Purchase a home in Stuart Florida?

[bob lico]

flying down to Stuart Florida May 14 and would like some input from the east coast Florida brothers. i hear mix reactions on Jupiter inlet but nothing about ST Lucie inlet which is very close to the house i am interested in.i would imagine there are a few 31 Bertrams out of this inlet would like to know how is the fishing offshore.especially wahoo, sailfish and possibly tuna. wondering if this is a 5mph zone (St Lucie river, the inland waterway at this point north.the home is in a yacht club but i want to hear from my brothers.thank you

[Tony Meola]

Bob

You should reach out for Steve. I believe he may be familiar with that real estate market.

[Tommy]

I agree with Tony: Steve “Bertramp” Kelly is the go-to guy here for S. Florida real estate.

[bob lico]

Great he is on my Facebook

[SteveM]

Bob
My brother lives in Stuart in the "Manatee Pocket" area, right off the inlet.
The boat building industry up there seems very active, plenty of places for servicing boats. Great place for fishing.
He's in a neighborhood that has a shared dock with slips and a lift at the end of the street on the intracoastal.

We looked up there, but it was a bit too far from work for me at this stage. Everyone seems to be moving "North" from Palm Beach, Broward, and Dade County.

He's got a small open fisherman and goes out the inlet all the time. I think St Lucie is a favorable inlet. Your experienced enough that you'd handle Jupiter just fine too.
I can give you his cell if you want to talk waterways up that way.

Steve

[bob lico]

thank you that's what i was hoping for someone with hands-on fishing from ST Lucie inlet.

[Carl]

Bob-
My dad is in St Lucie, keeps his boat on the St Lucie river and fishes out of that inlet, I'll PM you his number.
You can talk Florida, fishing, diesels and cars his most favorite topics...should be an interesting conversation.
Carl

[Bertramp]

Bob ....
I'm familiar with Florida real estate, but I'm further south (Lauderdale & Pompano).
I fell in love with Stuart and have been in Manatee Pocket.
Area reminds me of the East End of Long Island.
Prices are similar to Ft. Lauderdale ....ie: they aint giving anything away, at least not if its on the water.
I think Peter has/had a place right in Stuart, no ?
I was on LI this past weekend .... no boats in the water in Sag Harbor ..... S.E. Florida, I woulda been boat or pool.
And the 8 degree difference in warmth in summer is worth the 40 degree difference in warmth in February !!

[bob lico]

definitely made up my mind to buy a coastal home in Stuart FL. home is about 1/2 mile off coastal used golf cart to view from the yacht club. will call you at later date.

[Carl]

One down side of Port St Lucie is that Green Slime that plagues the area mid summer.
Toxic bloom from the lake O discharged to the river and out the inlet...

https://news.nationalgeographic.com/201 ... vironment/

[Tooeez]

I moved to Stuart from Long Island in 2015, after having a condo here since 2008, and I have my boat in the pocket. I love it here, but it is way different than LI--you have to learn how to fish all over again! The inlets are another story--downright scary at times, and sometimes impassable by boats of any size. Then in the summer you could go offshore in a canoe with no problem. Lake O is a problem when they open the discharge gates--makes the water inside look like Great South Bay and kills all the seagrass. Send me a pm if you want more info.

[Bertramp]

One good thing is that your seasonal timing is right to be purchasing.
No one sells their Florida home in November to go north.
Prices after "season" tend to be more buyer friendly.

[bob lico]

thank you another good tip.

[incoming]

I lived in the cocoa beach/indian harbour beach area for 15 years, which I still love, but if I had a choice of anywhere in FL that I could live it might be Stuart. I spent some time boating down there recently as I bought my Bertram 38 there last fall and kept it there until Christmas. Really I don't think you can go wrong on the whole coast from New Smyrna to Stuart.

