Are sailboats popular around the panhandle of FL?

Yes, but the problem with having a sailboat in the Panhandle of Florida is, there is almost no place to park it. The marinas have been just about obliterated from the Hurricanes this past 8 years and there are only about half the marinas there were 10 years ago. So sailboats are as popular as ever.. but the marinas are gone, so there aren't as many sailboats now.