Well, since I'm having very little luck finding inexpensive yards on the FTL
side (though I did pick up the yellow pages from every county between Miami
and Melbourne and will be calling to confirm my ad-hoc findings from this
and other sources), I'm now looking on the other side.

This is enhanced in two parts: The first is that I've had a craftsman
recommended by a 20+ year user, and he's recently moved from FTL to STP.
So, the one I'd likely use is on the west coast, anyway. The second is that
during my recent trip (same as retrieving yellow pages) I picked up an
ad-type mag in Sailorman, and found a few west coast listings which were on
the order of half to a quarter of the apparent 'bargain price' of the FTL
area yards, and *those* prices were on the order of half the non-bargain
prices.

So, we're thinking in terms of doing a shakedown cruise from the presumed
point of sale (if the one we're trying on doesn't succeed, there's another
over there - and our third choice is in STP!) over to somewhere on the west
coast.

Do any of you have experience or knowledge of DIY yards anywhere on the FL
west coast between the Keys and Clearwater, but preferably not further south
than, say, Fort Meyers?

Actually, we're rather enthused about the thought of that sail, so unless I
find something to equal (i.e. $3-6 a foot per month) on the east side, we'll
come over to the Gulf. The only wrinkle which makes it a bit nervous-making
is the thought that when we go, and have a total of 20 days to get out of
FL, since we'll be headed east, it might be dicey on the time to splash it
given the weather windows for the Bahamas crossing.

Thanks for any help!

L8R

Skip and Lydia


--
"And then again, when you sit at the helm of your little ship on a clear
night, and gaze at the countless stars overhead, and realize that you are
quite alone on a great, wide sea, it is apt to occur to you that in the
general scheme of things you are merely an insignificant speck on the
surface of the ocean; and are not nearly so important or as self-sufficient
as you thought you were. Which is an exceedingly wholesome thought, and one
that may effect a permanent change in your deportment that will be greatly
appreciated by your friends."- James S. Pitkin