FL boaters get ready to fight again.....

[Boatguy30]

So no anchoring in your lake then......

[Group9]

Originally Posted by Boatguy30

So no anchoring in your lake then......

No, we had people running their boats in ours because we had public roads bordering our lakes in a few places ( if we had owned all of the land surrounding them, we could have made them private, same as everywhere in the U.S. And, lots of people fished in ours ,even behind our house. And, not once did I see one and, tell my wife, "Look at that bastard parking his boat where he blocks my view, and can even see our backyard if he turns his unworthy head this direction".

But, I grew up in the south and no offense to Yankees, but the problem universally in Florida with stuff like this seems to be people who move from up north and want their culture, value system, beliefs, and norms to transfer with them and to be inflicted on everybody in the place the have moved to ( presumably because it was nicer than where they lived before).

Fred Karlton is a good example. Born in New York City.

[a64pilot]

Funny thing about the South is we have no sense of "Standards", you'll see a mobile home right beside of a Mansion and that is more common than not.
Now the South has issues too of course, they don't call the Northern half of Fl, Floriduh for nothing

But, I can see where someone setting up a semi -permanent residence is sort of abusing the privilege, and these un-occupied boats stripped of canvas and un-kept looking is also an abuse of the privilege (my opinion only).

I can only hope for something other than a complete ban.

I'm talking the real South, not South Fl, cause that's not the South.

[Boatguy30]

It a complex problem for sure. As with other things basic courtesy would fix a lot. There happens to be a Canadian guy that is a marine writer that is quite worked up about freedom of anchoring in FL. He occasionally has a few articles published and is on Facebook a lot. Last time I saw him, he was spending his third night on the "no overnight dockage" sea wall in Key Biscayne.

I need to get up to Canada some warm summer and return the favor!

[Group9]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

Funny thing about the South is we have no sense of "Standards", you'll see a mobile home right beside of a Mansion and that is more common than not.
Now the South has issues too of course, they don't call the Northern half of Fl, Floriduh for nothing

But, I can see where someone setting up a semi -permanent residence is sort of abusing the privilege, and these un-occupied boats stripped of canvas and un-kept looking is also an abuse of the privilege (my opinion only).

I can only hope for something other than a complete ban.

I'm talking the real South, not South Fl, cause that's not the South.

South Florida is what all of Florida used to be like. And, it was like the rest of the south.


When I lived and worked in south Florida, we called it OSF. Occupied south Florida. New York with palm trees these days.o

But, the homeless boat people and the cruisers in transit have nothing in common, which should be a clue as to the motives of the people who try to classify them as the same.

[Boatguy30]

So how does a Canadian in a semi beat up looking boat that doesn't follow the rules fit into your categories?

[capt-couillon]

But, the homeless boat people and the cruisers in transit have nothing in common

And so which of these should I classify myself ?...

1. Homeless ... Yes, as I (no longer) own or rent a dwelling ashore.
2. Cruiser in Transit ... Yes, as I use my vessel to travel to new places as well. Sometimes the stop is 4 hours, sometimes several years. Depends on the reception and the location.

The perception that every small elderly boat is less worthy than the latest greatest 50 footer is BS. Solitaire is not the prettiest girl at the dance, especially after a few weeks of single handing, but my time and VA pension is spent on systems not paint and varnish. One cannot see the new wiring, new kicker, new instruments, etc from 200 ft away.

I don't crap in my front yard (or litter), play loud music, or otherwise p/o the neighbors. No gen set and no wind gen. Don't own a pair of docksiders or a blue blazer, so if my usual yachting outfit of tee-shirt cutoffs and bare feet offends you, so be it.

On the way to the "RV Park" in Boot Key to pick up a mooring and spend some time gunk holing the keys. We will see how that works out. Fee is reasonable for offered amenities (IMHO) and regardless of the condition of the moorings, in a crowded local I trust them more than the anchoring abilities of someone with one year under their belt and a 30,000 lb vessel.

As far as wanting to anchor up in front of some $2,000,000 McMansion in Miami... No thanks, I don't particularly like those folks anyway.

</END RANT> Tks... I feel better now.

Alongside at Eau Gallie Yacht Basin for a week to scrub down me and the Solitaire as well as wait for the new nav computer. Then down the way to see who else I can offend

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by capt-couillon

As far as wanting to anchor up in front of some $2,000,000 McMansion in Miami... No thanks, I don't particularly like those folks anyway.

Nor do I and the few times I have it's been only overnight, I arrived late in the day and was gone early next morning, because I just don't fit in and was en route to somewhere else.
I stayed overnight in a Marina in KW, Conch Harbor Marina, left early next morning for the same reason, I just don't fit in.
Stayed a few nights in Long beach Key marina so the wife could visit her Mother, she didn't like that place with all the Rich guys and their younger trophy wives, so neither of us fit in.

But I don't want to have the FWC show up telling me I can't stay here overnight because there is a new law that says I can't, either.

What I really do not want to have happen is I have to go from one RV park to the other, stopping somewhere else is not allowed.


