OK. To where in the U.S. should a Midwestern sailor move after retirement?

[TomF]

and colder than hell. . .

Not much, my bit anyway - it ain't Winnipeg. But colder longer.

[Chip-skiff]

While I love Wyoming, I can't recommend it for sailing.

[StevenBauer]

If you want you could make a few exploratory trips to the places you are considering. I'm sure there are Forumites that would put you up and get you out on the water in all these locations. I'll volunteer for the Maine trip.



Steven

[elf]

Anywhere around Buzzards Bay in MA. We sail small boats 'til December, have ~ 15 wooden boat builders between Mattapoisett and Woods Hole, moorings can be had for small boats, wind is delightfully unpredictable, summer begins in April and ends in October and there are lobster, striped bass and bluefish to be had. Gobs of small harbors all around, too.

[ron ll]

Remember, Seattle has an opening day of boating season every year.....but never a closing day.

[Canoeyawl]

In the past, some of my family (in Maine) has asked me to describe the weather here, and I tell them the very worst day here in the winter is the same as the worst day there in the summer...
There is no off season for sailing.

[bamamick]

jmo, but if I could afford it there'd be no contest: the PNW. I don't think the rest of the country understands how big sailing is around Seattle. Man, there are more sailboats on little Lake Union than there are in Maine. It's a sailing paradise.

I'd love to tell you that Mobile would be a great place to retire to and sail, but it's not. There are a couple of months a year when it is just too hot to go out for long (and I imagine Florida would be the same), and I'd say a good 50% of our racing this year has either been a wash or no fun at all because of a lack of wind. Like today, for instance. I know that almost all of North America suffers from lack of wind from time to time, but in our case there's no wind AND it's 90F.

If I were willing to move I know where I'd move to.

Mickey Lake

[Paul Girouard]

jmo, but if I could afford it there'd be no contest: the PNW. I don't think the rest of the country understands how big sailing is around Seattle. Man, there are more sailboats on little Lake Union than there are in Maine. It's a sailing paradise.

I'd love to tell you that Mobile would be a great place to retire to and sail, but it's not. There are a couple of months a year when it is just too hot to go out for long (and I imagine Florida would be the same), and I'd say a good 50% of our racing this year has either been a wash or no fun at all because of a lack of wind. Like today, for instance. I know that almost all of North America suffers from lack of wind from time to time, but in our case there's no wind AND it's 90F.

If I were willing to move I know where I'd move to.

Mickey Lake

Did we tell you it rains everyday up here? Well it does, summer ain't no diffeerent than winter.

[Landrith]

Mickey Lake of course knows the Gulf Coast, but I was just in Corpus Christie this week watching the Wednesday night race of the Corpus Christie Midget Ocean Racers and the weather was beautiful, the city seemed like a smaller earlier version of Tampa and I was thinking it has to beat Kansas in the Winter

[bamamick]

Did we tell you it rains everyday up here? Well it does, summer ain't no diffeerent than winter.

Mebee. But when it's raining on you there are metre boats, R's and Dragons to sail on!

Mickey Lake

[Ron Carter]

Have lived in western MI all of my adult life. Always have had access to Lake Michigan and inland lakes and rivers. Loved winter until I got into my mid 60's. Now migrate south to western Florida mid winter and have the best of both boating worlds. Recommend it highly. If you don't buy waterfront property real estate is still highly depressed in both locations.

[oldsub86]

Sell the house, buy a boat, and move onto it. As I recall, there were a number of these for sale in January 2013. This is the marina in front of the Ilikai Hotel in Honolulu.

[Dan McCosh]

Kind of confusing, mainly due to the idea of sailing a small boat vs. some kind of live-aboard arrangement. Silly as it sounds, metropolitan Detroit has the distinction of being one of the largest small-boat sailing centers in the country. Might add a half-dozen comfortable overnight destinations on Lake St. Clair alone. Maybe 30 or so smaller lakes cluttered with sailing.
Then there is the Traverse City area, which gives you access to both inland lakes, Lake Michigan, the Great Lakes, and the world, along with the Traverse Bays and surrounding islands. The drawback is the seasonal weather. You have to go skiing in the winter.

Might also note that Michigan has about a quarter of the coastline in the United States.

