Florida bound

**Havana Shamrock** · 10-21-2012, 09:22 PM

All fair questions. What made me do it? My buddies and i have fished the gulf for several years and one bought a place ft. Myers. Just come to love the boating and the gulf area. We have taken several 400-500 mile trips so this was the next step, the next challenge if you will. We plan to get down at least once per month until we bring the boat back home in may. We will spend thanksgiving week, the week between Christmas and new years and spring break week in march. We also plan a few 3-4 day weekends in January, February and April.

I dont need common sense , just wondered what made you do it? We're looking to get a place down in the Gulf coast, theres alot of questions, do i need a bridge boat, sundancer, Amberjack. Etc.... I'm not a fisherman but if we buy a condo w/ marina we dont really need a bridge boat. What is there to do if you dont fish? And your boat is not really set up for fishing. Do I bring the 36DB? Or sell it and get a different kind of boat?

**Alex F** · 10-21-2012, 09:50 PM

Originally Posted by searay40dad

All fair questions. What made me do it? My buddies and i have fished the gulf for several years and one bought a place ft. Myers. Just come to love the boating and the gulf area. We have taken several 400-500 mile trips so this was the next step, the next challenge if you will. We plan to get down at least once per month until we bring the boat back home in may. We will spend thanksgiving week, the week between Christmas and new years and spring break week in march. We also plan a few 3-4 day weekends in January, February and April.

I had this discussion with one other member a few weeks ago and admitted there is very little common sense, financial sense, etc at work here. I probably do need my head examined as fuel there and back, fuel while there, 6 months slip rental when I already have a annual slip paid for, air fare, extra insurance, all the stuff to get ready, all the extra costs, etc add up to a sizable amount of money but we are healthy, comfortable and can afford the adventure right now. Although my wife would love vacations and cruises elsewhere she knows this trip is a passion for me and supports it. So this will be my "year" and she'll get the next 10!!

Tim,

I'm glad you had a great trip and arrived to TIM safe and sound. It sounds like you had lots of fun delivering your boat there. I totally hear you in regards to the reasons vs. common sense. But, this is kind of like asking us (boat enthusiasts) a question, why did we spent so much money on the boat and all that comes with it? Like you said, it's the passion and we're happy when the whole crew (especially admiral) shares the feeling.

In our case the trip is about 1300NM or so. If it was like yours 800NM it would make the decision a lot easier. However, my bucket list has Bahamas as a destination for my boat. So, I'll have to get to FL first, I guess.

.

I'm looking forward to the pictures and more stories about your trips in the area. Have fun.

**searay40dad** · 10-22-2012, 09:36 AM

Originally Posted by Havana Shamrock

I dont need common sense , just wondered what made you do it? We're looking to get a place down in the Gulf coast, theres alot of questions, do i need a bridge boat, sundancer, Amberjack. Etc.... I'm not a fisherman but if we buy a condo w/ marina we dont really need a bridge boat. What is there to do if you dont fish? And your boat is not really set up for fishing. Do I bring the 36DB? Or sell it and get a different kind of boat?

Do you need a bridge boat with a condo...probably not. Do you even need a 30+ foot dancer...probably not. If I had a condo in FL I'd probably have a 30' center console of some kind which serves either purpose, fishing or a day boat for cruising. What is there to do? beaches, cruising, restaurants & hideway bars or just hanging with other boaters like you do now but in a sunnier, white sandy, emerald green water location.

"In our case the trip is about 1300NM or so. If it was like yours 800NM it would make the decision a lot easier. However, my bucket list has Bahamas as a destination for my boat. So, I'll have to get to FL first, I guess. "

Thanks Alex. In 7-8 years I plan to spend alot of time cruising the islands. This will get me by until then. maybe. I think. ok, we'll see....

My buddy who did the trip with me just took his 58DB to the Bahamas and Turks & Caicos in July and had a great time. My wife does not like it when we hang out together because he puts ideas into my head.

