# Where to go for winter sailing? Florida or California?



## lschmidt25 (Jul 9, 2018)

I work remotely for a software company and am planning to relocate south for the winter so I can keep sailing. This is my second summer of sailing my Pearson 28 on Lake Michigan, so this winter the plan is to purchase a boat close the the area I want to spend winter in, live on it, sail as much as possible, and then either (a) keep the boat and stay there, or (b) put it on the hard and come back to Lake Michigan next spring.

I will be keeping my apartment here in Wisconsin while I'm gone, in case I decide living aboard sucks and want to bail on this experiment.

Originally the plan was cruise around the florida coast, but now I'm considering SoCal as well.

So anyways, I'm looking for 3 main criteria:

1) Warm weather obviously

2) Cool places to weekend sail to, or places where I can cruise to and still work during the day with access to internet and electricity

3) Fun area surrounding the home base marina/mooring/whatever

I'm 31, single, and would be nice to be in an area where there will be people around my age, women in their late 20s etc.

The ideal fantasy liveaboard marina would be near a beach, have a path along the water that people use to jog/walk/bike on, and have lots of restaurants, bars, and coffee shops all in a central location nearby. With lots of spots that regulars congregate at.

I don't expect to find the perfect place, but I'm open to all suggestions.

St Pete, FL area. St Pete has a year long waiting list, but there's a marina called Regatta Point nearby. Although not sure if it'll be all retirees with nothing to do around the area.

Florida Keys. There's a cheap mooring field in Marathon.

Long beach area? Not sure if there's a giant waiting list.


----------



## neeqness (Jan 31, 2017)

California is nice for day sailing but not so much in the winter. Typically not a lot of wind in the winter, relatively cold out on the water during this time of year, and last but not least...it's costly compared to most other places.

The nicer areas have waiting lists but if you look around you can probably find a more affordable location all depending on your budget and how close you want to be to the breakwater.

Liveaboards are a minimum 30' (if you do it by the book) and cost a significant increase in slip fee. Mooring is an option and can save cost at the expensive of convenience if willing to make the trade.

Plenty of women in your age group around but if you want to find them closeby its best to look at the surrounding area to see the local demographics as they vary from older salty dog marinas to yuppie yachties type marinas and everything inbetween. But hotspots for partying abound if you are willing to drive a little no matter what marina you ultimately decide on.

Sent from my LG-H918 using Tapatalk


----------



## SeaStar58 (Feb 14, 2018)

Winter is prime sailing season here on the Gulf Coast. This past season from January through the end of May we had most every day ranked as very good to excellent for sailing with prevailing winds comfortably over 10 mph. If you looking for Prime Sailing Season then Winter on the Gulf Coast of Florida is an excellent choice.


----------



## PhilCarlson (Dec 14, 2013)

You could do a LOT worse than Saint Pete / Tampa area. 

There is a reason for the wait lists and folks hang on to them. You might post an "in search of" add on Craigslist to see what pops up. Maybe someone would sub their slip to you for a few months. Maybe give St Pete Municipal marina a call and see what's for sale that might not be advertised. Boats I've seen selling there usually include an option to retain the slip.


----------



## outbound (Dec 3, 2012)

Eastern med.
Antigua.
Balerics.
Azores.
Thailand.
So many choices if your willing to be an expat for part of the year.
If you’re going to be in one cruising ground to can have full internet security and telecommute using local services. You may need to get a certificate of compendency and set up a service for mail/sorting out financial transactions. But not hard to do.
Personally know many people doing this. We (and many) snow bird to eastern Caribbean from New England. First year it’s weird to be the foreigner but that quickly passes.


----------



## capta (Jun 27, 2011)

Basically, you have just described Ala Wai Marina in Waikiki, Hawaii to a T. Of course, when I was there the internet wasn't even a gleam in Al Gore's eye, but I imagine there is excellent internet there today.


----------



## SeaStar58 (Feb 14, 2018)

There are plenty of decent boats with slips in local marinas for sale in the Tampa Bay area and at reasonable cost at least for the boats, there are plenty of young folks in the area and numerous places for jogging, bicycling and entertainment aside from sailing. This area is also known as one of the best places in the country to start up a restaurant so plenty of food, drink, etc establishments just about everywhere.

The Pinellas Trail (Fred Marquis Pinellas Trail) is one of the bicycling/walking/jogging/skating parks and goes from St. Petersburg to Tarpon Springs:
Pinellas County, Florida - Park & Conservation Resources - Pinellas County Trail Guide

Plenty of County Parks too for outdoor activities with shelters, boating, tennis, etc:
Pinellas County Florida - Parks & Preserves


----------



## jephotog (Feb 25, 2002)

lschmidt25 said:


> Long beach area? Not sure if there's a giant waiting list.


