Well my wife pulled of a christmas miracle. She got her sister and all the kids to come up BEFORE Christmas. My sister-in-law is a school teacher and they have 3 weeks off so they were willing to come before. So on Monday after Xmas we are loading up the truck and headed to Jacksonville to get the Mac X out of trailer storage and will lower the mast etc and head to the Keys.
I would like to leave boat AND truck in the Keys. Their is a little airline in Greenville SC called Allegiant that will fly you to Ft Lauderdale for less than $50 after tax one-way. I can't dive that gas hog of a truck back to GA then back again to get the boat for less than the flight. I have to be in Miami again end of Jan and can swing a long weekend in the Keys and figure we can fly down one more time and then bring it back.
I read Dave's post about South Dade Marina. It sounds like a place I can leave truck and boat/trailer for a reasonable fee per month. Does anyone have any other suggestions. Also, anybody else going to be down that way. We will stay through New Years and will fly home on Tues. Thanks Bob
Bob,
Looking to go to the top of the keys also. PM me or give me a call if you still have my number. I am driving down monday or tuesday.
Phil of St Marys
We were planning on leaving here for Key West on Dec 27th for a 2-3 month stay in the Keys, but just back from the Doctor and I have a hernia. It may require surgery. So we are on indefinite hold Have appt with a Surgeon the 27th will know more then. If anything can do wrong, it will go wrong.
You can also try the Homestead Bayfront Park and Marina in Homestead (by the speedway).
It is a national park marina so it is quite affordable. You can call them up for rates etc ... http://www.miamidade.gov/parks/parks/ho ... marina.asp
I live in Weston so if you need help or anything comes up feel free to give me a ring. +1.954.598.2380
Fred, The reason I am useing South Dade Marina (private owned) , all the State and County Parks have taken to higher prices. Last time I cked at Homestead Bayfront it was $20 a day compared to $13- 2 years ago.
I keep telling these Parking lot/ramp venders I don't want to buy the Parking Lot just want to rent a space. State Parks I already pay for them thru Sales Tax.
If Lee County and Cape Coral can keep up with new ramps and docks for $10 a day and a private Marina for $5 a day in Dade why can't Dade County and State do the same.
Dave
Fred Rio wrote:You can also try the Homestead Bayfront Park and Marina in Homestead (by the speedway).
It is a national park marina so it is quite affordable. You can call them up for rates etc ... http://www.miamidade.gov/parks/parks/ho ... marina.asp
I live in Weston so if you need help or anything comes up feel free to give me a ring. +1.954.598.2380
The South Dade Marina was the only place I found that would allow me to keep both my Truck and Boat on trailer for the next few months. I can work the phone and check with some others. Is South Dade that bad? I will use my own head and avoid the toilets!
Fred,
My wife and I will be in Weston Feb. 19-25th. We are going to the Strictly Sail Miami show and Weston was as close to Miami as we could find. We are also driving up to Stuart/Pt st lucie area to look at some properties. We are hoping to retire in the next couple of years and get out of the desert. Maybe we can have lunch or dinner while we're there. E-mail me or pm.
Brian
bobaefa wrote:The South Dade Marina was the only place I found that would allow me to keep both my Truck and Boat on trailer for the next few months. I can work the phone and check with some others. Is South Dade that bad? I will use my own head and avoid the toilets!
South Dade is fine if you don't stay overnight. (It's just a few miles away from a great marina and free mooring under the bridge) South Dade is cheap, Carlos the hand is an incredible human being and the owner is a nice, knowledgeable person..but its more like a boat grave yard than a marina.
Q1
One doesn't go to the Keys to stay at a Grave Yard.
One goes to the Keys so they can Launch at your Grave Yard and come back a week later to haul out at $5 a day.
Anywhere else is going to cost $20 a day and most likely $30 a day or more further you go South.
$140 plus for a week or $35. Even at Homestead showers are cold, Spend your money for a $20 stay at Elliott Key Marina for a cold shower or better yet use a 2 gal. pressure tank I use and use a pint of water I cook up at stove to put in that 2 gal. shower.
Keys are like living in the woods,only on water, it's great because you sail were you want and don't have to pay the $125 a night room in a old shack.
You also have the Water Highway to yourself and places only Boaters can land on and camp out in a campfire.
Dave
Québec 1 wrote:
bobaefa wrote:The South Dade Marina was the only place I found that would allow me to keep both my Truck and Boat on trailer for the next few months. I can work the phone and check with some others. Is South Dade that bad? I will use my own head and avoid the toilets!
South Dade is fine if you don't stay overnight. (It's just a few miles away from a great marina and free mooring under the bridge) South Dade is cheap, Carlos the hand is an incredible human being and the owner is a nice, knowledgeable person..but its more like a boat grave yard than a marina.
Q1
Rather than look for a marina to store your boat for any length of time, I would look for nearby off the water self storage and boat & trailer storage facilities. Most marina's with launch ramps charge a premium to be right by the marina that is not necessary if your are just storing your boat for a month or two. For the short term screw the cost and stay at the marina of your choice. It will still be cheaper (and far nicer, in my opinion) than anything but the fanciest hotel.
For long term storage look for something within a cheap cab ride of the airport.
Theo makes a good point - a boat storage place would do better than a marina for the longer-term storage you are talking about. They typically function like a self-storage place where you pay a monthly fee, so you might have to negotiate to keep from having to pay for a 6 month contract. But it still makes more sense than paying a nightly fee at a marina.
I love the Keys...I can't wait to get my boat!!!!!!
Wifey and I will start doing trips down there once I get some experience under my belt...gonna play in and around Tampa Bay a lot for the first 6-months or so before venturing down there...
DaveB, you ever sail down to Marco and eat at Snook Inn? Yummy grouper sammiches with sweet tater fries!! Mahi sammiches too!
(How long does it take you to get down that far from Cape Coral?)
Have appt with a Surgeon the 27th will know more then. If anything can do wrong, it will go wrong. 
!