But there are quite a few people that due to economic constraints are on boats. I don't blame them, I'm sure it beats the Hell out of being under a bridge. They make the wealthy nervous, they don't want them around in sight anymore than they want them sleeping on their public park benches, and just like laws were passed to keep them out of "their" public parks, laws if we don't fight hard will be passed to keep them out of "their" waterways.

See "Boat People" are being painted the same as vagrants and other "undesirables", and I don't care if you have a new $750K Cat and are passing through or if your trying to get on your feet and a cheap boat is all you can afford, or your a drug addict or are mentally ill, we are being classified together.

Listen to the clips of the hearings if you haven't yet.

[capt-couillon]

See "Boat People" are being painted the same as vagrants and other "undesirables"

We have met the riff-raff and they is us (apologies to Pogo) Humorous story... Years (actually decades) ago my kids and I were living on Escape at the old "Buzzards Roost Marina" on the Stono River. We had just returned from the Western Pacific so the kids could have a "proper" high school diploma (Seemed like a good idea at the time) Anyway it was a census year and lots of full time live aboards so the census takers actually came down to the docks knocking on boats to take our info. One of the questions was, do you own or rent your home. Census taker classified us as "other" which in fact includes itinerants and the homeless. So now we call ourselves itinerants or sojurners. Sounds classier than homeless or boat-trash.

The locals (where ever you are) still tend to get out the pitch forks and torches though if you stay long enough to get noticed. Time to head back to Central America... much less judgemental. Course they will try to steal your stuff from time to time.

Heading out again Fri first light. Time to quit eating popcorn and do something worthwhile. Play nice

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by capt-couillon

We have met the riff-raff and they is us (apologies to Pogo) Humorous story... Years (actually decades) ago my kids and I were living on Escape at the old "Buzzards Roost Marina" on the Stono River. We had just returned from the Western Pacific so the kids could have a "proper" high school diploma (Seemed like a good idea at the time) Anyway it was a census year and lots of full time live aboards so the census takers actually came down to the docks knocking on boats to take our info. One of the questions was, do you own or rent your home. Census taker classified us as "other" which in fact includes itinerants and the homeless. So now we call ourselves itinerants or sojurners. Sounds classier than homeless or boat-trash.

The locals (where ever you are) still tend to get out the pitch forks and torches though if you stay long enough to get noticed. Time to head back to Central America... much less judgemental. Course they will try to steal your stuff from time to time.

Heading out again Fri first light. Time to quit eating popcorn and do something worthwhile. Play nice

Decades ago a proper diploma and Charleston County had nothing in common. Could have been worse you might have ended up in Beaufort.

[LEOCAT66]

How about a new approach to resolving this issue by using the "Right to Emmenant Domain", which the government uses, at will, to seize the property of others for the good of the general public.

The homes and land which are now located within 500' of a natural, navigatable waterway, should be seized, with no new permits issued, and no structure should be within view of a public waterway, except those which serve the general public and watercraft. The public would own all land bordering the waterway.

All of Florida was prestine before the building started. They, not we changed it. The runoff from lawns
has, and is causing a majority of the pollution to the waterways. This issue is never addressed and will not be, as it is too locally and politically sensative.

How about having the EPA monitor and fine land owners who fertilize their yards. Make it mandatory for them to collect the runoff in a holding tank and dispose of it at a collection station, just as we are required do with our pollutants, with fees of course.

What an uproar we would hear. Of course this is just as rediculas as their approach. They only are thinking of themselves.

[Group9]

Originally Posted by Boatguy30

So how does a Canadian in a semi beat up looking boat that doesn't follow the rules fit into your categories?

What rules is he not following?

[timbenner]

The root of this issue is that the State of Florida owns (except St. Augustine and I think Ft. Meyers) the land under the water in Florida, FOR PUBLIC USE!! Not for the private view of influential homeowners.

You give one inch on this issue and they will take miles. One more example of our loss of Freedom.

Those that actually agree with giving up free anchoring in Florida, in Public Waters, fail to see the lessons of the past.

Reminds me of my favorite quote from radio host Neil Bortz: "The American people are too stupid to remain free!!" Here's another example.

Thank God we have the Bahamas close by to remind us what it's like to have freedom and escape the Police State.

[CarlF]

Loss of Freedom? Police State? We're not going to win this fight with silly arguments like that. This is a classic case of inadequate regulation and enforcement causing a problem (derelict boats). A small number of property owners would like to see a very broad fix that also improves the view out their windows. Cruisers would like to see a narrow fix.

In Massachusetts, there is no private ownership of the bottom below low tide (yes, Mass ownership is low tide not high tide - maybe something about Plymouth Rock )

But virtually every harbor is filled with moorings licensed by the local town to private individuals and businesses for a low annual fee. Some of these moorings are owned by boatyards and marinas and are rented for $3000 a season or $50/night. No anchoring is allowed as there is no space between moorings to safely do so.

Many harbors have a 10 year+ waiting list for a mooring permit. It's been this way for decades. This handy Q&A from the town of Bourne even clears up that nagging question as to whether your kids can inherit your mooring permit when you die (Answer: No)

http://www.townofbourne.com/sites/bo...q_20110928.pdf

[Boatguy30]

Police state? You were the one demanding security cameras at the dinghy dock!