I'm moving to Orlando. Kate got a nice email from the director of educational medicine in the Florida East Orlando Hospital in which he basically told us all he was legally able to tell us that she was matching there.
So I'm now looking at moving to Orlando around June.
Is Gulfport going to be my best option as far as catsailing is concerned?
What are the costs for membership and boat storage?
Will I be able to race against Pete?!!?
Looking forward to moving south!
That's great Tad! Looking forward to having you down here. Gulfport is a great club that has a really active schedule, mast-up storage, etc. Between Gulfport, Dunedin, and the Cocoa area, there is enough racing to keep you active all year long!
GYC is a good option, but you'll be 2 hours away. The east coast is another option, home of Hagar, Hirams and the KPRR regatta which will be an hour away, plus there are a couple of 20's to sail with. You will also be a 2 hour comute to Dunedin. You'll be 90 minutes from Daytona, home of Gilligans Run and the Daytona Summer Sizzler. You will be 45 minutes from Eustis the home of the WildCat regatta.
Mast up storage is awesome but it does make you lazy, although there are exceptions (Karl and Beth come to mind)
Ding
Congrats.
there is mast up storage in clearwater at the sailing center.. it will cost you an arm (you get to keep your leg) around 1200. there are a few boat parking areas for mast down storage near the dunedin causeway (around 60/month i think) if you are so inclined. let me know and i will get you more details.
Saw a sign on a wrecker truck the other day:
We don't want and arm and a leg.., we just want your tows!
Yes but you have to buy a F16. Just kidding, come on down!
And don't listen to Ding, he's just jealous.
Talk to Wally World (the original), and set up a regatta right there in the park! I'd drive down for that.
Mike
We don't want and arm and a leg.., we just want your tows!
Haha.. funny.. but i have never seen/heard of a
reasonable
tow fee (except the last two guys who towed my cat back to shore... free from friends)
I've been pretty spoiled as far as accessibility to mast-up storage nearby. I'm 15 minutes away from my boat sitting on its trailer with its mast up.
2 hours is gonna be rough but I think the sailing conditions will allow me to sail more often than I do on Lanier. As awesome as the sailing is on Lanier, you basically have to write off June through August for reliable breeze.
Another thing - where do y'all work on your boats if you keep them at GYC? I'm not talking about minor rigging work - I'm talking major work like glass or bottom jobs and the like? Is there a boatyard in GYC or do you have to drag your boat home to work on it? This is important as I look for a place to live in Orlando. Will I need a place that can temporarily facilitate a N20 in the backyard or do I not need to worry about it.
Along the N20 front as well - I want to keep it. I love the boat. But if I find a problem in finding crew - I might have to change classes.
GYC frowns on major work at the club. That isn't to say it doesn't happen.
The weather is the best news. Florida has terrible thunderstorms in the summer, and most places can count on them on a daily basis, but for some reason they seem to stay away from GYC. The bay is sort of out on a peninsula, perhaps that has something to do with it, and they usually roll off north, south or inland.
Stank is making noise about getting back in the game, so there's your N20 crew. Of course you are always welcome in the F16 fleet. It's destiny. <img src="<>/smirk.gif" alt="smirk" title="smirk" height="15" width="15" />
I just don't see that getting past the comittee. I have a new found respect for the man.
Tad, you are welcome to work on and leave your cat in my yard for a week if the need arrises (clearwater).
This is not possible in the mast down storage places i know of.
I suffered for 6 years in an apartment, BUT MAN ITS NICE to have.. power, water and my cat in eyesight now...
Sailing at Gulfport? I hsve visited a lot, and it is an excellent venue with great sailing buds. Patrick Berger is an A-cat sailor, and a member, WITH a warehouse! At the moment he has an excellent craftsman, Ian Lindahl, works there on boats. Ian just won both A-cat races at Islamorada last week, on his HOME BUILT BOAT, the LR3. I think that is really something.
Thanks for all the help guys.
How about info for the east coast? I will be a lot closer to the east coast (< 1hr to Cocoa Beach) than the west. Are there any places over there to keep a boat?
