It would appear that we have a contract on the sale of our place in Key Largo.
While we would prefer to stay in the area and continue running races and holding seminars here, the thought has surfaced in our minds about locating somewhere north of Palm Beach and south of Cocoa Beach.
Really not much concerned about being on the water.
Any Suggestions?
Rick

Rick,

I know your presence in Key Largo will be sorely missed. Since you must move on it seems, I would like to extend to you the invitation to explore the Space Coast area as you look for a new place to live. The area I am refering to is from New Smyrna to Melbourne, FL. I do not know much about Florida from Melbourne south, but here are a few thoughts.

Melbourne is a large city and the home of Performance Sail. Scott Hubel is the owner of Perf Sail and is doing a fantastic job with rallying the community together to enjoy sailing. He has many cats on his lot and has been a key advisor to me. I try to stay away from traffic so I do not go to Melbourne much except to do serious shopping. They have a monopoly on furniture stores there it seems.

My favorite cities in this area are Merritt Island, Titusville and New Smyrna. All three cities are well kept with good housing, close to the water and a good place to live. I live in Titusville, which is well suited for seniors and families. There is not too much to keep the 16-28 age group occupied, but I love it here. We are right off SR50 which make a 40 min. drive to Orlando, Melbourne and Daytona. We are 15 minutes from Playalinda Beach and I live 5 minutes from the Indian River where I sail my Wave. Last Saturday when me and my 5 yr old went sailing, there were about 10 Sunfish on the water at the same time participating in the Red Cross Introductory Sailing Course. The winds were quite calm that day and I let my little girl take the helm and sail all by herself. She was so proud. On windy days the Hobie Cats, Wind surfers and Kite Sailors come out to the river in groves. You can see I love it here.

Let me know If I can send you any information to help you make your decision.

gus

Hi Gus,
Thanks for the input. I have checked prices around Sebastian and Hobe Sound and was amazed at what you could buy for the same money in the Keys. In the Keys you might find a single-wide trailer on a small lot for the same money as a 4BR3BA home on a large lot up there. Not even talking about being on the water.
And I really don't see much point in being on the water anymore anyway. Heck, I am on the water now and have sailed out of here 3 times in the last year -- of course we have run a lot of races and seminars from here.., but then I can still do that and most any hotel around here.
Again, thanks for the reply,
Rick

Rick, I am fairly aquainted with housing prices in the area. For example, my girlfriend Sandy bought a nice home in Titusville, 3 bed/2 bath, on 1/4 acre, in a nice neighborhood for $84k. The same house in Cape Canaveral/Cocoa Beach would be $160, in Merritt Island $125 and in Palm Bay for about the same price. The thing I really like about Titusville is the accessability to Orlando, Cocoa Beach, Daytona. A 40 min. drive and you're there. I live in a townhouse here and they go from $45-$85 depending on the year built. Its a buyers market here, not just the interest rate, but the number of homes available.

I really wish you'd move here so the International HQ of the IWCA would be on the Space Coast. We have so many great sailing areas here for shallow draft craft. Its the ideal location for a Hobie Nationals race.
-------
Different topic. I really want to buy a good video or two for those days when I can't go out on the boat. Send me what you think is best and let me know how much to send. The other day out with my daughter I practiced my tacking skills. The Wave is so much different than my mono-hulls on a tack, but I think I am getting the hang of it. It still took about 30 seconds though to come about, I tend to over steer I think.

Hope that helps.

gus

Hi Rick

Check out the Fort Pierce area. I love Titusville…my girl friend lives there, and I visit every other weekend…but Fort Pierce has it beat when it comes to sailing or just boating in general…for one thing we have greater water depth (“T” ville has some very skinny water) in the ICW, we also have a good inlet for ocean access. Plenty of public water access.

Prices have started to rise…the rest of Fl. is finally finding out what a great place it is to live…but it is still a lot cheaper than the Key’s…

Bob

Housing is cheap (cheaper in St. Lucie county than Martin County). Access (mast up storage, even) to St. Lucie river, Intracoastal (new US Sailing center), and ocean (via St. Lucie Inlet).

Of course, you'd lower the average age in Stuart by about 5 years by moving up there, but I shouldn't bash my current location too badly!

Thanks for all that great advice. However, we found a little 2Br1B house on 1/3 acre (to house our navy and RV) in Key Largo for only $230K (not on the water, by the way) and believe it or not, it was a steal.

We also bought 4 lots that we plan on combining and then build a bigger place on that. It has a nice beach park that goes with it, but still not on the water.

Gus,
We did the Total Boat Handling video first, and it is pretty much general info -- covers nearly all parts of what the other videos do, but the others are in much more detail .
For tacking you should get the Upwind and Roll Tacking video. When we tack Waves we barely even slow down -- they tack almost like monohulls unless it is blowing like stink and there is big chop. Then you have to work at it and reallly roll tack them.
You should not be taking 30 second to tack anything except Playstation.
Good luck,
Rick