posted 04-10-2008 11:53 AM ET (US)        

http://www.lexingtonhotels.com/LexingtonSpecialOffers.aspx

This place is about a 8 mile trip on the water from the spoil islands in the Indian River Lagoon. A fun place to beach boats or anchor and raft off for the bigger boats.

This "was" Dragon point, before the 04 hurricanes tore up our beautiful landmark.

http://www.schmidtfamily.com/dragon_point.htm

posted 04-10-2008 03:10 PM ET (US)            

I would think that for Saturday morning, the game plan would be to drop the boats in, rendezvous at Dragon point, then run down the ICW to Marker 21 (about a 5-6 mile run), where boats can either beach it on the island or raft off or both. There is a spot on the north end of the island where you can beach a big Conquest and stll have your stern in 4-5 feet of water (so you can run the generator to make popcorn if needed). That area usually fills up early.

If some folks plan to arrive Friday night and want to have "an adult beverage", let me know. This is my home turf, so I can meet you at the Lexington which is right next door to Doubles, a casual restaurant/bar that has wings, burgers, wraps and beer.

Feel free to email me with any questions. FYI: I only read my emails at work (Mon.-Fri 8-5). I try and stay off the computer during my free time.

posted 04-14-2008 08:07 PM ET (US)            

The offer is still open to have a get together Saturday night at my house. I will provide a keg o'beer and burgers/dogs.

If this is cool, I'll provide directions later...

posted 04-15-2008 09:17 AM ET (US)            

You've got mail.

posted 04-15-2008 09:27 AM ET (US)            

TODAY
NORTHWEST TO NORTH WINDS AROUND 20 KNOTS INCREASING TO 20
TO 25 KNOTS IN THE AFTERNOON. SEAS BUILDING TO 6 TO 9 FEET. ROUGH ON THE INTRACOASTAL WATERS. SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS.

posted 04-15-2008 02:06 PM ET (US)            

Nick and Laura, 13 sport
Al and ?
Brian and Angela + kids, 285 CQ and 17 Montauk
Scott and Karen, 26 CQ
Those are committed or "should be committed";)

Then we have Connie & Mike 285 CQ ?

At the risk of being deleted, I will say:
thanks in advance (without capitalization)

posted 04-24-2008 10:20 AM ET (US)            

I just wanted to update the information about the event for anyone interested in attending. Currently, we have 6 boats attending. We'd like to make it a larger event. The more the merrier.

The gathering in East Central Florida. For a point of reference, it's on the coast, about 20 miles south of the Kennedy Space Center. The date is Saturday, May 17, 2008. The location is Indian Harbour Beach, FL. You would launch your boat from the public boat ramp on the Eau Gallie Cswy.(SR518 exit from I-95), in Melbourne, then rendezvous at Dragon point, about 1 mile from the ramp, north of the bridge, on the east side of the river. After that we plan to ride down in a caravan of Whalers to Marker 21 in the Indian River Lagoon (about a 5 mile run). There are some spoil islands on the west side of the river. We are going to raft off and/or beach the boats, picnic and have cold beer, sodas etc. We plan to start at around 10 a.m. and go until the afternoon.

The folks that are coming from out of town are staying at the Lexington Hotel, in Indian Harbour Beach. It is a fun, casual, inexpensive hotel with a tiki bar and a pool, located across the street from Telemar Marina. Here is the link to the hotel:
http://www.lexingtonhotels.com/property.cfm?idp=22004&rcode=GCPPCG& gclid=CPj9t43X5JICFQdgsgodIiH_4A

There is no cost for this event other than what you pay for your own food, drinks and hotel room. Everyone brings their own provisions. It is a group of Boston Whaler owners gathering to have fun. We may have a cookout after the event, Saturday evening with burgers and hot dogs.

If there are only a limited number of Boston Whaler boats that can make it, we may end up cancelling or rescheduling the rendezvous. I had considered opening the event up to "non-Whaler" boats as well, as I think I could easily add 2-3 boats, including some big boys. However, that's not really in the spirit of the event. I was intended to be a "Whaler Rendezvous".

If you would like to attend, please let us know your boat type and how many people are coming with you. We hope to see you there. It should be a fun time.

posted 04-25-2008 10:25 AM ET (US)            

Thanks

posted 04-25-2008 11:38 AM ET (US)            

That's totally fine with me. The only reason that I had suggested the Eau Gallie ramp was proximity to the hotel and easy to find for "out of towners".

I was trying to find a spot where they could splash the boats, then another spot "dragon point" where the early guys could drop anchor and wait for the rest of the folks before heading down to marker 21.

I'm wide open to any ideas that you have. Where people are the most comfortable splashing their boats is fine with me. I plan to walk outside and push the down button on my lift. So, it doesnt effect me. We just need to decide on the initial rendezvous spot to meet on the water before we caravan down to marker 21. Dragon point or just south of the Eau Gallie Cswy outside the channel? What ever you think works for me.

Another thought is to tell folks just to meet us at the island near marker 21. It's not like it's hard to find.
They drop in their boats, head south on the ICW and read the marker numbers, when they get to #21, make a right turn and head west. You can see the island from the channel. I just thought it would be fun riding down as a group, but we dont have to.

posted 04-25-2008 11:55 AM ET (US)            

I just had a thought about boat ramps and wanted to advise anyone coming from out of town avoid using the POW/MIA Park boat ramp, on Hwy. US1 just north of the Pineda Cswy (SR404). It's a really nice looking park, but there is a long pile of submerged coquina rock directly in front of the ramp.

When we bought my wife's Montauk last summer, we dropped it in there to take drive it to our lift. She hit the submerged coquina rock hard. It's about 20ft straight out in front of the ramp. That was the 1st and last time that I used that ramp.