Click for Westport Click for Northern Lights Click for Glendinning Click for Abeking Click for Furuno

Keys versus Fajardo

Discussion in 'General Yachting Discussion' started by Paul Heberer, Jan 1, 2022.

You need to be registered and signed in to view this content.
  1. Paul Heberer

    Paul Heberer New Member

    Joined:
    Jan 1, 2022
    Messages:
    9
    Location:
    Madison,WI
    I'm looking to buy a sportfish in the 50' range to put in either the Florida Keys or Fajardo, Puerto Rico. I love to yacht and fish so I like the idea of the Bahamas in Florida and all US and British Virgin Islands outside of Puerto Rico. I live in Wisconsin so I would likely get down there a week per month at the most. Which one would you pick?
  2. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 29, 2008
    Messages:
    8,118
    Location:
    Miami, FL
    Good fishing in the keys and easy access especially nowadays with the all the Testing and travel hassles. That said the keys are not great cruising grounds for larger boats (anything over 55/60 with 5’ draft).

    Have you considered the Bahamas? Great fishing and amazing cruising grounds.
  3. Paul Heberer

    Paul Heberer New Member

    Joined:
    Jan 1, 2022
    Messages:
    9
    Location:
    Madison,WI
    I was considering the Bahamas only as a destination from the Keys. If you were to have the Bahamas as your home base, which island would you pick?
  4. olderboater

    olderboater Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 2, 2013
    Messages:
    7,132
    Location:
    Fort Lauderdale
    I would base the choice on your flight connections. Where can you get quickest and easiest? If flying commercially, then neither Bahamas, Keys or Puerto Rico are likely quick and easy from Wisconsin. Have you considered choosing somewhere near a major airport, with direct flights?
  5. Paul Heberer

    Paul Heberer New Member

    Joined:
    Jan 1, 2022
    Messages:
    9
    Location:
    Madison,WI
    Very good point. What would you suggest for an easy in/out along with great yachting/fishing?
  6. olderboater

    olderboater Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 2, 2013
    Messages:
    7,132
    Location:
    Fort Lauderdale
    Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Tampa, West Palm Beach.

    There's a reason so many keep their boats in Fort Lauderdale. Boating services. 50 miles to the Bahamas.

    I'm just encouraging you to look at all aspects of each of the areas you're thinking about. Can be many factors.

    For instance, we kept a boat after looping on Lake Pickwick a while. Ever tried to get there from Fort Lauderdale? Great boating. Full day to get there or get home unless you charter a small plane. Fly commercial to Memphis. Well, let's see. Leave for airport at least 2 1/2 hours before flight since flying from Miami. 2.5 hours flight. 30 minutes renting car. 2 hours to the lake. Then 30 minutes or more returning the rental car. Over 8 hours and dictated by flight schedule. We could drive it in 13 hours.

    The more difficult it is to get to your boat, the less often you'll use it.
  7. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 29, 2008
    Messages:
    8,118
    Location:
    Miami, FL
    Nassau has a ton of flights to all the major hubs. Yes it means a connection but we had guests flying to Nassau from pretty much everywhere.
  8. olderboater

    olderboater Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 2, 2013
    Messages:
    7,132
    Location:
    Fort Lauderdale
    From Milwaukee, 6 hours or so by air to Nassau including one stop which is about the same as to Fort Lauderdale. From Chicago, non stop available to both. 3 - 3.5 hours.

    Actually are some non stop from Chicago to Key West as well.

    Now the unfortunate part is he's about 3 hours from Chicago. So, the drive is about the length of the flight. Anyway you look at it, a day of travel to and from.
  9. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 29, 2008
    Messages:
    8,118
    Location:
    Miami, FL
    Yeah but the best cruising grounds one can wish for and great fishing. FTL or Mia don’t have much to offer for cruising especially FTL.
  10. olderboater

    olderboater Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 2, 2013
    Messages:
    7,132
    Location:
    Fort Lauderdale
    FTL has coastal cruising plus the Bahamas plus the Keys, plus good access to the Gulf Coast. Nassau has the Bahamas plus access to the FL coast. Much depends on speed of boat and desired cruising. I'm assuming by all this that current situations change.
  11. Paul Heberer

    Paul Heberer New Member

    Joined:
    Jan 1, 2022
    Messages:
    9
    Location:
    Madison,WI
    I just came back from a trip to Puerto Rico and stayed several days in Fajardo which is the boating side of the island. The yachting appears to be fantastic with the US and British Virgin Islands so close. Fishing also appears to be good, but I didn't get a chance to do much. Any thoughts on that area?
  12. olderboater

    olderboater Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 2, 2013
    Messages:
    7,132
    Location:
    Fort Lauderdale
    7 hours from Chicago, but occasional non stop at 5, 8 hours from Milwaukee to San Juan. I love Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Plus it's a gateway to the Eastern Caribbean. Or why not directly to the Virgin Islands?
  13. Kapn

    Kapn Member

    Joined:
    Aug 31, 2009
    Messages:
    74
    Location:
    Annapolis
    For fishing, cruising destinations, amazing water, and a feeling that you're "someplace else" in the world I'd say Fajardo or just south of there in Palmas. Short trips to fish are easy and going somewhere for a few nights or weeks will be amazing in that area.
    But also weigh the costs of getting the boat there, travel time, logistics if you have other guests arriving and departing on different schedules. Is the boat going to be new? What's the dealer service like in that area? Or is it used and you need to shake it down for a season in Lauderdale where you can get parts and projects taken care of easily?
  14. KoffeeCruising

    KoffeeCruising Member

    Joined:
    May 27, 2018
    Messages:
    98
    Location:
    Fl
    As a fellow midwesterner, when I bought my 54’ Flybridge in 2018 I chose to buy and base our boat in FLL. Reasons

    1. Largest market of boats to select from.
    2. Nonstop flights to FLL. I don’t want to connect, rent a car & drive or need a passport every time I go.
    3. FLL has Access to any service, supply, parts
    4. Easy training wheel cruises; ICW, Biscayne Bay, Keys, Okeechobee Waterway. You and your midwestern guests will love these cruises before you tackle big water. You won’t get bored.
    5. Then easy access to more challenging cruises crossing Gulf Steam to West End or Bimini, Abacos, Chub, Nassau, Exumas…. Or head up to St Augustine, Savannah, Charleston, Chesapeake or Nantucket.

    OlderBoater nails it- you have to make it easy to access for you AND your guests. Learn how you like to Cruise, THEN you can decide the ultimate spot, you’ll then know if that place is worth the hassle of getting there…

    Good luck