catamaran friendly motels

Anybody know of a list of "cat friendly" motels? Every time I try to take the boat somehwere it's always a hassle trying to find a place to launch.

The beach lodge in Port aransas TX let me park my 16 sans trailer in their parking lot while I was staying there. The parking lot butted up to the beach. 100yd push on cattrax to the water wasn't too bad. Fairly level and the beaches were well groomed.

Maybe others will add a favorite or friendly vacation spot. Might become a useful tool.

I like that idea <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Pete:

If you ever get out our way you can park camper at the Texas City Dike and sail with us anytime. One of the BEST places to sail the way the wind blows most of the time. The wind gets a lift off the dike. GREAT wind and flat water . Straght off the beach most of the time, just raise rudders, set on bows and boat will back out till time to put the rudders down. ALSO we are hosting the F-18 Nationals in Oct.

www.tcdyc.com

Doug

Pete what was the name of that ONE hotel at Lake Jackson in Sebring FL. Maybe TIMBO can chime in. I totally forgot the name.

I cant wait to go back, so much fun.

The Sirata on St. Pete beach. Set up on a grass area next to the resort, beach wheels to get to the water. Not sure if this is a common practice with other places but here the room rate was 30 bucs less a night for walk ups as opposed to making a reservation.

Try www.keylimesailingclub.com

Fleet 111 is planning the annual Keys Trip in May; we are staying at the Stone Ledge Motel in Key Largo; they have great rates and like cats; plenty of parking, nice dock for power boats.
http://www.stoneledgeparadiseinn.com/
RM

BTW, Robi, you and TikiPete said you were interested in making the trip this year, check out our events on
www.fleet111.com.
Shrimp Boil Sun night, fresh cajun fried Mahi after we
catch them.
Robert

Robi, I can't remember the name either. But, it sure was fun. Anyway, it's Sebring, in twenty minutes you can drive completely around the lake.

Murph, I'm gonna put this matter up for my cfo's approval. Right now!!

CFO will our reservations as soon as their reservations person comes in! Only in the Keys! <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Mary: I know you and Rick are really busy right now, but is there a way to make this thread a resource?

Ask people to post a good experience, maybe arrange it by State or zip code?

Good idea, Pete. I have thought about that before, and there have been other threads for specific areas of the country. It would be nice to have a central listing place.

Of course, I have no idea what the technical requirements are. Anything I can do to help?

Places to rent cats would be a nice source to nice have too.

Yeah, search the forums for those other threads that have to do with cat-friendly motels and launch locations and put them in the favorite threads in your "My Home." And then go through them and make a list.

Will do! <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> Could use some help folks.

The motel you guys stayed at in Sebring was the Sunset Beach Motel. The lake is down a good two feet from when you guys were here. There is still plenty of water to run a good regatta, but at the end of my dock the water is only 12" deep!! I hope it starts raining pretty soon. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

You can still come and sail anytime because with beach wheels you can easily launch, but the home owners are all pulling their power boats out because they can't get them off the lifts for the sand!

Port A Beach lodge
2016 On The Beach
Port Aransas, Texas 78373

361.749.5713
beachlodge@juno.com

They don't have a website listed on their business card. They have a bar, food, rooms, and most importantly a place for the boat fairly close to water. Nice small town, not too touristy but I was also there in the off season (Early Feb).

That Holiday Inn in Polatka, at the starting point of the Mug race, has a small launching ramp if you have some help and the tide is high. Then you can sail all the way to the ocean if you like. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Just competed my first search for cat friendly motels. Lots of questions, not many answers. So, if you have had a good experience, SHARE IT!!! <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Like this!



Thanks Karl.

I haven't been there yet, but the good folks at Fleet 111 like this spot.

http://fabulousvacations.com/stoneledgeparadiseinn/index.htm

I'll post a first-hand account in a couple of weeks.

It pays to have an A-cat for that "beach". All rocks. It's quite a job to get that cats on the water for Mug race there, but with all the extra personnel there it usually goes pretty smoothly.

I know a bunch of boats launched on the south side of that bridge and sailed up to the start line. Perhaps there's a better place to launch than that Holiday Inn?

Melbourne Florida

I'm not sure this really fits, but here goes.

