Moving from East coast fl to west coast

Currently in Daytona Beach and may move the boat next year. Have looked from Hudson down to St Pete. Have read every review I could fine, but they are mostly from transients.
OZ is 43 ft Marine Trader, draws 4 ft,
Will not be a liveaboard, would like to spend w/e and maybe a week here and there. Also plan on doing some cruising around the gulf.
I have looked in Tarpon Springs, Madeira, Harborage, St Pete. Going to Gulfport, Fl next week
Would like to here from folks who keep their boats in any of these areas
My husband vote for the Vinoy in St Pete, yet to win the lottery
Thanks a lot
Bert

Funny you should mention The Vinoy in St. Pete. My Marine Trader "Southerly" will spend 6 months out of the year there. The other 6 months will be spent on the east coast most likely much further south then she currently is.

So you are leaving Palm coast. Actually that is where OZ was when I bought her. My husband said he like the "room service to boat" option. Enjoy reading your posts. Good luck

Regarding the Vinoy Marina (I'm from St. Pete) ask someone to dig you up some photos of that place getting "blown up" by three days or so of strong easterlies several years ago. The marina is wide open from that direction and the results were scary. Harborage Marina in St. Pete is a great spot.

lgbert,

I'm in Maderia Beach and been in this location for 18 years and in this general area for over 40 years and have done mostly "local" boating up and down the west coast from Tarpon to Marco Island. Most of the info below is really close to Madeira Beach.

I like it, but will make a few comments....
I've patronized the Harborage and Vinoy and the muni marina there. There's not a huge difference in the exposure there, perhaps a little.

If you're looking for exposure protection, there's a few that are tucked back a bit but most are on Tampa Bay or the Intercoastal.

The west coast is shallow, so paying attention to depths as well as local knowledge is important.

If you're doing a lot of day trips to restaurants, or hanging out at an island, big boats have a disadvantage. There will be a lot of restaurants or places to hang out will be very restricted or impossible to get into. Of the hand full that I patronize, getting my 40 ft Mainship in is either impossible or difficult with about half of them.... but there's lots of them. Caladesi State park, and great overnight spot I believe only has 2 or 3 "over 40 foot docks".

However, with a bit of local knowledge which you'll get, there's still a LOT of places to go and a lot of water to float in.

For the bulk of my restaurant runs or shallow water hang outs, I use my smaller boat. However, a great place to be... and still somewhat reasonable.

We have kept our boat in Tarpon Springs for 15 years and love it. We are at Anclote Isles marina. It is not fancy, but is well protected and the price is right. Wherever you decide to home port, I believe you will love it on the Gulf. The water is shallower here than the Atlantic, but it has caused me no problems with a 41 ft. boat with a 4 ft. draft. We use our dinghy a lot over here. Drop the hook, then dinghy in to restaurant, no worries. Good luck

Donna said:

Funny you should mention The Vinoy in St. Pete. My Marine Trader "Southerly" will spend 6 months out of the year there. The other 6 months will be spent on the east coast most likely much further south then she currently is.

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Wifey B: We've never been to the Vinoy, but just looked it up and sounds cool. I know some wouldn't like the resort atmosphere, but I think I could suffer through it fine.

You might check out the Maximo Marina (formerly known as Maximo Moorings), in the southwest part of St. Petersburg.( Maximo Marina Overview | Maximo Marina ). It's deep, well-sheltered and convenient to many places both ashore and afloat. The approach channel is just off the GICW in Boca Ciega Bay. The Gulf of Mexico beaches are a ten-minute drive across the Bayway Bridge, and your boat can get to the Gulf via Pass-a-Grille Channel, just a few miles to the south. On land, Interstate 275 is five minutes away, and a Publix shopping center is within a block. All things considered, a comfortable coastal hideout on the Gulf side of the state.

BandB said:

Wifey B: We've never been to the Vinoy, but just looked it up and sounds cool. I know some wouldn't like the resort atmosphere, but I think I could suffer through it fine.

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I never thought of the Vinoy as a resort. That is where I stay when I work. That is the reason for harboring her there for 6 months. I would much rather be in my own space than a hotel and still have the amenities.

Yep will eventually be leaving Palm Coast. It takes 5 days to get down to Fort Pierce, where I love it. There is just nothing but dollar stores and banks here in Palm Coast. That has to make you laugh! Besides, they sold the marina, but you didn't hear it from me!

Donna said:

I never thought of the Vinoy as a resort. That is where I stay when I work. That is the reason for harboring her there for 6 months. I would much rather be in my own space than a hotel and still have the amenities.

Yep will eventually be leaving Palm Coast. It takes 5 days to get down to Fort Pierce, where I love it. There is just nothing but dollar stores and banks here in Palm Coast. That has to make you laugh! Besides, they sold the marina, but you didn't hear it from me!

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Wifey B: Well, you stay in a resort. It is the Renaissance Vinoy Resort Marina. :lol:

The spa, golf course, and health club didn't give a clue it was a resort?

Just teasing you as I actually understand. We don't think of Fort Lauderdale as a resort, but as home.

We love docking at resorts like that where, as you mention, you have your own space on your boat but all the amenities of the resort.

Me thinks perhaps you and I might have slightly different tastes than some here. We have enjoyed visiting Palm Coast although our first couple of times were to Hammock Beach on a quick one day trip north as a couple getaway. Still we'd miss all Fort Lauderdale has to offer if we lived there.

Making note to check out the Vinoy. We've always docked at Harbourage.

