Best Marina - Miami - Prefer a Mooring but Maybe a Slip?

[Jbingham]

we have a little harbor 53' draws just under 6'. though we would certainly prefer to be on a mooring, I'm having a hard time finding one in the miami area close to south beach for boats over 40'.

So that turns our attention to slips unless anyone knows of a place that is a good fit for a hook!

Slip prices are not cheap lol. And if you are staying the Nov-April/May time frame the prices I've seen are actually more for 6 months ($52 a foot a month) than it would cost total for a year ($25 a foot a month for 12 months).

I was hoping for a lot less than that... trying to plan ahead so we can lock in a situation now and not be scrambling come august...

Thanks in advance everyone!!

[pete33458]

Unfortunately dockage does not come cheap in south FL, and moorings will be scarce for a boat that size. Did you try docksearch.com? When I was looking for a place to put a boat there were a number of reasonable listings for less than the standard price, don't know whether you will be coming and going often or whether drawbridges/quick ocean access matter to you, but basically if you want cheap you can count on spending some time getting onto the water (drawbridges or other remote locations). HopCar has some slips behind his marine store, near the airport (up the Miami River), you could contact him and see if one is available. That's at least 7-8 drawbridges though. Don't know how much this helps. Good luck! Pete

[rognvald]

J,
You're not going to get anything close to S. Beach if you're on the hook. The best anchorage for your draft is Nixon's anchorage on the west side of Key Biscayne with plenty of depth and a good sand and gravel bottom and when the wind turns north, the south side of the island in the channel. Also, the Miami Yacht club near Watson Island is a good anchorage with access to their pool, restaurant, showers, parking and dingy dock for $10. per day. Anchor on the outer edge of the anchorage with your depth. Miami is expensive . Bite the bullet or drop the hook. Good luck and good sailing. P.S. Miami was our home base for 10 years. Contrary to some people's opinion, it is a great city.

[Jbingham]

Originally Posted by pete33458

Unfortunately dockage does not come cheap in south FL, and moorings will be scarce for a boat that size. Did you try docksearch.com? When I was looking for a place to put a boat there were a number of reasonable listings for less than the standard price, don't know whether you will be coming and going often or whether drawbridges/quick ocean access matter to you, but basically if you want cheap you can count on spending some time getting onto the water (drawbridges or other remote locations). HopCar has some slips behind his marine store, near the airport (up the Miami River), you could contact him and see if one is available. That's at least 7-8 drawbridges though. Don't know how much this helps. Good luck! Pete

Might be too many bridges for us. Thanks for the information. Validation is helpful I'm not missing something...

[Jbingham]

Originally Posted by rognvald

J,
You're not going to get anything close to S. Beach if you're on the hook. The best anchorage for your draft is Nixon's anchorage on the west side of Key Biscayne with plenty of depth and a good sand and gravel bottom and when the wind turns north, the south side of the island in the channel. Also, the Miami Yacht club near Watson Island is a good anchorage with access to their pool, restaurant, showers, parking and dingy dock for $10. per day. Anchor on the outer edge of the anchorage with your depth. Miami is expensive . Bite the bullet or drop the hook. Good luck and good sailing. P.S. Miami was our home base for 10 years. Contrary to some people's opinion, it is a great city.

We will have to leave the boat often so anchoring is not an option but sounds like an inviting spot to visit.

Focusing on marinas, do you have any favorites? Also does anyone know if you get a slip annually are you able to rent it out during the 6 months you aren't there? If not maybe buying a slip to have that flexibility is a better idea? Probably a cheaper monthly nut and you can rent it out when not in use?

[cpa]

My favorite marina in the Miami area is Dinner Key. I kept a boat at the Miami Beach Marina for a year and although I liked the location, the wake from the sport fish crowd was too way to much for me. This was a while ago though.

I agree with you on the rates. It is bananas down there. Most places have waiting lists for anything over the monthly dockage rate and then you end up paying $3000 a month for monthly dockage or $6000 a month at the daily rate. My tactic was always to show up, get the monthly rate and then try to buddy up with the management and then ask for a yearly rate. It would usually take a few months to get it. Sometimes it didn't work.

When I managed to squeeze into Miami Beach marina, it was because I came looking for dockage for my boat, my dad's boat and my brother's boat. The marina quoted dockage at the daily rate for all 3 boats at $13,000-ish a month combined. I said OK and told her we would have the boats there later that week. Then we started talking yacht racing and Key West Race Week and she gave us a yearly rate that was $3000 for the three of us. I think she felt bad.

I think there are much better options in the Tampa Bay area. My dad just got dockage at $7 a foot in quite possibly the best marina I have ever been to and I am paying $10 a foot. I have to move to Fort Lauderdale for school in the next month and I am dreading the $900 a month (not even in a marina) dockage.

Good luck.

