Melbourne, FL= Deep Canals?

[BandB]

Originally Posted by PUDDLE JUMPER II

Looking to move to Melbourne, Florida in the next 6 months... Looking for areas which has deep canal access to the OCean Side.... Does Anyone have an idea of how I would start researching this topic??

Thanks...

Thomas & Kelly

Backing up a second to request more information as people are making very conflicting assumptions from setting you up with a realtor to assuming you're going to live on the boat. Assuming you're working in Melbourne as well.

So, are you going to be working in Melbourne or what ties you do it? Do you already have somewhere to live there or are you looking for a land home as well? Or are you going to live aboard? Are you bringing your 44' Ketch with you? What is it'd draft and clearance? How flexible are you as far as up and down the coast? How important is distance and time to the ocean?

[Russ]

Have had 6' draft 42 cutter there for 15 years. Short version is all canals are North end i.e Indialantic to Satellite Beach ( Patrick AFB). Problem is Grand Canal and the side canals themselves are up to 8 feet deep BUT the only access to the side canals where the homes are is controlled by a canal that has a sewer pipe across it and MAX depth is 5 feet period. ANY canal home will top $450K if you care. Melbourne and Mel Beach have no canals themselves. That said area is GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ocean access is either at Cape Canaveral 4 hours at 5 ktns or Ft Pierce 8 hours. Anything else either bridged or too iffy. Russh

[Tingum]

Northern options are Ponce Inlet between New Smyrna Beach, or up to St Augustine. Both offer better ocean access than the Canaveral area.

[PUDDLE JUMPER II]

How long does it take to get out of each of the two inlets--> to open ocean?

[Vasco]

Originally Posted by PUDDLE JUMPER II

How long does it take to get out of each of the two inlets--> to open ocean?

Where are you starting from and how fast can you go?

[PUDDLE JUMPER II]

Originally Posted by BandB

Backing up a second to request more information as people are making very conflicting assumptions from setting you up with a realtor to assuming you're going to live on the boat. Assuming you're working in Melbourne as well.

So, are you going to be working in Melbourne or what ties you do it? Do you already have somewhere to live there or are you looking for a land home as well? Or are you going to live aboard? Are you bringing your 44' Ketch with you? What is it'd draft and clearance? How flexible are you as far as up and down the coast? How important is distance and time to the ocean?

* LOCATION= Have a teenager (14 year old daughter) entering High school- initially thinking about Melbourne because of School districts + central Fl near my mother in poor health (Winter Haven). Trying to stay less than 3 hours drive away from Winter Haven, FL.
* LOCATION DEVIATION= Furthest North= St. Augustine; Furthest South= Hollywood
* DISTANCE TO OCEAN= MUST BE less than or at 1.5 hours
* WORK= Location is agnostic to work; work 100% remote.
* BOAT= She is obviously coming with us, as my 2nd daughter; the goal is to have it at the rental home right in front of us-- to avoid commuting to the boat.
* CLEARANCE= 55 ft
* DRAFT= 6 ft

[PUDDLE JUMPER II]

Originally Posted by Tingum

Northern options are Ponce Inlet between New Smyrna Beach, or up to St Augustine. Both offer better ocean access than the Canaveral area.

How long does it take to get out of each of the two inlets--> to open ocean?

[Tingum]

I would suggest buying a chart book. You will need it eventually.

[PUDDLE JUMPER II]

Originally Posted by Vasco

Where are you starting from and how fast can you go?

Sorry Vasco-- that comment was for "Tingum"-- Sailing I can hit 10-11kn, motoring-- probably a solid 7kn...

[motaman9]

Originally Posted by PUDDLE JUMPER II

Looking to move to Melbourne, Florida in the next 6 months... Looking for areas which has deep canal access to the OCean Side.... Does Anyone have an idea of how I would start researching this topic??



Thanks...



Thomas & Kelly

As a starting place you could always get a copy of the Dozier's Southern Waterway Guide ....for $29-$39 you get all of the East coast of Florida and Keys with updated annual evaluations of the inlets and the conditions at each....plus shoreside information, marinas and other info....also has small charts and aerial photos.....We've been in and out of Canaveral in our 44' sailboat....in favorable conditions it takes about two hours to get to the Three mile line from the boatyards outside the lock....(Cape Marine)...there's some traffic at times but generally very easy...

We have spent a few winters in the Melbourne area and have enjoyed it.....Would be a great place to live full time....we once considered buying a smaller boat and buying a house on a canal in that area. We spoke to some real estate agents who provided us with a list of homes that had canals with the depth we thought we might need.....if you want a home on a canal I'd start with those two things .....there are also some nice multi level condo developments with marinas attached there also....good luck


www.learntoliveaboard.com

[PUDDLE JUMPER II]

Originally Posted by Russ

Have had 6' draft 42 cutter there for 15 years. Short version is all canals are North end i.e Indialantic to Satellite Beach ( Patrick AFB). Problem is Grand Canal and the side canals themselves are up to 8 feet deep BUT the only access to the side canals where the homes are is controlled by a canal that has a sewer pipe across it and MAX depth is 5 feet period. ANY canal home will top $450K if you care. Melbourne and Mel Beach have no canals themselves. That said area is GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ocean access is either at Cape Canaveral 4 hours at 5 ktns or Ft Pierce 8 hours. Anything else either bridged or too iffy. Russh

Russ-- Great information sir-- much appreciated, and I cut and pasted the areas you mentioned for my Realtor trying to help me-- and no clue which areas you can get my medium sized boat into. I guess this would be a challenge if I didn't have the help from other sailors like you all. lol... WE ARE NOT THAT $450k Couple.... Geeessshh... I play the lottery faithfully every week-- I HOPE to be some day.... Anyway-- appreciate the detailed response and help-- I will continue searching for areas where both of my girls will be safe to harbor...

