Suggested Locations To Winter On A Sailboat

[Don on JCat Key West]

Do you intend to anchor out, or spend most of your time at dock or on a mooring?
This choice will determine, for the most part, your costs, safety, etc.
If you're a vagabond there is a world of wintering pleasure inside and outside along the SE US coast.
Don & Betty

 

[Pat]

My dad just finished 15 years in St Croix. He had a wonderful life down there and only returned due to Alzheimer's. it's a little rugged but not the Wild West by any measure.
I can say without out a doubt my dad enjoyed a quality of life that he couldn't have had in NY.

I would agree with St. Croix in the American Virgins....Probably not totally crime free, but where is? The weather is great, the sailing just incredible, and like the author above, the BVI is next door...with infinite cruising opportunities. Patrick

 

[BillEarl]

We winter in Puerto Rico. Lots of good reasons. Prices are OK (not as cheap as the Pacific side of Mexico). It's the US so it's pretty easy to get things you want. It's a bit cheaper than the USVI but I have to say that the USVI has better general anchorages, PR marinas are cheaper. I love the Bahamas, in general, but they are a little cold for my wintering preferences and getting any kind of parts is a major pain.

 

[Piratenorm]

Where to Winter

Nobody else has mentioned it so I will.
My 2 cents worth? Key West. Continental U.S., yet perched at the top of the Caribbean. Way more tropical than the rest of Fla., medical, shopping, food isn't ridiculously priced (a great fish sandwich at B&O's or a pulled-pork at Sloppy's comes to mind), beer is cheap, boat parts and service readily available and about the only thing I found expensive was a gallon of gas and parking sucks.
But in my mind it's more fun than a hanging in the public square. Drop the hook in economy bay, the free anchorage between Wisteria Island (aka Christmas Island) and Fleming Key, where people on a budget or the homeless living free and easy on anything that floats hang out. A fee is charged to pumpout, land your dinghy or use the showers, but it's all available. Just be aware the anchorage is open to the NW so things coming that way in the winter months will rock your world...
Or my fav, hang on a mooring at Garrison Bight, where I had the great pleasure of boat sitting a buddy's 42' Endeavour, who paid less than $300. per month last winter, which included weekly pumpouts and parking a car. Dinghy to shore (free), jump on a bicycle or walk and you're at the nearby shopping/grocery stores. Home Depot too.
Or, my favourite place on earth, Old Town and Duval St. The best bar entertainment you can get. Schooners Wharf, Captain Tony's, Sloppy Joe's, a new one The Smokin' Tuna, Margaritaville (yes I am a pirate...J. Buffett), too many to list here. Go a little further to the Green Parrot, where the locals gather and shun the tourists- (their motto? 'No Snivilling') for some of the best live entertainment you can imagine. And cheap beer.
I have been going to KW for decades, but never longer than a week or two. Then I got to experience it for a winter season and I am hooked even more. Made some friends and played with some of the bands in the bars . Unfortunately my darling wife doesn't care for it for longer than a week at a time so it will never be home to me...much the sorrow. But I sure dig it when I can get back there.
Good luck.
Pirate Norm

 

[bffatcat]

You said safe, civilized, and affordable right The USA I would stay out of Mexico

 

[fox islander]

...pacific coast of México, esp. the sea of cortez. Incredible cruising community based out of La Paz, BCS. Safe, friendly and warm.

 

[Barnacle Bill]

Re: My Favorite City on the List

Not very warm in those places in the winter (Camden, Flint, et al? Come on!!)

It's better in the Bahamas. They speak English there, the money is the same (and they like you to spend it there), but the waters are top notch and it is a wonderful place to live off the sea (fish, lobster, conch) and you will meet lots of other sailors and see some wonderful people who live there.

 

[Boatsail1]

Excellent discussion. Love the humor. Sounding like the great adventure sailing has moved farther south. No mans land is hard to find.

