I'm planning my second family vacation/sail on our hunter 23.5. Last year we went to Charleston and stayed for a week at a Marina and resort hotel combination. We had a fantastic time. I'm looking to do the same this year in the Pensacola, Destin, or Panama City Area. Some place with the nice white sand beaches. My kids are 3 and 7, so we like a place that has good sailing, but also plenty of beaches nearby and stuff to do for the kids. We don't spend all that much time sailing, but our boat becomes our hotel room/camper for the week. I'm looking forward to sailing the ICW. We are also thinking of having friends join us, which means we might want to look at a beach condo or something with a marina close by (and not live on the boat. Can someone recommend some good marinas, etc. The wife likes it clean. Looking for nice shower facilities, perhaps a pool. Any help or tips will be appreciated. Thanks!
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Rip Edmundson
Marina Bay Resort, Ft Walton Beach, Florida
We have a timeshare at the Marina Bay Resort in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. They have about 10 slips that they rent out. The resort has a pool and showers. It is the next town West of Destin. Marina Bay Resort is listed in CharterNet for marinas in Florida. Ft Walton Beach FL 32548 (850) 244-5132 We have taken our sailing canoe out on the ICW behind the resort. Often thought about taking our sailboat (26 foot Clipper Marine) down there but it is a long trail from Wisconsin.
We have a timeshare at the Marina Bay Resort in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. They have about 10 slips that they rent out. The resort has a pool and showers. It is the next town West of Destin. Marina Bay Resort is listed in CharterNet for marinas in Florida. Ft Walton Beach FL 32548 (850) 244-5132 We have taken our sailing canoe out on the ICW behind the resort. Often thought about taking our sailboat (26 foot Clipper Marine) down there but it is a long trail from Wisconsin.
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Ken Koons
Keys with sailboat rentals
I found a couple ads in the back of Sail magazine for condos - rentals that include 22 -23 ft sailboats. Check out these links. http://www.keylimesailingclub.com/index2.htm http://www.flsailing.homestead.com/
I found a couple ads in the back of Sail magazine for condos - rentals that include 22 -23 ft sailboats. Check out these links. http://www.keylimesailingclub.com/index2.htm http://www.flsailing.homestead.com/
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Jerry Smith
Cruised the area last year...
Ed, I live in Mobile Alabama which is about 60 miles west of Pensacola. I sail the Mobile Bay area and ICW often. I would highly recommend a book named "Cruising Guide to the Northern Gulf Coast" by Claiborne S. Young. It is published by Pelican publishers and the ISBN # is 0-88289-764-0. It is very detailed, giving you information on all marinas and anchorages. My wife, my 4 year old son and a friend spent a week last spring in the Orange Beach, Alabama to Pensacola area on our Hunter 31. It was fantastic. We anchored in a place called Ingram's Bayou several nights and docked at the Bear Point Marina other nights. The marina is small, very clean with showers and an outstanding restaurant. The dolphins swam all around our boat every morning and evening in Ingram's Bayou. This Bayou is very secluded and protective with good fishing. It is about a three hour sail to the Pensacola pass. There is an anchorage between some large sand dunes at the pass that is not on the charts. The water is 18 feet deep and is very protected from all directions. There is an old fort there if you want to explore it. As for Condos... Orange Beach Alabama has the most extensive line up of condos and beach house rentals on the Gulf Coast. Most of the units are almost new as the area has developed within the past 20 years. You can contact Kaiser Realty in Orange Beach for a detailed listing of condos and beach house rentals. They have a web site, but I will have to search for the address. Destin Florida has the clearest water along the Gulf Coast area. I have found the condos to be a little older and not as nice as Orange Beach. If you would like more info, you can E-mail me at jsmith2248@home.com and I will be glad to give you more info. Jerry Smith S/V Windseeker
Ed, I live in Mobile Alabama which is about 60 miles west of Pensacola. I sail the Mobile Bay area and ICW often. I would highly recommend a book named "Cruising Guide to the Northern Gulf Coast" by Claiborne S. Young. It is published by Pelican publishers and the ISBN # is 0-88289-764-0. It is very detailed, giving you information on all marinas and anchorages. My wife, my 4 year old son and a friend spent a week last spring in the Orange Beach, Alabama to Pensacola area on our Hunter 31. It was fantastic. We anchored in a place called Ingram's Bayou several nights and docked at the Bear Point Marina other nights. The marina is small, very clean with showers and an outstanding restaurant. The dolphins swam all around our boat every morning and evening in Ingram's Bayou. This Bayou is very secluded and protective with good fishing. It is about a three hour sail to the Pensacola pass. There is an anchorage between some large sand dunes at the pass that is not on the charts. The water is 18 feet deep and is very protected from all directions. There is an old fort there if you want to explore it. As for Condos... Orange Beach Alabama has the most extensive line up of condos and beach house rentals on the Gulf Coast. Most of the units are almost new as the area has developed within the past 20 years. You can contact Kaiser Realty in Orange Beach for a detailed listing of condos and beach house rentals. They have a web site, but I will have to search for the address. Destin Florida has the clearest water along the Gulf Coast area. I have found the condos to be a little older and not as nice as Orange Beach. If you would like more info, you can E-mail me at jsmith2248@home.com and I will be glad to give you more info. Jerry Smith S/V Windseeker
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Steve W.