I am not sure the waiting list for Long Beach but they had 30 foot slips available last I checked bigger might have a waiting list.  The weather in winter there is not nearly as nice as summer but not bad compared to Wisconsin's winters. Most nights in the 40s with occasional cold snaps in the 30s but usually in the 60s during the day. The winter weather there is like summer weather in Wyoming where i now live. I have considered a boat in Long Beach for a winter home.

The cruising out of Socal is mostly to other Socal marinas or to Catalina. I have only been to Catalina in late October but loved it, two harbors is nearly deserted, which is more my pace. There are also the Northern Channel Islands which have no facilities but provide some great cruising, just not sure I would want to be there in a winter storm, which are few and far between, but serious when they hit.

I would consider Long Beach for winter only if you are looking for a year around place to live and sail. Florida might be a better winter sailing ground. I would not want to deal with the heat, humidity of hurricanes of summer.


----------



## capta (Jun 27, 2011)

SeaStar58 said:


> Winter is prime sailing season here on the Gulf Coast. This past season from January through the end of May we had most every day ranked as very good to excellent for sailing with prevailing winds comfortably over 10 mph. If you looking for Prime Sailing Season then Winter on the Gulf Coast of Florida is an excellent choice.


Not a single afternoon thunderstorm? Amazing!


----------



## TQA (Apr 4, 2009)

Think to yourself

DO I WANT TO BE IN FLORIDA IN SUMMER ?

Then relocate to the Eastern Caribbean.


----------



## zedboy (Jul 14, 2010)

I second Eastern Med.


----------



## PhilCarlson (Dec 14, 2013)

What's not to like about Florida in the summer!? The oppressive heat and humidity keeps the snowbirds away!


----------



## SeaStar58 (Feb 14, 2018)

capta said:


> Not a single afternoon thunderstorm? Amazing!


A few but no lava flows or Tsunamis/tidal waves plus a lower cost of living. You can drive your own car here too if you wish while some of the other places are going to cost a lot more to get to and back from.

Summer here on the Pinellas County Peninsula is easier to deal with than summer in New England such as North Eastern Massachusetts (I lived there for over 30 years and know about this first hand) where it gets about 10 degrees hotter in the Summer and over 100 degrees colder in the Winter however the original poster was asking about buying a boat locally and staying for the just the Winter. Its not until mid July that you really get into the full swing of the summer weather pattern and the more frequent afternoon thunder storms.


----------



## travlin-easy (Dec 24, 2010)

For me, Marathon gets the nod. Having been there several times, I know most of the better haunts, the crowd was a bit older, but not as rowdy as those in Key West, and the prices are definitely lower than Key West. When I performed as a musical entertainer in Marathon, I had a fair number of young ladies in the audiences, but most were in their 30s - not 20s. The exception was when I played during spring break -then the girls were much younger, taller and built like Barbie Dolls. That only lasted a couple weeks though.

The sailing opportunities were nearly endless, with some great options. Some days I sailed the ocean side, across Hawk Channel to Sombrero Light, and snorkled in 30 to 50 foot visibility over the reef, which was just 12 feet beneath the surface. Other days, when it was too rough on the ocean, I would opt to sail the gulf side, often dropping the hook near a coral head and catching supper in the form of a bunch of Mangrove Snapper, an occasional grouper and cobia. 

Best of luck on wherever you decide to go,

Gary


----------



## SeaStar58 (Feb 14, 2018)

PhilCarlson said:


> What's not to like about Florida in the summer!? The oppressive heat and humidity keeps the snowbirds away!


That's why I didn't buy a home in Tampa. I worked in Tampa for 17 years and it was so refreshing to hit the cool wave of air of the Pinellas County Peninsula when riding my motorcycle home in the Summer. Tampa Electric rates were much higher too when I moved here so it was an easy decision to choose cooler summers, lower utility bills and lower property taxes.

Then it still gets a tad cooler when you hit the inter-coastal area's of Clearwater/St Pete.

You have to choose wisely.

The SnowBirds while irritating at times do help lower my property taxes so I can live with them. If we could just teach them how to use and drive through a rotary.


----------



## jephotog (Feb 25, 2002)

I think the OP was looking for a place to liveaboard where he can go sailing in winter, while being near a city with women around his age. He is not looking to retire to Thailand or the Med.


----------



## RegisteredUser (Aug 16, 2010)

Between St Pete and Ft Myers.


----------



## travlin-easy (Dec 24, 2010)

I was enthralled with Fisherman's Wharf Marina near Fort Myers, FL, which caters to live aboards, easy access to some great sailing and fishing in the nearly Gulf and some nice restaurants and nite clubs within walking distance.

