New Miami (Dinner Key) Mooring Field

[GordMay]

Mooring field math ~ by Michael Vatalaro
➥ Mooring field math | Boat/US Magazine | Find Articles at BNET

[chuckr]

captmarc - we tried to come into the cgsc last year on our way thru for a couple of months - i forget who we talked to but it went on for a few days and was more than one conversation - it turns out we had to become a member, pay monthly dues and then the mooring - it was going to about $700 for a month for the couple of months we were going to be there - this is from my recall and as i get older recall becomes harder but i do remember there were a lot of hoops and the approx $700 is the right number,-- maybe we talked to the wrong person but that is the answer we got
chuck patty and svsoulmates
miami, fl

[David M]

Originally Posted by CarlF

Seems like a fairly clever way to get around that inconvenient anchoring law.

Just fill all available anchoring space with more empty moorings than you'll ever need. Get grant to pay for it. Keep the moorings empty by making them too small for many of those boats that used to anchor. In case anyone misses the point, install a really small dinghy dock and make the really good mooring locations too small for just about any cruising boat.

With few boats left, trumpet fewer accidents, less pollution, and better view for residents.

They must have had a good chuckle when they came up with this plan.

Carl

I don't think they are intelligent enough to create such a plan. I think it just did not dawn on them that there are boats over 40 feet. Either that or they figure its only rich people with boats over forty feet and rich people are all Republicans and are not going to vote for them anyways. I'm kidding...Ok? I was just trying to think like an elected official.

[CaptMarc]

chuckr,
The Club limits transients to one, maybe two week, don't remember. A long term mooring would require membership.

Marc

[Chattcatdaddy]

What is the price for grabbing a mooring? Maybe it was posted and I missed it.

[chuckr]

for a 40' boat moorings are 300 for the month - 220 or 240 for less i think -
about 20 a day for a 40' boat

[Reef]

Could anyone recommend a transient mooring or anchorage for a 45' yacht that draws 2.1M or 6'9" - I will be in Miami area around late March for a week or two.

I've started some research and have been mapping it out on a google map. If anyone would like to contribute their local knowledge please PM me and I can give you access to it.

Miami Marinas & anchorages - Google Maps

Many thanks
Gavin

[CaptLeo]

I stayed on a 40ft mooring for over a month at Dinner Key Mooring Field. It was GREAT! I will stay there again when I come back.

It's interesting that some are using this site to advertise their private sailing clubs. Don't you think it's time regular people have access to a safe and affordable mooring field? I do and that's why I'm telling all my friends to stay at Dinner Key Mooring Field when they pass through Miami.

Dinner Key Marina/Mooring Field is the real McCoy and I score it with 5 stars-thumbs up!

[Blue Crab]

Leo, it was even better when we could just anchor out for nothing. As Aeolus intended. And not just me. You too. We don't need no stinking moorings.

On reading the rules:
"All vessels with liveaboard occupants will be required to have their holding tanks pumped out not less than every three (3) days without fail. Violation of this provision shall constitute immediate grounds for ejection from the Facility and forfeiture of security deposit."

Written as this is in legalese it's confusing to a simple simon like me but I think the intent is to force liveaboards and transient liveaboards to pump out every 3 days.

What incredible silliness. Regulated by people that haven't a friggin clue.

[sabray]

The law is that you don't discharge. Its been weeks since I pumped out. I wasn't sure but thought I would be close to topping out so I hailed the pump out boat. The tank had 17 gallons of waste. Why would I pump out every 3 days this is dumb.

[Blue Crab]

yup. I can go three weeks solo. Even if the pump out is free which I think it is ... it's some trouble and inconvenience. Is there another way to read the regulation that makes any sense at all?

[hellosailor]

tg-
""All vessels with liveaboard occupants" IIRC Florida now has specific legal definitions of "liveaboard" and that has been defined differently from crew who are staying aboard a vessel that is passing through.
FWIW.

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by hellosailor

tg-
""All vessels with liveaboard occupants" IIRC Florida now has specific legal definitions of "liveaboard" and that has been defined differently from crew who are staying aboard a vessel that is passing through.
FWIW.

Florida Statute 327.60(2)– concludes: ". . . local governmental authorities are prohibited from regulating the anchorage of non-liveaboard vessels engaged in the exercise of rights of navigation. . . ."
The state's definition of a "liveaboard" vessel, as stated in Florida Statute 327.02(16), is one that's "used solely as a residence."

➥ http://www.hisc.org/Cruising/AnchoringRights.pdf

Florida Statutes 327.02 - Definitions of terms used in this chapter and in chapter 328 ➥ Florida Statutes 327.02 - Definitions of terms used in this chapter and in chapter 328 :: Lawserver

(13) "Houseboat" means any vessel which is used primarily as a residence for a minimum of 21 days during any 30-day period, in a county of this state, and this residential use of the vessel is to the preclusion of the use of the vessel as a means of transportation.

(17) "Live-aboard vessel" means:
(a) Any vessel used solely as a residence; or
(b) Any vessel represented as a place of business, a professional or other commercial enterprise, or a legal residence.
A commercial fishing boat is expressly excluded from the term “live-aboard vessel.”

See also:

➥ http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...oards-508.html

➥ Miami Boating News :: Florida Adopts New Anchoring Law

[Blue Crab]

HSailor: I didn't know that at all. I went looking after reading your post and found the definition. I shoulda waited as Gord researched it and found more stuff than I did anyway. Thanks gentlemen.

One thing I also noticed is that on the Dinner Key dock the rates are for dockage, liveaboard dockage, and commercial dockage. The mooring field is just overnight and monthly. I read that as no liveaboards on moorings under the very narrow FL definition. I guess my only question is whether a "full-time cruiser", renting a monthly mooring indefinitely would have to pump out every 3 days without fail? Maybe the pumpout provision is just poorly written.

I guess I don't really care personally beyond the loss of my right to drop the hook whenever, wherever. Under Fl law if you really are cruising, localities can't regulate anchoring beyond or outside the mooring field. And I have little sympathy for the physical view of the property owner I may be in sight of. First, when I am king, no one will be allowed to buy waterfront property. I deem it belonging to all of us. Second, ownership of the land extends to the high tide mark, not as far as one can see.

All that said, if you can rent a mooring for $275 a month indefinitely at Dinner Key, live on your boat that really is an operational vessel, have showers, a parking spot, dinghy dock, trash disposal, water, laundry, free pumpout ... hell, Dick's Bar is still there isn't it?, that's a heckava good deal! One of Gord's links refers to the City of Marathon possibly or apparently wising up to the fact that the liveaboards in Boot Key harbor actually are part of the community's economy.

It's moot for me now. I plan to keep moving. In deference to my advancing age, however, a windlass is on my refit list.

[GordMay]

As tgzzz says:

2.7 Waste Management / Marine Pollution: Discharge of human or pet waste overboard in City waters is prohibited. Upon entering the mooring field, all vessels shall secure their sewage holding tanks, which are to be emptied into the sewage pumpout facilities prior to mooring. Absolutely no pumping of any sewage into any area within the Facility except at the pumpout station or by a pumpout vessel. All vessels with liveaboard occupants will be required to have their holding tanks pumped out not less than every three (3) days without fail. Violation of this provision shall constitute immediate grounds for ejection from the Facility and forfeiture of security deposit.

From the
CITY OF MIAMI DINNER KEY MANAGED MOORING FACILITY
RULES & REGULATIONS

Here ➥ http://www.miamigov.com/marinas/doc/Mooring_Rules.pdf

If the above wording is incredible silliness, please suggest reasonable wording that would accomplish the intent.