Marinas in southeastern florida

[Msp1mlb]

My wife and I are coming up on retirement very fast. We are looking at a number of options, but the one that appeals to my wife the most is selling our current boat, buying a new one and heading out. We were thinking that spending the first year in southern Florida and sailing the Bahamas sounds good but the marina costs seam really high. We currently spend around $4500 a year on lake superior. What I have seen so far looking on line is around $13000. This seems outrageous. Are there any less expensive options?

[capttman]

Supply and demand, everyone wants to be in south Florida.. High prices are everywhere.
Option is a mooring, usually around 300 a month, usually max length is 45 feet. But you get use of dingy docks water dock pump out and showers as well as laundry..

[Cheechako]

I think there are , but it's been too long for me so I dont know current prices. Do you need to spend so much time in a marina? Why not travel and anchor out for a few weeks then spend a week in the marina? Look for out of the way little marinas, yeah they arent pristine, but I've found you meet "REAL" people there... While in Ft Lauderdale we rented a slip behind a house in the Las Olas area, had a hot tub etc! at that time it was about $500 for a 47 footer if I remember right. Bottom line is there are always options....

[hellosailor]

Coupla years ago. Broward County reported something like 50,000 registered boats and 15,000 docks or moorings to put them on. There will be no affordable dockage in Florida's Gold Coast until you figure out a way to lure all those other folks up to Wisconsin and liberate some dock space in Florida.

[Vasco]

South Florida is really pricey. And in the more desirable marinas they have waiting lists, even for moorings. As for behind somebody's house this is ok if you don't intend to live aboard. Most don't allow liveaboards. A buddy rented a spot to store his boat in one of the canals up the New River. When he went down in the fall to get ready for the Bahamas the homeowner would not allow him to spend even one night aboard. He had to get a motel that night and moved his boat to a city marina the next day!

[Finistere]

Look at Harbor Cay Club in Maraton, great small Condo Marina, either buy or rent. We stayed there last winter, very nice people, reasonable and nice facilities.

Cruiser's Net » Archive » 39. Harbour Cay Club
cruisersnet.net/39-harbour-cay-club/

by Claiborne Young - More by Claiborne Young
Harbour Cay Club is a private, non-commercial, marina located bayside in Marathon, Florida Keys. We are a not-for-profit corporation and our members have the ...

http://www.harbourcayclub.org/

[hellosailor]

Vasco-
" the homeowner would not allow him to"
There is usually a Home Owner's Association (HOA) or Condo board that enforces deed restrictions in those areas. Allow someone to spend a night aboard, violate the association rules, and you've got a $100 fine in your mailbox, or worse.
The homeowner might not be the bad guy, that's just the way the sheep have chosen to flock.

[Stumble]

The one thing I would point out is that a new court case just came down in Florida the basically prohibited the state from restricting anchoring out. So feel free to toss a hook.

[Fishspearit]

Stick to Stuart and North. Dockage ranges from $8-12 a foot per month. Less crime, less craziness and still good access to the Bahamas.

[offline]

With some careful shopping you can find some affordable dockage in S. Florida.

That being said... Marinas in Stuart and north will have better overall rates.

Check out "The Deck" in Stuart

[BlackOak]

If ya need a Marina and to be tied to some wood, then yeah its expensive. If your OK with a Mooring Field then it can be reasonable. Marathon is reasonable, with an eclectic population, as well as Key West City Marina Mooring Field. I'm in a place where you can drop your own mooring ball and it free (for now), but things change. I was told when I started this adventure, the further south ya go the more expensive it gets, they weren't lieing. Hell, over in Key West Bight, ya cant even find a place to park a dinghy!

[Msp1mlb]

Thanks for all the great information. I like the Stuart idea. Your correct about the price. It fits much better into my planned budget. It's not me that needs the wood. I am trying to have a plan that breaks the wife in slowly. I figure the first year home based out of a marina may be a little easier on her. I really want her to enjoy this life style.

The next question to solve is hurricane insurance.