The vinoy gets very rough occasionally, particularly during a NE blow because the basin is small and waves reflect from all directions. In settled weather it is great. Municipal marina is also great location and a bit more protected than Vinoy. For the most protected marina Loggerhead is best though air draft is limited. Maximo and marinemax are also protected though Maximo is being rebuilt so that will probably impact availability. Downtown St. Pete is so popular that marinas in walking distance are mostly full except vinoy.

First you must decide if you primarily want a storage dock and plan to cruise away from the home dock when in the area or you want to stay aboard in the marina and enjoy walking to downtown St. Pete.

BandB said:

Wifey B: Well, you stay in a resort. It is the Renaissance Vinoy Resort Marina. :lol:

The spa, golf course, and health club didn't give a clue it was a resort?

Just teasing you as I actually understand. We don't think of Fort Lauderdale as a resort, but as home.

We love docking at resorts like that where, as you mention, you have your own space on your boat but all the amenities of the resort.

Me thinks perhaps you and I might have slightly different tastes than some here. We have enjoyed visiting Palm Coast although our first couple of times were to Hammock Beach on a quick one day trip north as a couple getaway. Still we'd miss all Fort Lauderdale has to offer if we lived there.

Making note to check out the Vinoy. We've always docked at Harbourage.

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LOL!!! I usually don't have time to spend on the "resort" life when I am there. I spend most of my time at the studio. This is one of the reasons I want the boat there for an extended period of time!

I am moving her before the 19th of this month to Yacht Harbor Marina, (Ocean Hammock). It is just across the ICW from where I currently am. More amenities. I'll see how it goes there.

Donna said:

LOL!!! I usually don't have time to spend on the "resort" life when I am there. I spend most of my time at the studio. This is one of the reasons I want the boat there for an extended period of time!

I am moving her before the 19th of this month to Yacht Harbor Marina, (Ocean Hammock). It is just across the ICW from where I currently am. More amenities. I'll see how it goes there.

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We like Hammock Beach. It's weird that the resort is so far from the marina but pretty good food, tennis and golf, and great spa. So, it's like you're at the resort but you're also at a quiet marina. Well, except the tennis courts which are right by the marina and a long way from the resort lodging.

Yes, your experience at Vinoy is much like when I traveled on business. All these places I could say I went but I never really saw or experienced any of them.

Thanks for all the great info. St Pete, Madeira Beach and Gulfport all have a long waiting list, which is fine still I am in no hurry. Maximo is under construction, but looks like it will be nice when completed. It is nice not to be in a hurry and it was fun looking at all the marinas.

lgbert said:

Thanks for all the great info. St Pete, Madeira Beach and Gulfport all have a long waiting list, which is fine still I am in no hurry. Maximo is under construction, but looks like it will be nice when completed. It is nice not to be in a hurry and it was fun looking at all the marinas.

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Marker One and Homeport to the north have been easier to get a slip, and Tarpon is worth looking at if you like being that far north. I've had friends at both Marker One and Homeport and been there many times. Homeport is a bit nicer and has covered slips, but bet theres a waiting list for them.

Good choice in the west coast. Lots of choices.

My first choice would be to just buy a waterfront home and keep the boat behind the house. WAY more convenient. Waterfront is expensive, but not impossible and there's a few reasonable ones out there, perhaps a bit smaller. I just sold one of my rental houses in Madeira Beach for $380, small 3/2 on deep water. If you can put up with condo crap, there's a lot of choice with slips out there. Just north of me at Boca Ciega Point, they sell in the ~280 and up range with slips. Across the way there's small ones with slips much cheaper, can't remember the name. Even putting up with condo fees with the boat at home is way better than a Marina. Lots of choices.

I've enjoyed being in the Bradenton/Palmetto area. We are kinda midway from Tarpon Springs to the North to Ft Myers beach, and Naples/Marco to the South.
We keep boat at twin Dolphin Marina, but Regatta Point and Rivera Dunes are both close.
Wm Mayberry
OPTIMYSTIQUE
Mariner 40


Currently on Watts Bar Lake, Tennessee

Wmiii said:

I've enjoyed being in the Bradenton/Palmetto area. We are kinda midway from Tarpon Springs to the North to Ft Myers beach, and Naples/Marco to the South.
We keep boat at twin Dolphin Marina, but Regatta Point and Rivera Dunes are both close.
Wm Mayberry
OPTIMYSTIQUE
Mariner 40


Currently on Watts Bar Lake, Tennessee

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Wmiii,

That's a GREAT place, and Twin Dolphin is very nice. If I were to do things all over again, I would have probably looked more serious between Bradenton to Venice. Venice is really nice, with much cleaner water, neat little town, but limit open area in the inter coastal.

Lot of good choices.

Gulfport is very nice. Well protected from any weather and nice marina managers. Price will be one of the best.

We are thinking about becoming a live aboard at Twin Dolphins. How did you like it?

Twin Dolphin Marina is very nice. They have both floating and fixed docks. Floating are much nicer. Heated pool, hot tub, individual wash rooms, close to some great restaurants, river walk to enjoy, bike to Robinson preserve and on out to Anna Maria Island. Ellenton discount mall. Marina is really well protected especially if your slip is on the western half.

Well, We have been at Twin Dolphin Marina off and on since 2000. We really like its location, facilities, floating docks and general atmosphere.
They are in the process of replacing all the docks in the East basin and upgrading the whole facility.
Yes, we would certainly recommend it.


Wm Mayberry
OPTIMYSTIQUE
Mariner 40

Four blocks from the marina is O’Bricks. They call it an Irish Pub but IMHO it is so much more. ️️️️ Five Star Restaurant with three or four star price. Food is really great.