Finding Our Way to PGI (Ponce Inlet, Midway: buying a home, golf, area)

[wpc691]

Originally Posted by 1leftygolfer

RobinNYC - appreciate your inputs/recommendations. One of our concerns is the location - for which an older home has value. Living in the "Bird Section" and spending an hour to get to the harbor would not be our first choice. Conversely, nearly all the lots near the harbor or Ponce Creek are expensive....decisions, decisions.

Thank you.

Keep in mind that an hour is the best it could be. I never checked it with Google Ruler, but I'm guessing that the house deepest in the Bird Section is about an hour and 45 from the harbor through Ponce. We looked at a house near there when we were searching, and the owner told me it was about 40 min to the harbor - haha. That house won't be 40 min to the harbor even if they cut the new channel to Alligator Creek.

[SJNE17]

For reference, I can say with 100% certainty that the ride at no-wake speed from the tip of Nighthawk Ct. up in the bird section to open water via Ponce ranges from high 50-something minutes to about 1 hr 15 min (+/-), depending on boat traffic. We've done it about a half dozen times. My wife and I looked at a place there and tried very, very hard to rationalize it. The time to open water via Ponce, let alone just getting out & about in the canals, is BRUTAL. That's why we passed, ultimately.


Poachers cut, which we've done a few times at varying tides (mostly mid to high) is, or at least can be, a bit of a challenge, depending on your boat and how many people are in it. Keep an eye on motor trim, etc. From Nighthawk Ct. to the cut is about 25 minutes, and then there's navigating through it to Alligator Creek to the harbor, so add another 15-20 minutes. Add a bunch of curse words if traffic coming the other way and nowhere to go. You do not want to rationalize a purchase in bird section by saying, "Oh, I can get out to the harbor via poacher's cut." Believe me we tried.


Hope that helps you.

Originally Posted by wpc691

Keep in mind that an hour is the best it could be. I never checked it with Google Ruler, but I'm guessing that the house deepest in the Bird Section is about an hour and 45 from the harbor through Ponce. We looked at a house near there when we were searching, and the owner told me it was about 40 min to the harbor - haha. That house won't be 40 min to the harbor even if they cut the new channel to Alligator Creek.

[SeaRay35]

Originally Posted by 1leftygolfer

Okay. I will have to convince the Admiral a second boat is absolutely necessary!

Last week I was through the cut on a dead low in my 22 Pathfinder with no problems. Passed a 24 CC with a tower going through as well. So it can be done you just need to be careful. With that being said having 2 boats can be an issue in PGI. You are only allowed 1 lift per 80' property. If you have 85' you are allowed 2. Something I didn't know prior to buying and found out after.

[Macgregorsailor51]

The Type of boat and there by the draft, makes a big difference.. I cannot go in my 24 walk Around where my buddies 24' Flats Boat and maybe even a 24' Bay Boat can go... Add into the mix, the lack of a Jack Plate and its just too risky.. SS Props for 200 HP Motors aren't free.. I live just off the Manchester and Harbor Hopper recently sold a home about a block from me and he timed us at 20 minutes... I can beat that number by a couple minutes on my sailboat versus my power boat. 20 minutes is actually kind of a long ride and I have friend's with homes between 5 minutes and over an hour.. IMHO.. The going out isn't bad.. Its coming in late ... tired...maybe getting dark.... and just wanting to "Get Her On The Lift" .. that those long rides home, suck!

[wpc691]

Originally Posted by SeaRay35

Last week I was through the cut on a dead low in my 22 Pathfinder with no problems. Passed a 24 CC with a tower going through as well. So it can be done you just need to be careful. With that being said having 2 boats can be an issue in PGI. You are only allowed 1 lift per 80' property. If you have 85' you are allowed 2. Something I didn't know prior to buying and found out after.

Great point. If you look around, you'll see several installations of big, 20,000 lb size lifts with 2 boats side-by-side on the lift, or a boat and 2 jetskis. I also see small skiffs on a single davit - I don't know if that counts as a lift or not.

[1leftygolfer]

Originally Posted by SeaRay35

Last week I was through the cut on a dead low in my 22 Pathfinder with no problems. Passed a 24 CC with a tower going through as well. So it can be done you just need to be careful. With that being said having 2 boats can be an issue in PGI. You are only allowed 1 lift per 80' property. If you have 85' you are allowed 2. Something I didn't know prior to buying and found out after.

Good information. Thanks. I also assume parking a skiff in your driveway is considered a violation?

[1leftygolfer]

Originally Posted by wpc691

Great point. If you look around, you'll see several installations of big, 20,000 lb size lifts with 2 boats side-by-side on the lift, or a boat and 2 jetskis. I also see small skiffs on a single davit - I don't know if that counts as a lift or not.

Who has enforcement responsibilities? Or is this something that's not really an issue and folks do it anyways?

[SeaRay35]

Originally Posted by 1leftygolfer

Good information. Thanks. I also assume parking a skiff in your driveway is considered a violation?

Correct no commercial vehicles or boats can be left for extended periods in yard or driveway.

[wpc691]

Originally Posted by 1leftygolfer

Who has enforcement responsibilities? Or is this something that's not really an issue and folks do it anyways?

Enforcement is the responsibility of the city. In general, enforcement is based on complaints, so if you get along with your neighbors, no problem - code enforcement personnel are not allowed to come on your property unless you invite them. However, there are a couple of canal inspectors who putter around in a boat monitoring seawall condition, and they will report violations they see. That said, I don't think they're hunting for minor violations. Everybody has their own opinion, but I think enforcement in PGI strikes a pretty good medium between no enforcement and some of the crazy homeowner association stories you sometimes hear - JMHO.

[Harbor Hopper]

Originally Posted by Macgregorsailor51

The going out isn't bad.. Its coming in late ... tired...maybe getting dark.... and just wanting to "Get Her On The Lift" .. that those long rides home, suck!

You must've been out of beer!