Re: Tell us about where you boat!
I mainly boat in the Alafia River and Tampa Bay. Having only an 18' boat, I'm limited to the gulf. The river has two ramps, one with two lanes, and the other with four lanes. There is a small island in the river, and we go there when the weather is rough, or if I just repaired the boat, that way there isn't too far to get towed if we break down.
Tampa Bay is nice, if you know where to go, some spots are only two to three feet deep. There is one main island there, Beer Can Island (aka Party Island, Shell Island, etc). The east side has a cove, with deep water (20'), and the other sides are pretty shallow there. It is not very big, but there is room for a couple hundred boats. Good crowd there, with the exception of the idiots that leave all their trash up there.
My favorite place to go is Egmont Key, just south of the Skyway Bridge. It is the border of the bay and the gulf. The west side has crystal clear water, and the east side is a little darker. Shipping channels surround the island, so the water is really deep around there. There are some old forts from the Seminole War, and lots to do up there. It is a state park, and no pets allowed or overnight camping, but definitely worth the trip. They have many sights to see there.