FL is voting to ban anchoring today

[JTHAW]

Originally Posted by Waterway Guide

UPDATE: Bad news, but expected: Just minutes ago, House Bill CS-1051 passed the full Florida House today, 105 yeas to 12 nays (Friday, Mar. 4, 2016). The Senate version, SB CS-1260, is scheduled for 2nd Reading by the full chamber today. ALERT: Florida anchoring ban bill passes House - UPDATE located in Gulf Coast - Florida | Waterway Guide News Update

Really bad news.....freedom is disappearing before our eyes....

[Stu Jackson]

Originally Posted by Island Time O25

In that case it should not be enacting laws which lead to the need for such yards and services.

<<<SNIP>>>

State supported corporate socialism at its best.

First one, I agree.

Second? That is the most confounding and contradictory sentence I have ever read. Interesting concept??? Sure, but whatzit mean? Could you explain corporate socialism please?

[mrm]

Originally Posted by sabreline

The onus SHOULD be on the boater who, instead of anchoring overnight, removes all markings from his boat and leaves it there for 2 years!!!!! And it is NOT about having an idyllic view-it is about the water being used as a junkyard for someone too lazy to sell or find a place to dispose of their unwanted boat!

Well, do not mix two issues. First one is behaviour of some boat owners, second is being vigilant.

I absolutely agree that water is not a junk yard and behaviour of some boat owners is plain unacceptable and affects all boaters.

However, as to being vigilant, I still think it is in the land property owner best interest to be the one vigilant. By that I mean keeping eyes open and reacting. I will give you a land based example (apologies to DotDun ;D ), from my local community. Say, there is a new car with registration from another city parked in the neighbourhood. We notice that. If that car stays in the same spot for a week, we notice it more. If it keeps being there, after another week or two someone will call the police and report a possibly abandoned car. Then they come (yes, they really do) and investigate - try to find out what happened with the car/owner. Finally, if the owner is not contacted within reasonable time, the car is removed to a police parking and to get it back from there one has to pay parking fees..

Sadly, with Florida example, I do not see water front property owners lobbying for laws which would allow them to react in that way. Instead, they are lobbying to outlaw anchoring, not to have to be vigilant. Waayy over the top...

[mrm]

Originally Posted by DotDun

Hmm, I'm speaking from experiences living near water. It appears you are speaking from experience on land and extrapolating.

I live near water (and on water, although not for as much as I would like). I gave land based example, because it is a solution to the same problem (abandoned vehicle).

I don't know about Poland, but the government here isn't interested in owning boat storage yards, nor paying someone else for the service.

And I think this is the heart of the matter.

[Blue Crab]

The heart of the matter is boaters who anchor more or less permanently in nice neighborhoods. More are the people who live aboard and work onshore. Less are the folk just anchoring for the winter. Both groups need shore access for water, trash, groceries, entertainment, and so on. The abandoned boat is a much smaller problem.

[WindwardPrinces]

Originally Posted by Blue Crab

The heart of the matter is boaters who anchor more or less permanently in nice neighborhoods. More are the people who live aboard and work onshore. Less are the folk just anchoring for the winter. Both groups need shore access for water, trash, groceries, entertainment, and so on. The abandoned boat is a much smaller problem.

I agree. I think it's more this. Though it's pretty clear the biggest force behind this is probably someone who never wants to see a stranger's boat behind his house.

It's similar to letting people camp in a national forest. You want to allow it, but you don't want people setting up a permanent hobo village in a national park and ruining the experience for everyone else.

But instead of doing this, the approach is to just ban anchoring outside of limited or controlled areas. Seems to me that it's the wrong policy/precedent.

[Jason Flare]

Originally Posted by WindwardPrinces

....the approach is to just ban anchoring outside of limited or controlled areas. Seems to me that it's the wrong policy/precedent.

The perceived problem is derelict vessels when laws against derelict vessels already exist.

The solution the wealthy landowners/lawmakers have invented is to ban anchoring.

They want to ban anchoring and, if this passes, they have their toe in the water.

The subject of derelict vessels, one that many of us agree on, is just the distraction being used to ban anchoring.

[RKsailsolo]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

I can assure you that is true, but it is changing.

We now have lots of Damn Yankees roaming around there now during the winter, not nearly as bad as down south, but give it time.

You know the difference between a Damn Yankee and just a Yankee don't you?

No, please tell us.

[zeehag]

it is all about control.
govt demands it we avoid it, therefore we cannot anchor in places wherein folks perceive us as being tax evaders.....

[Blue Crab]

In my letters to the FL legislators, each and every time this comes up, I stress safety issues and suggest a 72 hour period for anchoring in these contested areas. This makes few happy, and none of the landowners, but it's a lot better than a ban. The water/sanitation cops are already in place.

Ultimately, this is, and has been a federal court issue but that takes real dough and determination with the landowners having both of those in spades.

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by RKsailsolo

No, please tell us.

A Yankee comes stays a little while then leaves.
A Damn Yankee stays sometimes all Winter 😂


Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[four winds]

A couple of comments...

The other day on the radio they said a bill is on the governor's desk now, awaiting signature, which allows a fine for "appearing to take on water" and " appearing to be at risk of breaking free at anchor". Fifty dollars for first offense. A different bill I suppose?

Also, some states including Alabama require a vessel operator's license endorsement on one's driver license in order to operate a boat. I thought the test was fairly difficult and did have to study a good bit for it. Florida does not require this.

[cruisersfarm]

Originally Posted by Island Time O25

Exactly. Nor would the local LE be stupid enough to hassle a 4mil yacht knowing that they'd be one phone call away from a reprimand from their brass.

This is true.

I strive to keep the exterior of my boat looking immaculate.

It greatly affects the harassment you get (or don't get) at anchor.

That said, there are now 3 sunken boats within a swim's distance from my current location. All 3 sunk in the past few months. All absentee anchored.

[zeehag]

Originally Posted by four winds

A couple of comments...

The other day on the radio they said a bill is on the governor's desk now, awaiting signature, which allows a fine for "appearing to take on water" and " appearing to be at risk of breaking free at anchor". Fifty dollars for first offense. A different bill I suppose?

Also, some states including Alabama require a vessel operator's license endorsement on one's driver license in order to operate a boat. I thought the test was fairly difficult and did have to study a good bit for it. Florida does not require this.

APPEARING to be???? WTF and why the f does anyone wanna be in floriduuuhhh

[cruisersfarm]

Further, I know it's a slippery slope, but these anchoring restrictions are literally nothing in the scheme of anchoring in South Florida.

Anyone open up a chart?

Every island mentioned in the bill is on the Venetian Causeway. No one wants to anchor between those islands anyway. A lousy spot to anchor, far from shore side services and way too residential. The home owners could see right in your boat from there.

Sunset Lake: Who cares? It's full of those little anchored dinghies anyway, you have to battle that nutjob homeowner who put the dinghies out there, it's small/tight and still a long dingy ride to places you can land the dingy.

Middle River: Just skip Fort Lauderdale. The place is annoying as can be to stay in on a boat. So over crowded. Plus, there is still lake Sylvia and there are several anchorages north and south of Ft Lauderdale to spend the night, allowing you to make a fast transit of that cluster f*.

The bill, though a slippery slope, take hardly any of the actual anchorages used by cruisers, absentee anchorers or boat bums away.

Nothing has changed.

Status quo.