Newbie from Iowa

[ctbarbarian]

Soon to be retiring DDS.
Living by the Mississippi, boating and camping
but now I want to start the next phase.
I would like to find a nice Trawler, and take it
to Fl to winter in and than return in the spring.
Maybe even try the Loop someday.
I'm starting as a blank slate and hoping to learn
about living and traveling on a boat.
Conan the Dentist

 

[BandB]

Soon to be retiring DDS.
Living by the Mississippi, boating and camping
but now I want to start the next phase.
I would like to find a nice Trawler, and take it
to Fl to winter in and than return in the spring.
Maybe even try the Loop someday.
I'm starting as a blank slate and hoping to learn
about living and traveling on a boat.
Conan the Dentist

One trip to FL and back and you've done the loop.

How much boating experience do you have and what type of boating have you done?

Just from where you are you could do a nice 15 month loop or take two or three years. Don't overlook all in between. Don't just run the boat to FL, enjoy everything you can along the way.

Now, if loop is in your plans, that puts two confining factors into the equation. Draft and Air Draft. Most recommend no more than 5' draft and some recommend less. Other than the ICW we haven't seen much that is limited by draft. Air draft there's a 19'1" limitation in Chicago that can't be circumvented.

 

[ctbarbarian]

I've lived on the Mississippi all my life but
just small flat boats.
Recently we took our 24 ft pontoon 300 miles from Prescott, Wi
back to Clinton Ia. and had a great time camping along the way.
This started the interest in more boating and wintering on a boat.

I have read a lot on the internet about boats and a few books.
I think the ideal boat would be a 36 ft trawler with
a single diesel engine. The problem is we don't have many
trawlers in this part of the country.
I would like to purchase good safe boat by next summer and spend
a year getting experience on the Miss, and than try to winter in a nice marina
by the Dec to March of 2018.
Its even been suggested I bring some dental instruments and have
a floating dental office. NO WAY.

Any info is helpful
Thanks
Conan the DDS

 

[ctbarbarian]

What I would ideally like is to find a boat on the water
at a nice FL marina to rent and just stay on for a week in Jan or Feb
at the dock.
Just to see if the wife and I would like this life style.
I know you can't learn it all in a week but it would be a baby step.
Also, It would give me a chance to check out wintering marinas
and contact some boat dealers.

 

[Donsan]

Conan, we have a 1984 38' Fu Hwa for sale in Michigan. It is an always fresh water boat. Here is the YW link if you are interested:

1984 Fu Hwa 38 DC Power Boat For Sale - www.yachtworld.com

 

[BandB]

What I would ideally like is to find a boat on the water
at a nice FL marina to rent and just stay on for a week in Jan or Feb
at the dock.
Just to see if the wife and I would like this life style.
I know you can't learn it all in a week but it would be a baby step.
Also, It would give me a chance to check out wintering marinas
and contact some boat dealers.

Great idea to charter in FL.

Here is a good place to start and do that.

Chitwood Charters - Boat charter sarasota florida - Florida Yacht Charters using Grand Banks Trawlers. Selene Yacht Passage, Sarasota, Florida - Grand Banks boat rental sarasota florida

Don't just stay at the dock. Get a captain for a day or so to show you the ropes.

One of the big things you're going to have to decide is size and type, especially size and flybridge or no flybridge. From there, many things.

 

[ctbarbarian]

I'm definitely in for a flybridge and thinking
about a 32 to 36 ft boat.
I didn't know you could rent a Captain for a day.
Great idea.

 

[BandB]

I'm definitely in for a flybridge and thinking
about a 32 to 36 ft boat.
I didn't know you could rent a Captain for a day.
Great idea.

You can rent a captain for whatever length of time you want. In Chartering from a good charter company they could advise on a good teaching captain, rather than one just running the boat. They have a lot of customers very much like you.

Chitwood even does 4 hour cruises, which won't teach you a lot but I knew one person who chartered different boats during the same week to get a feel. If I was thinking 32-36', I'd try something in that size range and see if it worked for me, if I could be comfortable with the compromises. I say compromises, not as a bad word, as every boat is a compromise.