[BandB]

Originally Posted by PUDDLE JUMPER II

* LOCATION= Have a teenager (14 year old daughter) entering High school- initially thinking about Melbourne because of School districts + central Fl near my mother in poor health (Winter Haven). Trying to stay less than 3 hours drive away from Winter Haven, FL.
* LOCATION DEVIATION= Furthest North= St. Augustine; Furthest South= Hollywood
* DISTANCE TO OCEAN= MUST BE less than or at 1.5 hours
* WORK= Location is agnostic to work; work 100% remote.
* BOAT= She is obviously coming with us, as my 2nd daughter; the goal is to have it at the rental home right in front of us-- to avoid commuting to the boat.
* CLEARANCE= 55 ft
* DRAFT= 6 ft

Now you've opened the possibilities immensely and closed a couple. Less than 1.5 hours to ocean eliminates Melbourne. But it opens up a world, north and south of there. Even opens up the west coast of Florida to meet your three hours to Winter Haven.

Now, having it right at the rental home on the canal is a bit of a challenge. I have no idea your price range but deep water rental homes with docks don't come cheap and aren't plentiful. Even condos of that nature with docks don't. So I think it's possible your home and dock might have to come in two pieces. In South Florida you have hundreds of canals, but as you move up the coast you have fewer canals off the ICW. I don't know the home market further north but perhaps the details you provided now will help others center in on areas they know well.

[PUDDLE JUMPER II]

Originally Posted by Captain Bill

There are marinas in Port Canaveral itself as well as a pretty nice marina in the Barge Canal just a mile or so from the Canaveral locks. Since you posted in the liveaboard forum I'll assume you plan to live aboard. Harbortown marina on the Barge Canal is liveaboard friendly and it has quick access to the beachline expressway which leads to I95 and down to Melbourne, assuming your work will be in Melbourne. From any Marina or canal in Melbourne it's a 4 hour trip on a 6 knot boat to Port Canaveral when you include going through the locks and waiting on two restricted bridges, it can be even longer if you don't have your timing perfect. Ft. Pierce inlet is at least 6-7 hours away but no locks and no restricted bridges. Ft Pierce has several marinas as well, but is a longer drive to Melbourne. Melbourne itself does not have much in the way of canals. On the Beach side the towns of Indian Harbor Beach and Satellite Beach have extensive canal systems and are accessible by sail boat, but if you get way up some of those it might add an hour to your trip to Post Canaveral. South Merritt Island and Cocoa Beach Canals are not accessible by sailboats due to low bridges. North Merritt Island has a couple of canals but I think the last time I looked at them on the chart they were only about 4 feet deep. Vero Beach is between Melbourne and Ft. Pierce and has a pretty extensive canal system and is only about 2-2.5 hours from the Ft Pierce inlet. Keep in mind that Port Canaveral is an all weather inlet, Ft. Pierce is not. Ft Pierce can get pretty sporty on a an outgoing tide and an strong east wind. I bought a house in Palm Bay last year and had a very good experience with a local Melbourne realtor. He's been in the area for 45+ years and really knows the area if you're looking to buy. Let me know if you're interested and I'll send you his name.

Bill-- nope-- we will not be living aboard... We still have 4 more years of refitting her before WE are ready to live aboard...

[PUDDLE JUMPER II]

Originally Posted by BandB

Now you've opened the possibilities immensely and closed a couple. Less than 1.5 hours to ocean eliminates Melbourne. But it opens up a world, north and south of there. Even opens up the west coast of Florida to meet your three hours to Winter Haven.

Now, having it right at the rental home on the canal is a bit of a challenge. I have no idea your price range but deep water rental homes with docks don't come cheap and aren't plentiful. Even condos of that nature with docks don't. So I think it's possible your home and dock might have to come in two pieces. In South Florida you have hundreds of canals, but as you move up the coast you have fewer canals off the ICW. I don't know the home market further north but perhaps the details you provided now will help others center in on areas they know well.

Clarification= EAST COAST OF FLORIDA ONLY... Thank you for your note!

[PUDDLE JUMPER II]

[QUOTE=PUDDLE JUMPER II;1873388]Looking to move to Melbourne, Florida in the next 6 months... Looking for areas which has deep canal access to the OCean Side.... Does Anyone have an idea of how I would start researching this topic??

* LOCATION= EAST COAST of Central Fl so we can stay near my mother in poor health (Winter Haven). Trying to stay less than 3 hours drive away from Winter Haven, FL on the EAST COAST of FL.
* LOCATION DEVIATION= Furthest North= St. Augustine; Furthest South= Hollywood
* DISTANCE TO OCEAN= MUST BE less than or at 1.5 hours from OPEN OCEAN
* WORK= Location is agnostic to work; work 100% remote.
* BOAT= She is obviously coming with us, as my 2nd daughter; the goal is to have it at the rental home right in front of us-- to avoid commuting to the boat.
* CLEARANCE= 55 ft
* DRAFT= 6 ft

Thank You so much for the help...

Thomas & Kelly