Boats for Sale in Zolfo Springs, Florida

Buying a boat in Hardee County Florida

Zolfo Springs is a historical community. And though the population is only around 2 thousand, it has a lot to offer. Nestled off of highway 17 in Hardee County, Zolfo Springs offers a few freshwater opportunities for the angler, as well as a community close enough to the Gulf to benefit from it but far enough away as not to be considered a coastal/touristic town (though the Florida Cracker trail and pioneering spots has attracted quite a few visitors to Zolfo Springs). If you are looking to purchase a pre-owned vessel in Zolfo Springs or Hardee County, here are a few things to consider.

Peace River

The Peace River of Zolfo Springs is a scenic river spanning several counties and more than 100 miles. The river connects to Lake Hancock. Fishing is primarily bass, bream, and catfish. There are snook in the river, but fishers should be careful as many of these are protected by not only Florida but Federal legislation. Other popular fish species in the Peace river include BlueGill and Redear. Adverage weight of fish caught are 8+ pounds, several in the 10+ pound range.

Depth of the river varies from a few feet to around 30 feet depending upon where on the river you fish. Consistant on the river are over hanging branches, rocks, and rapids. Boats purchased should be well equipped to navigate in shallow water as well as in the rapids. Bay boats and Skiffs are ideal as well as fish arounds. Outboard motor boats should be less than 250hp as anything over would be too heavy and deep for proper use. Check with the Florida Wildlife and Fishing division for regulations and stipulations on boating in the Peace River.

Going to the Gulf

If you take the Florida Cracker Trail from Zolfo Springs, you will eventually intersect insterstate 75. If you stay straight, you will come to Oneco and South Bradeton which will give you access to the Gulf via Sarasota Bay. Keep in mind that this means of access does put you behind Longboat Key. This is not very problematic as there are several access points to the Gulf.

Since the only real freshwater is the Peace river and its connecting lake, you will be more prone to find offshore boats for the gulf in Zolfo Springs. These will be the 30’+ boats. The majority of the boats will have the center console and tri to quad engine configuration. Look for Seven Marine, Mercury, and Yamaha motors. When purchasing a pre-owned boat, check the engine configuration, year, and if there is a transferable warranty for the engine.

Protected Waters

Although Zolfo Springs does not have a high protected water area, you are close to Sarasota and Charlotte Harbor which does. The Florida marine preservation acts ensure that manatees and other species in the area are protected from harm. Due to the various legislations for the area, outboard motors must conform to certain HP. Most inboards cannot be used in the protected waters. If you have any questions if the boat meets the requirements check with the local water authority or the Florida wildlife conservation division.

If using a Deep Vee hull design, ensure that your boat does not rest too deep in the water as (a) this may interfere with regulations and (b) you may find that this causes launching problems.

Find a boat for sale in Zolfo Springs

If you are searching for a pre-owned boat for sale, you could use a generic site and then contact the buyer, travel to the location and hope for the best. Going to a manufacturer or a dealership would put you outside of the Zolfo Springs area. A simple solution to find all of the best brands in the area is to use Vessel Vendor. Vessel vendor specializes in pre-owned boats from a variety of the top manufacturers in the world. Need to know more about a particular brand, manufacturer, or model? We have articles specifically designed to help you in these areas.

Looking to sell your boat in Zolfo Springs on Vessel Vendor? Our self listing platform is easy to use. Step-by-step instructions help you to put all the vital information that boat seekers require, as well as pictures and supporting text to make your listing stand out. Since our site only focuses on boat listings and boat related content, your listing is more apt to have qualified viewers who are interested in purchasing a boat, not just looking at the pictures in the listing.

Should you have any questions about listing a boat for sale in Zolfo Springs, purchasing a pre-owned boat for sale, or if you have any general questions about Vessel Vendor, its boats, or any of the services of this site, please fill out the appropriate form and we will get back in touch with you promptly. We look forward to hearing from you and welcome to the Vessel Vendor family.