Florida Sailors

Hi Guys,

Had a brain fart and forgot it was Columbus day Regatta. We ended up doing maintenance on the boat, stern light was out and did some general cleaning.

Was a hoot though hanging out by the docks and watching all the mayhem.

cocoa beach florida. uot on the indian river. come sailing

on my way from Newport to Key Biscayne offshore; had to put into Norfolk to wait out a storm; will be in Key Biscayne by Friday...keep it warm down there!

Cap'n Dennis

It's warm - high 70's at night, mid 80's during the day!

Hi there So FL sailors! Any one with a spot onboard for weekend fun sails, please let me know! I'm up in Pompano, but could come down to the Grove or elsewhere.
Especially interested in more cat sailing.

Fairwinds,
Your Cruising Editor - Nancy

Hi,
I'm a boatless sailor living in Delray Beach... would love to go out for day/weekend sailing... As I was once told, have have found to be true, learn something every day on the water.

finally made it to Key Biscayne...toughest trip down in the past 6 years; big wind, big seas; but it's worth it...see photos on my page; will be back and forth during the winter; would like to sail with some Florida sailors!

Dennis, Welcome to Key Biscayne. Stop by and say Hi, I am at Rickenbacker Marina.

Melissa, will do...I'm there 1-2 weeks per month.

Dennis

Hey guys! My partner and I are here in the Miami area for the next four months window shopping for a cat.

Currently restoring and sailing a Gemini 3400 out of Palm Beach Sailing Club. ASA and USCG certified - open to occasional crew, folks who want to experience a cruising catamaran, or just want to sail for a weekend, few days, or . . .

Looking forward to our 3rd annual New Years Cruise from Homestead on the 29th thru the 2nd. 12 boats (trailer sailors) signed up so far with more expected. Two boats from Canada and one from GA with the rest FL types. The plan is to launch on Monday and rendezvous at Elliot Key Marina on Tuesday morning (anchor out or stay at marina Monday night), sail down the ICW to Alabama Jack's restaraunt for a late lunch then anchor - if winds are right - near short keys for beach bonfire and singing. Wednesday return to Tide Station beach north of Elliot Key Marina for another bonfire and New Years Eve. Thursday - snorkle the mini reefs 2 miles out in Atlantic or pull out. Stop by or join us. Of course winds and weather may change everything. VHF 16/71 West Coast Trailer Sailors/Blue Bayou

We're now Floridians! After cruising as liveaboards for the past two years, Diane and I have purchased a home in Vero Beach. We're not ready to "swallow the anchor" and become "CLODS" (cruisers living on dirt) yet, but it's nice to have a place to base our travels and adventures from. If you're in the area, give us a shout.

SV Tranquility is currently in St Pete and are heading north to Tarpon Springs next week. We are in love with the West coast it's beautiful anf low key over here. If you are sailing in the area give us a shout!

We live in Fort Pierce. Have home on the water 1 mile from inlet with Sun Dog
our 27' Stiletto behind the house. Looking to sell and move on board a larger catamaran.

hi florida sailors. i've never been to florida but am coming soon. my son just arrived there. he is in stuart with a boat he just bought. he is looking for a guest slip. he said the ones he has found on the internet are very expensive. in calif i pay 50cents a ft to stay as a guest. if anyone knows of a guest slip around stuart please let me know. thanks
debbie

Seems like I neglected to introduce myself here on the list...
I'm Joel and live full time aboard my Columbia 45 in St Pete. Been on her 3 years now and love it. Just my dog and me biding our time (while working full time too) and doing projects from the never ending list. Goal is to take off in the not too distant future and see some of the Caribbean Islands. Perhaps a year or three...

Debbie,
We have been based out of West Palm for the past 3 years, just south of Stuart, We anchor out south of Peanut ILD and its Free. There are a couple of the Marina's and the Palm Beach Sailing Club, that do FAIRLY reasonable dingy dockage. Currently we are in Key West and are heading to Marathon today and plan on being back in West Palm on the 16th of Jan.

Hope this helps
Cameron

Cruise East Coast Fl ICW?
Am presently in St Augustine and plan a leisurely motorsail down the ICW (mostly) to Ft Lauderdale or Miami in about a week. Are you ready to go, and would you like to spend 2 to 3 weeks exploring on a new Leopard 40 cat?
(Not looking for a relationship.)
Rob Watson
www.changingspots.net

I guess I will start looking at Chris Craft Corinthians older model but not wooden. Really would be looking for one that is ready for a repower. That should reduce the price a good bit. Seen anything sitting in a marina anywhere?

Looking for "local knowledge". I plan to head over to Miami next week via Marathon from Ft Myers. Any trip planning recommendations or waypoint info I can use?

Thanks,

Capt Tom

Capt Tom, If you have the time, follow the ICW West to Florida Bay and take the Florida Bay side of the keys to Key West - lovely route, very few boats and nice anchorages any where you want to stop.

