Sailors of the Keys

Status
Not open for further replies.
Jun 20, 2011
60
Catalina Sloop Heron lake


Hanne and I will be towing our Catalina 22 "Paradox" from N.M. down to the Keys next Jan 2012. We are looking for info, marinas, moorings, good food (sea food no meat), good people, good sailing, fun, from Key Largo on down to Key West. I would love to hear your special places in this part of Florida. I'll put them in our sailing journal for our journey .... Thanks - Sailor Boy :)
 
Last edited:

Sailm8

.
Feb 21, 2008
1,750
Hunter 29.5 Punta Gorda
We used to trailer our C22 from St Louis to the Keys several times a year. We have used the marinas at Key LArgo, Duck Key (Hawks Cay), Plantation Key, Holiday Isles, and Boot Key mooring balls. Our biggest problem was launching and retrieving the boat. The launch ramps in the keys are very short and hard to float on and off.

We finally rented a condo with a boat dock in the Key LArgo area. This gave us a home base and a place to leave the boat. We stayed on the boat at the 4 resort marinas, Hawks Cay, Plantation, Key LArgo and Holiday Isle. Hawks Cay was the best and most expensive but you were at a 5 star resort with all the services. Key Largo (Holiday Inn Marina) was nice but very busy.

We never used the marina at Bahia Honda State Park but it look very nice.
 
Jan 22, 2008
1,483
Hunter 37 C sloop Punta Gorda FL
You can do a search on this forum for florida keys. Make the fill in fields" none" or" all". You will get a wide variety of opinions.

Guy named Sumner will show up there. Last year, he did much of what you plan, but he started from Charlotte Harbor on the west coast, cause he liked the cheap locked storage for his tow vehicle and trailer.
 
Jun 20, 2011
60
Catalina Sloop Heron lake
I thank you both for your info --- I have checked out your marina leads and "Summer's" sail -
The Hawk Cay from their website looks nice and maybe a place to stop for a week at after our close to 2k road towing journey down to the keys ... I see big power boats in their photos - where did they put your Cat 22? We have already rented a small cottage on a canal for the month of Feb on Big Pine Key. I see you also stayed at a condo with dock. We want to relax, fish, kayak, write, paint and day sail plus maybe a sail down to Key Largo from there. I am still open for more info as we plan next Jan, Feb in the Keys from the high desert of New Mexico. Sailor Boys birth day is in a few days - 74 and feeling good but some decline in my frisky-ness.
 
Jun 9, 2004
963
Hunter 40.5 Bayfield, WI
It has been a few years since I have been to the Keys but I have always loved it there. My favorite places to eat are-The Key Largo Coffee House, Cracked Conch Cafe, Alabama Jacks and Mrs. Macs Kitchen all in Key Largo. In Islamorada it is Marker 88 and Loreleis. Marathon- The Stuffed Pig, Keys Fishery (lobster reuben-gotta have one) and in Key West there is Schooners Wharf and Blue Heaven. I love Boot Key Harbor and I would definately check out the Bahia Honda Marina. Great beach across the road from the marina. Check out the snorkeling at Looe Key and Sombrero Key. Totally awesome.
 
Oct 6, 2009
129
Newport Newport 28 MKII Jacksonville, FL
Bahia Honda State Park has a great marina and launch ramp. The Admiral and I trailered our Precision 21 down there for a two week stay. They have a good area to leave the trailer where you can see it from your boat. We sailed to several islands, beach is gorgeous and drove down to Key West a couple of times. Fishing is amazing and there is an old railroad bridge you can hike up to watch the sunset from. Slips were side-tie and there was a small store on site. This park is on it's own island and I think the main beach is 7 miles long. Smaller beach near the marina with lots of palm trees for shade, etc. Good showers and they rent waterfront cabins, too. have a great time!
 

Sumner

.
Jan 31, 2009
5,254
Macgregor & Endeavour 26S and 37 Utah's Canyon Country
..Guy named Sumner will show up there. Last year, he did much of what you plan, but he started from Charlotte Harbor on the west coast, cause he liked the cheap locked storage for his tow vehicle and trailer.
I do have our Fall trip up on our site....

http://purplesagetradingpost.com/sumner/macgregor-trips-1/macgregor-trips-1-index.html

But not the spring trip where we also started from Charlotte Harbor and went down the west coast and across Florida Bay to Marathon and back north from there up to South Dade Marina where we took out 7+ weeks later. I am working on that trip report again after 'not working' on it for a while. Not sure when it will be finished though. I'll post here or on the destinations forum as it is completed.