In terms of your question on no-wakes - bookmark this site: http://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/manag ... -and-maps/

You can look up all the no wake zones up and down the coast. Very handy. Some in that area are seasonal. There is also at least one spot between vero and stuart I believe where it's also based on the size of your boat. You'll also want to keep an eye on bridges. Most of them in that area I was able to make it under with my VHF down and riggers deployed without having to ask for an opening, but

It will take you some time to get used to the inlets, but generally the best ones in central & southern central FL, IIRC are Port Canaveral, Ft Pierce, and Palm Beach. Sebastian and Port St Lucie are a little trickier but the locals use them all the time and I wouldn't hesitate to use those inlets in reasonable conditions, and perhaps even rougher conditions once I'd accumulated appropriate "local knowledge" from living there. Opinions on Jupiter seem pretty divided. It seems to be very popular for people running outboard powered boats in the 25'-30' range. For larger inboard powered boats I think shoaling and depth can be a concern in certain conditions, but you do see some larger boats going in and out so it must be passable, at least at certain tides and conditions. This somewhat famous incident from 2010 where a large sportfish nearly capized, killing the charter captain who had run that inlet 1000 times, will always give me pause when considering going in and out of jupiter: https://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/char ... 66MSuwtxI/

[bob lico]

fantastic map the area i am concern with is the" Great pocket " and is 25mph all year between markers.ok if you change your avatar i will build you the most efficient props you ever saw or direct you to the correct specification.there is a little propeller manufacturer in Jacksonville were i get blanks.(3 blade ) --------Bob

big big fear of incoming 122mm Russian rockets

[Tooeez]

Going south from the crossroads to R12 is 25 mph, then no wake to the beginning of Peck Lake at R16, then no wake again from G21 all the way to the bridge at Bridge Road, 25 mph to G31, then no wake to around G35. These stay the same all year.

[bob lico]

yacht and country club bordering great pocket area.

[Marlin]

Bob, u will probably change your fishin habits several times once u move to Florida. I live south of palm beach for 20 years and have fished up to Jupiter either trolling for dolphin or kings , periodically kite fishing for sails or what ever chases the bait. My favorite fishing here is bottom fishing for yellow tail and mutton snappers, but we always put out a flat line with a dead sardine or ballyhoo and caught lots of sailfish that way. I don’t fish much in the Florida waters as there is so much fishing pressure here, need to get out before day break or the weed lines are picked clean. BUT, look at West End of grand bahama, terrific wahoo fishing in late fall, early winter. Meat fishing off Matenela for Yellow eye , queen and silky snapper, 5-20# range, work the tides for all, 70mile trip, inexpensive rooms at Old Bahama Bay, reasonable food pricing. We catch more fish in 1day there than we catch all year off Florida coast, very seasonal , moving the boat next week to there to fish these waters for yellow fin and dolphin, open ocean coming off the Abbacos. West end is maybe 30 miles west from Lucaya which is good location for deep drop, bottom, dolphin, yellow fin all spring and summer, Issacs and the canyons are within 30 miles of Lucaya. I’m always looking for an angler, leader man, gaff man or someone to to go to the bar to get a yellow bird ,if your interested. I keep 3 boats ready, 62 always in bahamas, 42 for local fishing and 31 to keep working on in case, your invited

[bob lico]

Marlin------wow yellowfin, wahoo ------sold. an ace on the gaff, navigate, pilot, and scrub the deck on the 62'.i eat anything and the most punctual you ever dealt with.

[Pete Fallon]

Bob,
I lived in Stuart in 1979 -80 before it got popular. I moved back in 2005 after living in Wellington (Horse Country) It was like the Hamptons only with mosquitos. More horses asses and almost as many horses. I got real crowded in the mid 2000's after they built a huge mall and there was only 2 roads going East to West. I kept my boat at Rivera Beach Marina and South Florida yachts Marina. Close to a good inlet and within a 1/2 mile of the 125' drop off.

