Sailing in Florida

[Guest]

Sailing in Florida

I have spent much of my leisure time in the last 7 years sailing my 30 foot yacht around the Solent and across the Channel to the Channel Islands & Northern France. I now face the possibility of a move to Melbourne Florida, I know that watersports are very popular in this area, including sailing. Can anybody give me an insight to the sailing scene - sailing clubs, places to keep boats, good sailing areas etc etc etc.

 

[mickp]

Just returned from 3 week tour of Florida, best area is the Keys, Lots of harbours and boating facilities etc, Marathon Key particularly good.

 

[georgeb]

We live in NYC and are preparing to move down to Vero Beach, which is about 40 miles S of Melbourne, bringing our boat withus of course.
I suggest you get hold of one of the guides for the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, southern portion, which will give you a lot of information. The one I have at home, not the best, is the Maptech Embassy Guide for the whole Atlantic Coast, which cost me USD 40 about 2 years ago (about GBP 25-30).
Ther is no access to the ocean at Melbourne. You have to go north to Cape Canaveral Barge Canal, about 30 miles, or south to Fort Pierce inlet, about 60 miles. So you'll probably want to get a mooring or slip at one of those two places and drive from Melbourne.
We plan to get a slip in Fort Pierce, which is a 20 min. drive from our house. From Fort Pierce it's about 100 miles to the Bahamas, and 150 miles to the Florida Keys.
Are you bringing your boat over, or will you buy once you get here (which may be a better choice)?

 

[Guest]

in the winter of 2000, I kept my 49 ft Hinckley center cockpit ketch at the Miami Beach Marina. I highly recommend it. it's close to fisher island, southbeach and the keys. life is great in Miami.

scroll through my pics at :http://www.bryceandpalazzola.com/archtours/arch_tours.htm and scroll down to florida if you're interested. there's pics of the marina, my boat in the slip and some of miami. you can't go wrong there. the people are beautiful, the restaruants are outstanding and the people that hang at the marina are wonderuful.

 

[Guest]

Were I to put a boat in the Melbourne area (Brevard County, FL) I would probably put it in one of the marinas close to the barge canal ...just off the river, or at one of the marinas there in Port Canaveral. That way the trip to the Atlantic would be far less painful.

In fact I would recommend a marina on the Port Canaveral Turning Basin side (Atlantic side). Much of the river there is being turned into Manatee refuge and slow zones........so a slip close to the barge canal or on the east side of the barge canal lock would be a definite plus.

One very good marina in that area, though its not that close to the Barge Canal is the Titusville City Marina. Very reasonable rates, and good staff. Also the Kennedy Point Marina is pretty nice....its in Titusville as well. You can't get a better seat for a rocket launch from the Cape.
than either marina!!

There are a number of marinas in that area....just do a search for marinas in Brevard County, Florida.

If I can give you any other information.... message me through this site.