All the best,

Gary


----------



## solarfry (Sep 6, 2008)

TQA said:


> Think to yourself
> 
> DO I WANT TO BE IN FLORIDA IN SUMMER ? SNIP!
> 
> .


Hell NO! You sweat your head off the moment you step outside and worry about hurricanes full time.

We get the hell out of FL from July to September. Favourite places are Newport Beach, CA, Marina Del Rey, Ca and San Fco Bay. SAn Francisco is great a huge sailing area in protected waters, Temp in low to hight 60's year around and lots of party places new. You can actually go up the rives quite far to new areas.

Caribbean is great from February to end o May.

:2 boat:


----------



## SeaStar58 (Feb 14, 2018)

solarfry said:


> Hell NO! You sweat your head off the moment you step outside and worry about hurricanes full time.
> 
> We get the hell out of FL from July to September. Favourite places are Newport Beach, CA, Marina Del Rey, Ca and San Fco Bay. SAn Francisco is great a huge sailing area in protected waters, Temp in low to hight 60's year around and lots of party places new. You can actually go up the rives quite far to new areas.
> 
> ...


Hurricane season is mid June to mid November and typically we have much fewer of them then the Eastern Pacific Basin so its not really true that you have to worry about hurricanes full time. We are talking about Cooler Coastal Living on the Gulf of Mexico in the St Pete area and not the Central Everglades so few are really sweating their heads off unless they are dressed highly inappropriately for the climate. Some days at high noon it may get a bit intense for vigorous physical activity however that's not a really big deal since its time to kick back in the shade for a refreshing lunch anyways. My relatives in California do have to worry full time about mud slides, out or control forest fires and earthquakes along with the chances of Pacific Tidal Surges and Part Time about Seasonal Eastern Pacific Basin Hurricanes. Both are big States and along with their pluses have their problem areas this is true.

Note that the original poster was asking about winters in Florida around the St Pete coastal area while your saying no to that because of July, August and September weather.

To date in the Atlantic Basin there have been 3 named storms with only 1 having the potential to put Florida at risk while the Eastern Pacific Basin has had 7 with more than one having a chance of turning and hitting parts of California or causing rough seas. Today there is currently no concern in the Atlantic Basin due to a Saharan Plume along with a Westerly Sheer while in the Eastern Pacific Basin there are currently several areas of concern being tracked where hurricanes could develop.

Today was a great day on the water on the Inter-coastal and out on the Gulf of Mexico. We had about 50 boats out today despite the spotty scattered showers that popped up every now and then. Clearwater Beach and Sand Key were bustling with skate boards, joggers, picnickers, beach goers, swimmers, wind surfers, kayaks, Hobie's/Beach Cats, Opti's, 420's, SunFish, Sports Fishermen and the Sailing Centers were really hopping with families enjoying Summer Vacation together.


----------



## capta (Jun 27, 2011)

SeaStar58 said:


> Today was a great day on the water on the Inter-coastal and out on the Gulf of Mexico. We had about 50 boats out today despite the spotty scattered showers that popped up every now and then. Clearwater Beach and Sand Key were bustling with skate boards, joggers, picnickers, beach goers, swimmers, wind surfers, kayaks, Hobie's/Beach Cats, Opti's, 420's, SunFish, Sports Fishermen and the Sailing Centers were really hopping with families enjoying Summer Vacation together.


Sounds like an ad for Fla real estate. 
As for hurricanes in California, usually, only the remnants of tropical cyclones affect California. Since 1900, (*118 years*) only two tropical storms have hit California, one by direct landfall from offshore, another after making landfall in Mexico. 
Whereas one year fairly recently, Fla had 5 direct strikes, and most years at least one makes landfall somewhere in the state.
If you are going to try to instill fear of living in California, perhaps earthquakes would be a better angle.


----------



## jephotog (Feb 25, 2002)

solarfry said:


> Hell NO! You sweat your head off the moment you step outside and worry about hurricanes full time.
> 
> We get the hell out of FL from July to September. Favourite places are Newport Beach, CA, Marina Del Rey, Ca and San Fco Bay. SAn Francisco is great a huge sailing area in protected waters, Temp in low to hight 60's year around and lots of party places new. You can actually go up the rives quite far to new areas.
> 
> ...


Do you live in Florida but escape to the opposite coast when it gets to hot? Do you keep boats on both coasts?


----------



## travlin-easy (Dec 24, 2010)

PhilCarlson said:


> What's not to like about Florida in the summer!? The oppressive heat and humidity keeps the snowbirds away!


Phil, anyone that has lived in the Mid-Atlantic Region, particularly Maryland, can easily tolerate Florida's summers. During the past two weeks, it has been at least 10 degrees cooler in the Florida Keys than it has been in Baltimore. I have a friend that lives in Stuart and he said please don't tell anyone about our summer weather - we want to keep it a secret.