It was a great trip and we had intended to go south from Marathon, but the question of what is legal now in the keys for a head and what isn't stopped us. If you go into Boot Key Harbor at Marathon they will require you to have a pump-out regardless of boat size. We use Double Doodie bags and carry all our waste with us. That wasn't good enough there and the use of them or a porta-pottie is up for speculation throughout all of the Keys. We were checked and approved by the sheriff's department at Marco Island. The Florida Game and Fish, not sure if that is the official title, checked our safety equipment by Key Largo, but didn't check the head. You need to try and find out what is 'now' acceptable if you only have a porta-pottie without a pumpout on it. I've read the regs and feel we were legal, especially since we were under 26 feet, but would hate to take the time and expense going to court to approve it.

It is a great area to sail, but with all of the shallow water and tidal currents and depths if you have never been there I for sure would want to have paper charts as a backup, but a working chartplotter with NOAA or other charts and know how to use the tide data function.

We used SeaClear II on a 12 volt computer I made....

http://purplesagetradingpost.com/sumner/macgregor-navigation/Compter-Nav-index.html

that was also always connected to a Garmin Map 76S in the cockpit with the days waypoints and route loaded. You are from the west and so are we and we are use to out here using mountains and such for reference points. Down there it is flat and almost everything looks the same and with the shallow water you are often off-shore aways where it is even hard to see inlets and such. Using the NOAA charts on the chartplotter we never had a problem getting anywhere, but without that and just paper charts it would of been a real challenge.

It will be a great trip for you and that is a good time to go. Hopefully we will also be back down in that area again at the same time,

Sum

Our Endeavour 37

Our Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida

Our MacGregor S Pages

Mac-Venture Links
 
May 4, 2005
4,062
Macgregor 26d Ft Lauderdale, Fl
are you planning on renting a room, or sleeping on the boat?

The biggest problem will be what to do with the truck and trailer. most ramps don't allow overnight storage of the towing rig... (and most ramps are shallow, set up for skiffs).

Grassy Key Marina, was one place I check out a few years ago, that was trailer sailor friendly.

Sea Bird maina on long key was another -both good sailboat ramps.

Gilberts in north key largo, or the south dade marina would be other good ramps. (but never been in south dade marina).

if you don't need access to the truck, you may want to launch in homestead, move the truck to a KOA, and head south. when you want the truck, get a bus to homestead then a taxi to the KOA.

there were a few other motels with good ramps I looked at, but its been a little while.

finally, recognize getting from ocean side to bay side is not easy in the keys... only a few bridges where you don't need to drop the mast, or have openings... (and the current is STRONG in the cuts).


Hawks cay is very nice resort, but you'll want a high tide to get the boat out. (ramp is shallow IMO). -also its a long way to bay side from there....

ps: -cold fronts are stronger on bay side in winter... (SW- NW winds)
 
Jun 20, 2011
60
Catalina Sloop Heron lake
Thank you all for your input - I'm checking out your suggestions .. Sailor Boy
 

Sailm8

.
Feb 21, 2008
1,750
Hunter 29.5 Punta Gorda
Mr Bill is spot on about the ramp at Hawks Cay. Cost me a tire pulling the boat out. We just had a slip like any other boat. Hawks Cay let us park the boat and trailer in an ope field near by. Watch out for fire ants. Don't ask me how I know.

Once I was able to talk a marina into lifting the boat out of the water and on to my trailer with the giant fork lift they used on the dry storage boats. Only charged me $20 and I thought it was a bargain. You might try calling a few marina's and ask.

You will have a great time.
 
May 4, 2005
4,062
Macgregor 26d Ft Lauderdale, Fl
between those 2 Bahia Honda hands down.

Pennekamp, is in the mangroves.

Do you have a cruising guide?

if you can use a forklift or travel lift to launch then you have a lot more choices... (for a PRICE)

plenty of resorts welcome non guests to the pool if they patronize the bar / restaurant. (holiday isle)


what do you draw?

-and February is a lot nicer then January .. January can be down right cold!
 