I can't say anything bad about Stuart the inlet used to have a breaking Barat the inlet but after a lot of dredging and rock jetties at the mouth it is pretty good except in a hard NE blow, it really stacks up and just inside the inlet there are temporary buoys because of shifting sands but you will get used to it. Fishing is good inside and outside if it's blowing . Peck's lake for snook and the LORAN tower for sails and Kings. Lot's sf places to go if you want to stay inside if it's rough also you can get to the West Coast via the Cross Florida water way over to FT Myers thru a bunch of locks into LAKE O . I kept my boat at Sailfish Marina inn Stuart 15 minutes out to the ocean. You will love it, It's 45 minutes to Palm Beach Airport Via Route 95 and the turnpike is just South at Jupiter or at Martin Down to the North. I will be going back to Stuart after I finish my knee next fall./ Tommy OAks has a place in Stuart and everything you need for you boat is available in Stuart. Are you looking in Hobe SOund Yacht Club or in Stuart Yacht and Country Club. both nice marinas> mariner cove is nice. Lot's of private homes with docks just off the ICW in Gomez area of Hobe Sound. You can go a little further South and be Tiger Woods neighbor for starting prices at 5 to 10 Million. Stuart is about as far North if you want to keep warm all winter just a few miles North in POrt St Lucie the temperature can be 10 degrees colded.
Pete Fallon

[Pete Fallon]

Bob,
There is a 5 mile an hour zone from Jupiter all the way to Stuart cross roads in season, If your looking to run out of Manatee Pocket it's a no wake zone until you get to the Cross roads , Like most of Florida the population increase has hurt the fishing but if there is bait near the inlet you can't beat this area for sails in the winter,. The Stuart Light Tackle tournament is in early December and the Palm Beach boats will run up to Stuart for their tournaments in Dec and January. The green slime really hit Stuart hard in 2005-2006 summer months it killed everything in the river all the way to the inlet, There has been a lot of pressure to stop the release of run off into the Cross Florida Waterway that goes both EAST and West, they got the green algae in Ft Myers in 2005 -21006.
I had my best day ever back in 1979 fishing off the LORAN tower South of Stuart we went 25 for 25 on sailfish in a 5 hour charter, the sails were balling the greenies sand small mackerel . I fished the area in 2013-2014 and caught enough sails to keep my northern friends happy for a week, still a bunch of spots that hold fish you have to know where they are.
Pete Fallon

[bob lico]

Stuart Yacht and country club are where I am looking right now. i would never go west i do not want anything to do with the gulf.i did not know the temperature changes so rapidly going north like port st Lucie. i truly love colder weather like 30 in winter but i rule out Murrell's inlet SC because the bride has friends, family in Stuart.so far i found the average price for dock slip is around $9 to 10 per foot per month.might leave Phoenix up north and fish other people`s boat, in turn, will help with maintenance and .help crew it.still physically fit .

[incoming]

fantastic map the area i am concern with is the" Great pocket " and is 25mph all year between markers.ok if you change your avatar i will build you the most efficient props you ever saw or direct you to the correct specification.there is a little propeller manufacturer in Jacksonville were i get blanks.(3 blade ) --------Bob

big big fear of incoming 122mm Russian rockets

Bob - I'm not sure if you are are yanking my chain but if not I'll happily change my username if it bothers you. It's a bit of a story of how I came up with it but I assure you it has nothing to do with actual in coming artillery. I'd just have to talk to the site admins about it because it doesn't appear to be something I can change on my end.

[bob lico]

only kidding on the avatar but i will tell you that is the most fearful occurrence anybody could ever endure. the concussion blew out both ears and i have learned to live with it over the years.now with the advent of blue tooth, i can actually hear on a cell phone for the first time. after we make some modifications you will not believe it is the same boat, let me get down there first. i may not be able to be in some HOA. with the corvettes. not use to living in conditions whereby some prick living in an NYC apartment and now runs the HOA is going to tell me i cannot have Sidepipes and do 60' burnouts to test car.only time will tell.

