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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

General Sailing Forum

Charlotte Harbor recommendations?

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OceanDreamer
Deckhand

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USA
4 Posts

Initially Posted - 12/28/2003 : 14:29:11

We're planning to charter in the Charlotte Harbor area this Spring - sounds as though some of you have local knowledge. We are not at all familiar with the area and would appreciate hearing your experiences with charter companies there, and also any advice and recommendations for sailing the area.

Ocean Dreamer
Puddin'
C250WK #638

Edited by - on

Mark Loyacano
Navigator

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USA
247 Posts

Response Posted - 12/28/2003 : 18:43:34

Check out www.yachtingvacations.com and www.swfyachts.com
It is a great area to bareboat.

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OceanDreamer
Deckhand

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USA
4 Posts

Response Posted - 12/28/2003 : 20:42:51

Based on a lot of web research, Yachting Vacations is first on my call list and SFW is second. Mark, do you have personal experience with either one of these

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Mark Loyacano
Navigator

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USA
247 Posts

Response Posted - 12/28/2003 : 22:33:18

We intend to bareboat with South West Florida Yachts. I've visited both of their locations; Burnt Store Marina and Ft. Meyers.
Burnt Store Marina is part of a large gated community. Its'marina has a dedicated pool, laundry and lavatory(shower)facilities. SWF Yachts' slips are right there next to them. Very clean, very nice. Charlotte Harbor and the Pine Island areas are just outside the marina area.
SW Florida Yachts has an excellent reputation and a nice variety of different boats. After seeing their operation and talking to them we'll be heading there for at least one of our future charters. Their Ft. Meyers location appeared to be primarily large power boats.

I saw the other company, Yachting Vacations, too. I know little about them. Their boats (Island Packets) looked spotless, clean and very well cared for.

Edited by - on

Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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USA
5932 Posts

Response Posted - 12/29/2003 : 10:53:38

I chartered in that general area from SWFY once, and from several other charter companies that no longer exist. A well-equipped boat is a fairly complicated piece of machinery, and things can go wrong with even a well-maintained boat, so don't expect a perfect, glitch-free charter (even though the probability is that there won't be any problems with the boat). Nevertheless, before you leave the docks, you should ask the charterer what you should do if there is a problem (i.e., call on the radio, return to the marina, telephone, etc.) When I chartered an IP from SWFY, a cooling water hose came off the engine twice, and the inflatable dinghy had a slow leak. I re-installed the hose and tightened it up, and took the dinghy back and exchanged it for another one. Neither represented a significant problem, and could have happened with any charterer.

I usually drove to Florida from Ohio (about 1 1/2 days travel time each way). I chartered the boat for 10-11 days. (Often, charter companies will give you an extra free day or two if you charter for a full week. Ask the company if they offer such a discount.). Ten days on the boat makes a nice two week vacation, including travel time, and extending it usually makes it less expensive per diem. If you charter for one week or less, I suggest you charter from a company in Charlotte Harbor and visit places in the general area. If you have about ten days, I suggest you charter in the Tampa Bay area and go south to Charlotte Harbor and back, stopping at different places along the way.

The charter companies that I liked the best no longer exist. The IP is a rugged boat, but it is a boring boat to sail. If you can find a charter company in the area that has more lively boats, you will have more fun.

About mid-April is usually a great time to cruise the Gulf coast.

Some nice places to visit in the Charlotte Harbor area are the town of Boca Grand, the island of Cabbage Key, Fisherman's Village and South Seas Plantation (the absolute nicest resort on the west coast. From there you can dinghy over to North Captiva Island to collect shells on a rugged, unspoiled Florida beach that remains essentially as it was for thousands of years.)

In 1984 I wrote a lengthy article on cruising the Florida Coast in the area between Charlotte Harbor and Tampa Bay. It contains lots of helpful information and suggestions that will help you plan your trip and avoid little (or big) pitfalls. If anyone would like a copy, send me a request by e-mail. (It will take me a little while to re-type it, because my only electronic copy of it has been scanned, and won't be readable if I send it to you in that format.) Although it's an old article, most of the information is still valid. Some of the businesses mentioned might or might not still exist. The big difference between sailing there and sailing in the inland lakes that many of us habituate is the effect of tides, tidal currents and honest-to-goodness waves. Those conditions are minor or non-existent factors at home, but you have to keep them in mind when you cruise coastal waters. Also, you need to learn how to get through the intracoastal waterway. It presents its own challenges.

Edited by - on

OceanDreamer
Deckhand

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USA
4 Posts

Response Posted - 12/29/2003 : 16:31:39

Thanks for all the good info.

This will be our first bareboat so a solid IP is right up our alley. We spent a week on the Chesapeake with freinds on their IP 40 so we know they're a little heavy. Got ASA certified last summer in the San Juans where currents, tides and shipping traffic all get taken into account. Warm water and thin water will be new to us in Florida. We sail our C250 on a mountain lake in Colorado.

I'll also appreciate any additional info anyone would care to add. Thanks.

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ddlyle
Captain

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302 Posts

Response Posted - 12/31/2003 : 22:38:03

I chartered with SW Fla Yachts in Burnt Store Marina and was very pleased. It is easy to get to. The boats were well maintained and the area is nice for sailing. I didn't think the IP 31 I sailed was boring. They have an IP 32 for the same price. (bigger inside with less draft). They also have more lively boats. If I did it over again, I would tow the dingy (included with the charter) and spend the night by some of the lovely islands in the area. Then I could take the dingy ashore for the admiral's beloved beach walks and shelling. The marina is very nice and the facilities are fine. The skinny water can be sneaky, but watch the charts and your depth sounder. Enjoy!!
(PS It's worth it to go ashore to see Useppa Island. Have a cheeseburger in paradise (Cabbage Cay) and spend some time chatting with Terry the marina guy at Cabbage Cay.) Yes, Boca Grande is a beautiful town. When we were there in December we picked some melt-in-your-mouth, candy-sweet tangerines from someone's tree by the street. yum!

Edited by - ddlyle on 12/31/2003 22:47:51

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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.