if you want to go a little farther...
the marina at Bahia Honda State Park in the Florida Keys is amazing! Before we upgraded from a trailerable, we took our Precision 21 there for 10 days. Great shower
the marina at Bahia Honda State Park in the Florida Keys is amazing! Before we upgraded from a trailerable, we took our Precision 21 there for 10 days. Great shower
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Bob F
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Wm Mayberry
Great Idea!
The Destin/Ft Walton areas would be good. The sailing in the bay is good and you and the family would enjoy the beaches and water there. A little farther south is the Tampa Bay area. A good resort marina is Tierra Verdi. Motel, pool, resturant, close to the Gulf and beachs and fantastic sailing. There are several around the bay from Holiday Inns to Municiple marinas.
The Destin/Ft Walton areas would be good. The sailing in the bay is good and you and the family would enjoy the beaches and water there. A little farther south is the Tampa Bay area. A good resort marina is Tierra Verdi. Motel, pool, resturant, close to the Gulf and beachs and fantastic sailing. There are several around the bay from Holiday Inns to Municiple marinas.
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Bob Rutland
Sandestin Resort
Try Sandestin Resort. Great marina,staff,service and a free suttle to the beach! $1.50/ft. for a slip gets you water, electricity,hot showers,and all access of the resort. For afew bucks extra you can get phone and cable T.V. We live just three miles north of Destin(across the bay) and we make the two hour sail to spend the night/weekend at Sandestin often. You can't go wrong, it has something for everyone in the family. Bob
Try Sandestin Resort. Great marina,staff,service and a free suttle to the beach! $1.50/ft. for a slip gets you water, electricity,hot showers,and all access of the resort. For afew bucks extra you can get phone and cable T.V. We live just three miles north of Destin(across the bay) and we make the two hour sail to spend the night/weekend at Sandestin often. You can't go wrong, it has something for everyone in the family. Bob
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Jerry Smith
Sandestin is very nice
I have visited the Sandestin area several times also. I agree with Rob Rutland that it is a very nice area. I have never stayed at the Sandestin Marina though. Rob, could you give a little detail on exactly where the marina is? I researched the marinas in the Destin area last year and wasn't able to find one that was convenient to the Gulf and catered to sailers. All of the Marinas that I went to were equiped for large power,(fishing) boats and weren't geared for sailboats. Thanks Jerry Smith S/V Windseeker
I have visited the Sandestin area several times also. I agree with Rob Rutland that it is a very nice area. I have never stayed at the Sandestin Marina though. Rob, could you give a little detail on exactly where the marina is? I researched the marinas in the Destin area last year and wasn't able to find one that was convenient to the Gulf and catered to sailers. All of the Marinas that I went to were equiped for large power,(fishing) boats and weren't geared for sailboats. Thanks Jerry Smith S/V Windseeker
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Bob Rutland
Jerry Smith
Sandestin Resort Marina is on the Choctawhatchee Bay side. It is (like most bay-side marinas)about 90% sailboats. If you want to sail in the gulf, you can access it from the bay via the East Pass in Destin(about a 3 1/2 hour sail from Sandestin). Another marina I forgot to mention is The Marina @ Bluewater Bay in Niceville. It's tucked away in Rocky Bayou, very quite and laid-back. From there you can bay sail or be in the gulf in about 2 hours. Bob H31 "Lady Di II"
Sandestin Resort Marina is on the Choctawhatchee Bay side. It is (like most bay-side marinas)about 90% sailboats. If you want to sail in the gulf, you can access it from the bay via the East Pass in Destin(about a 3 1/2 hour sail from Sandestin). Another marina I forgot to mention is The Marina @ Bluewater Bay in Niceville. It's tucked away in Rocky Bayou, very quite and laid-back. From there you can bay sail or be in the gulf in about 2 hours. Bob H31 "Lady Di II"
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