Ballard Park is where the recent Alter Cup was actually held. I did not actually sail from there but it seems fairly straight forward.

There are no hotels on site but the one recommend was quite nice. It is about 4 miles from the site and easy to find.

Lexington on the Island
1894 S. Patrick Drive
Indian Harbor Beach Florida
321-773-0325
http://www.lexingtonhotels.com/Destinations/13/Overview.aspx

The hotel is reasonably priced, clean and has spacious rooms. The attached restaurant is mediocre. If you eat there, stick to hoagies, salads or burgers. DO NOT order the wings. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

I left my boat rigged at Ballard Park from Friday before the race thru Wed when the race started ... no problems and no one even questioned leaving the boat there.

Now Pete, my buddy owns that Hoagie place and I'll have to let him know that the wings aren't up to your standards...anything particularly wrong that I should inform him of?

Party at Terry's! His condo srsly rox! Only a 30 minute drive to Ballard Park to boot.

I don't have an epicurean standard for chicken wings.

I ordered mild with garlic. They were way too hot for me to eat and there was no garlic. When we questioned the order, we were told they were indeed mild with garlic. Seriously, the fumes made my eyes water.

Debbie really enjoyed the "Havana salad"; warm red cabage, guacamole, black beans +.

Pete, I sense you're back peddling here ...
<img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Now if I get my floating dock approved ... we can launch right from the marina.



Imagine room for 3 F16's instead of the seaplane.

Yes, and I'll get that nasty sea plane out of there for you!

Not at all. Chicken wings shouldn't melt the enamel off your teeth.

Speaking about food, have you ever gotten a pizza blister on the roof of your mouth? And then you keep rubbing it with your tongue and it pops and leave a hunk of skin hanging down? And then you keep twisting it around with your tongue until it finally breaks off?

Just wondering. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

OK!

Yes.

Murph just about said it all. This is a small, clean, inexpensive spot in the Upper Keys located at mm 95.3 bayside.

I'll mention the few negatives so you won't be taken by surprise. There is no real beach, no pool and no phones in the rooms. So what!?

The property has a low sea wall and T-shaped dock which is very well maintained, with a swimming area on one side, a nice small ramp on the other and tiki huts at the end. It is the perfect place to watch the sunset.

Swimming access is via two concrete steps through the sea wall.

The bay, in this area, is shallow with a gradual slope. Water depth at the sea wall is about two feet and doesn't get over five feet until you are passed the end of the dock. The bottom is white, and hard with lots of sponges and soft corals. There were large numbers of grunts, snapper and parrot fish in and around the dock, and the water was crystal clear so swimming was like being in a big aquarium. In fact, there was a father snorkeling with his two little boys within ten yards of the sea wall and a grandmother with a two year old just off the steps that lead into the water.

An open area abutts the ramp so rigging and launching a cat is no problem. One couple launched their H-16 from the trailer. Another couple planned to launch their magnum off the cat trax. It's whatever floats your boat.

For launching larger power boats there is a public ramp very close by.

There is a "beach" area behind the sea wall that is firm, white sand. It has tiki huts, a porch swing, and lounge chairs.

Kayaks are complimentary.

The ambiance is more residential than resort-like. Our room was clean, plain and a little small, but still comfortable and had a small refrigerator. There was no carpet in our room, all floors were nice clean tile!

We found an eatery we really enjoyed at mm 100.2

http://www.keylargocoffeehouse.com/

Lorelei's was recommended by a number of people, but was REALLY crowded so we didn't stay long.

http://www.loreleifloridakeys.com/

The Acapulco, Daytona Beach Shores. A little on the small side, which is good. You don't get swallowed up by the mega resort monster. A nice, fresh and clean feel. Lots of wood and tile, none of the mustiness some many of these places have.

Above average grounds and pool area. Very pleasant family atmosphere.

You gotta go to the "Ocean Deck". Crowded and noisey, but it's Daytona!

Use the beach ramp North of the motel, the ramp to the South is a littl bit narrow for boats and trailers.

http://www.oceandeck.com/

http://acapulcoinn.com/

Pete,
You are doing a great job. I hope you are cataloging all these places in one database, so they are not just scattered around through the forum.

Sorta. They are in a thread called "catamaran friendly motels". I'll work on it.