 

[captmikem]

I have spent 10 of the last 20 winters in the Southern Hemisphere, I think New Zealand (south island) is high on my list of favorites, I spent this past winter in La Paz Mexico then ran down to the Marquises, Tahiti and Tonga. I do like Tonga. But I kind of like the ease of getting things in the US. Hard to give one place. I like the Bahamas, just a short trip from Florida, and you can come home any time. It is a nice break when things are hectic. Then again, South Africa is calling. So, I have vote "other".

 

[ccannan]

$80/Month???

What is/was the name of your marina that only charges $80/month?

I'm not sure about safe these days, but I lived aboard in far S.Texas a few years ago. I absolutely loved it. Cost of living is very low. Peaceful and quiet. Not much in the way of social activities, but absolutely abounds with wild life. I was living aboard full time, water and power provided, total was 80 bucks a month. And in a pretty nice marina.

 

[zeehag]

You said safe, civilized, and affordable right The USA I would stay out of Mexico

you are dead wrong and slanderous to boot. mexico is safe for tourists and yachties, as those are sources of legitimate income. anything happens to yotties or turistas, no dough, hunger and death .

i have found i am safer here than i was in san diego. i do not have to lock my boat--unless certain specific other sailing gringos are near by!--and i dont have to worry about my possessions--my boat is not entered nor my kayaks and dinghies taken from me nor touched --only in tourist season is there any problem , and those problems are due to certain specific gringos stealing to use drugs that are unlawful here. only one dinghy was touched here last season, and that was done by the gal who was complainant, we discovered. therefore, not one dinghy nor engine was missing from anyone here in la cruz anchorage all season.
i can leave my things here unguarded for weeks if i choose--safe. not so in usa, i have found out--usa is where my boat was shopped for nautical items and equipment by neighbors. not here.

yeah yeah yeah but the violencia--BS where it comes to turistas. they dont shoot us. no tunless you are buying drugs or contraband from cartel or narcos here. that is only way gringos/turistas/yotties get into troubles here in mexico. of course you might drive your car to juarez and be killed--but that doesnt involve yotties or turistas. not unless they are muling drugs to somewhere. that deserves problems.

i have lived in mexico now , with my boat, for a year and half , now. is not dangerous to cruisers.

 

[dehler25]

you are dead wrong and slanderous to boot. mexico is safe for tourists and yachties, as those are sources of legitimate income. anything happens to yotties or turistas, no dough, hunger and death .

i have found i am safer here than i was in san diego. i do not have to lock my boat--unless certain specific other sailing gringos are near by!--and i dont have to worry about my possessions--my boat is not entered nor my kayaks and dinghies taken from me nor touched --only in tourist season is there any problem , and those problems are due to certain specific gringos stealing to use drugs that are unlawful here. only one dinghy was touched here last season, and that was done by the gal who was complainant, we discovered. therefore, not one dinghy nor engine was missing from anyone here in la cruz anchorage all season.
i can leave my things here unguarded for weeks if i choose--safe. not so in usa, i have found out--usa is where my boat was shopped for nautical items and equipment by neighbors. not here.

yeah yeah yeah but the violencia--BS where it comes to turistas. they dont shoot us. no tunless you are buying drugs or contraband from cartel or narcos here. that is only way gringos/turistas/yotties get into troubles here in mexico. of course you might drive your car to juarez and be killed--but that doesnt involve yotties or turistas. not unless they are muling drugs to somewhere. that deserves problems.

i have lived in mexico now , with my boat, for a year and half , now. is not dangerous to cruisers.

I have sailed the Sea of Cortez a couple of times, found it to truly be special, exciting and safe. Had no problems what so ever, but population centers were far away. I would recommend the west coast of Florida, around Tampa Bay, Marinas are less than $400 a month in downtown Bradenton or across the river in Palmetto, the weather is mild and you are not far from anything except Pacific Mexico!

 

[Cayennita]

I live in St. Croix and have for over 20 years. It is all the same as the US. For doctors, Lasik, plastic surgery, dental work, many cruisers go to Venezuela. There is more boat theft in any one US city than in all of Trinidad. You have a 36.7 and probably race. We have excellent regattas here. The beaches in St. Croix are practically empty. Maybe 2-3 cruise ships per week. St. Thomas and the BVI are crowded. The sailing is never the less excellent. Prices are not exorbitant. I find that Nanny Cay in Tortola is a good place to haul out. etc.

