SinkorSwim

Just curious how many do this?? Espically LOTO folks..

Where do you take your boat? What marina? Is the east or west side better?

Is the haul down bad? Or do you hire it done?

We are starting to research airports that are convinent to get in and out of from St. Louis (our home) are we thinking correct?

We have been inland water boaters our entire life.... Are their classes or guides services available??

Looking for any help...

CigDaze

I'm not purporting to speak for the entire east coast nor the entire west coast, but from my personal experience having lived 4 years in Daytona Beach and 7 years in St. Pete, I would have to say that the West coast blows away the east coast - generally speaking of course. There are hot spots like Jacksonville, Ft. Lauderdale and Miami which are friendly to boating, but mile-for-mile of coastline, I'd take the west coast any day. From Clearwater to St. Pete to Tampa to Sarasota to Ft Myers to Marco Island to the Keys, it's beautiful, and the boating amenities are plentiful. Generally speaking again, the Gulf is typically calmer, clearer, warmer and more boater friendly - simply because of it's size and depth.

Speaking of flights, Airtran flies from Tampa or Sarasota to St. Lois Direct, for typically 150 bucks round trip.

Classes?: Ya, there are a ton. Local West Marines hold classes and St. Pete has a huge Coast guard base with many USCG power squadron instructional classes and groups - of course, wherever you end up, I'm sure there are dozens of OSO members who would be more than happy to show you guys the "ropes," myself included.

Swamplizard

Im down here year round but my boat only works about half the year - hehehe

fabricator

Winter? What's THAT?

We only have two seasons down here.......... brush fire season and hurricane season

handfulz28

As an "east coast" boater, I actually would tend to agree with Nick. Sure, lots of places to hang out over here, but not really a ton of room to get out and run (waaay too many Manatee/Speed Zones) unless you want to run in the ocean. And I don't care how big a boat you've got and how well it "handles the rough stuff"...chances are the rest of the people on board don't want to get beat around.

H20 Toie

This will be my first year for shipping the boat to florida.

Going in oct and coming back in april along with 4 other friends boats

Just has to be back in time for the Desert Storm poker run

Bostonirish

My close friend kept his boat down there for a winter a year ago. We would fly into Ft. Lauderdale take a cab to American Offshore and be in the boat. It was great. little bit of a ride to the intrercoastal but it didn't matter, only when we were rushing to get the boat back on Sun. afternoon to catch our flight home.

Wild

call me, we can do lunch on Tues or Thursday this week

314-420-2619

HUSTLEthis

Hey Dan, we cann't wait.....

Tom

tanner

I am in Ft. Lauderdale and they call it "the boating capital of the world", what they forgot to tell you is it is also called the "delevoper, builder, buying up all the waterfront property and tearing down all the restaurants on the water to build condos.. capital of the world"

Seriously, in the winter the seas are always a bit rougher, and there are starting to become very few places on the water to go and dock. The West coast (ft. myers to Clearwater) seems to have a bunch of bars, restaurants and you can run on the intracoastal and bays.

We do have Biscayne here ..... but where are ya going ???

Just my .02