Hello All,

Have a condo offered to me today in Daytona Shores and looking to take my (new to me) 84 Nacra 5.7. We are checking in on Friday and the condo complex does not allow boats or trailers. Does anyone know where I might be able to beach the cat and park my truck and trailer. Checked into Inlet Harbor which is $50/day and inconventent because I would have to sail from the marina to the inlet then to the ocean and back to the condo daily. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated because otherwise don't think I can take it on this trip and miss out on giving my girls their 1st ride on a cat in the ocean. I have also sent an email to Fleet 80 for suggestions. Thanks again to anyone who can provide some alternatives.

I have used Google and Google Earth to find launch sites. Maybe that will help you.

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Marty
1984 Hobie 16 Redline Yellow Nationals, "Yellow Fever"
Opelika, Al / Lake Martin
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You can drive on the beach for long stretches - check this out: http://www.volusia.org/se…driving-and-parking.stml - click on the north zone. People tow jet skis down there and launch them all the time - I'm pretty sure you could launch the cat right off the beach if you have a suitable beach cart. I'll ping a buddy who lives there to see if people launch cats there.



Edited by sjbrit on Jul 21, 2016 - 10:51 AM.

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H16 back in the day
SC17 right now
Bradenton, FL
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Have a look at this thread - you are good to go: http://www.thebeachcats.c…ms/viewtopic/topic/13662

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H16 back in the day
SC17 right now
Bradenton, FL
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Thanks all for the replies. SJBRIT-Please let me know what your buddy says. I am told I can take it off the trailer in the drive sections of the beach, it's just finding a safe place to leave it overnight and a place to keep my truck and trailer because the condo complex won't let either stay there and I am in Daytona Shores.

dakjones1

Thanks all for the replies. SJBRIT-Please let me know what your buddy says. I am told I can take it off the trailer in the drive sections of the beach, it's just finding a safe place to leave it overnight and a place to keep my truck and trailer because the condo complex won't let either stay there and I am in Daytona Shores.

Just find a grocery store parking lot and you'll be fine.

That area is pretty good about providing trailer parking - it gets overrun with bike trailer during bike week!

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H16 back in the day
SC17 right now
Bradenton, FL
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Thanks so have you left your boat on the beach there before overnight? I would take everything off the boat, rudders and such if I did do that.

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Thanks so have you left your boat on the beach there before overnight? I would take everything off the boat, rudders and such if I did do that.

We leave our cats mast up on our local beach all the time. we have permits that allows us to do it 2 nights a week.
our beach closes at 11 pm but there is no security, no cameras (besides one the ones at the rental shop which are too far away to be worth anything) and no guarantee that people wont mess with your boat. I have personally been on that beach many times after 11pm without hassle (meaning so can others). there are cops that "patrol" the area but who knows when and how often.

I have had a few minor issues but nothing big: I have come to my boat in the morning and found 18 shotgunned KeyStone Lights (beer) lined up on my tramp and footprints on my tramp. - no damage and i figured the hangover from 18 keystones was punishment enough. I've also found used condoms on or near my boat (gross)

There have been other and much worse incidents: absolute worst was our friends cat was stored overnight on beach wheels and some asshats just pushed it in. We found it floating miles away the next day (wheels still under it). One sailor had his tramp pockets and hatches filled with sand.

Lots of people think, hey look a boat on the beach, it must be ok - lets sit on it, or roll around and make-out on it, or let our kids jump on it - why people think they have the right to touch a boat that's on the beach defies me

My suggestions:
1. it's summer in florida. we have pop up storms that will take your boat for a ride (sans skipper) - go to Ace hardware and purchase 2 tree augers (see below for the type that works on our beach) - DON"T USE DOG LEASH augers - they wont hold your boat in a 40mph wind
Put one auger on each side of the boat and secure your boat with line (new strong line, old worn lines break under load). You can also tie a trap line to the same auger on each side. this will reduce sway of the mast that can lead to working out the augers



2. remove rudders so no one walking the beach can kick them / any wind or water can't rock them all night long

3. i would put a cheap tarp on the boat over the tramp. believe it or not, this will help keep pesky beach-goers from sitting on it while your not around. It will also help prevent anyone from burning a hole in a tramp via flicked ciggerate or other wrapped up smokeable and reduce bird crap (around here bird love to sit ontop of a mast, eat a fish and crap their brains out)

4. if you leave your jib on the cat overnight - make sure it it 100% wrapped up so if any strong wind comes through it doesn't have any sail area to work with

5. if you leave your jib on the beach - secure it with a line wrapped around it so even if the furling line breaks or is messed with, your jib can not unfurl

6. if you don't tarp your boat, make the boat look as neat as possible (tuck all the lines you can into tramp pockets) - people are less inclined to play with or mess with a boat that looks neat compared to one that has lines all over it and looks messy

7. make sure you park well out of high tide, over here we have a 3' sway in tide and it's always amusing to see people who park their car and or cat close to the waters edge at low tide ... as a matter of fact, i would park my cat away from any common paths if possible - but also under a light or near a video camera if possible



Edited by MN3 on Jul 21, 2016 - 02:43 PM.

Thanks for the info and all the details. I may ask one of the local cat rental places if I can lock up my boat with theirs. Just thinking of other options. Will let you know how it turns out. Thanks again

dakjones1

Thanks for the info and all the details. I may ask one of the local cat rental places if I can lock up my boat with theirs. Just thinking of other options. Will let you know how it turns out. Thanks again

if I owned a rental place I would never let you park there for a few reasons: 1 - I make my living renting boats, not a parking lot 2 - what if your boat breaks a stay or flips in a storm on my other boats 3-what If your boat fails and hurts someone on or near my rental property?

do you have insurance on your boat? It would be a good idea to get it pre trip just incase

Fleet 80 commander provided a solution. Many of them park their boats in front of Perry's and leave them there overnight and longer. And yes I have boat insurance and a $2 million dollar umbrella policy to keep the "sue happy" at bay. Also, hadn't really considered tow insurance at sea until I read a couple of demasting nightmares so added that too.

Awesome!

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Fleet 80 commander provided a solution. Many of them park their boats in front of Perry's and leave them there overnight and longer. And yes I have boat insurance and a $2 million dollar umbrella policy to keep the "sue happy" at bay. Also, hadn't really considered tow insurance at sea until I read a couple of demasting nightmares so added that too.

can't ever have too much insurance

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Kenneth Purdy
Hobie 16
Nacra 5.2 (2)
Banshee
First Coast, Florida
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dakjones1

Fleet 80 commander provided a solution. Many of them park their boats in front of Perry's and leave them there overnight and longer. And yes I have boat insurance and a $2 million dollar umbrella policy to keep the "sue happy" at bay. Also, hadn't really considered tow insurance at sea until I read a couple of demasting nightmares so added that too.

I've done that for a race before. Are you saying Perry's allows cats to park in front year round regardless?

in an over abundance of caution I would get a trailer hitch lock to make sure no one can steal your cat/trailer

I would even go so far as to put extra cable/chain/locks through your tire hubs
call me paranoid but I see a lot of boats / motors / etc stolen in florida

MN3

in an over abundance of caution I would get a trailer hitch lock to make sure no one can steal your cat/trailer

I would even go so far as to put extra cable/chain/locks through your tire hubs
call me paranoid but I see a lot of boats / motors / etc stolen in florida

Better yet if the coupling of your trailer is bolted on just remove it and take it with you haha.