[motion30]

if you are willing to travel north of miami your options be better. ,hallandale or hollywood

[DotDun]

Originally Posted by rognvald

J,
You're not going to get anything close to S. Beach if you're on the hook. The best anchorage for your draft is Nixon's anchorage on the west side of Key Biscayne with plenty of depth and a good sand and gravel bottom and when the wind turns north, the south side of the island in the channel. Also, the Miami Yacht club near Watson Island is a good anchorage with access to their pool, restaurant, showers, parking and dingy dock for $10. per day. Anchor on the outer edge of the anchorage with your depth. Miami is expensive . Bite the bullet or drop the hook. Good luck and good sailing. P.S. Miami was our home base for 10 years. Contrary to some people's opinion, it is a great city.

I doubt he can fit under the 65' bridges.

[Jbingham]

Originally Posted by DotDun

I doubt he can fit under the 65' bridges.

I can not unfortunately.

[Jbingham]

Originally Posted by cpa

My favorite marina in the Miami area is Dinner Key. I kept a boat at the Miami Beach Marina for a year and although I liked the location, the wake from the sport fish crowd was too way to much for me. This was a while ago though.

I agree with you on the rates. It is bananas down there. Most places have waiting lists for anything over the monthly dockage rate and then you end up paying $3000 a month for monthly dockage or $6000 a month at the daily rate. My tactic was always to show up, get the monthly rate and then try to buddy up with the management and then ask for a yearly rate. It would usually take a few months to get it. Sometimes it didn't work.

When I managed to squeeze into Miami Beach marina, it was because I came looking for dockage for my boat, my dad's boat and my brother's boat. The marina quoted dockage at the daily rate for all 3 boats at $13,000-ish a month combined. I said OK and told her we would have the boats there later that week. Then we started talking yacht racing and Key West Race Week and she gave us a yearly rate that was $3000 for the three of us. I think she felt bad.

I think there are much better options in the Tampa Bay area. My dad just got dockage at $7 a foot in quite possibly the best marina I have ever been to and I am paying $10 a foot. I have to move to Fort Lauderdale for school in the next month and I am dreading the $900 a month (not even in a marina) dockage.

Good luck.

I'll check out the dinner key suggestion now!

[Jbingham]

Originally Posted by motion30

if you are willing to travel north of miami your options be better. ,hallandale or hollywood

i'll take a look. but if not in the general vicinity of Miami for walking around etc. maybe south is a more enjoyable option? Ill do a little searching in both areas.

[Jbingham]

Originally Posted by Jbingham

i'll take a look. but if not in the general vicinity of Miami for walking around etc. maybe south is a more enjoyable option? Ill do a little searching in both areas.

key Largo Resorts Marina 22-25 a foot per month.

Camachee Island - 18.75 Sounds pretty nice too.

The Conch House Marina looks nice. not sure on draft requirements here either.

Seems like in general there are a lot of options as you head south of miami into the keys around Key Largo and further.

I'll have to do some investigation however on haul out capabilities/hurricane plans etc. WIth all the great info on the internet its too bad its not a tiny bit easier to find the best fit for your boat and budget! But hey if it was that easy what would be the point??

[Jbingham]

Originally Posted by Jbingham

i'll take a look. but if not in the general vicinity of Miami for walking around etc. maybe south is a more enjoyable option? Ill do a little searching in both areas.

key Largo Resorts Marina 22-25 a foot per month.

Camachee Island - 18.75 Sounds pretty nice too.

The Conch House Marina looks nice. not sure on draft requirements here either.

Seems like in general there are a lot of options as you head south of miami into the keys around Key Largo and further.

I'll have to do some investigation however on haul out capabilities/hurricane plans etc. WIth all the great info on the internet its too bad its not a tiny bit easier to find the best fit for your boat and budget! But hey if it was that easy what would be the point??

[rognvald]

Originally Posted by Jbingham

We will have to leave the boat often so anchoring is not an option but sounds like an inviting spot to visit.

Focusing on marinas, do you have any favorites? Also does anyone know if you get a slip annually are you able to rent it out during the 6 months you aren't there? If not maybe buying a slip to have that flexibility is a better idea? Probably a cheaper monthly nut and you can rent it out when not in use?

J,
Dinner Key was our base for 10 years: quiet, clean docks and friendly staff. You have great access to shopping, entertainment, restaurants, boat supplies and are 3 hours from Eliot Key--a great getaway. Highly recommended. P.S. Say hello to Steve Bogner who runs all the City Marinas in Miami. Good luck and good sailing.

[angelfish2]

I'd go with Dinner Key, also. I grew up in Miami and you can walk to Coconut Grove. There are lots of little shops and restaurants there. I haven't been there in a few years but I think you can even walk to the rail service and ride either to downtown Miami or South Miami.

When I lived there, South Beach had a greyhound race track and some little shops. I kept my surfboard across the street at a surf shop and rode the public bus back and forth from South Miami. Back then (50s - 60s), it was a great place to live.