I was stationed in Key West for three months while in the US Navy and the weather was always better than it was at home in Maryland, much less humidity and usually quite a bit cooler.

Gary :2 boat:


----------



## neeqness (Jan 31, 2017)

It's rare in SoCal for storms to landfall pretty much year round (especially compared to Florida) and SoCal storms are nothing like Florida storms. We joke here all the time (those of us who have actually been in storms in places like Florida or other parts of the south) about how the lightning in Florida is amazing and beautiful...while here in SoCal, you can miss it even if you are looking right at it. Its usually just like a spark. There is a reason why they say it never rains in Southern California. Unlike Florida.

However, storms at sea are strong enough to be a problem because the Pacific is wide enough to develop a significant swell and a strong offshore wind towards a leeshore which in many parts of the California coast are rocky beaches/cliffs. Nothing particular noteworthy compared to other dangerous coasts, but it can be a serious problem for those new to the area. Especially when adding the surprise factor because our weather is otherwise so nice. A daysailer does not want to be caught out in that...and the winter/early spring is the most likely time for us to receive these types of storms. Most daysailers don't sail much in winter here except on a rare warm day. Wind cuts out early in winter too, even before sundown at times.

Not sure if it would be better here than in certain parts of Florida. Might not sail much here unless you are in an offshore boat and/or don't mind motoring.

Sent from my LG-H918 using Tapatalk


----------



## neeqness (Jan 31, 2017)

When it comes to sailing in Florida it's really important to consider which part of Florida as coasts vary significantly with regards to wind, comfort (weatherwise), and opportunities for sailing.

I don't know as much as others here in this regard as I've done little of that there and can not give specific information on it, but I would advise to consider many areas for all the factors that OP is concerned about to determine which specific area would be the best fit for them...

Sent from my LG-H918 using Tapatalk


----------



## contrarian (Sep 14, 2011)

Tampa St. Pete area will tick most of the buttons as will some spots on the right wrong coast of Florida but if I were a young whipper snapper of 31 ( I have socks older than that) with a tech career I think I would pick the San Francisco Bay Area. The winters are lovely but the summers not so much. I think it was Mark Twain that said the coldest place he had ever been was San Francisco in the summer. I hope we find out what he does.


----------



## solarfry (Sep 6, 2008)

jephotog said:


> Do you live in Florida but escape to the opposite coast when it gets to hot? Do you keep boats on both coasts?


I moved to FL from Los Angeles, Ca. I had a cal 30 in CA and sailed ocean :2 boat: or should I say motored during morning and sailed in afternoon. There are no hurricanes of note in CA. But they do have Santa Ana winds for about 90MPH. There are many sailboat races down to Mexico. When it comes to earthquakes all we asked for was a fair shake. Nothing big. They are so common that after a while you don't think about them.

In FL I had a Potter 19 :cut_out_animated_em that I sold to get an American SAil 14.6. I sold the AS14.6 and got a C165K.

The wind in SOFLO is between 5 and 20. The weather forecasting is usually wrong. The media drives you crazy in hurricane season (june to November) and yes there have been hurricanes in November. The media starts telling you that the hurricane 1500 miles away is headed for your roof and out to kill you if you don't evacuate early. You can count on 2 or 3 hurricanes crossing or running up FL every year. Hurricanes are a necessary evil because they are natures way of keeping the temp low and run according to ocean temps. The local news media is enough to make you want to move to the desert in Saudi Arabia. :svoilier:

If they cannot tell for sure if it's going to rain the next day how can they say we are going to drown in 100 years? That is quite a stretch. in Business we call 10 yr forecasts a guide or wishful thinking. A 50 year forecast is an inner rectum extraction.


----------



## SeaStar58 (Feb 14, 2018)

capta said:


> Sounds like an ad for Fla real estate.
> As for hurricanes in California, usually, only the remnants of tropical cyclones affect California. Since 1900, (*118 years*) only two tropical storms have hit California, one by direct landfall from offshore, another after making landfall in Mexico.
> Whereas one year fairly recently, Fla had 5 direct strikes, and most years at least one makes landfall somewhere in the state.
> If you are going to try to instill fear of living in California, perhaps earthquakes would be a better angle.


My relatives in California are more often affected by the combined effects of mudslides, forest fires and earthquakes along with tidal surges which I previously mentioned than the chances of a hurricane making a direct hit here where I live (yes it could happen and some say we're overdue). I considered the entire package. Oh I left out rock slides too and homes that come off their foundations and slide down a hillside taking out all the homes beneath them in parts of California even without an earthquake.