Last edited:

Sumner

.
Jan 31, 2009
5,254
Macgregor & Endeavour 26S and 37 Utah's Canyon Country
What do you think is the best cruising guide for the keys?
Don't know if it is the best, but I used Claiborne's CRUISING THE FLORIDA KEYS the most on our trip over there. He also has one for the west coast that I used, but used A Guide to Anchorages in Southwest Florida a lot more over there.

It is out of print as far as I know, but you can sometimes find it used....

http://www.amazon.com/Guide-Anchorages-Southwest-Florida/dp/0967158001

....and you can download the whole book here...

http://nsgl.gso.uri.edu/flsgp/flsgph99001/flsgph99001index.html

..and I would recommend doing that just in case you ever want to sail that area and it isn't available any longer. I have the book and the download,

Sum

Our Endeavour 37

Our Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida

Our MacGregor S Pages

Mac-Venture Links
 
May 4, 2005
4,062
Macgregor 26d Ft Lauderdale, Fl
I have clairborne youngs and frank pappys.

youngs is more current and much bigger, and what I'd suggest. (*not an expert by any means..)

but the format is kinda broken up... IIRC.

pappys was really great, (old and out of print) mostly for the sketches. but with satellite photos and realtime charts its old school. but I still like them.

there are others.. probalby all about the same.

young's runs thru routes, and anchorages, plus adds commercial services and marina breakdowns. so its pretty thorough.

the city park: 'founders park' marina in tavernier is also nice, and the ramp is good, but no over night for your truck or trl... but the anchorage is popular.

(it was the plantation yacht club/resort back in the day) very nice pool!

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=taver....006167,0.013175&gl=us&sqi=2&t=h&z=16&vpsrc=6

again, doubt you'll be swimming in January... mid to late Feb, you bet!
 

Sumner

.
Jan 31, 2009
5,254
Macgregor & Endeavour 26S and 37 Utah's Canyon Country
Besides the guides MrBill and Bill from Port Charlotte and others gave us some good info, thanks again guys. Go back and do some searches. I was interested in ramps from Miami down and posted and got some good info on that thread.

Also we took out at South Dade Marina....

http://southdademarina.com/

.... and had the Suburban/trailer stored there for the last few weeks of our spring trip and they are probably the lowest priced storage/ramp over there and good people. I for some reason though had a problem on the ramp taking out and busted the tailights on the trailer and still don't know how that happened. You can get from their place down to Key Largo in a day on the motor and we really liked it from there south. If fact we would like to spend some time in Card and Barnes Sounds also and from Jewfish south before Key Largo so don't think you have to go way south in the Keys to enjoy it. It is more open on the Gulf and Atlantic side from Matecumbe Keys to a ways below Marathon. That is good if you like that, but we enjoyed Matecumbe Keys North on the Gulf side since there were more Islands and cuts. We didn't get down to Little and Big Pine and south of there on the Gulf side and want to do that next trip.

.....again, doubt you'll be swimming in January... mid to late Feb, you bet!
I agree, I'd wait to March or even April if you only have a week or two. We really enjoyed April down there and the water was getting into the low 80's which is what I need.

March was good, but we were on the west coast, 10,000 Islands and Everglades then and didn't go in the water.

Nothing worst than going to somewhere to escape the cold and you are still cold. We froze down there a year ago in Dec. when the cold spell was going through and it was in the low 30's at night outside and low 40's in the boat.

We hope to be down late Jan., but need probably a month to work on the boat before it goes back in and the temps should be good for that,

Sum

Our Endeavour 37

Our Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida

Our MacGregor S Pages

Mac-Venture Links
 
Jun 20, 2011
60
Catalina Sloop Heron lake
Thanks all -- just sent in an order for Pappy's guide - look forward to checking it out for our winter sail in the Keys. Ross sailor boy
 
May 25, 2004
99
Catalina 27 Carlyle Lake
I love sailing the Keys, but I leave my boat behind and sta at flakeyscottage.com. I get a 2-br cottage with the greatest back porch in the world and a ComPac 23 sitting on the dock close enough to flip a shell to. All for about $1500 a week.

I second Mrs. Mac's Kitchen in Key Largo.

If I was trailering my own boat down there, I'd start at and stay below Islamorada. I think it's a lot prettier down there.

Tom
 
Status
Not open for further replies.