On the west coast and soutwest another great book if you are looking for anchorages is A Guide to Anchorages in Southwest Florida....I just got a copy of Claiborn Young's Cruising guide to western Florida. It is under $30
Here it is at Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/Cruising-Guid...284112&sr=8-1&keywords=cruising+guide+florida
Most likely. Right up along with "What's the Best..." :dance:"Anyone sailed the Florida Keys?" Is that a trick question?
He'll be leaving from Bronte, Ontario which is close to Toronto. Should not take anymore than 3 days each way. I have done the drive in 26hrs straight driving, but I wasn't pulling a boat. This is a trip I would love to do one day, but its too hard for me and the wife to get that much time off at the same time. Best we can do is a bareboat in the BVI'sThree weeks, from Canada? How large a sailboat? Count on taking ten days getting there, and back. That leaves you 11 days. A day or two getting from trailer to slip, and being ready to sail, and another day, getting the boat safely tucked into the trailer for the return trip
That leaves you, in round numbers, about a week to actually sail. Not much time for going so far. This does not account for breakdowns or accidents.
For the time and money spent traveling, you might think about flying and renting a sailboat. Or getting a larger block of time for your vacation.
Have fun, take me with you!
That is where we took out and where I'd probably put in again if I wanted to do a trip to the upper Keys, which is the area we really liked. According to a post on another forum it looks like the place is up for sale and the rates for car/trailer storage have gone from $5.00/day to $10.00/day. If that is the case I'd still use that location as it is so hard to find ramps in the Keys were you can leave a vehicle and trailer.Check out South Dade Marina for a good launch spot. Low fees and sailboat friendly with good access to upper keys. Its near the north end of the bridge to Key Largo.
We are trailering down to the keys from the Chicago area at the end of December. We are launching from Bahia Honda Key. It is a Florida State Park and has a small marina with a 3.5 foot limiting depth. It is located at the north end of the Lower Keys with easy access to great snorkeling/dive sites, also access to the Gulf side mangroves and wildlife.
It is a 24 hour drive that we are splitting over 2 days, 12 hrs a day... more with gas and food stops. We will have 7 days on the water, just the perfect amount of time before the 4 of us kill each other.
The distance from Bronte to south Miami is about 1300 miles or 2100 KM. The biggest problem to that drive is if taking I75 is the mountains. I think if I ever try this I would opt for I95 down the coast. Takes a little longer from here because it takes a while to hook up to it, but the hill climbing is a lot less.Sumner;On the trip down we are 2200 miles from the southwest coast and it takes us 3 1/2 to 4 days towing at 60-65 with the trailer usually from about 8 in the morning to 8 at night with gas stops and such. It looks like it is 2400 miles for the OP so I'd think 4 days down and a day to get in the water is pretty reasonable. We are late 60's and that is about what we can manage. I don't like to tow late into the night if I can help it. 3 days for 2400 miles over that route might be possible towing but for us it would just be too exhausting said:============================[/FONT]
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I would also like to here how you trip goes. Keep a log. I've read Sumners adventure and made many mental notes to a future trip. The more info the better.We are trailering down to the keys from the Chicago area at the end of December. We are launching from Bahia Honda Key. It is a Florida State Park and has a small marina with a 3.5 foot limiting depth. It is located at the north end of the Lower Keys with easy access to great snorkeling/dive sites, also access to the Gulf side mangroves and wildlife.
It is a 24 hour drive that we are splitting over 2 days, 12 hrs a day... more with gas and food stops. We will have 7 days on the water, just the perfect amount of time before the 4 of us kill each other.
The distance from Bronte to south Miami is about 1300 miles or 2100 KM. The biggest problem to that drive is if taking I75 is the mountains. I think if I ever try this I would opt for I95 down the coast. Takes a little longer from here because it takes a while to hook up to it, but the hill climbing is a lot less.