Boat Relo question to the Tampa, St. Pete area (I'm from the "rest of the world")

Good luck.
Not trying to pee in your cornflakes (hey, no one wants to give up boating), but how often do you REALLY think you're going to make the trip to use your boat?

I think that if you're not prepared to do it on at least a monthly basis, you're going to be wasting a ton of money. You're going to have to pay someone for all your maintenance (inlcuding the mundane washing and waxing), that further adds to the cost. For the $15-$20,000 a year you're going to spend whether you use the boat or not (not even including the very real continued depreciation of your boat) it would probably be far cheaper, and fewer headaches, to do a bareboat charter when you can get down here.

But hey, if you've got money to burn, go for it!
 
With both sets of parents down there and easy flights from central Illinois, hopefully more often than not. We look at it this way, we love the boating life and plan to stay in it. We really won't know unless we try. And, having lived in Central Illinois for 4 winters once before, I can tell you we will be looking for an excuse to bail and go some place sunny and warm.
 
If you like the Tampa Bay area, take a look at Home Port (my location). They are in Ozona, which is just North of Clearwater. Home Port is on the ICW just north east of Caladesi Island state park and east of Honeymoon Island state part. Hurricane Pass seperates Caladesi and Honeymoon and is an outlet to the Gulf. Our local MarineMax (Clearwater) is a good service center, at least for us, and probably have 100 + boats they service in Home Port and do complete service/maintaince for those that want and can affort it.

Home Port has fuel and pump out, has 24/7 security and a good food spot....Ozona Blue that overlooks the marina. When we want to hire someone we take them there for lunch/dinner at the Blue during the interview, has worked almost evertime!!! Our customers like the place too!!!

Home Port 727-784-1443 Rich McCormick Dock Master
MarineMax Clearwater 727-536-2628 James Morgan Service Manager
 
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Chris R said:
With both sets of parents down there and easy flights from central Illinois, hopefully more often than not. We look at it this way, we love the boating life and plan to stay in it. We really won't know unless we try. And, having lived in Central Illinois for 4 winters once before, I can tell you we will be looking for an excuse to bail and go some place sunny and warm.
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Can't blame you there...that's why we all live here...except for this past winter! I'll bet it was probably warmer in Illinois than it was here! Coldest winter ever...BBBRRRR...

Good luck with the relocation.
 
mawyatt said:
If you like the Tampa Bay area, take a look at Home Port (my location). They are in Ozona, which is just North of Clearwater. Home Port is on the ICW just north east of Caladesi Island state park and east of Honeymoon Island state part. Hurricane Pass seperates Caladesi and Honeymoon and is an outlet to the Gulf. Our local MarineMax (Clearwater) is a good service center, at least for us, and probably have 100 + boats they service in Home Port and do complete service/maintaince for those that want and can affort it.

Home Port has fuel and pump out, has 24/7 security and a good food spot....Ozona Blue that overlooks the marina. When we want to hire someone we take them there for lunch/dinner at the Blue during the interview, has worked almost evertime!!! Our customers like the place too!!!

Home Port 727-784-1443 Rich McCormick Dock Master
MarineMax Clearwater 727-536-2628 James Morgan Service Manager
Click to expand...

Thank you Mike!
 
Chris R said:
With both sets of parents down there and easy flights from central Illinois, hopefully more often than not. We look at it this way, we love the boating life and plan to stay in it. We really won't know unless we try. And, having lived in Central Illinois for 4 winters once before, I can tell you we will be looking for an excuse to bail and go some place sunny and warm.
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Where are you at in Central Illinois? I was born and raised in Peoria, IL, and still have a lot of relatives in that area.
 
Is All American Boat Storage the place you were thinking about? I forgot about that place. We had out boat delivered there so I could bottom pait it before it went in the water. They offer reasonable dry covered storage there in Port Charlotte. A small ride through a lock and to the dock in fresh water.

http://aaboatstorage.com/
 
Chris R said:
Bloomington.
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Cool! "So how is Bloomington....It's as close to Normal as you can get...":smt043

Sorry, some Central Illinois humor.

My wife is an ISU grad, and so is my Brother (along with a nephew).
 
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