John, who started this post, I'm hear to help get involved with a Hobie Fleet in SWFlorida.

I live in Fort Myers/Cape Coral, and getting into sailing (not to mention beachcats) has not been easy at all in this area, I can only imagine that starting a Sailing Business in this area is 100 times harder. Thanks in advance for your efforts.

I do think that we have some very viable options for sailing in this area, perhaps some just don't know about it, and the visibility of a local fleet would be a great help. In March it will be only 2 years since I got into sailing, and it has not been easy to either find a spot to launch, AND to find someone to sail with that I can learn from.

The best place I found to launch and sail my Hobie 16 is off the Sanibel Causeway. Other than the $9 toll to get over the bridge, it is actually a very decent option for sailing in the Ft.Myers area, and offers good beach launching options. I typically launch from either side of the causeway island closer to sanibel. If the winds are out of the North or west, then I launch from the north side of the island and sail in the area between the causeway, Picnic island and St. James City. Nice flat water most of the time. Kind of like the bay side in the keys. (aside from the water color).

If the winds are out of the east or the south, then the southern side of the island is better, and I sail in the large area between the causeway, south Ft. Myers beach and the Sanibel Light house.

The only trick to the causeway is to make sure you protect yourself and your boat from the significant amount of large sea shells all over the place. Not a problem since I got a set of beach wheels and some sailing footwear!!

In order to sail with other Hobie sailors I have to drive 2 hours to either St. Pete and sail with the Gulfport Yacht Club folks, or to Ft. Lauderdale beach and sail with the Cat44 guys. Both groups have been very supportive and helpful, and I would like to be part of a group in my area to grow the sport more.

So count me in.