[Pete Fallon]

Bob,
I did a couple of surveys in Stuart Yacht & Country Club and played the golf course a few other times. From the inner part of the club to the inlet is no more than 20 minutes there are no wake and speed zones for manatees in season. A good veggie stand right across the street to the North on A!A also you can use A!A in the winter months when the traffic on RT 1 gets heavier January thru April. Youcan go down A!A the back way and avoid traffic on RT 1 it comes out just North of Jonathan Dickinson State Park. Two grocery stores on Rt 1 within 2 miles from the club. Lewis Marine Store and Chapman's Store within a mile, I have been in Stuart when the temperature has dropped to 21 degrees in the heart of winter 80% of the time it's in the 70's and never gets above 93 because the ocean breezes keep it cooler in summer. I used to go to physical therapy in Port St Lucie and in the winter the temp would be 5 to 8 degrees cooler up their in the winter and FT Peirce which is 18 miles North it would be 15 to 18 degrees cooler than Stuart. See you next winter in Stuart .
Pete Fallon

[Craig Mac]

I think Lewis Marine has closed their doors.

[Carl]

I think Lewis still has open locations in Cocoa and Ft Lauderdale...

[bob lico]

pete i really appreciate this kind of inside information my wife and i are used to major supermarket 5 minutes away from these type of daily living necessities sometimes a great deal price wise on a given house. this is the Bertram board so i cannot go to far astray like i normally do but i imagine there is a hospital within a short drive.are there emergency EMT's as part of volunteer fire dept or does this not exist in Stuart area.i would imagine i would never expect the freedom of doing anything you want to in a marina and will accept the fact i cannot borrow the giant forklift or travel lift to check a change in prop. performance.or painting,F/G work.i guess what you can do and cannot do will vary with each marina.i notice from the older post on this forum there is a vast difference in DEC regulations, for instance, a 6-71 Detroit is worth minus $600.00 on long island (the cost to take it away as in any Detroit. Florida actually allow installs.most marina`s on long island are indifferent to diesel fishing boats and bent over for dual or triple 350 outboards.the marina`s know at least one will blow either lower unit or powerhead out of warranty they make a fortune on 300/350 repair .ask your self-does anybody ever remember modern diesel gears like ZF going bad.Stuart will be a real nautical awakening i am afraid

[SteveM]

Bob,

I joke with my brother (in Stuart) that he now lives in the "center of the universe" for boating resources. I think you will enjoy the nearby boating yards and services available.
His wife is one of the top dogs at Jupiter Medical. When you speak to him after hours, his wife may be nearby and she is a wealth of information on healthcare. I'm sure she can give you the lowdown on nearby health facilities.

[Pete Fallon]

Bob Lico,
There is a fully staffed Martin County fire station 3/4 mile South of the yacht Club entrance on A!A with EMT/ Paramedics 24/7 . The nearest hospital is off of Salerno Rd About 4 or 5 miles away to the North West Martin Memorial South Hospital the main Martin Memioral Hospital is approx. 4 miles to the Norteast off of Ocean Ave, which is the main drag to Hutchinson Island and Sewell's Point. The two grocery stores are Winn Dixie off of Salerno Rd and Publix on the corner of US1 and Cove Rd. Chapman's School is a 1/2 mile South off of RT A1A , a West marine is on RT1 just North of Indian St and Chapmans Marine is on Indian St just WEst of the Rail road tracks on the north side of Indian St . Schopinich Marine is 2 blocks north of the Yacht Club entrance on the southbound side of A1A. There was a West Marine store on A1A just before the fire station to the South, I don't know if they are still open. There are 4 or 5 boat builders in the Stuart industrial Park off of Commerce St either to the North off Indian St or South on the right the first right going south from the Club.
There is a fixed highway bridge on the southeast canal going out of Stuart Yacht and Country Club I am not sure but I think the clearance is 28 feet ( check the local charts.) You will find it's a different world than your used to up in Long Island but once you get to used to it you will be okay. What ever you do don't get rid of your property in NY at least for the first 3 to 4 years. Any thing else you want to know give me a shout.
Pete Fallon

[bob lico]

