Thoughts on boat selection for the Jacksonville area

Folks,

My wife and I are planning a relocation to Jacksonville, and I am soliciting opinons for a type of boat that would be best suited there. This will play into my decision to keep my current boat or look for something more suited..here are my deets..

I already own a 18 foot Carolina Skiff. It is the flat/no semi V model. Here in Georgia lakes it is great until the rest of the boats get on the water and the waves start some hard azz hits to the hull sending up the spray getting the wife wet. Wife HATES when that happens.

So in Jacksonville I am thinking that most of my fishing would come in the intercoastal areas, am I correct to believe that I would not be faced with the same issues of big lakes here?

St' Johns...more of a river or a lake? Waves and turbulence reports please.

Taking my 18 footer offshore is very not likely.

Thoughts and opinions are appreciated. I am going there for a week with the wife (sans boat) to start our looking into things. I'll be asking there too but thought a few cats out there with experience in the area would be a big help before I went down.

Thanks cats and happy boating!

Paulie

Re: Thoughts on boat selection for the Jacksonville area

am I correct to believe that I would not be faced with the same issues of big lakes here?

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I would have to say, I doubt it. You will most surely be dealing with the same thing. It happens every where.
Look for a Center Console. They are good for fun and to fish and can take bigger water.
Just my opinion.

Re: Thoughts on boat selection for the Jacksonville area

I'll second that, a good 20' center console is like the unofficial florida fishing boat

Art

Re: Thoughts on boat selection for the Jacksonville area

Depending where in Jacksonville you live there are numerous options. the St johns river is very wide in some spots. When the wind picks up it can get really choppy very quickly. Mayport Naval Station is near the mouth of the river and the port is not to far up river. There are many large vessels moving in that area. A short drive in almost any direction you will find many smaller rivers/creeks that feed into the St Johns. The Riverwalk and Jacksonville Landing downtown offer many restaurants and other entertainment that have dock facilities. It gets really crowded on the weekends in the summer I hear. I haven't been by boat.

Hope that helps

Scot

Re: Thoughts on boat selection for the Jacksonville area

About a 20' Key West center console, T-Top, 150HP Yamaha Outboard, or anything generally similar to this rig, give or take a few feet, a few HP. St. Johns is big water between Jacksonville and Palatka, and you're gonna want something you can cruise the river South towards Lake George, Astor, Sanford...lots to see and do down that way! Good Luck!