**Havana Shamrock** · 10-22-2012, 02:00 PM

Thanks Tim
Sounds great down there. Enjoy yourselves. Maybe someday I 'll get to experience 12 months of boating.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

**fwebster** · 10-22-2012, 04:00 PM

I made the move to boating on the coast about 20 years ago. The "What is there to do?" question is an interesting one. We do not fish (from our boat anyway), but we still find new places to go and new and different things to see every trip to the beach. The one major different to lake or river boating is that your boat use does change. There are lot of bridge boats here, but there are 10 Express style boats to each DB. The reason is that we use boats as a vehicle to enjoy the water and outdoors. On any given day, we spend more time in the water behind the boat and on the beach with the boat anchored bow out and the swim platform in knee deep water and the running gear over a hole in deeper water. A Sundancer/EC adds a lot of outdoor space that you can't get in a DB........this isn't a debate on DB vs. Sundancers its just a fact that the cockpit area on a DB isn't as easily accessible from the water/swim platform as on a DA.

Any sized boat will work, but the smaller the length/beam the more limits you place on your available days on the water. We do get some N-NW winds in the winter and spring that will keep a 30 ft DA in the slip. There have been a few days we chose not to go out, but I haven't found anything yet that has prevented me from getting home with a 450DA. A 34DA or a big center console can beat you to death in a 4-5 ft chop, but larger boats just slow down and keep going without beating up the crew (i.e. wife and kids).

The other big difference is, depending on your precise coastal geography, you are within 3-6 hours of any number of over night marinas with restaurants/amusements so coastal cruising adds a different dimension to day boating described above.

Biggest difference is this is boating in paradise. The water is always clear and clean, except the few days after a major storm, is but it is like a Carribbean island with gin clear water and white sandy beaches nearly every day. The weather is such that 12 month a year boating is the norm, not the exception.........I am on the boat in a t-shirt and shorts in January.

Stay tuned to Tim's adventure....he'll be looking for a full time slip in the spring!

**Lucky's** · 10-22-2012, 05:37 PM

Frank, do you leave your boat in FL year round and travel there to boat or do you do like Tim has done and bring the boat south for winter and to TN for summer?? Sorry if you've talked about this before.

Shaun
Sent from my iPhone

**Havana Shamrock** · 10-22-2012, 07:36 PM

Frank I'd like to move this to a different thread I apoligize to Tim for hi jacking his thread. I am interested about Fla west coast its only 5-6 yrs away for us

**fwebster** · 10-22-2012, 09:41 PM

Originally Posted by Lucky's

Frank, do you leave your boat in FL year round and travel there to boat or do you do like Tim has done and bring the boat south for winter and to TN for summer?? Sorry if you've talked about this before.

Shaun
Sent from my iPhone

We have homes in both Florida and Tennessee and we spend about equal time at each. The boat stays in Florida and the only "lake" boats I have now are projects.

**Lucky's** · 10-22-2012, 09:46 PM

Originally Posted by fwebster

We have homes in both Florida and Tennessee and we spend about equal time at each. The boat stays in Florida and the only "lake" boats I have now are projects.

Gotcha. Thanks. Our retirement plan is to live aboard pretty much full time traveling south in the winter and north in the summer, but unfortunately that's many years away. :( We have spent a lot of time in FL and love it there, but have only done "rental" boating there. I can't wait to be enjoying what you are someday.

Sorry for the hijack, Tim. Glad you made the trip safely. Enjoy your winter boating in FL and thanks for sharing your journey with us!!

Shaun
Sent from my iPhone

**Alex F** · 10-22-2012, 10:22 PM

Originally Posted by searay40dad

...My buddy who did the trip with me just took his 58DB to the Bahamas and Turks & Caicos in July and had a great time. My wife does not like it when we hang out together because he puts ideas into my head.

Tim, I like your friend already....LOL.