hope to get involved with the a local sailing club and see how it is to have to return to the marina options below.
One option are marina/slips/moorings near the Ft. Pierce inlet. I see the drift is 3 knots and the 2 of the 3 marinas will feel this; Fort Pierce Inlet Marina and DockSide Inn Marina. The Fort Pierce City Marina is more protected but unlikely I will get in there any time soon. It would take me less than 20 minutes to go to the ocean and sail

The other option are marinas, think only Sunset Bay Marina in Stuart is probable, located in the St Lucie River and are 8 miles from the St Lucie River inlet; 1.5 hours motoring lol to then sail. Plus, I noticed on a new friend's boat that the bottom fouling is very fast. I have read that it is due to Lake Okeechobee and its connection to the St Lucie Canal/River.

Other information for the 2 options are:
Ft Pierce Marinas are cheaper to about $18 a foot // $800 a month. Most include amenities and they are OK in appearance.
Stuart Marinas are about $20 a foot plus amenities so $1300 a month and are nice.

The priority is on SAILING. From WaterGuide it appears that I should aim at a 4'5" draft. I am not sure and hope a 6' draft is also practical. I am not sure how tuff and so less often it will make me go SOLO sailing or even be possible to SOLO sail with having to motor for so long or having to dock/moor with 3 knots of drift.

 

[shemandr]

The Sunset Bay Marina is only good if you want to sail on the St. Lucie River and the St. Lucie Yacht Club hosts a series of races there. I sailed from there in some of the races and the river is shallow, 4.5' draft is probably OK - 6' not as much. The current of the river does affect that marina.
While it is a 1.5 mile trip to the St. Lucie Inlet, the worse problem is the railroad bridge which is only forced to remain open 15 minutes per hour. Kinda a big brew going on around here about that.
Once you get to the inlet, and exit it you can sail North or South if it's a day sail.
if you go an hour North then it's a hour South to return. A lot of the boats in St.Lucie are there to stay on, or to go to the Bahama's on. As a place to stay, it is basically downtown Stuart with all the attractions in walking distance.
You might want to look at Sailfish Marina of Stuart which is closer to the inlet but it's an Uber trip to anywhere else. I know two or three live aboards there. I think they run a van for local trips.
There is also a large marina on the East side of the railroad bridge on the St. Lucie River. I don't remember the name but it is adjacent to to the Tidehouse restaurant. I think it is part of a condo development, with the restaurant, Condos and office space. It is still 1.5 hours to the inlet. And has current.
Don't ignore Manatee Pocket in Pt. Salerno. I see more "Good Old Boats" there than in Stuart.

 

[Qomomoko]

....... is shallow, 4.5' draft is probably OK - 6' not as much. The current of the river does affect that marina.
While it is a 1.5 mile (HOUR) trip to the St. Lucie....

........ me but it is adjacent to the Tidehouse restaurant. I think it is part of a condo development, with the restaurant, Condos and office space. It is still 1.5 hours to the inlet. And has current.

St Lucie River Area looks so shallow. Hope when I join the SLSC I can learn and be more comfortable with Sailing in the river. I do want to grow and sail in the ocean more and more.

You meant HOUR right? "while it is 1.5 XX trip to the St. Lucie inlet.

I had forgotten about the Brightline bridge.

TideHouse is with Safe Harborage Marina, they no longer take LIVEABOARDS; well they do but you can pay for 1 year but only be there for 6 months max.

 

[rgranger]

If you are living on board, can you dive (snorkle) on your boat more regularly? That would negate some of the issues with rapid fouling.

 

[Qomomoko]

If you are living on board, can you dive (snorkle) on your boat more regularly? That would negate some of the issues with rapid fouling.

Yeah, I love the water/ swimming, great point. The St Lucie river water does look murky compared to the Ft. Pierce Inlet water
I have not looked into a plastic spatula or what to do it.

 

[rgranger]

Yeah, I love the water/ swimming, great point. The St Lucie river water does look murky compared to the Ft. Pierce Inlet water
I have not looked into a plastic spatula or what to do it.

I kept my H26 in a marina and sailed her every week. When I anchored in a cove, I dove on her with this...