Sailing or Kayaking?

[willr25]

As someone who loves sailing and kayaking and is thinking of moving to Jax, I was wondering if there are any sailing programs or clubs downtown on the St. John's river?  I know Boston and Washington D.C. have programs on the Charles and Potomac rivers respectively.  The programs are membership based and you can reserve boats to sail within view of the downtown buildings.  The Boston program also offers kayaking. 

[Overstreet]

For kayaking these are the guys to ask.

http://www.jaxkayakfishing.com/
http://www.kayakamelia.com/

For sailing there are programs at the various yatch clubs. I think the most active is at the Rudder Club near the Buckman Bridge.

http://www.rudderclub.com/

[billy]

Florida Seminole Canoe and Kayak Club, founded 1918, chartered 1925,
fine clubhouse on the Ortega River
http://www.flsckc.com/

[billy]

kayakamelia gives you the opportunity to explore the beautiful Ft. George/Talbot Island area

[BridgeTroll]

I was wondering if there are any sailing programs or clubs downtown on the St. John's river?

I have often wondered why there is no such thing downtown.  It would be fun to rent a small Sunfish or kayak and sail or paddle in the river downtown.  My guess is that the current may be too swift in that area during tide changes.

[Traveller]

Shameless plug here.  I sit on the board of the North Florida Land Trust.  As a way to raise money for the Trust's preservation activities it is sponsoring the EcoQuest Kayaking Adventure this April.  See the following link for more information.

http://www.ecoquestadventure.com/

[willr25]

Thanks for all the great information.

Bridgetroll:  Interesting point on the current downtown.  It would be nice to be able to be on the water there though, as the river is very wide at that point.

[billy]

Wouldn't it be great to be able to one day take a kayak down Hogans Creek to the Shipyards?
Springfield Yacht Club!

[BridgeTroll]

or



or

[Overstreet]

...............It would be nice to be able to be on the water there though, as the river is very wide at that point............

It might seem that way except 1/4 mile wide down town vs 3.5 miles wide at the Buckman bridge makes it very narrow downtown.  

There is a ramp at the base of the Acosta bridge near the marina and River City Brewery where you could launch. However kayaks, boat ramps  and boats on trailers don't mix well.  The rest of the down town area is hemmed in by sea walls and riverwalks making poor put in and take out places for canoes and kayaks. Besides there are so many other better places to go.  The marina to the school board is on the inside of the turn with reduced current. You would not want to mix it up in the heavy current with the bigger boats and barges on the outside of the turn.  

[Dog Walker]

I think the marina at Doctor's Lake rents sailboats and perhaps the one at Julington Creek.

[strider]

Give them www.sailjax.com

It will give them the calender of events for the races and crusing via sailboat on the st johns.  It will also list the various clubs on the river.


I came down from Annapolis MD so the lower keyed sailing was a bit of a shock at first, but sailing the St Johns is fun and can be challenging. The Ocean isn't to far away to enjoy sailing it either.

[Dog Walker]

EVERYWHERE is lower key about sailing than Annapolis!  The whole Chesapeake Bay is one of the sailing centers of the world.  4th of July weekend you could walk across the Bay from deck to deck. (almost)

[JaxNative68]

the backwaters intracoastal waterway is a great place for kayaking . . . very tranquil and relaxing, not to mention the water doesn't seem as dirty and smelly as the St. John's . . . and no algae blooms to worry about during the warmer water.  Also you can eat the fish you catch without concern of growing an extra appendage.  The stretch south of the palm valley bridge is probably the nicest.

[Sportmotor]

Kayaking, much easyer to load and go spur of the moment then a sail boat.