North Florida launch ramps.

[dontpanic]

I am a fairly new owner of a 1981 Compac-16. Right now I am in the repair and improvement stage. Probably will not launch until April or May. I am in the Tallahassee area and many years ago I used to launch my ODay Daysailer at Shell Point. Everything that used to be there is now gone in the name of development.

Are there any Compac-16 sailors out there that can recommend good launching sites (that lead to good sailing ares) in the northern Gulf of Mexico south of Tallahassee. I am guessing that the fixed keel design of the Compac will require a quality boat ramp.

As a bonus question are there any suitable lake area in the vicinity?

Thanks

[atrometer]

https://public.myfwc.com/LE/boatramp/public/CountySearch.aspx

This is a "Ramp Search" for Florida

[Vipersdad]

Are you familiar with "Active Captain"  You might want to look this over.

https://activecaptain.com/X.php

V.

[brackish]

I have about 45 years of personal experience with that one.

Some of the best sailing areas due south of you are in the Port St. Joe, Mexico Beach area.  If you are capable of raising your mast after you are on the water the new ramps in Mexico beach, funded by the St. Joe Paper Co. are the nicest I've ever used.  Ramp and parking are free.  They are on the canal on the wrong side of the bridge so you have to be able to cross under then raise your mast.  There is also one ramp on the right side of the bridge that you can use, but it is not quite as nice with no parking.  From there you can sail east to the St. Joe Bay and Cap San Blas point, or west to Wild Goose bay.  Both are sail of 5-7 miles.  Once in the bays you can sail on and there is a nice overnight protected area inside the point in both bays. If you want a slip for a while at Mexico Beach so you don't have to launch and retrieve every day, I got one for my 23 for a little over a hundred bucks for 8 days.  A 16 would be less, they charge by the foot.

You can also launch at the municipal ramp or at the industrial canal ramp under the bridge both in Port St Joe.  These are both free with parking and they are very good ramps.  You can also launch on the south side of the Bay at the St. Joseph State Park.  Probably a fee and I've never used that ramp, so not sure about water depth. All these options give you access to St. Joe Bay and the open Gulf if you want.  There are also some good ramps in the Apalachicola Bay, Indian Pass and St George Island area but I've not used them.

I suspect there are some good ramps in the St. Marks area, while I've been through there several times, I've not used or observed them.

These areas are never very crowded even in high season, (June thru mid August) but my favorite times are late May and October.

If you get serious about this and need some local knowledge, PM me, will be glad to help.  I've been going to this area at least twice a year for 45 years.

[Cats Paw]

Are you familiar with "Active Captain"  You might want to look this over.

https://activecaptain.com/X.php

V.

Good site.  Thanks for sharing

[brackish]

Well, good sites, however,active captain doesn't have any of the ramps I've mention and the other doesn't have the Bay county ramps and the gulf county ramp information is inaccurate.  You better find folks with real local knowledge.  Best thing is to call fish camps and marinas in the area and chat. 

[atrometer]

http://www.cruisersnet.net./  is a site full of info, too