How about info for the east coast? I will be a lot closer to the east coast (< 1hr to Cocoa Beach) than the west. Are there any places over there to keep a boat?
Scott Hubel's shop is the only place that offers any kind of mast up storage and space is very limited. Performance Sail and Sport is the name of his shop.
Tad, it's too bad there isn't more active cat sailing at Lake Eustis Sailing Club, http:/
They host the Wildcat regatta in the fall, and I think it is the George Washington Regatta in the spring that also attracts cats.
Thanks Ding and Mary. I'll start inquiring as soon as I have time to breathe.
Selling a house is such a pain in the butt!
I reside just north of Orlando. Some of us leave our boats mast up on the beach all summer(just get it off before hurricane season), but you might not want to do that with a N20.
Are you just a racer or do you also recreation sail?
With so many great places to sail within a few hours drive time you may just want to keep the boat at home then pick the place with the best conditions for the weekend.
During the winter months it's the west cost or Kelly Park or the Keys. There are some good weekends for the ocean but not many.
The best regattas down here seem to happen during Fall and Spring(with the exception of Tradewinds in January). More than enough to keep you on the road during any free weekend.
In the summer the only place to have wind is the ocean(although Ding says there is never enough). The fleet in Cocoa Beach is very active. Several active groups in Tampa(Gulfport, Tampa Bay Catamaran Assoc.) The best social sailing fun group has to be Dunedin. Daytona puts on several races each year.
Another option if you want mast up storage or just need a place to get a sailing fix in every once in a while check out the Halifax Sailing Center in Daytona. Best deal going.
great write up Jeff, but i just want to say we (gulf) get a nice sea breeze almost everyday at 1(ish) in the summer too.. nothing to double trap with, but its rare we dont have enough to sail.
I was going to second Eustis for mast-up storage being close to Orlando.
And I could crew on the 20 for approximately 4 regatta weekends provided they meet strict criteria (which is as of yet still to be determined).
How about info for the east coast? I will be a lot closer to the east coast (< 1hr to Cocoa Beach) than the west. Are there any places over there to keep a boat?
Mast up is a bit more limited on the east coast. We've tried to get our own
club
space like GYC but the County hasn't been terrifically cooperative.
As stated Scott's place is an option. From Orlando it is about 50-60 minutes.
I keep my boat (when not racing) at Titusville Sailing Center. This is about 30-45 minutes from Orlando. Membership at TSC is $60 / yr and currently don't charge me for boat storage; although space is limited and the club is not oriented towards cats.
WOW... i wish we had that option. our community sailing center wants about 400 to be a member and 800 for storage ..
This sounds pretty attractive. Thanks tback.
This sounds pretty attractive. Thanks tback.
As state, room is limited and by that I mean you don't get an assigned space. Many times after having my boat gone from there for a couple of weeks, I have to
re-arrange
the dingies and sunfish to make space for my cat.
Additionally there is no beach off the ramp (which isn't great) , so when launching I anchor my boat offshore in shallow water.
All in all, it's not as bad as I make it out to be ... just wanted to give you full disclosure. When you're down this way give me a ring (or if you need advice on where to look for residence let me know--some people live on the coast and drive back into Orlando).
Here is the link of Titusville Sailing Center:
TSC Club Location -- NW corner of bridge
Is this a permenent move or use short term?
As little as 4 years... my wife is doing her residency in Orlando.
If I read you post it said Florida Hospital East. East side of Orlando and easy access(Interstate) to Cocoa Beach(Kelly Park, Performance sail). If you pick the right place to live you could be 35 min to good sailing and still close to her work.
The new hospital in Lake Nona?
If so, Lake Nona to TSC is 48; Lake Nona to Performance Sail is 53 minutes (so about equal). I own a condo right across the street from TSC and prices are ridiculously low (for both rentals and Sales). Here is a picture outside my balcony:
Well, living at the coast isn't an option because she needs to be within a 30 minute drive of the hospital when she's on call.
I don't know where lake Nona is - but this hospital she's in is relatively new.