The hyperbole about constant worry of hurricanes was the main point of that post since its again only a 6 month per year window in the Atlantic Basin overall with most tropical storms that hit close enough to impact the St Pete area with their outer bands milder than the typical Nor Easters that hit the New England area with greater regularity. Yes the news media may publish higher wind speeds then we see here because they take them at Tampa Airport and other more exposed areas however those are much greater that we actually see in built up areas. Many Atlantic hurricanes hit the Mid Atlantic coast and head North with Cape Hatteras being ground zero much of the time so its not just Florida.

My sister moved to the Carolina's from the St Pete area to escape the perceived threat of hurricanes and found she had jumped from the frying pan into the fire. She moved back after a few years and is enjoying the simpler wardrobe and not having to deal with what one would consider the moderately cold winters in North Carolina. Her older husbands health unfortunately took a hit from dealing with the winters there and he is still suffering from the aftereffects.

I also see a number of folks coming into the St Pete area from California because they could not take it any more between the natural and man made disasters and such along with the absurd cost of living.

Remember though that I am not talking about the Glades, Homestead, Punta Gorda, Pan Handle or other parts of the State of Florida with more severe weather known to get the bulk of the "Direct Hits" but just the Pinellas County Peninsula in the area of Clearwater/St Pete. Personally I live in a built up non-evacuation zone know as the Highlands that was constructed in the 1940's. Plenty of buffer zone all around to take the brunt of any storms plus I am at a higher elevation than most of the City of Tampa.

Like I have mentioned a number of times you have to choose wisely.


----------



## neeqness (Jan 31, 2017)

SeaStar58 said:


> My relatives in California are more often affected by the combined effects of mudslides, forest fires and earthquakes along with tidal surges which I previously mentioned than the chances of a hurricane making a direct hit here where I live (yes it could happen and some say we're overdue). I considered the entire package. Oh I left out rock slides too and homes that come off their foundations and slide down a hillside taking out all the homes beneath them in parts of California even without an earthquake.
> 
> The hyperbole about constant worry of hurricanes was the main point of that post since its again only a 6 month per year window in the Atlantic Basin overall with most tropical storms that hit close enough to impact the St Pete area with their outer bands milder than the typical Nor Easters that hit the New England area with greater regularity. Yes the news media may publish higher wind speeds then we see here because they take them at Tampa Airport and other more exposed areas however those are much greater that we actually see in built up areas. Many Atlantic hurricanes hit the Mid Atlantic coast and head North with Cape Hatteras being ground zero much of the time so its not just Florida.
> 
> ...


Your relatives in California are a significant minority. 98% of Southern Californians are absolutely not worried about mudslides. Those who are worried about it, have chosen to be worried about it since mudslides are only a problem on certain hillsides with a certain geology. If you are worried about a mudslide you either live on such hillside or right below it, but this is not typical for Californians and especially not for one who will be living on a boat.

Same for forest fires, although the number of people worried about it may be a bit higher. While we do have forest fires on occassion, they typically happen in the forest areas where the population is pretty low and forest fires are much more likely to occur in the summer months when it is hot and dry, not in the winter months. However again, this shouldn't even be a thought for someone who will be living on a boat, particularly in any of the marinas previously mentioned.

When we do have earthquakes, they are typically well inland so if you are on a boat, it is not really a concern. Tidal waves (tsunamis) are extremely rare and typically occur so far away that by the time they reach our coast, the prevailing winds/currents, intermittent offshore weather, and squalls that it would encounter on the way will have reduced them to a mere caution mainly for those at sea, not in the marina.

I won't talk about the number of Florida plates I see here regularly...yet when I drove to Florida and stayed visiting for nearly 3 weeks, I think I saw only 1 maybe 2 California plates.

I've lived in Florida for a few months and while I personally liked the storms there and the weather is probably second only to California nationwide. Even though we had one hurricane scare and it did hit us but we missed the brunt of it while in Florida. Yet to be honest I am not even counting that...personally I liked how Florida got more rain and beautiful thunderstorms so I'm probably a little biased towards Florida a bit, yet still overall I'd say California gets better weather.

The only reason why I said that OP might prefer Florida is because I think in the winter months that Florida (certain parts of it anyway) will have more opportunities for sailing. I do not at all believe however that Florida has better weather than we do...in any season. In summer months, I think California has hands down better day sailing and for year round living, I'd rather be here.

I sure do miss the awesome thunderstorms though...

Sent from my LG-H918 using Tapatalk


----------



## chicory83 (Dec 21, 2009)

The question I would be asking myself here is: what kind of sailing do I want to do? If all you want is to go day sailing from your marina, California may work for you. If you are interested in cruising and exploring Florida is probably a better bet. 

Since female companionship is one of your significant criteria, I want to share one other observation with you. Since I started living aboard I have had a variety of reactions ranging from wow, that is really cool to: oh, so your basically homeless. You may find that your status as a live aboard may not have a positive impact on your dating prospects.


