Katie & I started traveling to Clearwater from the NW Chicago suburbs where we bought a condo and a boat slip on Upper Tampa Bay in early 2004. We didn't intend to buy a boat until we moved down full time, but found the vacant boat slip needed a boat and a lift, so we bought a 21' center console deck boat rigged for fishing that we used alot, (fishing for me, Katie and our 3 girls for sun bathing and sight seeing). It was our first boat, great for fishing the flats and near coastal waters and short day crusing, but the wrong boat for extended crusing that we wanted.

After a few years went by, we decided we needed a bigger boat to handle the so called moderate chop of Tampa Bay and bought a Sea Ray 290 AJ where we could cruise as long as we want, fish all I want, and the girls could still sun bathe all they want on the bow cushions as well as go on extended cruises with the galley, head and berths.

With only Jessie left in the house back home, Katie & I find we fly out for long weekends at least twice a month all year long for boating in Tampa Bay and the Gulf with our neighbors and friends, as well as spend a few vacation weeks there in the summer, and a few vacation weeks there between Christmas and New Year's. When Jessie leaves home, we will be slowly transitioning our lives to the Clearwater area full time, and traveling to see our kids and grandchildren in Denver.

Finding this site expands our world of boating into the sunny Florida weather, and wherever the other boaters are from in the forums we read. It will be especially nice when we're back home in the Chicago wind and the ice has frozen over Lake Shore Drive.

Oh one more thing, we were chosen as the Sealebrity profile pick of the day on May 28th on the BoatersTV!

Great boating everyone!

Relationship Status: Married

Gender: Male

Date of Birth: