Boat yard in Ft. Meyers area?
- Thread starter AnsleyS
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Hello AnsleyS,
All American Covered Boat Storage in the Port Charlotte area is a fine example of a clean, secure, professionally operated, do-it-yourself boat yard. One concern might be draft. There is a shallow entry and a lock to get into the long canal system on which the yard is located. I would confidently recommend All American. We kept a boat there for two summers. However, it is a one hour fifteen minute drive from N Ft Myers. They were upgrading head/shower facilities to allow staying overnight. I do not know whether that is complete.
Next to that is Port Charlotte Boat Storage (I think that is the correct name). Tighter sites for the boat and allows stay aboard workers. We did not explore that facility because we were so satisfied with All American.
In general (unless the situation has changed in the past two years) Florida facilities do not allow do-it-yourself very often.
There are sites inland using the Caloosahatchee River for access. I forget the name, but they are a long standing facility. They have a "work yard" and a "storage yard" that are seperate. Long drive through a cow pasture to get to the yard. Total drive from Ft Myers is about 45 minutes to an hour.
All American Covered Boat Storage in the Port Charlotte area is a fine example of a clean, secure, professionally operated, do-it-yourself boat yard. One concern might be draft. There is a shallow entry and a lock to get into the long canal system on which the yard is located. I would confidently recommend All American. We kept a boat there for two summers. However, it is a one hour fifteen minute drive from N Ft Myers. They were upgrading head/shower facilities to allow staying overnight. I do not know whether that is complete.
Next to that is Port Charlotte Boat Storage (I think that is the correct name). Tighter sites for the boat and allows stay aboard workers. We did not explore that facility because we were so satisfied with All American.
In general (unless the situation has changed in the past two years) Florida facilities do not allow do-it-yourself very often.
There are sites inland using the Caloosahatchee River for access. I forget the name, but they are a long standing facility. They have a "work yard" and a "storage yard" that are seperate. Long drive through a cow pasture to get to the yard. Total drive from Ft Myers is about 45 minutes to an hour.
That would be Glades boat storage at 26"47.320'N 81"14.467'W. They have extremely reasonable rates and a lift that can handle your boat.
Also in the same area up the Caloosahatchee is the Port Labelle Marina. A lot of people leave their boats in the water there for the summer as the rates are very low and there are liveaboards there and others that can keep an eye on your boat for you. The rate is only around $3/ft/month (plus $45 liveaboard fee if you are staying on the boat), but there is no shore power.
It is Charlotte Harbor Boat Storage (next to All American). We have our Endeavour there...
http://www.charlotteharborboatstorage.com/
...and love the place. We lived and worked on the boat last spring/summer for 3+ months. A nice club house and free ice. Good showers and the owners are sailboat people. You can perform any work you want in the yard. If you hire work done they have to be insured.
The boats are tight there and they have done that for better protection during hurricane season but if you need more room they will work with you. They offered to move our boat where it would be easier to get on if we wanted, but we were fine.
I think All American at this point still will not allow you to be in the yard after 8 p.m.. CHBS locks their gate around 5, but you have a key and can come and go.
We put in at All American with our trailer boat and stored it while we were gone for a couple months but had to get a motel room (which aren't close) so it was more expensive. The live aboard for us is a must. We couldn't afford motels for as long as we were there and will be there in the future. If that isn't a consideration All American is fine.
The boat next to us draws 5 1/2 feet and got in with no problem, but....
... he did say he touched by the lock. You might also have to work with the tides and wind when going out past the lock. I have info and pictures of going in and out of the canal system and the lock info on our two Florida trip reports....
http://purplesagetradingpost.com/sumner/macgregor-trips-1/macgregor-trips-1-index.html
Where we are if you are paying monthly will also put you in and out twice a year for no extra charge which works for us. The yard is mostly all cruisers that keep their boats there during hurricane season.
Good luck,
Sum
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Yeah.....I think Port Charlotte is a good bet. They are one of the very few do it yourself yards out there. And as far as i have heard they are pretty good.
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