----------



## SanderO (Jul 12, 2007)

jephotog said:


> I think the OP was looking for a place to liveaboard where he can go sailing in winter, while being near a city with women around his age. He is not looking to retire to Thailand or the Med.


A few decades ago when I spent a lot of time in English harbor... quite a lovely place... with excellent marine services support... there were many large charter boats which worked from there and of course were crewed by young female stewards in the age range sought by the OP. I suppose this could be a source for dates. My experience was that the social scene for a young sailor was limited in the entire eastern caribbean unless you found some expats working down there at resorts and so on. Best bet for that might be st Marten or the French Islands or the VIs

I suppose things have changed.


----------



## SeaStar58 (Feb 14, 2018)

neeqness said:


> ... Those who are worried about it, have chosen to be worried about it since mudslides are only a problem on certain hillsides with a certain geology. If you are worried about a mudslide you either live on such hillside or right below it...
> 
> While we do have forest fires on occassion, they typically happen in the forest areas where the population is pretty low and forest fires are much more likely to occur in the summer months when it is hot and dry...


Same thing about climate and problem areas in Florida so you've gotten closer to the point. Its a big place at almost 500 miles North to South along with 1,350 miles of coastline so you have to choose wisely and not head to a known problem area. To blanket the whole of either State as the same is a bit off.

I live here full time and know how many times I see a California plate or speak with a tourist from California driving a local rental car with a Florida plate on it. Yes its a two way street however plenty of Californians visiting here on a regular cadence.

My relatives in California live in San Diego, San Fransisco, San Marcos and a few other places and they ended up there in order to keep their jobs which is why they are scattered about. Most of them plan to retire in the Clearwater/St. Pete area in order to stretch out their retirement funds.

I had to get out of the North due to a crippling injury that made living through New England falls/winters/springs with their constant barometric changes very extremely difficult and my choices were San Diego or Clearwater and the cost of living was the deciding factor. I came here thinking "Oh boy how will I survive the oppressive heat everybody is talking about" and after a few years realized that it was mostly hype and things were not as bad here in Clearwater/St. Pete as the extremely vocal minority would lead you to believe. Not having to be on narcotic pain killers most of the year is a blessing plus the added perks of being able to do my own yard work, do my own home repairs, ride a motorcycle, sail along with engage in other outdoor activities year round are priceless. If I had listened to the vocal minority I'd still be on narcotics for pain and likely be a wheelchair bound shut-in now as the doctors predicted would have been the case since 1995.


----------



## neeqness (Jan 31, 2017)

SeaStar58 said:


> Same thing about climate and problem areas in Florida so you've gotten closer to the point. Its a big place at almost 500 miles North to South along with 1,350 miles of coastline so you have to choose wisely and not head to a known problem area. To blanket the whole of either State as the same is a bit off.
> 
> I live here full time and know how many times I see a California plate or speak with a tourist from California driving a local rental car with a Florida plate on it. Yes its a two way street however plenty of Californians visiting here on a regular cadence.
> 
> ...


I'm not necessarily disagreeing with you here except that mudslides and forest fires are not so much a climate issue in SoCal but a location issue because they only occur in certain areas. Secondly, most people living here do not live in those areas. Last but not least, for this topic it's not a concern at all because OP wants to live on a boat in a marina where neither of those have any chance of occuring.

Sent from my LG-H918 using Tapatalk


----------



## jephotog (Feb 25, 2002)

There are plenty of reasons to be afraid to live in California, earthquakes is not a reasonable one, as long as you don't live in Santa Barbara mud slides is not one either. Growing up in California I have felt maybe 4 or 5, the last one I rolled over and went back to sleep. The last two big California quakes happened last Century and killed under 130 people, Katrina killed 1800. I would guess close to as many people died in Hurricanes last year on the East Coast as died in California Quakes since 1906.

The cost of hurricanes, tropical storms, false alarms add up and subtract from the quality of life in Hurricane Country. If you have only lived in the South East you can consider it all an inconvenience but those who have survived a storm, lost a home or lost a boat, look at incoming storm tracks differently. You can live your entire life in California without being affected by an earthquake. Depending on where you live on the East Coast, you will be affected by Hurricanes at some point in your life, sometimes every 5 years or so.

The true reasons not to live in California: Fires, Cost, Taxes, Traffic, People (lots of them).


----------



## caberg (Jul 26, 2012)

lschmidt25 said:


> So anyways, I'm looking for 3 main criteria:
> 1) Warm weather obviously
> 
> 2) Cool places to weekend sail to, or places where I can cruise to and still work during the day with access to internet and electricity
> ...