I just did most of this route two months ago. The ICW is very shallow for sailboats. However it is doable. I stayed in the ICW ditch and the lowest I saw was 5.5 feet. Warning - Low tide is extremely low tide this time of the year. I don't think I would run the ICW up to Miami during low tide. The other Warning is the crab/lobster pots are everywhere. The boats have no ethics what so ever in "Mining" the ICW. They will keep you on your toes. The same can be said in Hawk Channel. They are thick as flies on a pile of dung.
The advantage of running the ICW is there are a ton of anchorages. Not so running Hawk channel. I would not recommend Rodriquez Key at Key Largo with any wind from the east and/or north. The holding here is poor at best.
From Rodriquez Key to Key Biscayne is an 9-11 hour run. If running Hawk channel I would cut in at the Florida lighthouse at Key Biscayne, follow the key close to shore and anchor at No Name Harbor or under Rickenbacker Causeway at Stadium Bay.. Make sure your charts are up to speed. Lots of shallow water here. Follow the markers all the way in. Do not cut across the bay between Rickenbacker Causeway and Terminal Island (cruise ship docking). The charts are wrong here. Very shallow water. Follow the channel markers on the west side of the bay to get to Watson island anchorage.
Anchoring in the keys.. Most of the bottom here is hard limestone with a few inches of sand/mud on top. Therefore, holding is poor at best. The best anchor set-up I know is to have a Fortress/Danforth anchor on 8 feet of chain - daisy chain to your primary anchor,with the Fortress/Danforth in front. I have never dragged witth this set-up.

Hey All,

Thanks for your input. I learned on my passage from Boston to Florida that "local knowledge" is a great thing, butonly IF you have it! I've spent most o the evening studying charts. The easy part (assuming cooperating weather) will be from Ft Myers to G "1" off Key West. The rest looks challenging from there to the cut at Marathon via Big Spanish Channel. Any suggestions.

Good news is I reinstalled a working depth sounder todayso I will no longer relying on just my keel ;-O

Fair winds,

Capt Tom

Bella - I understand the crap/lobster people have to make a living. What I STRONGLY object to is their laying the traps in ICW. It isn't that wide to begin with. It is a major highway on the water and they have no right to lay their traps in the middle of the road. They have the rest of the bays and ocean to set their traps. For us sailboats with keels we have no other option but to run down the ICW vs running aground. If one goes aground in the Keys and god forbid hit a reef the fine is astronomical to the point on can lose their boat. It can and has approached in the 100k range. Powerboater with deep drafts face the same problem as well not to mention their prop getting tangled up.
No Name Harbor this time of year is mostly empty except for Friday or Sat. The fee is mimimal, I believe $10 but stadium bay is free and only a short drive from there.

Hi All Again,

Talking to more folks today and they keep mentioning something called "Channel 5". Pardon me for being clueless, but then I've never been to the Keys either. I am assuming that the channel from G "1" into Key West is well marked, but if I go in are there any recommendations for places to drop the hook? Likewise, if I am heading directly to the Big Spannish Channel for Marathon are there any significant "marks" I shouls look for to either use or avoid?

Thanks again fo all your advice.

Capt Tom
S/v Cayo Mio

Ask me questions about Boston Harbor or the New England Coast and I can contribute ;-)

Channel 5 Channel is just below (South) of Marathon and is one of the few "tall" bridges in the keys that can accomodate a 65' mast at mid-to low tide.

Big Spanish Channel is fairly well marked - and the marks move from time to time as the channel changes. It goes from Marathon to Florida Bay. There are no significant issues - but anchorages are approached by eyeball navigation - the charts don't reflect changing conditions caused by storms.

Once you leave Marathon on Big Spanish, there are no services.

Franc,
Look FWD to metting up with you in West Palm Beach tomorrow

Cameron

Where are you in West Palm? I live here - moored just off the Palm Beach Sailing Club - love to meet you in person. /Stu

Will you be stopping in Fort Lauderdale? If so, I'd love the opportunity to say hi!

We plan to anchor off the Palm Beach Sailing Club, close to Cameron and Leighia's SV Tranquility. Come by for a glass of wine at sunset.

Haven't decided on where to go next yet but Ft Lauderdale may be an option.

We're docked at Pier Sixty Six marina in Ft Lauderdale for the night, hoping to cross over to Bimini tomorrow. Come say hi!

We're doing a slow cruise down the Fl east coast ICW, anchored tonight at Titusville. Want to stay in Ft Lauderdale and commute to the Miami Boat show in Feb. We may speed things up a bit and visit the keys, heading out at West Palm beach. Any suggestions?

my son and i crossed over from miami to bimini last night. we are anchored at alice town. trying to decide which way to go tomorrow for the best sail. i'm dying for a good long sail without the motor running, last night we were dead into the wind and got maybe 1 hr of sailing and 13 hrs of motor on. my head is still rattling! but hey, the water is beautiful, the weather is warm and i cant complain. if anyone has a good suggestion of where we should point next i would love to hear your views. i'm looking at freeport or berry islands, CAN DRAC-are you over here?

