formula1

Dean, not sure exactly what year, but I'm pretty sure it was built in the mid to late 80's. I could let you know for sure later. The kitchen is completely re-done with custom cabinetry...etc. The layout is of a great room style. Perfect size for a small family or couple. It even has a circle drive and tile roof!

88Fount33

Lived in the Cape since 2004, and need to look closely at your canals for Idle time. We started in a home in 33904, had 20min to get to the river, followed by about 5mins of plane time before another 30 to 40 minutes idle time depending upon which way the current is moving in the river in an area known as misrable mile. When we first moved here the no-wake manatee signs (at the misrable mile) were just at the markers for the channel, since then the "zones" grew a little on the upstream side and a whole bunch on the downstream side. Then they added another "zone" up at the Cape Coral Yatch Club area just after the Cape Coral Bridge. Our new place is in 33914 and uses the last canal out to the river before the spreader.

If you focus on the Yatch club area and then the area just east of Cape Harbor, you will have pretty good access to the unrestricted portion of the river/bay. We built and moved in Feb to a lot that dumps us out on the east of Cape Harbor so we do not have the lock and long lines that exist when you are on what is called here, the "spreader" canal.

North of the "misrable mile" there is a 25 MPH speed limit, but it is not enforced as far as I can tell.

Location Here on Water Access is EVERYTHING. By our move, we have saved about 20 minutes getting to the location at the end of the "mile" where you can let it hang out, (at least as far as the Sanibel bridge, where you have to slow down to pass under the bridge but with a really big "no-wake" zone just for bridge passage.)

If you head up the intercoastal towards Captiva "on the inside" the channel is narrow as it approaches picknick island, but then opens up all the way to Charlotte Harbor, be wary of the shallows if you venture very far from the marked channel, there are some real close areas there specially in winter when the levels are way down.

It would not be worth the effort unless you were a dedicated fisherman to locate north of the Cape Coral Yatch Club as it is my opinion that if the F'n $ave the Manatee club has their way, the whole river will turn into a "no-wake" zone. I know this may insult/pss off some who live in that area but that is my opinion.

Having said that, some houses on the water in 33904 are now selling for 1/3 to 1/2 of what they were at the "peak". We could not sell our old house for what we paid for it in 2004 without taking about a $100,000 hit so it is rented (big negative cash flow) until the market turns, which may be for many years.

Good luck and happy hunting!

baja27

88font33 thanks for the great info. I take it that there are no wake zones once you get to the river?

wantingmore

I'd be happy to show you around when you get down. I also know a lot of places to drink beerGive me a shout. Cell is 239-220-9410.
Tom

lawdocx3

There are two, one is about a mile after the Cape Coral bridge. The other is by the mouth of the river.

formula1

baja27-what 88Fount33 is saying is that there are certain areas in the river that are designated "no wake" areas due to a possible Manatee crossing or something... If you look at a map of the Caloosahatchee River, south of the 41 bridge to the Cape Coral Yacht Club is smooth sailing. At the Cape Coral Yacht Club, there is a "Manatee crossing" that requires you to slow down for approx 1/4 mile or so before you get on plane again. Then, you have to slow down again for approx 1/2 to 1 mile max at Shell Point...mostly due to boat traffic and safety thru that area. Once you are out at Marker 101, it's wide open to wherever you want to go!

lawdocx3

You got that right. I finally got so sick of looking at the rental across the street from me and the trash the owner rented it to, that we bought it just to have some controll over it.

88Fount33

Yep!
Cept I was yelled at going under the Sanibel bridge last weekend, cause I had both engines running at about 900 rpm. He made me shut one down and could barely make headway against the current, pssd me off cause I see runabouts and even crusiers with huge wakes through there all the time, guess it doesn't pay to have a red hulled go fast.

wantingmore

You can't tell me those stupid things know where they're supposed to cross. Just another way to f#ck with us boaters.

salesmanship

BTW,
I was corrected on this a long time ago.
If you ask the old timers they'll tell you the "Miserable Mile" is not the slow zone by Shell Point. The "Miserable Mile" is actually the very narrow stretch once you leave that area heading towards Pine Island. Green marker "1" to red "10. If you're outside the markers you stand a good chance of running aground.