Can anyone recommend a spot where one could take the beach cat from up north, drive down south and sail off the beach and stay in a hotel this winter? Did not get in enough sailing this season and looking for a spot for a weeks vacation during this upcoming winter. How far south would you have to go? Can you sail off the South Carolina Coast?

You *could* I suppose, but it'll be awefully chilly. It gets cold down round these parts in the winter winter.

To get comfortable winter sailing in, I'd say that you'd have to get down to Ft. Lauderdale and points south.

Is Gilberts still around on Key Largo? You could launch from there into the sound and get a lot of really awesome sailing in.

I hear brazil is nice i february! <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> Just teasing'

just FYI... here in the Tampa area, we sail year round.. but it gets cold in the winter. we wear foul weather gear or wet/dry suits... but we are spoiled with 90* water in the summer so when it gets to a chili 70* we freeze.

You can sail in feb if you have the gear.

Remember they're from up north.


The challenge you get here (as with other places) is the ability to get your cat TO THE BEACH. Daytona Beach and New Symrna Beach have beach access (you can drive on the beach) so easy access is there. The ocean can be tough in the winter months ... both of these locations offer protected sailing in the river.

Alternatively, Clearwater Beach in the Tampa Bay area has easy access to the Gulf...no beach driving but you can pretty easily get a cat from the parking lot to the beach on wheels. The Gulf is more forgiving than the Atlantic ... but if it's a blow you can move to Tampa Bay (which is so large that in some cases not any better than the Gulf).

Enjoy.

Well you can't launch from C. Beach. You might be able to launch from the Clearwater sailing center (fee?) Your best bet is to launch from Dunedin causeway. There are hotels close by. There's plenty of sailing inside the sound or in the Gulf..

South Cackalacky is probably too cold in the middle of winter for sailing with anything resembling a smile. We go through spells in the 30's as far south as Charleston and the water gets pretty cold.

Uhmmmmm......Charleston is North! <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Naples is nice, and you can keep your cat on the beach in front of Naples Hotel & Beach Club. I think if you spoke with them, they could let you park the trailer in one of their lots by the golf course.

Last time I checked, there was a spot to roll your boat through (about 10' wide) but you'd have to put the mast up on the beach.

If you're okay with a Getaway, most beach hotels have them ready to go for a rental fee... Maybe you could "knee-go-she-ate" a weekly rental rate?

Well....yeah - but it's pretty far south as far as the Cackalacky coast is concerned.

the last few New Years Day regattas here in S cacky the temps have been in the 60's, but water is cooold. Its all relative to how far north you are I guess.

While that's true (and we've had some incredible New Year's Day sails!), temps (especially water temps) only get colder From Jan to early March.

I have seen Canadians swimming At Myrtle in Feb. I would not join them but they are there. With a dry suit maybe. Also remember that the ocean water has more power in the winter and the waves are typically stronger and harder hitting.

While not to the same degree as up there, Jan. to March are the coldest here as well.

Singer Island (West Palm Beach) is a nice place with both ocean and lake sailing. Camping can also be had at Peanut Island.

Let me know if you are interested and I can put together some more info for you.

http://www.islanderfloridakeys.com/

They run Acat regatta's there, I bet they'd let you bring your boat.

http://www.usaca.info/index.php?option=c...s&Itemid=55