From LOTO to South Florida
03-27-2019, 10:29 PM
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From LOTO to South Florida
Hello all,
My family and I will be permanently relocating to the North Port Florida area in the next couple of months. We are use to navigating the waters at the Lake of the Ozarks, so now its going to be a whole new learning experience, but Im hoping for some pointers/suggestions from you all. I just sold my baja 25 Outlaw and will be in the market for a new boat shortly after we arrive and get settled in...and of course I will be looking for something bigger, but due to the increased costs of maintenance from running in salt I will more than likely stay with a single.....also im not ready to step up to a diesel for a tow vehicle either. Im leaning towards a Fountain 29 Fever, but I am a little concerned the a 27' boat might not be large enough to run in the big water. Id still like to stay with a powerboat of sorts too, I love the sound of the BBC! What are your thoughts?
Also are there any good restaurants/bars that we can boat up too?
Thank You
Scott
My family and I will be permanently relocating to the North Port Florida area in the next couple of months. We are use to navigating the waters at the Lake of the Ozarks, so now its going to be a whole new learning experience, but Im hoping for some pointers/suggestions from you all. I just sold my baja 25 Outlaw and will be in the market for a new boat shortly after we arrive and get settled in...and of course I will be looking for something bigger, but due to the increased costs of maintenance from running in salt I will more than likely stay with a single.....also im not ready to step up to a diesel for a tow vehicle either. Im leaning towards a Fountain 29 Fever, but I am a little concerned the a 27' boat might not be large enough to run in the big water. Id still like to stay with a powerboat of sorts too, I love the sound of the BBC! What are your thoughts?
Also are there any good restaurants/bars that we can boat up too?
Thank You
Scott
03-28-2019, 07:27 AM
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That's the Gulf side and doesn't get as rough as much as the other side, it can but not like our side. Over here few days are not rough.
Few things, first a chart plotter is VERY handy and a depth finder. Unlike the mid west a lot of places here if you slip out of the channel you can hit a sand bar fast.
As for a 29 single, that would be a great boat but most like CC's and OB's. Most of the people we boat with have I/O's, big thing is flushing. Some pointers here is water FLOW when flushing, I use 3/4" industrial hose and lines going to the sea strainers. Another one is to back flush drives so you don't get any growth there either.
It takes more time but you can keep boats nice in salt, I also flush with just water and don't even run through the salt-a-way unit till I turn it on but I have all that plumbed into my dock. Lots of people use dawn dishwater soap rather then salt-a-way.
When shopping for a boat though, most don't seem to take care of them as much down here so you might want to pick a fresh water boat up from your lake, install some Mr. Cool closed cooling and sea strainers on it and bring it down.
As for restaurants and bars,,,,,,,,,,,,,...gulf side has a ton of really cool places and small islands to hang out at. We are going to be in Ft Myers Memorial day to do some boating over there.
Locals can let you know that.
Few things, first a chart plotter is VERY handy and a depth finder. Unlike the mid west a lot of places here if you slip out of the channel you can hit a sand bar fast.
As for a 29 single, that would be a great boat but most like CC's and OB's. Most of the people we boat with have I/O's, big thing is flushing. Some pointers here is water FLOW when flushing, I use 3/4" industrial hose and lines going to the sea strainers. Another one is to back flush drives so you don't get any growth there either.
It takes more time but you can keep boats nice in salt, I also flush with just water and don't even run through the salt-a-way unit till I turn it on but I have all that plumbed into my dock. Lots of people use dawn dishwater soap rather then salt-a-way.
When shopping for a boat though, most don't seem to take care of them as much down here so you might want to pick a fresh water boat up from your lake, install some Mr. Cool closed cooling and sea strainers on it and bring it down.
As for restaurants and bars,,,,,,,,,,,,,...gulf side has a ton of really cool places and small islands to hang out at. We are going to be in Ft Myers Memorial day to do some boating over there.
Locals can let you know that.
03-28-2019, 02:17 PM
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My mom and dad just moved to North Port in October. They are not boaters, but do love it there so far. I'm sure I'll end up in the area eventually.
We also have good friends in Port St Richey who moved there from LOTO. They love it there too.
Good luck with the move!
We also have good friends in Port St Richey who moved there from LOTO. They love it there too.
Good luck with the move!
03-28-2019, 02:28 PM
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North port will put you near Venice for water. Some cool stuff up there. There’s a huge crowd further south in the Cape Coral ft Myers area. A 29 will be good most days. Buddy had one with a blower motor and loved it. Washing and flushing is critical. Has to be done at the return of every trip to keep it nice. I also love CFC 656. Keep engines/drives/tabs sprayed after cleaning. Helps prevent corrosion. Any thing else you wanna know let me know. I’ll try to help.
03-28-2019, 09:16 PM
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Thank you all for all your tips and suggestions its very much appreciated especially since this will be a brand new venture for my family and I. Tentative move date is around the last week of May...hopefully will be back on the water shortly after
Keep it coming if you think anyone else has more to add
Keep it coming if you think anyone else has more to add
05-03-2019, 08:45 AM
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Port Richey FL? Aka New Port Richey....AKA Live PD fun land.
Ya...don't move there lol. Come a bit south by us in Dunedin/Clearwater area or just north of them in Crystal River area if you are here.
05-03-2019, 02:56 PM
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Surely LOTO demands a bigger wave crusher than Gulfside of FL. 
LOL.
LOL.
