Starting out in Florida?

[Ellevan]

Looking for some advice on beginning my first sailing/cruising adventure in South Florida. I live on the west coast of Canada but I'm interested in getting away for the winter months with my partner next fall. It rains here nearly 8 out of 12 months, the water is beautiful but frigid, there are far fewer sailboat choices and resources, and the winds are confused and light during the nicer months... Still an amazing place to explore no doubt and I'm sure one day we'll set up here.

The idea is to either just wing it and find a boat after arriving in South Florida while renting a room, or to find an online special and then have a destination. From what I've read Ft. Lauderdale is a pretty boatcentric spot. I'm talking about a 25'-30' beginner cruiser with a little work needed. Is this realistic? I mean we're both pretty adventurous and spontaneous, willing to struggle a bit and be thrown into it.
What attracts us to that area are the sheer number of boats, the many experienced sailors around, the warmth, and of course the eventual ability to sail across to the Bahamas and beyond after much learning and practice. We would of course have to head back to Canada at or before the 6 month mark, but this would work really well for our seasonal work schedules. If we had found a boat that we wanted to keep we would look for storage on the hard. I see many young people on youtube getting small boats and having great success this way in the SE, but I don't think I've seen anyone just show up from elsewhere and make it happen. Is anyone on this forum from the area and willing to share their experience or simply their advice? Are there any Canadians reading that have done this themselves?

[sanibel sailor]

I would suggest SW Florida- Ft Myers/Port Charlotte. No insult to SE Floridians, but there are few destinations there without going to the Bahamas. Here we have sheltered waters, open Gulf, Charlotte Harbor, undeveloped barrier islands. Not as boat-centric and less sailing here generally, but less expensive, much less crowded, and a better place to learn. There is a more Midwestern flavor vs the Northeast metropolitan flavor of Ft Lauderdale.

[Ellevan]

Oh that's good to know, thank you. That all sounds more our style. Are there many spots to anchor out around these undeveloped barrier islands? Is there less sailing due to a lack of decent wind in the area?

[Cheechako]

I have done it. I live in the grey Pacific Northwest. Fl is a lot of fun and as far as I'm concerned the Bahamas are the best cruising in the E. Caribe.
You can do it either way. I would probably come up with a list of boats for sale in E Florida on the on line boats for sale places. Even Craig's list maybe. make contact, then go to a location nearby most of them to stay. I found inexpensive motels are all over in Fl and weekly rates are cheap . Rental cars in Florida are the cheapest I've found anywhere too. From Merritt island (Cape Canaveral) to Fort L are a lot of places with marinas and boats for sale by owner.
It's kinda nice going out at 10 pm with your shorts on!

I find Fort L to be boatcentric for mega yachts more than other places. But of course there are small boats too.

[sanibel sailor]

Yes, look at a chart of each area. anchoring spots abound. Google maps satellite view. All built up, tons of money, a little strip of water (ICW) overrun with overpowered motorboats. Anchoring on the east coast of South FL is tight all thru West Palm down to Miami. Some places had a 24 hour limit last time I was there. Open water is Atlantic and inlets to shelter are potentially challenging. West coast has shallow water and not so many people. Easy navigation.

[WSMFP]

Fort Lauderdale is generally orientented toward the mega yacht scene as mentioned. Dockage, housing and marine services are going to be more expensive than the rest of the state. Southwest Florida up to St. Pete would be much cheaper and a better learning enviroment compared to South FL waters which are very congested. You could still do trips to the keys and the tortugas easily from SW FL. Tampa bay is a very forgiving learning area with multiple places you can easily anchor out for the weekend or longer.

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by sanibel sailor

I would suggest SW Florida- Ft Myers/Port Charlotte. No insult to SE Floridians, but there are few destinations there without going to the Bahamas. Here we have sheltered waters, open Gulf, Charlotte Harbor, undeveloped barrier islands. Not as boat-centric and less sailing here generally, but less expensive, much less crowded, and a better place to learn. There is a more Midwestern flavor vs the Northeast metropolitan flavor of Ft Lauderdale.

Shhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!

Everyone please go to Sanibel. The rest of the islands there are awful and people in Fort Meyers are mean and rude like New York or Paris.

[sanibel sailor]

I moved to the mainland.

[Ellevan]

Wow, already a great response. Thank you all. I'll take a look at some charts of the areas mentioned and also what the online market is like for the boat we'd be looking for.

Let's say we did start on the west but then after months of practice or even the next year decided to head over to the Bahamas. What's the process of getting over to the east coast to a good crossing point? How long would just getting around the southern tip take? Can one cut through Key Largo or do you have to go further around?

Are there many marinas that allow you to live aboard in the areas mentioned or is this commonly discouraged?

What's the weather like October-February? Or maybe I should have started with...When is hurricane season??? Definitely not something I've ever had to worry about up here.

[denverd0n]

Originally Posted by Chotu

...people in Fort Meyers are mean and rude like New York or Paris.

Heck! During the snowbird season, about 2/3rds of the people around here ARE from New York!

[sanibel sailor]

Originally Posted by denverd0n

Heck! During the snowbird season, about 2/3rds of the people around here ARE from New York!

Don't forget Jersey. But you're thinking East Coast.
Here we've got all those terrible people from Wisconsin and Minnesota

[zboss]

I'm an East Florida Sailor and I agree with Sanibel Sailor! More opportunities to sail if you are going to stay in Florida.

You don't say how much actual sailing experience you have
but lots of beginning sailors go to the Bahamas right off - however, good advise is to take the time you need to do a good shake down cruise (months) and to get your bearings first. Learn to sail.

The alternative is to just buy a moderate trawler because the learning curve is shorter and you get to the same places that the sailboats go.

I would never buy a boat before seeing it first hand with someone that knows boats... there are lots and lots of boats for sale and you can close very quick if you have the cash! If you don't take your time and buy right you can find yourself in trouble (either financially or physically) very quickly.

[boatpoker]

Much less expensive and more appropriate boats further north at Stuart, Ft. Pierce and even inland a bit like Indiantown where you can find boats like this 30' Bristol

Don't be afraid to lowball. The listing price often has no relation to what will be accepted.

[boatpoker]

Much less expensive and more appropriate boats further north, Suart, Ft. Pierce and even inland a bit like Indiantown where you can find boats like this 30' Bristol

Don't be afraid to lowball. The listing price often has no relation to what will be accepted.

[RayRodriguez]

Originally Posted by Ellevan

Let's say we did start on the west but then after months of practice or even the next year decided to head over to the Bahamas. What's the process of getting over to the east coast to a good crossing point? How long would just getting around the southern tip take? Can one cut through Key Largo or do you have to go further around?

What size boat are we talking? If it is a "modest size" (49 foot mast height or less, 8' draft) you needn't go around the tip of Florida at all, you can cut right across the middle on the Okeechobee.

https://www.offshoreblue.com/cruising/okeechobee.php