Barb Hansen warns of a potential surge of boat traffic heading from the Great Lakes down the Mississippi River in the summer of 2025.
“Our school has gone crazy,” she says, referring to a flood of bookings for sail and powerboat courses at Southwest Florida Yachts, which she runs near Fort Myers. “If everyone who says they’ll do the Great Loop in the next three to five years actually goes, it’s going to be a serious traffic jam.”
Throughout the United States, changing Covid-19 restrictions have pushed many aspiring and experienced boaters toward Florida. Demand is strong across the board—bareboat and crewed charters, learn-to-skipper and fast-track courses—and it shows no sign of slowing despite seasonal case changes. What began as a summer uptick has continued; people are choosing boating as a way to get outdoors and reclaim a sense of normalcy, especially in Florida where waterfront dining and snorkeling options make it an attractive escape.
Beth Oliver, marketing director for Offshore Sailing School, notes a particular spike in fast-track sailing courses for clients who want to try living aboard or chartering through companies such as The Moorings. The school operates boats in St. Petersburg, Cape Coral, Captiva Island and Fort Myers Beach, and Oliver says many students now view the pandemic as the right time to pursue a long-held dream.
“There’s interest from people who have always wanted to do this,” she explains. “It’s one of the safest ways to be on the water—with your own party in controlled, outdoor settings. Right now it’s the great safe escape.”
Hansen confirms that customers are traveling to Southwest Florida from states as far away as the Carolinas and Texas. Many remain cautious about public transit, but they’re willing to drive long distances to get on the water and satisfy a growing need for open-air recreation after prolonged lockdowns.
“From Texas it’s a two-day drive—14 or 15 hours—but they were doing it,” Hansen says. “You wouldn’t think people would change their whole lives in nine months, but clearly many have had enough and are ready for something different.”
The shift toward Florida isn’t limited to smaller charters. Capt. Matthew Burns of the 103-foot Johnson motor yacht Lorax found himself basing the boat in the Florida Keys this past winter rather than in the Bahamas or Caribbean. With island regulations and testing requirements in flux, private jets to South Florida and careful planning allowed his management company, Superyacht Sales & Charter, to book successive charters for guests eager to escape the uncertainty.
“Each group we had just wanted a break from the Covid chaos,” Burns says. The charter parties he hosted were families or close friends who had quarantined together and were tested before joining the yacht. Once on board, trips prioritized onboard meals, snorkeling and fishing rather than shore-based activities, which reduced exposure and made for a relaxed, mask-free experience among the group.
That mix of outdoor freedom and onboard privacy is what draws many to learn-to-cruise programs and bareboat charters. Oliver describes Offshore Sailing School’s typical program: clients arrive Friday, complete a two-day course on a Colgate 26 while staying at a resort, then leave Monday aboard a 40- to 50-foot monohull or catamaran. By week’s end, participants often feel restored and start planning future escapes.
Hansen has been expanding her fleet to meet demand, adding a Beneteau Swift Trawler 52, an Aquila 44 power catamaran and several sailing cats. Bookings have accelerated as more clients anticipate vaccination and safer travel windows. She expects spring and summer to be particularly busy, and not only in the Florida Keys—many lesser-known Southwest Florida ports are seeing more visitors during months that previously were off-peak.
“We have a real hidden gem here in Southwest Florida,” Hansen says. “People arrive and say, ‘I had no idea this place was this good.’”
Still, capacity is a growing concern. Burns worries about dockage and slip availability if more boaters choose Florida over the Bahamas and Caribbean. Larger yachts need suitable berths, and marinas are filling quickly—he notes that in early February many Florida Keys marinas were at capacity, and that finding a spot can be difficult.
“Everything is full,” he says, recounting how Opal Key Marina in Key West was the only available slip he could secure at the time—and he adds it was a great location.
For many travelers, the appeal of getting away—fresh air, privacy, and the chance to be on the water with family or close friends—outweighs the challenges. Whether through learn-to-sail courses, bareboat charters, or fully crewed yachts, Florida’s boating scene has become a favored option for those seeking a safer, restorative vacation experience during the pandemic.
This article was originally published in the April 2021 issue.