For #3 (fun land-based area), personally I'd narrow down to some potential locations and then buy a couple plane tickets and go for a mini-vaca to check them out. We did that when evaluating a few relocation opportunities in our 20s, and nothing can substitute for actually being in a place for a weekend and just seeing how it feels.

For #2, personally I don't see a lot of the FL coast and So Cal as being great weekend cruising areas. There's not really anywhere to go (with maybe the exception of the FL keys and Catalina). I have spent time in Tampa/Bradenton area, and the weather can be great, there are some beautiful beaches, and some great daysailing conditions, but if you want to head out for a 2-3 day cruise, the options aren't that appealing to me. I think I'd get bored pretty quickly living on a cruising sailboat in that area.


----------



## SeaStar58 (Feb 14, 2018)

caberg said:


> For #3 (fun land-based area), personally I'd narrow down to some potential locations and then buy a couple plane tickets and go for a mini-vaca to check them out. We did that when evaluating a few relocation opportunities in our 20s, and nothing can substitute for actually being in a place for a weekend and just seeing how it feels.
> 
> For #2, personally I don't see a lot of the FL coast and So Cal as being great weekend cruising areas. There's not really anywhere to go (with maybe the exception of the FL keys and Catalina). I have spent time in Tampa/Bradenton area, and the weather can be great, there are some beautiful beaches, and some great daysailing conditions, but if you want to head out for a 2-3 day cruise, the options aren't that appealing to me. I think I'd get bored pretty quickly living on a cruising sailboat in that area.


A lot depends on your definition of a cool (interesting) place I suppose. To me its the normal everyday people and history of the area and not just a swanky club or glitzy tourist attraction.

There is a series of books called something along the lines of "One Tank Trips" that covers the area and there are an amazing amount of things to see and do in this area on or near to the Gulf or just a short drive inland. I have lived here almost 30 years now and have not scratched the surface.

A lot of history from the Spanish American War, Indian Wars, Spanish Occupation, British Occupation, WWII, WWI and Civil War here too.

One could also sail about and take on the Florida Maritime Heritage Trail which could take some years to do justice to. There are also county run Heritage Villages in many areas that showcase the founders of the area and how things progressed. At the local one they have opened a boathouse to highlight what Clark Mills, Morgan and McKay and others have done for the area and even hold workshops where you can build your own pram or dinghy. Sailing about the almost 1,400 miles of coastline to see and explore the old historic communities could take a lifetime too.

When you keep still for a few moments and really look at whats located close to where your standing things you never knew you never knew keep presenting themselves.


----------



## rbrasi (Mar 21, 2011)

My boat is in Marina Del Rey and I can fill you in on these:

1) Warm weather obviously
It's always around 72F during the day here, which is cool for me (I reside in Nevada), but it's perfect 'shorts and flip flops' weather. It's a little cooler in the winter, as was stated earlier in the thread. Also a little wet. LOL about mudslides- talk about thread drift....

2) Cool places to weekend sail to, or places where I can cruise to and still work during the day with access to internet and electricity
Also mentioned was Catalina, which is great year round, as are Channel Islands, though I can't vouch for the connectivity therein. The wind doesn't pick up until just after 11am and turns off like a faucet around 8pm. The wind is always fair, rarely over 12kt and swells vary from 2-3 to 4-5' regularly. The forecast is always pretty close. If you like yacht clubs, you can hop down the coast and use free slips for three days at most of them if you are a member that has reciprocals.

3) Fun area surrounding the home base marina/mooring/whatever
There is a path that runs from Redondo Beach, North through several beach communities, past my dock and many others in MDR and continues to Santa Monica. I routinely bike or run in either direction, depending on mood. There are more bars/restaurants around here than I can frequent. I have my favorites and the selection ranges from dive to super trendy within a stones throw. Lots of young professionals here, as West LA is basically an industry town (Movies/TV/Tech). Don't bring your car. Currently there are several basins under construction (dock replacement) and there will be an abundance of available slips soon. Prices are roughly $12'/month non-liveaboard. Add 50% for liveaboard.
Hope that helps!


----------



## svHyLyte (Nov 13, 2008)

Coming from California, originally San Francisco and later Newport Beach, but now having lived in southwest Florida for 25 years or so, in my view there is no comparison and particularly in the winter months. In SoCal we had few places to cruise to save Catalina and the Channel Islands and, frankly, one can only do so many trips to Two Harbors or Cat Harbor before the charm wears off. Moreover, the ocean is very cold at all times of year in California so swimming, absent a wet-suit, isn't very enjoyable and, virtually wherever one chooses to go, it is crowded. Avalon is packed like a Sardine Can most weekends with boats less than 10 feet apart often times. For cruising the SF Bay area is somewhat better but colder than shadoodle most of the year unless one gets up to Suisun Bay where the water is a thin as is that in SW Florida but still freezing cold most of the year.

