Hey Floridians! Ft. Lauderdale Cruising and Marina Questions

[Sea Yawl Later]

Boca Chita is a little far away but it is lovely and cheap. We never miss it if we are close. Stiltsville is a curiosity but fun to see. You might look into No Name Harbor, again reasonable anchoring but like Boca Chita they are limited in spots. Of course there is South Beach on Miami Beach which is felt by many to be the most famous beach in Florida with alot to see but more commerical. Have fun!

[captainKJ]

Originally Posted by donradcliffe

What would the locals recommend for a boat with a 67 ft mast and and an 8 ft draft. We have worked our way up the New River before, but is the Las Olas Mooring field deep enough?? It has been full every time we went buy.

you can not go down the ICW to miami from Fort Lauderdale,,,,,, one bridge is only 65 feet of clearance I think,,, down a little NORTH of maul lake
in Aventura

[captainKJ]

Originally Posted by Sea Yawl Later

Boca Chita is a little far away but it is lovely and cheap. We never miss it if we are close. Stiltsville is a curiosity but fun to see. You might look into No Name Harbor, again reasonable anchoring but like Boca Chita they are limited in spots. Of course there is South Beach on Miami Beach which is felt by many to be the most famous beach in Florida with alot to see but more commerical. Have fun!

take a look at miami marine stadum,,,, if you can get there, raft and such, there is a free anchorage that is VERY protected with a marina very close by

no name harbour has great views,,,,

[Vasco]

Crandon Park Marina on Key Biscayne is a nice spot if you don't want to anchor in the Miami area. They have moorings there and buses run along the Key but if you want to see South Beach anchor up by Belle Isle or in any of the spots around Venetian Causeway and you can dink up the Collins Canal.

[donradcliffe]

I had to wait for the tide to come in before I headed up the New River last nite, so cruised by the Las Olas Mooring field and poked my nose in. The water shoaled pretty quickly as I left the ICW, and it was pretty obvious it wouldn't float our 8 feet at low tide.

We are now at the City Docks in the New River--the harbormaster moved their barge so we can sit in one of the deeper slips. However, its a bit pricey at about $60/night for a 45 ft boat, and I'm going to get tired of it after about a week.

So my question to the experts is are there any better/cheaper places we can park the boat between here and/in Key West before we head off to Belize about Jan 6?? Looking at the cruising guides, there's not much place to anchor between here and Key West, and the Key West anchorages look like they will be action-packed in the cold fronts. The Key West mooring field says they limit boats to 6' draft. Any suggestions??

[AnchorageGuy]

don, Dinner Key Marina may be able to accommodate you, 305-579-6980, perhaps even on one of the new moorings. There is also the Loggerhead Club & Marina which should have enough depths, 305-258-3500. Don't know the dockage fees.

[Hudson Force]

Originally Posted by captainKJ

take a look at miami marine stadum,,,, if you can get there, raft and such, there is a free anchorage that is VERY protected with a marina very close by

no name harbour has great views,,,,

I appreciate this informed message from captainKJ and all well advised and true, but I feel that I need to expound upon the use of the term, "free anchorage". I do fear that we in the US may become accepting of giving up our rights to navigation of our waterways,- and "navigation" includes anchoring. Anchoring is, without question a free activily unless it is within an area not allowed for anchoring. These areas are designated channels, restricted port or military zones, some nature preserves, or inside designated mooring fields. Most ALL palces are "free" to anchor!

[captainKJ]

Originally Posted by donradcliffe

I had to wait for the tide to come in before I headed up the New River last nite, so cruised by the Las Olas Mooring field and poked my nose in. The water shoaled pretty quickly as I left the ICW, and it was pretty obvious it wouldn't float our 8 feet at low tide.

We are now at the City Docks in the New River--the harbormaster moved their barge so we can sit in one of the deeper slips. However, its a bit pricey at about $60/night for a 45 ft boat, and I'm going to get tired of it after about a week.

So my question to the experts is are there any better/cheaper places we can park the boat between here and/in Key West before we head off to Belize about Jan 6?? Looking at the cruising guides, there's not much place to anchor between here and Key West, and the Key West anchorages look like they will be action-packed in the cold fronts. The Key West mooring field says they limit boats to 6' draft. Any suggestions??

Fort Lauderdale is very expensive,,, might want to go farther up the river if you can,,, there is a pace called River bend Marina,,, not much to look at but should be cheaper,,, might also want to look around for a dock behind someones house,,, take out your dingy and cruise the canals looking for a for rent sign,,,, there is also Las Olas canals,,, they have a place for liveaboards sailboats somewhere up there,,,also might want to look up by sunrise bridge,,,, there are a couple of SMALL places to put a boat that allow liveaboards QUIETLY,,,,there are a couple a marinas south of port everglades past the first bridge on your left if you are south bound,,,, if you head south down the ICW to miami by haulover it gets VERy shallow,,,, you might have to go outside with an 8 foot draft,,,, take the dingy for a ride first

[captainKJ]

Might want to consider heading north toward stuart,,, a little past palm Beach,, it will be cheaper,,,also port saint lucie,,,,, friend of mine found a place last year in the bahamas 44 foot sailboat, 7 foot draft for 450 month,,,, Grand Bahamas if I remember,,,

[Hudson Force]

Originally Posted by donradcliffe

......... its a bit pricey at about $60/night for a 45 ft boat................. is are there any better/cheaper places we can park the boat between here and/in Key West.............

Anything less than $1.50/foot/day for a transient rate is average on the whole East Coast US and low for South Florida. You might get $50/day at Cooley's Landing (sailboat bend), but that's also the City Marina,- maybe the same rate. Marina Bay, up the New River, is also known for having lower rates in the area, but they are beyond I-95 fixed 55' vertical clearance,- not for you I think.

[Vasco]

Originally Posted by donradcliffe

So my question to the experts is are there any better/cheaper places we can park the boat between here and/in Key West before we head off to Belize about Jan 6?? Looking at the cruising guides, there's not much place to anchor between here and Key West, and the Key West anchorages look like they will be action-packed in the cold fronts. The Key West mooring field says they limit boats to 6' draft. Any suggestions??

All sorts of places to anchor in Biscayne Bay but if you're going to leave the boat unattended the best and cheapest place would be on a mooring in Crandon Park marina.

[Noname1]

Originally Posted by windtraveler

Hey there Floridians - I have a quick question.

We have cruised to Florida from Chicago


Brittany & Scott

When you have time would like to hear more about this please.

[donradcliffe]

Originally Posted by Waterwayguy

don, Dinner Key Marina may be able to accommodate you, 305-579-6980, perhaps even on one of the new moorings. There is also the Loggerhead Club & Marina which should have enough depths, 305-258-3500. Don't know the dockage fees.

Dinner Key said I might be able to get in there at high tide, if I was able to get down the 7' ICW from goverment cut to the Rickenbacker causeway. However their slip price was $2.25/ft/night--over twice what I'm paying at New River. Their new moorings are for maximum 42 ft boats, and are in 6-7 ft of water.

The Key West marinas seem to be all in the $2.50/ft and up range, and I don't want to go back north if I'm headed south, so AFAIK its the Key West anchorage or stay put.