Pete, i cannot thank you enough for the information.the main reason for my move is bride has severe RA and in here world here knee implant could take two years to heal that the nature of an autoimmune disease the body just does not heal she has gone thru numerous operations in past as one joint after another breaks down.a one level house is mandatory i really did not miss the home i sold in rural Maine on acreage and huge class five stream where you could open the front door and shoot a coyote but this long island house and neighborhood is outstanding in every way possible with the average house from 1905 era. a real shock to move to a place like Stuart but a million times better than a west coast track house development, not even one house the same in south Sayville and homes on large plots with really great neighbors most well educated own a business or professionals and keep their homes spotless with no HOA. cannot keep this home way too big for two people.i will have a big adjustment to make at least i will be as close to the water as here.laughed at every hurricane in last 40 years and this neighborhood was not touched in the massive hurricane of 1938 this is the highest ground on the south shore with the highest point on fire island to break storm surge sitting 3 miles across the bay. i have a lot to learn in short time.

[Pete Fallon]

Bob,
I feel for your wife and I have been going thru replacement after replacement and operations on the same knee since 1978. I had a 11 room 1873 Victorian right on the water in Salem Willows, it got to the point that I couldn't go up and down the stairs to my bedroom I ended up sleeping in a recliner until I moved to Florida in 1995 permanently. I had 3 moorings for my 20 and 31 Bertram's and a 13 Boston Whaler. I still miss that house and now that my wife is deceased I miss it even more. Great spot in the summer and Fall but sucked in the winter and no spring on the water in Boston area.
The Florida housing style leaves a lot to be desired, most homes that we built in the 1980 &90's all look the same if it is a development built by DiVosta or Toll Brother's where I used to live the houses in my area were 2 family single story 2 car garage out front with 2 bedrooms and either a pool or big patio out back. My accountants wife came to stay with us back in 2005 when we moved to Stuart she went for a walk the first day and couldn't find my76 house , they all looked the same , the only reason she got home is one of my cats was sitting in the window in the street side bedroom. Stuart Yacht & County Club has a lot of different styles of homes. I now live in a 4 story apartment building with an elevator.
What my wife and I missed about living in Florida we the hills and the trees that grew in New England, you can only take scrub pine and palm trees for so long. I think the highest point in Florida is 600 feet above sea level and that's up in the pan handle near the Georgia border. The man made overpasses in Ft Lauderdale and Miami are the highest points in South Florida.
I found that living in the Stuart are3a feels a lot like the Northeast, Stuart has an actual downtown, good restaurants, some public transportation (Buses) the Florida East Coast Railroad line goes right thru the middle of downtown Stuart and across A!A from the Yacht Club, it can be a pain in the ass when the train loads of autos go south and the crushed limestone trains go North up a single track.
I don't know if the high speed train from Orlando to Miami has started yet but there was a big push to keep it from going along the east coast especially the St. Lucie railroad bridge which is now remotely controlled from Jacksonville It will screw up boat traffic something awful goes the way the governor wants it to go and it will not even stop in Stuart. I haven't heard too much about the high speed train lately.
There are some great fishing spots inside the inlet and only 8 miles to the 125 drop off from the mouth of the St Lucie inlet and you can go down the ICW all the way to Miami if you like to go slow. The inlets are spaced about 18 miles apart from Ft. Peirce Inlet (deep water inlet) to Stuart(St. Lucie Inlet) so so inlet with jetties now used to be just a breaking bar which was horrible in a Northeast blow. The next inlet south is Jupiter Inlet( jetties but not so good in an Easterly then Lake Worth Inlet (deep water 35 ' smaller cruise ships and a gambling boat cruise ships in and out. Then Boyton which is very narrow and can be very nasty in an Easterly it also has a fixed bridge 39' clearance. Then you get to Hillsboro so so inlet then Ft Lauderdale. You really don't want to go any further south unless you speak Spanish and carry a AR 15.
There are a couple of good RA doctors in Stuart off of Monterey at the triangle doctors offices just West of Rt 1 and a pain clinic at the corner of East Ocean and Monterey across from County Office Complex.
Pete Fallon
Pete Fallon