Looking for a DIY yard

[alex]

Hello guys

First of all i want to greet all of you for the new year. I wish you all that  this  year will be full of joy with our boats and we can fulfill our dreams.

As many of you know, i bought a wonderful tiki 38 but it need to be upgraded to fit the way I want to cruise around. My initial idea was to sail down to Uruguay and perform all the necessary works in my home town. but its a long way to come and a long way to sail back , specially if the winds are not the best ones for a Wharram design. Second option was Central America in Rio Dulce or somewhere like that.   After some weeks researching the web I think the best will be to stay in Florida where the boats is now, but i could not find a proper and CHEAP place where to do those works.

Maybe some of you can help me in finding a place. The boat is presently in Miami and it would be great if i can stay in the east coast of Florida near Miami since that will be our arrival airport.

We are planning to start at the end of march and expect to be ready in less than 2 month.

The ideal place would be a yard that has a haul out possibility, since i want to make some bottom painting and add a second depth sounder unit.  ( In Cuba we had a problem with the one we have now and we were motoring in the middle of very shallow reefs. You can imagine my panic)

hope to get some input from you guys,

thanks

alex

[Ann and Neville Clement]

Hi Alex,

      Florida is kind of an expensive place, but you could maybe try Cracker Boy near Lake Worth in Riverside - 561 845 0357.  If not there, you can try Riverside Marina in Ft Pierce where a lot of our friends haul out - 772 464 5720.  If that does not work, there is a family in Titusville that is Wharram enthusiastic (they will find you) and Westland Marina can be reached at 321 267 1667.  The Nichols are a nice family.  I am of the impression that all these places are friendly to do it yourselfers and honorable businesses.  Good Luck and Happy New Year and Congratulations on the new boat! 

[boatsmith]

Crackerboy in Riviera Beach  available, The most expensiveof this bunch, but with the best and most services and supplies readily available.  Harbortowne Marina in Fort Pierce Riverside Marine a little further north in Fort Pierce. They are rougher yards with much less available in the way of services and supplies and security. Transportaion is also easier at the Crack as it is a port and close to the airport.

[dennis schneider]

Hi Alex; I  am sorry I didn't find your question sooner:

      There are two haul-out possibilities here in  Goodland, Florida (1) the "Goodland Boat Park" is practically free; it is 36 feetx83feet, max depth 9 feet. If you hire a local pick-up and adapt a boat trailer you could haul out onto one of the parking spots in the park and maybe do some minor work and stay a few days, but if you wanted to do more you could move through the entry gate(max width 26 feet) out into the neighborhood and park on an empty lot(with permission) for extended work, or                                          

(2) you could use the boat ramp behind my house (19x60 feet, max depth 4 feet) and my shop; you could also stay in one of my apartments.  A LOT cheaper than Crackerboy (I used to work there)         dennis