Newbie needs help in Ocala, FL

First rule:

There is no 'Rope' on a boat.

They are lines, haylards or sheets.

I am based out of West Palm Beach, if you are interested in coming down this way, I can walk you through it. There is nice sailing either lake or ocean.

Thanks Craig!

Like I said, I bet that line has been used a thousand times <img src="<>/wink.gif" alt="wink" title="wink" height="15" width="15" /> I might just take you up on your offer.

Try THE LAKE EUSTIS SAILING CLUB. Great place. Might be a great place to start. Mostly dingys but some cats. www.lakeeustissailingclub.org

There are also quite a few H16's sailing out of the Gulfport Yacht Club, which is in the St. Pete area, right down I-75 to 275 from you.

They race on the 1st and 3rd Sunday of each month. I'm sure someone there (or many someones) can get you started in the right direction.

http://www.gulfportyachtclub.com

Thanks for the suggestions! St Pete looks like it may be my best option so far.

Website: http://tampabaycatsailors.com/

We've been trying to get a Hobie fleet started for some time. You're more than welcome here. Gulfport is on Boca Ceiga bay in south St. Petersburg.

http://www.gulfportyachtclub.com/

We're just off I-275, before you cross the Skyway bridge. To get a feel for the club try searching:

GYC club racing

.

It would seem Fleet 111 (Jax) or Fleet 80 (Daytona) would be better options and closer.

Actually Daytona would definitely be the closest for me. I'll check it out. Anyone from the Daytona fleet 80 on here?

Call/email Charlie Johnson, in W. Ocala for instant help.
Tell him you heard he was a wizard Prindle 19 sailor, but you need help. sailerp19 at aol.com

You missed Gilligan's Run in Daytona last Saturday and a bunch of us did some fun sailing on Sunday.

If you decide to come down to Tampa Bay, drive on down to the Dunedin Causeway, walk up to almost any cat sailor and say help and you will have it. great sailing inside on the intercoastal, lots of spoil islands to stop and picnic on, and you can go outside to the gulf if you want. There is a fun distance race coming up Sept 6, you can get plenty of advice then and can learn a lot. Happy sailing, and welcome to the club of

I cannot beleive I just did that.

Thanks dacarls, I sent him an email.

cyberspeed, where do most of the cat sailors hang out in Daytona?

Steve, We might take a ride over you way today. Unfortunately, without the boat as I'm having a little difficulty with registration on both the boat and the trailer.

Don't register the boat as it's only 16 feet and has no motor and register the trailer as a

home made

utility trailer, about $15 if I recall.

True, and if they ask you how much the trailer weighs tell them under 500lbs because if its 500lbs you have to provide a weight certificate.

The only time I sail in Daytona is for the race. Their website is www.fleet80.com. You can get more information there. Maybe send Gilligan a quick note. Very friendly bunch.

Don't feel bad we have all jumped on a trailer that has not been hook up and went for a ride! That is a right of passage, welcome to the club!

There are a number of decent lakes in the Ocala area... you cannot get blown out to sea while you learn to blow over. My cat did not come with directions either. It is a bit intimidating at first. Suddenly, one day... you realize you have a handle on it.

I am getting sick of waitting....

Unfortunately the new law is that any boat 16' or longer (motorized or not) must be registered. Believe it or not this includes Canoes Kayaks etc...

So Charlie came over Sunday and helped me get her rigged.

Thanks!

Any info on when this new law went into effect?

at my beach.. there is vertually no-one with a registered or titled cat...
actually i only know of 1 person who actually has a title for their cat...i have never had a title for any of my 3 cats..

http://www.flhsmv.gov/dmv/faqboat.html#7
Is a non-powered vessel required to be registered and titled?

If the non-motor powered vessel is less than 16 feet in length, it is not required to be registered or titled. However, if the vessel is 16 feet or more in length, it is required to be registered and titled.

Yeah, must be new. I have never seen a Florida beach cat with a title. I looked it up about a decade ago and I think my SC20 barely made the cut for length back then.

In december 08 i wrote
http://www.flhsmv.gov/dmv/vslfacts.html#4
Exemptions From Registration - non-motor-powered vessels
Exemptions From Titling - non-motor-powered vessels less than 16 feet in length

the link no longer goes to that info....

Andrew,

The last sentence is the key point here.

However, if the vessel is 16 feet or more in length, it is required to be registered and titled.

An H16 falls into this category.

Here's what I went through. I knew I had to get the trailer registered one way or the other but didn't think I had to worry about a title or registration for the boat. Keep in mind this is an 81 H16. It has been through at least three owners that I know of.

In the process of dealing with the trailer registration, the girl at the tax collectors office asks me if I am going to register the boat and I say no, it doesn't have to be registered. She informs me that yes, even if it is a non motorized sail boat 16' or over, it must now be registered, so I hope you have a title and previous registration. Nope!

I had to have fish and wildlife commission come out and do an inspection on the boat. Run the numbers to see if it had ever been registered, measure the boat, take photo's etc... see you can't get it registered without a title and neither I or the last two guys that owned the boat had a title.

So now I have applied for a title which will take 8 to 10 weeks and he tells me that while he has recommended that a title be issued, as he's sure it's not a stolen boat, I am at the mercy of the state and they may or may not issue a clear title. If not, I can't get it registered and I will be in violation of the law. He also said that technically, if he wanted to be an butt, he could really make it difficult for me and especially the guy who sold me an untitled boat.

All that said, the guy was super helpful and was much more pleasant to deal with than the idiots at the tax collectors office. He said this was such a big waste of his time that could be spent on things that actually make a difference.

He also said I might want to pass along the info since there are obviously many people in the same situation, and are not aware of the newly revised law.

Just passing it along.

All that said, Anyone want to take a newbie sailing this weekend?