[Dcljake]

We just finished our second visit to TV and are considering a move in a year or so. I would like to keep a boat over on the Gulf and was wondering if anyone has any experience with any Marinas over there.
Thanks

[villager]

There is a Marina at Clearwater Beach. The only experience I've had with this marina is eating breakfast in the little diner.

[Markam]

I belong to a sailing club based at the Harborage Marina on Tampa Bay. Nice marina but probably much farther than you have in mind.

Directly west from The Villages, there are small marinas in Crystal River and Homosassa but I don't have any experience with them. Suggest you set-up a free account at www.activecaptain.com where you can get reviews of marinas all along the coast.

Cheers

[sailor47]

It just so happened that we were in Chrystal River earlier this week to look around. As a former cruiser I found that Pete's marina seemed good. I have no experience with them personally but on the outside it looked good.

Not fancy but the harbor is very well protected and they had boats up to maybe 50 feet. Some where deep draft sailboats so there is a channel to get in the harbor off the Gulf.

I talked to a liveabord there. He was on a 42 foot trawler and before that a smaller sailboat. He said the harbor was quiet and the marina had reasonable people to deal with.

Of course down toward Tampa there are many marinas. It all sort of depends on what you are looking for. If fishing is your bag Chrystal River seems very popular. If your talking sailboat Chrystal River probably isn't for you. It is several miles in a controlled channel before you can get to open water deep enough to sail.

Chrystal River is 90 minutes from TV. The closest you can get to the Gulf. Tampa Bay may be a little further but it is all expressway and may be no longer drive time.

For smaller boats there are several lakes right here. Lake Griffin,Harris, Dora and Eustice. All are connected by creeks/canals. There are Marinas in these lakes too. Apopka isn't very far away. It seems large but I haven't personally been there. They don't call it Lake County for nothing.

[Dcljake]

Thanks for the info. When we were down, we rented a pontoon on the Lakes. It was fun, but not what I want. We live near the Chesapeake and I have been on salt water all my life, so I think a power boat on the Gulf would be right. I will look at the Chrystal River the next time we are down.

[rtime]

Regatta Point Marina in Palmetto FL. A little drive but a resort style marina.

[John_W]

About 25 years ago I sold real estate in Spring Hill. That's near Hwy 50 and Hwy 19 just below Crystal River. Hernando Beach is right next to Spring Hill and has a seawall community of homes. Many have birdcage pools and boats docked at their backdoor. One thing I found was some were much cheaper than others. I eventually learned that some of the canals were man-made and did not go directly to the Gulf, where other lots had direct access to the Gulf. On some of the lots once you launched your boat, you had to go to a sort of canal where another boat lift would pick up your boat and move it to the ocean side. Hence, those waterfront lots did not command near as much money as the open access lots did, and you were also limited in the size of your boat. When shopping for a canal lot or home on Hernando Beach, make sure you know if it had direct access to the Gulf.


/

[buzzy]

We looked at Clearwater, Tampa and St Petersburg. All would do, but we liked St Pete best. However, the two+ hour drive was a show-stopper. Also, the cruiser was not well-suited to lake operation. Ultimately, we could not justify boat ownership along with all the extra activities to do in The Villages, so we sold it.