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Tampa Bay sailors - Advice on 3.5 day trip.

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redviking
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1771 Posts

Initially Posted - 10/28/2011 : 04:13:17

The guys are coming in for a long weekend. There will be five of us and the boat is only 39 feet and definitely not built like a Hunter below. No separate cabins, no double head, etc... So I do plan on picking up a dock at least one night just so these guys can move about..

They all arrive Wednesday night and they all leave Sunday. My original plan was to do an overnight to Fort Myers Beach, play a day, and then turn around and come back to St. Pete. But if we have weather on that schedule, that could be a problem, so now I think I should probably stick closer to home.

Day one - Manatee River? Day two - Venice? There is only one dock I can make it to, that much I remember. Day three - Beer can Island? I'm sure there are other great places to go, so let me know. I am constricted by draft - six and a half feet with a 59 foot airdraft, so I can't go where you can.

I can however push the 8 knot mark on a regular basis, so my 24 hour range is usually pushing three digits or more depending on conditions of course.

I crave some decent offshore time, so I'm tempted to push it and if all hell breaks loose, put the guys in a rent a car and I'll solo home!

sten

Edited by - redviking on 10/28/2011 04:17:34

Davy J
Master Marine Consultant

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1511 Posts

Response Posted - 10/28/2011 : 05:13:33

My favorite anchorage is Longboat Pass. The area just south of the island has about 10'. There is a restaurant with bar.
You can go offshore, or if the weather is not favorable the ICW.

If you are asking about "beer can island" off of Apollo Beach, weekends make for good people watching. If you go there, do not anchor on the west or south of the island, cargo traffic can put up very nasty wakes.

In the spring we sailed down to Fort Myers Beach and stayed at Salty Sams marina. The have a great restaurant and the nightly entertainment was also excellent.

There is also Marina Jack.

Edited by - on

Davy J
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
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Response Posted - 10/28/2011 : 05:25:09

One other option for some offshore sailing is to leave the bay, head north to Clearwater pass. The Muni marina is not bad, there's plenty of restaurants/bars. Pier 60 has a sunset festival akin to Mallory Square in Key West.

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KD4AO
Navigator

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USA
202 Posts

Response Posted - 10/28/2011 : 07:34:32

In Venice you should have no problems docking at Crow's Nest just inside the inlet.

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pastmember
Master Marine Consultant

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2402 Posts

Response Posted - 10/28/2011 : 08:12:09

Have the fat one sleep in the tender.

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Sloop Smitten
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1181 Posts

Response Posted - 10/28/2011 : 08:25:25

With four passengers you can probably figure one will suffer seasickness so how long you choose to cruise each day may come down to how long you want to prolong their misery.

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JimGo
Admiral

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USA
962 Posts

Response Posted - 10/28/2011 : 08:44:56

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Sloop Smitten
 ...how long you want to prolong their misery...<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Or how much they are willing to pay to have their misery cut short.

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redviking
Master Marine Consultant

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1771 Posts

Response Posted - 10/28/2011 : 08:56:32

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Sloop Smitten
 With four passengers you can probably figure one will suffer seasickness so how long you choose to cruise each day may come down to how long you want to prolong their misery.

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Naw, they're all veterans, just never had em all here at the same time. Wish we could find a race or something. Maybe I'll just plot a course for Mexico and wait for them to find out!

Crows nest - yeah that's it. Two restaurants as I recall. Good advice Davy J. Might check out Longboat Pass. Never been there.

sten

Edited by - on

Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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5897 Posts

Response Posted - 10/28/2011 : 09:02:06

My favorite haunts were all south of Tampa Bay, but Davy's suggestion of going north to Clearwater makes a lot of sense. It gives you a chance to get offshore for awhile, and it's a trip that's easily do-able in 3 1/2 days, perhaps with another anchorage or two on the way back to the Bay. The trip there won't be so long that it will leave the guys too exhausted to freshen up and go out on the town in the afternoon or evening. Your guests will have a better time if you don't wear them out.

The Crow's Nest is at the marina just inside Venice Inlet. As I recall, it's the next inlet south of Big Sarasota Pass.

Edited by - Steve Milby on 10/28/2011 09:18:32

DaveR
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2015 Posts

Response Posted - 10/28/2011 : 09:30:17

Well, it seems out tropical threat is gone, but from what I'm hearing the cold front is going to be a windy one. I'll bet the Gulf is going to be ugly, be careful out there!

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redviking
Master Marine Consultant

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1771 Posts

Response Posted - 10/28/2011 : 09:47:26

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by DaveR
 Well, it seems out tropical threat is gone, but from what I'm hearing the cold front is going to be a windy one. I'll bet the Gulf is going to be ugly, be careful out there!
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

They all arrive Wednesday Nov. 9th... But thanks!

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TCurran
Admiral

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USA
588 Posts

Response Posted - 10/29/2011 : 04:53:03

How about Venice on your way to Fort Jefferson?? (or is it a bridge too far?)

Edited by - TCurran on 10/29/2011 04:54:06

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The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.