Parking in Florida

Stu Jackson · Oct 20, 2011

Where in Florida? I hear it's almost as big as Ontario!

soling42 · Oct 20, 2011

There's a spot near S. Homestead that many guys use. Nobody can hide from Google Earth.

MrUnix · Oct 20, 2011

South end of the mainland or south end of the Keys? If the former, the Metro-Dade county marinas have loads of parking and 24 hour security. I believe Black Point marina is the farthest south. I used to put in there and sail down to Islamorada all the time. Finding similar facilities once you hit Monroe county (the Keys) is increasingly difficult.

Cheers,
Brad

oldiesrocker2001 · Oct 20, 2011

We used the Black point marina as a transient dock several years ago. It's pretty close to Elliot key(about 7 miles accross the bay). I believe it cost 12-15 per day for our trailer,as we were only going out on day trips and drove home to a hotel at the end of the fun days.
The rate may be different for car&trailer and yet still different again if the boat isn't being docked there(and costing the subsequent docking fee). It WAS, however convenient for access to the keys - either bayside or oceanside. If I'd had a 24 instead of a 21 I'd have gone oceanside instead of inside the bay to explore the keys.

Joe · Oct 20, 2011

I'd go the other route... find the locale you want to drop in... call the yards that can put you in the water, then ask them for long term parking references.

Ray Bowles · Oct 21, 2011

On the north end of Key Largo about 1/2 mile north of John Pennekamp State Park and on the west side of the highway is a small marina with a very large fenced yard that stores boats etc. I parked our car there for a couple of months quite cheaply. This is on the north end of the keys.
Ray

Benny17441 · Oct 22, 2011

Do you need a travel lift or would a ramp do?

Eric s/v Windrush · Oct 23, 2011

DJ, would you be the guy who wrote the trailer sailor article for GAM magazine? Good read if it is you.
Florida huh. A nice way to spend the winter

Eric

Sumner · Oct 25, 2011

Here is a suggestion, put in at South Dade Marina...

http://southdademarina.com/

... and leave the tow vehicle and trailer there. Then head south. We really liked the upper keys. Find a place south in the Keys with a travel lift where you can take out.

Then take the public bus system that runs from Key West north back up to South Dade Marina and get your vehicle and trailer and drive back down and take the boat out.

You can also rent a car at the Marathon airport, probably in Key West and maybe some other places to drive back if you didn't like the bus deal.

South Dade is right next...

... to the highway, so the bus would drop you right off where your vehicle is.

We put in for ....

http://purplesagetradingpost.com/sumner/FL-spring-2011/Florida-2011-Spring-index.html

...our trip on the west coast and then went down past the Everglades and on to the keys at Marathon. We then wanted to go look at the Endeavour we ended up buying back over at Ft. Myers Beach on the west coast and rented a car at Marathon for the trip.

While we were over there we picked up our Suburban and trailer up by Port Charlotte and drove it back over and left it at South Dade Marina. We then later ended our trip there and took the boat out.

One caution is that we have never had a problem launching or retreiving with our Mac, but somehow at South Dade broke our taillights with the trailer down in the water. I'm not sure what they hit. I didn't pay any attention to the tide, so maybe it was out and the water was low and we were in aways and hit something under the water? I think if I was there again I'd make sure I launched or retreived at high tide.

South Dade is about the cheapest place we found to leave the vehicle and trailer and it is a 'sailboat' only marina and the owner is real nice. We would use them again.

I have the charts and pictures up for the rest of our trip from where it now leaves off at Everglades City. I don't have the dialog for the remainder of the trip, but the pictures and charts with our route and anchorages might help you. I'll PM you the last page of the trip where we ended at South Dade and you can work backwards from there down the keys to Marathon. Hope that helps some.

When the trip is all done I'll post the rest of it publicly here on the board,

Sum

Our Endeavour 37

Our Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida

Our MacGregor S Pages

Mac-Venture Links

N1EYO · Dec 8, 2011

I'm on the space coast and have room by my barn. Lifts are right down the road.

seadaddler · Dec 8, 2011

OMG

Must be half of Canada coming to Florida one way or another,wow all this traffic is crazy and xmas shoppers even worst and Florida sure can use the $$$$$$ for sure.
Glad I am going to NY when everyone is going south.
Nick

Ed Schenck · Dec 8, 2011

You won't be saying that when you get up here Nick. That is IF you get up here. The weather is crap. Wish I could come down and babysit the boat for you.

seadaddler · Dec 8, 2011

OMG

Last year we just got out of town before a major snow storm hit and made it back to Florida without any problems.
I should be putting her back in as soon as I get back fom NY and the shoulder is doing good so sailing for the start of the New Year looking good,come on down and we can take you sailing to KW.
Nick

MrBill_FLL · Dec 23, 2011

travel lift, eh.... that will limit your options. greatly....

could you use a forklift type or has to be a travel lift?

in marathon ocean side is a travel lift. (pretty sure its called marathon boat yard). (big yachts yard).

grassy key marina has trailer storage and a good ramp, but no lift. (they have the fork lift). as most all 'rack-n-stacks' yards use the fork lift type of lift....

the places with travel lifts will be the very large yacht yards. and I'm not that familiar with the yacht repair facilities.

I know coconut grove sailing club and the biscayne sailing club in the grove have lifts for stars and lightnings but is more of a sling, self serve one man operation. (single lift point).

then you have miami river... where all the big yard are. (or ft laud).

-you may need to haul in miami, at the end of the trip...

if south dade has a sling, I'd go with that. the only problem with them is they are isolated/remote.

looking at the satellite, manatee bay marine, just south of south dade looks like they have a sling lift. (visible via street view). -and a crane...

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=marin...psrc=6&t=h&radius=0.12&hq=marina&z=18&iwloc=C

what do you draw? you'll probably need the tide to get in there...

and be aware you are in the mangroves.... lots of bugs at sunrise and sunset if no wind... -you've been warned.

edit: the trailer park next to homestead ramp is called southern comfort. (rv park) you would need a ride back to the ramp (~4miles), but I should be cheaper than the parks' daily parking rate...

seadaddler · Dec 23, 2011

Not Bad

The weather has not been bad here in NY so far but when we were in Ct. it was very cold and looking to go back home for sure.
It's great visiting family here and the grandkids so funny and really looking forward to Xmas eve all seafood dinner,my mom make the best stuffed calamaire ( squid) and no not giving her address.
Nick

Sail123 · Dec 23, 2011

We parked in the back lot of a casino that was west of Miami.

The food bar on the second floor is 5 star!