New to me CP 23 / Cruising SW Florida this November

[mkaplan]

I bought my 1982 CP 23 in May. The exterior was in great shape but the interior needed a lot of work. Some of the things I did / had done are: got new trailer, installed new interior teak, rebedded hull-deck joint, ports and deck hardware, built a battery enclosure under companionway, installed new electric panel, removed shelves and hanging locker, replaced light bulbs with LEDs, installed auto tiller, installed interior lights, built a mast raising system and a few more items. There is more to do but this is good enough for now. I can't wait any longer to go cruising.

I'm planning to spend November cruising SW Florida. I'll put the boat in the water at Tarpon Springs and head south from there. If anyone wants to join me on their boat for part of the trip then let me know.

Mike Kaplan
770-455-4757

[Bob23]

Fantastic, Mike! Now that you're done with your 23, I might as well send my 1985  down so you don't get bored. Thanks!!

[Potcake boy]

mkaplan aka Make a Plan,

That sounds like a good plan.
I launched GladRags today and am looking forward to some cruising time. I sail out of Punta Gorda and visit destinations all around SW Florida.
As November approaches, we'll conspire on some co-cruising in the area. How far south do you hope to go?

[mkaplan]

Fantastic, Mike! Now that you're done with your 23, I might as well send my 1985  down so you don't get bored. Thanks!!

Bob, Ha! The boat will never be done and I never get bored. But send your boat down. It might have some gear on it that I could use.

[mkaplan]

mkaplan aka Make a Plan,

That sounds like a good plan.
I launched GladRags today and am looking forward to some cruising time. I sail out of Punta Gorda and visit destinations all around SW Florida.
As November approaches, we'll conspire on some co-cruising in the area. How far south do you hope to go?

I'm keeping my options open. I want to visit Charlotte Harbor area but otherwise it depends on my confidence in the boat and my skills. I would consider Naples and even Key West or even points further south and west. Is it feasible to sail to Isla Mujeres and back?

[rmotley]

http://meyersix.org/dry_tortugas.htm

For your viewing pleasure

[Bob23]

Mike- when in Port Charlotte be sure to visit the Celtic Ray, a wonderful Irish pub where they know the proper way to pour a Guiness. Live music, great food! I have no financial interest in this place, just a wonderful Irish Pub!

[chimerakc]

Hi Ron and Mike - Mike not sure where you are by now.   
I am the guy who just posted about my motor problems on my Compac 23 - I am at our community docks on Jug Creek on the north tip of Pine Island - boat not launched yet but just figured I would make my location known. We are a trailer park on the Back Bay which is part of Jug Creek - before you get to 4 Winns Marina.    My wife and I so far have only gone to Cayo Costa and other day sails but she just recently retired and I want to get her overnight more.   

There are extra docks here for visitors, you can anchor in Back Bay - there are shoals though so consult with me - and there are two restaurants very close once you are here. You can tie up at them too.   Jug Creek has improved channel markers now so the idiot motor boaters can avoid you better but be warned, they never slow down.

Just wanted to get on your radar screens.   We are Kip and Kathi Cleaver - owned here for a few years, now we are snowbirds with a summer house in Maine.

Fair winds!

Kip

[dirigo]

Hey, new to the Compaq forum here. I bought my 23 two winters ago in Bradenton from the original owner. I love this boat. I use it in Jan-Feb and then she sits on the hard. Last Winter I sailed from Sarasota to Key West. It took 18 days total. I hugged the coast and took my time. Had different crew each way but did spend 4 days alone from Cape Sable to Key West on the way down. Great boat and great trip. Some nasty weather we were tacking into at times. The v-berth is nearly as big as my Tartan 34 up here in Maine. Safe travels. This year I'm heading north from Sarasota......any ideas?

[Yamaha33410]

Trailer or motor it accross Lake okechobee and head for Bimini!

Once I get my 23 in operation and after a few shake down cruises I"ll take her down to Dry Tortugas for a few nights probably leaving from Key Largo or Naples and then if that goes good I'll plan a trip to Bimini/Grand Bahamas Island

Take advantage of that shoal draft and hit up all the good shallow draft places in the Keys and Bahamas!

[Tim Gardner]

Hey Dirigo,  The last Compaq I owned was a 1982 transportable with a 9" green screen, a floppy drive and a 10 megabyte Hard drive.  She didn't go to weather well, got doused in a cruise back from Jamaica in '93 and never really booted up again.   

[mkaplan]

I launched at Tarpon Springs on Nov 2 and today I'm anchored at Gulfport. I met a bunch of great people at Caladesi including a couple on a 40 ft ketch. In a few days we'll sail to the Egmont Key / Desoto Park area and then I'll work my way south, probably getting to Charlotte Harbor by the 15th.

Kip, I will contact you. I'm interested in visiting Bokeelia and Matlacha and was looking for some local knowledge on where to anchor and how to get there.

So far the trip has been great except for grounding my first day trying to get to Caladesi, but waiting until 12:30 am for high tide took care of that.

FYI, I anchored in Hurricane Pass near marker 7. The deep water is NW of the marker, between the marker and the nearest shore. Also anchored just off the North Channel to Pass-a-grille near Isla del Sol. Very protected in a north wind.

There is a decent bed and breakfast 3 blocks from the dinghy dock at Gulfport, so I'm there tonight. Had my first real shower in a week. Showered, shaved, washed 2 loads of laundry and had a great meal at Pia's.

My old inflatable canoe was a pain. It took forever to dry and deflate but the new one is much better. It's water repellent so after I got it on the dinghy dock I wiped it down with a washcloth, quickly folded it up into it's carrying case and brought it with me to my room.

Gulfport has free transportation via volunteers who drive a six seater golf cart and will pick you up and deliver you anywhere within the 2 mile Gulfport area.

Trivia: Gulfport has a famous Casino building but there has never been any gambling in it. 'Casino' comes from the word 'casa' or house and it is a meeting place used by the community for about a hundred years. It was rebuilt by the CCC during the Depression.

I have tried most of the items/systems that I added to the boat and so far they are all working fine. These include the auto tiller, drifter, composting head, umbrella, folding bike and inflatable canoe.

Boat is handling well. Spent hours sailing wing and wing, dead downwind in 10 to 15 knot winds with a 2ft swell with the auto tiller steering while I sat under the umbrella.

[Potcake boy]

Mike,

A group of folks from my community with both power and sail boats will be going out sometime this week. Our favorite local spot is Pelican Bay at Cayo Costa, so we will likely be there. It is one of the best anchorages in the area. I hope you can make it, and I will keep lookout for you. Of course GladRags is easy to spot with the pilot house.

Sounds like your trip has been a success so far. Winds will continue to be from the North/Northeast for most of this week so you will have some more downhill sailing ahead. Be safe.

[mkaplan]

Ron,

Today I'm anchored in Bimini Bay at the north end of Anna Maria Island. I'll be in Pelican Bay in a couple days - probably Tuesday or Wednesday. I'll look for you. My cell number is 770-644-6888. My Com-pac 23 has a green hull.

Mike

[Potcake boy]

We will be leaving Alligator Creek Wednesday morning, and with the following winds we should be in Pelican Bay early afternoon.