Boating

Boating is a great group activity. There are different ways to enjoy boating in South Florida, as there are all different kinds of boats- smaller fishing boats, bigger cruise-style family boats, or speedboats for the more adventurous and thrill-seeking boaters.

To finance a full-time boating hobby is extremely expensive. You would need to not only buy a boat, but keep up with maintenence, fuel, and marina fees. Luckily, you can get the boating experience by signing up for a charter boat for a few hours, a whole day, or even for the entire weekend. A private (or you can share expenses with other passengers) boat with a captain will take you out.

Some local boat charters include:

• http://www.tropicalboat.com/

• http://www.miamiboat.com/

If you're interested in getting into boating as a steady hobby, you may want to consider taking boating and safety lessons. This can be done through a school or organization on a boat or in the classroom:

• http://myfwc.com/boating/safety/classroom_courses.htm

• http://www.charternet.com/schools/florida.html

Or you can even get a boater's certificate online:

• http://www.stateofflorida.com/Portal/DesktopForm.aspx?tabid=126&cmpid=gFloridaBoatingCourse&gclid=CMW-3OfHxYwCFSQlSgodTg_jYg ($15)

• http://www.boat-ed.com/fl/index.htm ($20)