 

[capta]

Ducati
I'm a bit confused. Were you asking about places near where you are or farther afield like FLA?
If you are hoping to stay near your work, I'd be interested in where you are.
I spent a winter in East Greenwich, RI; very reasonable, a dock full of live aboards who help each other when needed and quite convenient to shopping and marine supplies. Of course it was colder than a witch's ***, but if I'd sailed south, I'd have gotten no work done on the boat at all that winter.
By the way, St. Thomas is about to become the most expensive and unfriendly place in the Caribbean for cruisers; they are instituting a multi-tiered liveaboard tax that'll be around $1800.00 a year for a 50' boat! For NOTHING; the government supplies absolutely nothing for yachts of any size, no dinghy dock, no security, no garbage, no water, etc, NOTHING.

 

[DJW]

We have been living on our 42' Cascade in HI every winter since 2001. Safe, not cheap, great weather so 2 out of 3 not bad. We spend 3-4 months a year living on C dock Rainbow Marina, Pearl Harbor, HI.

Dennis

 

[davenlynn]

Seriously, I'd nominate San Diego. Nice weather, fantastic marinas and dining, nightlife, a splash of culture. You're close to Mexico, if you're so inclined. Great fishing; spiney lobster season just opened and lots of yellow tail & etc. I could go on and on, but I won't.

Dave

 

[Sail123]

west coast florida is also nice--apalachiacola, port st joe, ft myers beach, ueseppa island, pretty and good fishing an d good sailing....

ducati--the difference between those cities and mexico is that those cities you listed dont give a rat's behind about tourism, whereas mexico does. there have been no violences against tourists in mexico--they value this industry called international tourism.

In the Midwest USA our media does not paint Mexico a place of tourism, it is painted severed heads swinging from bridges, drug wars, drinking water that is unsafe and on and on. Even in our own country, border areas are not safe. Phenoex is the kidnapping capitol of the world.

Then I read by you how save Mexico is. I am glad for you, but our media has soured me and millions of people like me into ever venturing south of the border.

I know a guy that once made a good living buying cars, driving south of the border and selling them. In the past ten years or so, he has gotten frightened of his trips and he quit.

In a sailboat, you can sail past all that border clash issues to get to better areas? You could not pay me to drive into Mexico through our border.

 

[justsomeguy]

Sail123, the media's influenced us about more than just Mexico.

 

[Caboteur]

Wintering locations...

Please read through before you kill the messenger! Remember I've spent a lot of time in US waters and liked most of it.

Most of you here are Americans; you feel that staying home is safe, civilised and inexpensive. The USA is one of the most violent countries in the world (those not at war on their territories). The crime rate is one of the highest in the western world! Medical and legal services are extremely expensive, prohibitive enough that alien insurance companies refuse to insure in US territorial waters.

The different governmental authorities have conflicting policies and procedures and do not seem to communicate with one another... or have a centralised information source. This is understandably a lot worse since 09/11/01. However this only applies to boaters: I just came back from a cross USA road trip and all was perfect... even with my "foreing" license plate.

No anchoring rules coupled with very expensive marinas do not make Florida welcoming to winterers.

In conclusion, it is usually safer and less expensive outside the USA. Without a doubt the USA in culturally and artistically more diversified than any of the surrounding islands (Mexico is a close second). Clean water and fuel are more readily available and cheaper in the USA.

I'll be back in US waters next summer (I live 10 miles from the border), I'll comply to the rules and report everytime I change anchorage or every three days (whichever comes first), I'll try not to criss-cross the border while sailing on the St-Lawrence and in the Thousand-Islands. (Just about impossible to do so we keep quiet about it).

This winter I'll be wintering in the snow and that's worse than Florida no anchoring or Homeland Security losing track of me and menacing to seize my boat (keep all those communication numbers in the log!)

Pierre

 

[MrBill_FLL]

consider a DAN+ membership. its designed for diving accidents, but it would work to cover an evacuation (air ambulance). -ymmv. http://www.diversalertnetwork.org/insurance/dive/