Hows the sailing in the Fort Myers area?

Anonymous 121765 · Feb 13, 2015

Axel,

The guys living in the areas mentioned gave you good insight with Ft. Myers & Charlotte harbor. Both pros & cons.

The left coast has been my back yard for years, from the Panhandle around passed Miami.
I prefer the left coast, as the sea conditions are better than the east coast.

What I can add from personal experience is that, the Tampa Bay area has it all going on. Large areas for bay sailing & easy access in & out to the gulf. many areas for docking in calm ICW areas & some afford quick access to the gulf as I have. Clearwater south to Anna Maria island is worth checking out. Fort Myers is only an hour to two away. Then there are the beach attractions/restaurants & from here you're quick to many places of interest, from here to Orlando.

And, this area does not face the brunt of hurricane season compared to southern & panhandle areas. Spend some time online to check what my area has to offer year-round. You may be pleasantly surprised.

CR

keys please · Feb 13, 2015

Axel, Burnt Store puts you in a good spot and easy access to cayo costa, and the cut out to the gulf..... but for me i really like having my boat where i live(out back).... very easy to work on and when people stop in, can go for a short cruise in a heart beat.... its all about trade offs.... and what works for you...... fair winds, brian

seadaddler · Feb 13, 2015

Ft Myers

Most of us like PG because we are retired and like less traffic and crowds
and less attractions in PG to draw younger people but sounds like you looking to work so tampa is better chance finding work and Ft Myers too.
I had my boat at Burnt Store and is great location for sailing in harbor but not
cheap at all and that's why I keep my sailboat in PG.
Nick

Sumner · Feb 13, 2015

AXEL said:
An option that is starting to shape up would be to move to the Cape Coral area and keep the boat in Burnt Store. It would put me right in the middle, close to friends in Fort Myers and the good sailing in PG. How does this sound to you good folk in the area?

Since we don't know what your financial situation is that makes it harder to help. For me I couldn't afford a house on the water with the high insurance rates and the cost of the house itself and its upkeep and the upkeep of the dock and such. I also couldn't afford to keep a boat at a place like Burnt Store.

In my situation if I was permanently moving to the area it would be a house in a ways to keep the price of the house and insurance reasonable and then I'd find someone with a dock for rent in a deeper canal with quick access to the harbor. I know one person that did that and it worked very well for them and was affordable for them. I know someone else here in the yard that will do that as soon as they get the boat out of the yard,

Sumner

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Anonymous 121765 · Feb 13, 2015

Axel,

Some of my friends are area musicians. There are alot of gigs to play up here. You may wanna start looking in Craig's List or similar to get a better feel.

Sadly, I am not a musician, I'm a drummer/percussionist but haven't played in years.

CR

MrBill_FLL · Feb 13, 2015

I doubt 200k will get you within eye sight of the water... (my old neighbor bought a house for 320k in CC -short sale in 2009 as an investment.)

I when thru this, when I sold my house in 2010. and decided to go the route Sumner listed.

My reasoning is there is no upper limit on insurance or property taxes. and I had a feeling if things got worse, governments would heavily tax those rich folks on waterfront lots.

+ I could always move the boat to a new dock if prices got high.

but it is certainly cheaper on west coast than east coast.

-One other thing is the west coast gets a lot more rain in the summer. east winds blow the storms to the west... misquotes can be much worse... if they don't spray. (like in the 10k island).

GL!

Bill1565 · Feb 13, 2015

Sailm8 said:
Charlotte Harbor is awful. There are sharknado's, killer jelly fish, barnacles the size of hubcaps and the people are rude rednecks driving drunken pontoon boats. Also the water is too shallow for a real "BLUEWATER SAILBOAT". Ask anyone on any forum, there are no bluewater sailors on Florida's west coast. It gets so hot in the summer you will think you are living in the midwest in July. Run, don't just walk away. We're full up.

+1

woodster · Feb 14, 2015

AXEL said:
Sumner and others, I am planning to retire somewhere in the area mentioned. I'm an engineer up here in NY. I plan to sell my house, move down and buy in the $150k - $200k market. As much as I would love waterfront property I want to keep my overhead down, I think dockage would be expensive. I do want a pool! Besides my day job I am a guitarist and I have been working in bands since I was a teenager. I hope to keep that going after I retire. Up here on Long Island I keep the boat about 15 min from my house in someones yard on a canal. That works very well for me and if I could find a situation like the in Fla it would be great.

i know stuart fl is not ft myers but i found some duplexes on the water there about 4 years ago for around $100 g's and a canal in the back with dock ..you could step out the back door and walk maybe 35 ft an step on your boat .......the was for both halves of the duplex

seadaddler · Feb 14, 2015

Cape coral

If wanting to buy in Cape Coral look for a house near Bunt store rd or 41 and than short drive to burnt Store Marina or PG.
I live in Port Charlotte not on water and the first 2 years had my boat in Burnt
store Marina and than found a dock rental in PG 5 minutes to harbor and once down here join a boat Club like PGSC and meet other sailors and than you will
get great info sailing and help finding a dock.
Nick
Email me when you come down or send private message here.

CATBOAT WILLY · Feb 14, 2015

AXEL said:
I am thinking of moving there in a couple of years. I would prefer to go a little further north but the wife has freinds in Fort Myers. In general how's the sailing? I have a C30, fin keel draw 4. 5 to 5 ft.

The Punta Gorda area hosts a very active sailing community with many sailing and boating clubs in the area. You'll find the harbor deep enough for your boat and it will afford you some great sailing. Been here 13 years from coastal New Jersey and can say nothing but fine words regarding the sailing and affordable living. There are some great places to go for cruising along the west coast of Florida without the rough seas of the eastern coast of Florida. That coupled with some great state parks makes this place one of the better places to call home. It's not Long Island Sound but offers some great sailing 10 months out of the year.
We have a Catalina 36 and have have never regretted the harbor. Be sure to check out the neighboring communities of Port Charlotte, Rotunda and Boca Grande.
Send us a PM if you get down this way and we'll get you aboard.
Catboat Willy:dance:

Sailm8 · Feb 14, 2015

AXEL said:
MrBill, to clarify, the plan is shaping up to be that we'll buy in Cape Coral to be close the wife’s friends who live in Fort Myers. But we'll be keeping the boat somewhere else, maybe Burnt Store (for example). I would love to own a home on the water with the boat right there in the yard but as mentioned, taxes, insurance, maintenance etc., would soak up retirement resources. I'm ok driving a half hour or so to get to the boat.

I don't know your financial situation but everyone and I mean everyone who moved here from NY can't believe how much cheaper the real estate, taxes, etc. are here. Just say'n. Also PM Nick and me and we will meet for a beer and a tour (if we aren't out sailing). PS we have some nice condo's down here on canals.

keys please · Feb 15, 2015

Sailm8, the Tiki Hut @PG has a lots of room and a great water view... how many folks from our area would meet for a beer...... brian

Sailm8 · Feb 15, 2015

keys please said:
Sailm8, the Tiki Hut @PG has a lots of room and a great water view... how many folks from our area would meet for a beer...... brian

I'd be there, (in a heart beat)

Sailm8

Bill1565 · Feb 15, 2015

AXEL said:
An option that is starting to shape up would be to move to the Cape Coral area and keep the boat in Burnt Store. It would put me right in the middle, close to friends in Fort Myers and the good sailing in PG. How does this sound to you good folk in the area?

Do your homework. Some areas of Cape Coral are less nice than others.