Don't bother with Freeport - you might as well go to Miami. Look at Northwest Channel on your charts - with your draft, you should have no problems - go South to Gun Cay for staging and head East across the Flats to Northwest. From there you can go to Chub Cay, Nassau (not recommended) or further South through Bahamas Banks to the Exumas - I believe they are the nicest sailing in the Bahamas.

Alternately, you go further South to Riding Rock - but there isn't much to see.

You could run downwind to Settlement Point and east to the Abacos - but after working so hard to get to Bimini, it seems a shame to give it back by going downwind at this point.

Glad you made the crossing safely, give me a shout if you come back this way on your way home.

Can Drac is leaving today from Ft. Laudedrdale, I believe.

Robert, Don't plan on staying in Ft. Lauderdale for the Miami show - Ft. L is anchoring hostile and there are several great anchorages within sight of the show in Miami. If you stop in Lake Worth, give me a shout at stu@shearwater-sailing.com - I'm planning to go to the Miami show and can share anchoring stories with you.

We just made it safely to Bimini from FL this morning.

Franc/Andrea: Wonderful to meet you both Fri night. We had a blast! The boat is lovely and we're all envious of your first voyage. We wish you Fairwinds and Following Seas and lots of great new experiences.

Hey Florida Sailors! So good to meet you all last week. Debbie, see below for the photo of Obsession underway. Hope to end up meeting Gary somewhere along the way!

Hey fello cruiser...

I would like to seek your voice of your experience on anchoring not n how to put it own, but how to retieve it! It seems my manual windlass has crapped out and I find myself on the hook (35# Bruce) a lot more here in Florida.

I use to be able to just "brute strength" it up with th help of the boat assuming there was someone good on te hel Now I find myself more often solo ad it sometimes takes 2 hours to get the hook up if the anchor is well set (a ggod thing).

I've tried to use a messenger line and that works OK if it didn't get wrapped around the rode, but otherwise it can really be a bear!. To complicate matters further Injured myright arm well I got clocked by a boom and it is taking quite some time to heal. Then every time I use it hard it get reinjured.
So suggestions would be appreciated.

Capt Tom & Queen Olivia
S/V Cayo Mio

Tom,
You can set a trip line with a float at the head of the anchor. When ready to weigh anchor, drive up to the float and pull the anchor out backwards. Then its just a matter of pulling in the rode. If your anchor is currently down and you are stuck, it will take a while, you can use a chain hook (or tie another line to the rode) and attach it to the rode as close to the water as possible. Run this other line through the bow roller and back to a winch. Use the winch to pull in the rode and anchor. You will have to do this severl times to get everthing in, although time consuming, its probably eayser to turn a winch handle round and round than use brute strength to heave up an anchor.

Good luck
Cameron
www.transmarinepro.com

If you are in South Florida this week and want to do something fun on the water, while helping a good cause at the same time, then join me and some other great women for the annual Ladies Sail For A Cure. There are still a few tickets left, so Please join us!
________________________________
Buy your ticket today:
Feb 7, 2009 Ladies Sail for a Cure in Fort Lauderdale to benefit Florida Breast Cancer Coalition Research Foundation. 3 hour sailing (from Pier 66) includes food, beer and wine, goodie bags and lots of fun. Cost: $75. Purchase tickets in advance at:
www.LadiesSailforaCure.org or call: 561.427.7213

Anyone going to the Miami Strictly Sail next week? Look for me at the Blue Water Sailing Mag booth. Stop by and mention SeaKnots for your free copy of BWS and a discount on your subscription!

Going to the Miami Boat Show? Do it in style. I'm looking for crew - leaving Palm Beach Wednesday - boat show Friday/Saturday. I'll provide the boat and a cabin for you - share the food. stu@shearwater-sailing.com

I've cruised all 3 coasts of Florida and love it all. Keys, West Coast, Panhandle. East coast. Right now we're in St. Augustine. Going to GA for the summer but will be back next winter.

Hi All,

I was recently notified that my insurance carrier was no longer covering Florida!!! So I am shopping around. Who do you use/recommend?? I know Boat US will cover my boat, but is there an alternative????

Capt Tom Blue
S/V Cayo Mio

Try Progressive. I have used them for a few years. Never had a problem.

I live in largo florida but sail out of Gulfport florida which is south st pete and have sailed mostly south of here love to meet anyone in the area and sail some too if there is anone that wants to join me on my boat let me know

First off, let me just take a moment to apologize for my lack of participation, things have been crazy, personally, and professionally. But, I can now start to see the end of a long tunnel. I promise to check in a bit more often.

Boat show season is quickly sailing up our stern, who has plans for the major Florida shows. Miami and St. Pete are the two that I am referring to. I will definitely be at the St. Pete show, for as many days as I can. Miami is still up in the air. Drop me a note, I would love to meet as many of you as I can.

Several of my Sailmonster.com friends will be attending too, and it will make a really nice event to co-mingle.

Full sails to you all and take advantage of the "cold" front.

Ross

Ross,
I generally make both events. Sometimes only for one day each but sometimes more. If a get together is planned we should start now...always nice meeting up with fellow local sailors. Joel