[nisilva9h2]

Whether you're new to boating or an old salt, Punta Gorda offers marinas, yacht clubs, boat ramps, sailing schools, yacht and fishing charters, numerous boat and cruising clubs to meet and satisfy everyone's experience level. So, if you are already a boater or want to become a boater, sharpen your sailing or power boating skills, fish and kayak all day long, slowly motor the miles and miles of beautifully maintained canals and admire the incredible waterfront homes or just relax for two hours on a long tack with a steady breeze, Punta Gorda and Charlotte Harbor are the place for you. Best of all, it doesn't matter if your boat is large or small, sail or power, paddled or rowed. We have great boating for all types and sizes. [links]

[StinkiePhish]

Charlotte Harbor is the second largest naturally occurring bay on the west coast of Florida with Tampa Bay being the largest. With over 129 square miles of sparkling, protected waters you can spend hours sailing, kayaking, fishing or cruising without ever having to enter the Gulf of Mexico or the intra-coastal. Charlotte Harbor is a large estuary comprised from the outpourings of two rivers, the Peace River to the east and the Myakka River to the northwest. History buffs will remember the phrase "Tippecanoe and Tyler Too". Well Tippecanoe Bay is at the mouth of the Myakka River! Charlotte Harbor and adjacent Gasparilla Sound comprise 80,000 acres of some of the most productive coastal areas in Florida and comprise an incredible network of barrier islands and mangrove forests.

[Richard]

One of the best things about Charlotte Harbor and the surrounding area is that it remains hidden, off of the main arteries of boating, allowing for pristine and relaxed boating without the congestion and clamor of other waterfront locations. Whether you prefer kayaking amongst the rivers, canals and mangroves, fishing the flats of Pine Island Sound, jet skiing to the barrier beaches, day cruising to hidden lunch spots like Cabbage Key or taking a leisurely sail out to the barrier islands or beyond to the Keys or Dry Tortugas, Charlotte Harbor provides quick access to it all. For the truly exotic adventure, take a guided boat tour up to the wilds of the Peace River to see exotic birds in their natural habitats alongside groups of alligators sunning on the banks and sandbars where the early Tarzan movies were filmed. Dare to jump in? more

[simplesharp]

Most places in Florida have the intracoastal (a very nice ditch to travel) plus the Atlantic Ocean or Gulf of Mexico (both very large bodies of water). Punta Gorda has both the intracoastal and the Gulf of Mexico. But first and foremost, we have beautiful Charlotte Harbor that offers great fishing, sailing and cruising without the threat of high seas. Come and see why Sail Magazine named Charlotte Harbor as one of the "Top Ten Greatest Places to Sail" in the United States.

[gaetaneelle24]

You've heard of places like Sanibel Island, Captiva Island, Boca Grande, Little Gasparilla Island, Cabbage Key, Useppa, Pine Island Sound, Cape Haze, Cayo Costa, Lemon Bay and Redfish Pass. From Punta Gorda, these destinations are all within a short distance from your back door! What could be better than to hop in your boat just 20 feet from your lanai and take a short cruise to the barrier island beaches to sunbathe or go shelling? Better yet, take a day sail to Boca Grande for lunch at the Loose Caboose or the Pink Elephant, stroll through the shops and laugh at the whimsically decorated golf carts that the locals use for island transport and romp in the turquoise waters, then home again to watch the sunset and to sleep peacefully in your own bed. It's truly a boater's paradise! more

[paulineh175]

here

[rebuilder]

The best overall boat is a 22’-24’ center console bay boat or deck boat. Any shorter and on a choppy day your boat will land between the waves and you will be wishing you bought a bigger boat. Any longer and you draw more water depth then you might want. Our waters have plenty of shallows that are perfect for exploring and discovering lots of sea creatures. When talking about a deck boat, I am referring to something similar to a Hurricane brand not a pontoon boat. Pontoon boats are out of place here in general and don’t do well in rough water. Boats in this size range will allow you to boat to the beaches, run the ICW waterway and spend quality time in our back bays and tidal estuaries. [links]

[motorcar]

This topic pertains to power boats. Even though you may currently be a sailor or have plans to be one, once you own a waterfront home, many of us enjoy the ability to quickly cruise to the beach, waterfront restaurants (some only accessible by boat) and just in general exploring the vast waterways of southwest Florida. With the press of a button on your boat lift you can lower your boat into the water and get underway bringing friends and family- its all so easy when you live here. Certainly I have to include fisherman in this article because of my heritage as an angler.

[LaidBack]

One mistake many of my customers make is to buy a deeper draft, higher gunnel center console in the same length that is not really a “bay boat”. With that style boat comes a higher bow profile, higher sides and is really more appropriate if you are heading out into the gulf to fish. Yes, it will give you a softer and drier ride but for overall functionality it will limit you in some of things you might want to do. Over the year I have watched my customers and friends buy larger Grady Whites and more offshore oriented boats only to sell and move into a 22’-24’ bay boat. Of course, this is all just my opinion but I have been here a long time and I have learned a lot alone the way. In reality, if you have a boat and a waterfront home, you are very lucky and pretty much have it all regardless of the boat! more

[echelon]

[altoid]

more

[emeacham]

here

[alethiophile]

We finally got our move completed here (PGI) about 6 weeks ago (thank you Tamre and to a couple of others with recent local area knowledge) and the more I read, the more I look out from the lanai, he more I stand next to the unused 10k# boat lift, the more I reckon I need a boat for fishing and a bit of just, well, er, boating about the Charlotte harbor area, into the Peace and Myacca rivers and down to Pine Island and Ft Myers and out by the barrier islands area and other nearby locals. I do not for see water skiing or boarding.

[insert]

A hardcore flats type of craft, while attractive and very useful, is 'prolly not what I am looking for unless I have overlooked some makes (quite possible, actually pretty likely now that I reflect on it) and the compromise between something more or less all weather and the skinny draft stuff are seeming to really lean heavily one way or the other. [links]

[torservers]

I will be at the smaller end of that scale and do not reasonably see anything over 19-20'. I know the sacrifices in length are exacerbated in the interior deck area, accomodations, features and narrower beam. Also, I have fished offshore in a mid 20 foot (walk around Cuddy Cabin) Grady White with twin 200+hp outboard engines but that is way too much boat for me both size and operating and maintenance expense wise so I have already ruled that sort out. here

[Veltas]

There are now 144 boats for sale in Port Charlotte listed on Boat Trader. This includes 78 new watercraft and 66 used boats, available from both private sellers and professional boat dealers who can often offer vessel warranties and boat financing information.

[nisilva9h2]

The most common type of motors on powerboats in Port Charlotte is inboard, outboard, inboard/outboard and outboard-2S while the majority of powerboats listed have gas and diesel fuel systems. [links]

[JoesphCros]

The most popular boat classes for sale in Port Charlotte right now are Center Console, Pontoon, Bay, Cruisers and Deck boats, while the most common boat brands available are Bennington, Sea Hunt, Cobia, Pathfinder and Grady-White. Powerboats are more common than sailing boats in Port Charlotte with 175 powerboats listed for sale, versus 18 listings for sailboats. here