Best place to start sailing my c25 in saltwater

[SailingLoto]

We have spent 3 seasons sailing lake of the ozarks. We are looking to trailer our catalina c25 south next year for a couple weeks. While our lake is fun, by the time you get everything trimmed and rolling smooth, it's timr to tack again.

I'm 12-13 hours from mobile/gulf shores/Pensacola/destin area and familiar with that area by land.

What do we need to know before getting there? Is this place decent for sailing? If not, where would you go? Things to practice ? Preparations to be made for the boat and crew?
Any information on starting out in the gulf would be awesome.

I'm looking at about 2 weeks to play around down there.

 

[rgranger]

Download charts and start marking anchorages, marinas and attractions. I plan on 25 mile days between stops. Mark out a path with back up holes for the pop up t-storm…

 

[MikeHoncho]

Get familiar with tides and currents

 

[jmce1587]

Checkout the Mississippi gulf coast. Easily launch trailerable sailboat out of gulfport ms. And sail out to the barrier islands. Start with ship island and then head east to Horn or Dauphin island and further to Pensacola and then Destin. Easily doable and ur boat is perfect for this type of trip. If weather gets bad then you can duck into marinas along the way.

 

[WayneH]

Sailing gets easier once you get past Gulf Shores and the waters turn clear. Just stay out of the blond water! There are pockets of deep water very close to shore in Big Lagoon and Pensacola Bay where it's a short dinghy ride or swim to shore.

 

[Justin_NSA]

There's a marina in Ft Walton Beach north of Destin. Regular Joe type sailboats there. They could advise.

 

[SailingLoto]

Solid advice guys! Thank you so much!

 

[SailingLoto]

Checkout the Mississippi gulf coast. Easily launch trailerable sailboat out of gulfport ms. And sail out to the barrier islands. Start with ship island and then head east to Horn or Dauphin island and further to Pensacola and then Destin. Easily doable and ur boat is perfect for this type of trip. If weather gets bad then you can duck into marinas along the way.

Do you recommend a particular time of year or season?

 

[jssailem]

a particular time of year or season?

Avoidance of Hurricane season would be encouraged.

 

[jmce1587]

Do you recommend a particular time of year or season?

May/June time frame before it gets too hot/humid and less chance of hurricanes that early in the season. Send me a PM and I can email you a local cruising guide info if interested.

 

[higgs]

Don't ignore the Great Lakes. Very good cruising on Lake Michigan especially along either shore. I would not start in Chicago, but go north to Winthrop Harbor or Michigan City. Both are about 8 hours road time for you. If you are willing to spend 2 days on the road you are now around Algoma, WI or Pentwater, MI and cruising north from those spots puts you into some very nice cruising grounds. July and August are your best months.

 

[Tally Ho]

Don't ignore the Great Lakes. Very good cruising on Lake Michigan especially along either shore. I would not start in Chicago, but go north to Winthrop Harbor or Michigan City. Both are about 8 hours road time for you. If you are willing to spend 2 days on the road you are now around Algoma, WI or Pentwater, MI and cruising north from those spots puts you into some very nice cruising grounds. July and August are your best months.

A second vote for the Great Lakes. Michigan City, Indiana has a really nice marina. Getting out on “bigger water” is a short motor. I took sailing classes there years ago, and have stayed there when out for a weekend sail.

Heading up the Michigan coast offers some nice cruising. If you got as far north as Grand Traverse Bay, you would be in some beautiful country. Lake Michigan is 300 miles long and 50 miles wide, so plenty of room to roam if you want to.

The best parts of sailing on the Great Lakes are…no tides to worry about and sailing in fresh water.

But hey, I look forward to sailing on the ocean some day too!

Greg

 

[rgranger]

I’m a big fan of the the NC outer banks (OBX).

research oriental nc

 

[Project_Mayhem]

Michigan City is a great little place as Greg mentioned. I spent most of a summer there working on my current boat. Ten miles north is New Buffalo, Michigan which is another little gem. I've also heard great things about the Apostle Islands.