jspeeddemon

I have been in Sarasota, FL and have taken in the sites and have seen the awesome availability to open waters. I am curious to know from someone who boats here year around, where the local powerboaters congregate and ride, in the bays or offshore in the open water outside the keys.
Also if I brought my boat down here next vacation where are the best places to drop in the water and ride.
Are any of the marinas willing to rent short time slips as well as trailer parking?
Beyond that recommend some local hot spots to see, hang out, throw down some suds and talk boats, preferably something on or near the water.
Finally what are recommendations for places to eat, steak and seafood or Italian.

Formula Outlaw

The Boathouse, located at the Hyatt, is the performance boater's hot spot. Great food and lots of cold beer. It overlooks the Hyatt Basin. The Hyatt is basically just past the purple building (VanWeazle Performing Arts Hall) next to the 10th St. boat ramps. They are the best ramps I've ever used. Powerboat magazine agrees. We have a "New Year's Day Fun Run" leaving the Hyatt Basin New Year's day at noon. Many marina's have slips available. Casy Key Marina, on Blackburn Point Rd. has covered slips available. They are about 8 miles south of Sarasota just off U.S. 41. Sam Seltzer's steakhouse is one of the best steakhouses around, bang for the buck. Ruth's Chris steakhouse is good but very very pricey. Best steakhouse in Florida is Bern's, up in Tampa. That is an experience. You can get a shot of cognac that was bottled when Abe Lincoln was President. It's like $ 250.00 per shot or something like that. But Bern's is "where it's at". Boating in this area is just tremendous. NO way to just describe it. If you can, next time bring your boat. The Sarasota, St.Pete/Tampa area are the hot spots for the West Coast of Florida. OPBA (OffshorePowerboatAssociation) based out of St. Pete is a fantastic performance boating club. Sarasota hosts two major offshore races during the summer. First the Sarasota Offshore Showdown, May 15th, and then the Suncoast Offshore Grand Prix, over the Fourth of July weekend. Come on down.......

JPD Motorsports

Then there is shepards and beer can island, shell island, gators, the hyatt, these are all great places to boat too and hang out at. If you are down there get in contact with the opba, great group of people to run with, usually have something stirring almost every other weekend being a fun run, lunch get together or a poker run. the site is www.opbafl.org

Offshore Addiction

Don't forget... "Live on the Bay 2004" is scheduled for March (I think) on Beer Can Island- live music, bunch of boats and fun... When I get more information I will post all the details, two years ago they had it on Memorial Day Weekend.

rchevelle71

iTrader: (1)

I believe this is Beer Can Island,

I was over for the OPBA Poker run last July, but my POS is a little small to run with those guys, so I watched from This Sandbar "Island", that I found at the inlet.

rchevelle71

iTrader: (1)

Here is a few more taken from the Island

rchevelle71

iTrader: (1)

2

Doller Offshore

i lived in sarasota for many years and here's a few
more places to check out.places to hang out on the
boat to swim and party( sandbar at new or big pass
snake island, beer can or at egmont key. good places
to eat--by water--crows nest,pelican ally(venice inlet)
coaster @ stickney point. and don't forget marina
jacks and salty dog to the downtown area. couple
more up in bradenton area allso.
by land--alot of places downtown sarasota and
any place on siesta key

jspeeddemon

Thanks for all the feedback on Sarasota, I knew I could count on this crew to know where the fun in the sun is. Looking forward to bringing boat down in the spring, try a few of these places you mentioned.

Formula Outlaw

Get hold of me when you come down. We're having a "grass roots" style Poker Run, Sat. May 8th, 04', a "welcome back racers" run, to kick off the 2nd annual Sarasota Offshore Showdown, on May 15th/16th just in case you might be in our area at that time. Outlaw