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Tampa Bay launching sites???
http://www.hobie.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=71&t=42568		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  Kommy000 [ Mon May 07, 2012 12:48 pm ]
Post subject:  Tampa Bay launching sites???
Hey, don't remember if I asked before, but does anybody know of launch sites or just good areas to launch tandem TI.
I went so far around Gandy bridge the redneck beach area with a buddy of mine. I would like to be able to go by myself or with another non expert and that area has a lot of rocks and shallow areas and Im not that comfortable with it yet.
I also would like to be able to launch and take my time and not feel like there are other people that launching behind me and rushing me. The good thing around Gandy bridge that its just a beach so you can take your time, just the rocks that mess me up.
I even though just launching from the beach around the Saint Pete pier but its not as user friendly. I would have to drag it accross the parking lot and such.
Maybe fort Desoto??? Any certain areas you guys can recommend, especially where you can just sail right away. I noticed that most of the Gandy bridge beach area does not have good wind even on a windy day for some reason.

Thanks
Author:  larryhts [ Mon May 07, 2012 4:26 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Tampa Bay launching sites???
Clearwater 1: Turn east at the entrance to the Sand Key Park (not in to the Park). Nice beach area to launch into the Inter-coastal.

Fort DeSoto 1: Turn right just after the 35 cent toll booth. Small but nice beach.

Fort Desoto 2: Turn left at the flag pole and drive to the end.

I-275 west: First right coming west after the bridge.

I use one or two of these every week end. I also use the Dunedin Causeway some times. All are nice launch sites and each has it own plus's. I use Gandy west a lot also. Hope this helps.
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Author:  kayakman7 [ Tue May 08, 2012 1:52 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Tampa Bay launching sites???
Hi

If you launch off a trailer, ft desoto has the largest boat ramp I've ever seen. Maybe 20 to 25 boats could be launched at the same time.

J
Author:  Thrashie [ Tue May 08, 2012 2:26 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Tampa Bay launching sites???
these are all the places so far i know of where ya can back yer truck/trailer right to the water and drop the AI/TI in.

Honeymoon Island

Bellair Causeway (small beach on Nw side of big bridge just before small bridge) and from here u can sail the intracoastal to lone tree island or sand key, or just launch from sand key, turn in at the sailing school and head to beach area for launch, sail the intracoastal or head out to the gulf)

gandy (watch the oyster bars and skinny flats tho! gotta hang closer to the channels if low tide, I fish that area a lot in my pro angler and it's pretty shallow in places)

Ft. Desoto (not nuts about it unless gulf side, again, can get super shallow out of the channels)

north skyway rest area beach on the bay side, (while i havent launched there myself, i have seen other ai/ti's launching from there)

I havent tried taking the ti out of 4th street and 275 as larry has posted, but that area takes ya right into the bay, not bad. there are some deep channels there i know of from fishing it tho... just gotta watch out for the uhh...'mangrove snappers' for lack of a better term...you know...sometimes naked creepy people roaming thru the mangroves..popping out of no where next to yer vehicle as yer trying to go fishing/kayaking.
Author:  tjcouch [ Tue May 08, 2012 8:23 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Tampa Bay launching sites???
You might consider the southern tip of Davis Island.

On one side you have "Seaplane Basin" which has both a beach launch as well as paved ramp, on the other side there is a triple paved ramp - but it's a bit busier there. After launching you can be in the breezy bay in moments!

This google map link should be of help: http://g.co/maps/t947v
Author:  evil_e [ Sun May 13, 2012 4:26 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Tampa Bay launching sites???
I agree with my beau above... but also we did some fresh water on Saturday (east wind) in expansive Lake Tarpon, putting the TI in at John Chestnut Sr Park in Palm Harbor The lake has a restaurant at the northwest end called Billy's Tarpon Turtle...so we could have docked and grabbed some grub if we were so inclined. http://www.billystarponturtle.com/photo-gallery/
Author:  evil_e [ Sun May 20, 2012 5:38 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Tampa Bay launching sites???
We had fun yesterday launching at the Sand Key spot. We tooled around that area for a few hours...hung out on the Australian Pine island out there and then headed in.
Author:  Thrashie [ Thu May 24, 2012 9:28 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Tampa Bay launching sites???
evil_e wrote:
I agree with my beau above... but also we did some fresh water on Saturday (east wind) in expansive Lake Tarpon, putting the TI in at John Chestnut Sr Park in Palm Harbor The lake has a restaurant at the northwest end called Billy's Tarpon Turtle...so we could have docked and grabbed some grub if we were so inclined. http://www.billystarponturtle.com/photo-gallery/



they got a sandy beach launch over at John Chesnut park or just a ramp?
Author:  tjcouch [ Thu May 24, 2012 4:01 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Tampa Bay launching sites???
At J. Chestnut Park it is a paved ramp . . . 5 bays IIRC.
Author:  stanandsnow [ Sun Jun 17, 2012 5:37 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Tampa Bay launching sites???
Thanks for the info guys. I'm buying my AI this week and hope to be near Clearwater within the next couple of weeks. If you guys go out regularly and/or fish I would love to tag along.
Author:  evil_e [ Sun Jun 17, 2012 6:30 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Tampa Bay launching sites???
We had a great time taking off the amas and going as just a tandem to Ginnie Springs this weekend. So many of the folks floating downstream in their innertubes, etc were like, "Whoa...what is that?" as we were running rings around them and pedaling up river, etc.... pretty fun.
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