[genglandoh]

I am thinking about the same thing.
The East Coast is preferred because our relatives and friends will still be within a 1-2 day drive.

You may want to consider the following locations.

1. Maine – Belfast - Penobscot bay area.
The bay is really not that big and after you explore it you will need to either trailer your boat to another area or sail in open water to the next area.

2. Rhode Island – Newport Area.
The bay itself is also not that big but you have a short trip to many good gunk holing locations.
Buzzards bay, Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket, Long Island Etc.
You can also trailer your boat a short distance to Cape Cod Bay.

3. Chesapeake Bay Area
This is my number 1 location.
The bay is very large with many town and islands to explore without needed to go into the Ocean.

4. North Carolina – Pamlico Sound area.
This is my number 2 location.
There are many small towns to pick from like New Bern.
The Sound is very large and lots of places to explore.
You can even try your hand at finding Blackbeard’s treasure.

You can get some very good location information from the city data website.
http://www.city-data.com/
Just enter in the city or town and it will give you everything from home prices to weather info.
Good Luck

[Dan McCosh]

Have lived in western MI all of my adult life. Always have had access to Lake Michigan and inland lakes and rivers. Loved winter until I got into my mid 60's. Now migrate south to western Florida mid winter and have the best of both boating worlds. Recommend it highly. If you don't buy waterfront property real estate is still highly depressed in both locations.

Sounds like you can also avoid the new Michigan retirement taxes that way.

[bogdog]

The Chesapeake Bay does get hot, humid, and sometimes windless in June, July, and August. That's why having multiple boats might be a good idea. A small motor boat or sea kayak can reach numerous fascinating areas a sailboat could never reach even under ideal conditions. There are also the black-water rivers of the southeastern part of the state(Northwest River, Blackwater River and Nottoway River) that are heavily forested as is the upper Pamunkey River so even on hot days there is some relief in the shade. We also use dry suits as there are few prettier sights than paddling some of the rivers of Mobjack Bay or the Corrotoman River off the Rappahanock or the Mattaponi and Pamunkey rivers in the winter when the water is clear and a snow is falling. All that's just some of the points on the west side of the Bay, then there's the Shore where they grow green sweet potatoes and talk as funny is the folks in Guinea, Gloucester and have some of the best birding in the world. I'd stay away from there, many a promising future has been sucked away by the siren call of the relaxed lifestyle found on the Shore. The other problem is the houses are all of the big house, little house, colonnade, and kitchen design. They're so long it takes minutes just to get from one end of the house to the other.

[CWSmith]

The Chesapeake Bay does get hot, humid, and sometimes windless in June, July, and August...

Maybe the real solution is to sail your boat north to Maine for the summer, then back south to the Chesapeake for autumn and spring. The snow birds already do it in their caravans.

[Jim Bow]

Sequim, WA

http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2008/...oneymag/3.html

[JBlood]

Put an oar over your shoulder and keep walking until a WBF'er tells you exactly what type of oar you have and why you're carrying it wrong.

[eflanders]

Sounds to me that you should stay in the Midwest. Escanaba MI has a nice cozy harbor and very scenic sailing!

[bogdog]

Sounds to me that you should stay in the Midwest. Escanaba MI has a nice cozy harbor and very scenic sailing!

And it looks great in da moonlight.

[johnw]

Perhaps I should be more specific...

A small boat sailor (20" or less) who is mostly interested in daysails and gunkholing. Not interested in deep water sailing or voyaging.

Move someplace with a long season. Much as I loved growing up in Maine, I have to say, being able to sail all year here beats it. What sort of boat do you anticipate sailing?

[Anthony Zucker]

Tom;

You should consider East Tennessee between Knoxville and Chattanooga. We have year round sailing with hundreds of miles of shoreline perfect for gunkholing. There is always an empty little cove when the sun is going down. The TVA lakes are big and allow for long tacks. We get a taste of winter; just enough to remind us why we left New England. We race keelboats all winter.

The cost of living is lower that any of the suggestions made above.

There are many retirement communities and some retirees buy houses in town. Both cities have all the necessary facilities; excellent hospitals, universities, culture, etc. Atlanta and Nashville are close if you have an urge to sit in traffic for a while.