To each his/her own but, if it were my choice, the southwest coast of Florida would fit the bill nicely.

FWIW...


----------



## Buc210 (Jun 15, 2016)

Keys are great but crowded in winter. SouthWest Florida from Sarasota on down to Marco is less crowded. Good marinas, anchorages, friendly folks. Ft. Myers would be better for someone younger. Marco and Naples is older crowd. Good anchorage and moorings in Ft. Myers. Lots of nightlife. And you can sail to Cabbage Key (north) or south to Lover's Key.
If you get down to Naples, I would visit but then head south to Johnson Bay, Isles of Capri. Pelican Bend has a good anchorage nearby. Marco River has good anchorages. South to Cape Romano is nice place for solitude and to take a friend for an overnight. 

Buc210
S/V Into the Mystic
Johnson Bay, Isles of Capri


----------



## SeaStar58 (Feb 14, 2018)

When wintering in Florida on a boat you will sometimes need more than a pedal bicycle or skate board to run errands around town but still not need to get on the Interstate however renting even a scooter can be a hassle and expensive over the long haul.

In Lantana Florida is the US Distributor for Di Blasi who makes a folding 50cc motorbike that some cruisers along with flyers carry with them since they fold up rather compactly, don't weigh very much but are street legal and great for exploring the local area without having to arrange for a rental car plus they get about 130 mpg Di Blasi has been in business for around 45 years now so they are not new at this. Much of the area around the Marinas in Clearwater/St Pete for example are 20 to 30 mph speed zones making these very practical.

Folded:
Length............................................................29 1/2"
Height...................................................................23"
Width..............................................................12 1/2"
Weight (empty)................................................64 lbs.
Storage Displacement..............less than 5 cubic feet.











If I understand correctly they also make a few electric models too.

Some companies use them to provide designated drivers (for folks that have had a few drinks and don't want to chance a DUI) who ride out to where you are located, fold the bike up in its bag placing it in the trunk of your vehicle and then drive you and your vehicle home for you so you won't be guilty of driving impaired. Once they get you home they unfold the bike, fold up the bag and are off to their next pickup and your vehicle is not left out in a parking lot where it can more likely get vandalized or stolen but is safely in your own driveway or garage.


----------



## acem (Aug 19, 2014)

I have traveled to all the places you mentioned but only sailed in the keys. I have also visited your area.

California is has a great climate and I really like the coastal scenery. The water is cold and the Santa Ana winds can be harsh. The downsides to me are the high cost of living and large population. You should have access to the internet, electricity and females living and sailing in California.

The Florida Keys are amazing. I really like the middle keys (including Marathon). The weather is very warm in the winter (typically highs in the 80s) and the humidity is allways high. Internet access is available even on a mooring through your cell service. The cost of living is cheaper than California but more expensive than the rest of Florida. The scenery is different, lots of islands but no mountains. The sailing is great but on inland side the water is shallow so watch your charts and depth finder closely. Great fishing. I have always been married when in the keys but there seem to be plenty of women. This winter my wife and I were siting by the motel pool and a 30s woman came up to talk to us. She was hitting on me with my wife sitting there beside me (we are in our 50s!). I was flattered...

The St Pete area is very nice, my brother lives on Treasure Island, near St Pete. Great weather in the winter (highs in the 70s when I have been there. The winter in St Pete is very similar to the summer in Wisconsin. There are alot of people from the Midwest who have moved to southwest Florida. Check out the marinas in Gulfport, St Pete Beach, Treasure Island, Madeira Beach, etc. for excellent weather and access to the gulf. You will find plenty of companionship in the area. There are places to go sailing in the area and they have active sailing club activities. You can always sail down to the keys if you have time. 

I think you would enjoy all the areas you mentioned. My preference would be St Pete (on the gulf side inter coastal) followed by the Keys for your situation. If you got a boat in Florida you could even sail it back to the Great Lakes for the summer then return to Florida for the winter! I don't know how practical that is though.

Thx-Ace


----------



## Attikos (May 26, 2018)

An old sailor said to me, "We're lucky. When you get cold in the fall or winter, you can do something about it. Point your bow south, set sail, keep going until you're warm, and then find a place to drop the anchor."


----------



## travlin-easy (Dec 24, 2010)

I have a theory that if you do not subject your body to a temperature lower than your age, you will live a long and happy life. I now consider any temperature lower than my age (77) the dead of winter. 

If my health allows, I will be setting sail sometime around the first of October and point the bow south. I'm not stopping until the daytime temperature and my age are the same. 

Good luck,

Gary


----------



## 505722 (Jun 17, 2018)

I would say Cali. There is so much more rugged & gorgeous coastline to see here. And the South is very warm, or if you are up for some adventure, British Columbia is absolutely stunning for sailing


----------

