Tips for finding a slip in Tampa Bay

[Rugger]

I'm planning for a new addition and am looking for a slip on the north side of Tampa Bay in Florida.

I'm not finding many ads so obviously this is not the way to do it.

Its a 30' boat and draws 4'6"

Any suggestions?

Thanks!

[skipmac]

Lots of private slips are listed on Craigslist. If you want to search for slips at marinas activecaptain.com has a pretty complete listing. You can load their map page and search by different areas.

[denverd0n]

Ditto. There are a number of listings on craigslist. There are lots and LOTS of marinas in this area. There are empty docks everywhere you go, and I know at least one person who found a place to keep their boat just by driving around and ringing doorbells where he saw an empty dock.

I have to wonder if you need to broaden the area that you are looking in, and/or try a different way of searching.

I will wish you good luck, but I honestly don't think it takes any luck at all to find dock space in the Tampa area.

[AnsleyS]

Try google maps. You can look at a geographic area in earth mode, zoom in to see the marinas, click on the identifier of one and it usually links to the website of the marina. Call or click, talk to the marina directly.

Sent from my SM-T810 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[skipmac]

The only limitation in most private and some marina slips will be restrictions on liveaboards. If that's not an issue for you it opens a lot more options.

[reed1v]

Originally Posted by denverd0n

Ditto. There are a number of listings on craigslist. There are lots and LOTS of marinas in this area. There are empty docks everywhere you go, and I know at least one person who found a place to keep their boat just by driving around and ringing doorbells where he saw an empty dock.

I have to wonder if you need to broaden the area that you are looking in, and/or try a different way of searching.

I will wish you good luck, but I honestly don't think it takes any luck at all to find dock space in the Tampa area.

Might not be a good idea to just go around ringing door bells in southern Florida. Bad for the health.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by reed1v

Might not be a good idea to just go around ringing door bells in southern Florida. Bad for the health.

From ringing doorbells? I don't think so. Maybe if you do it at 2:00 am but ringing a doorbell in the middle of the day, not even in Miami (which is actually southern Florida).

[denverd0n]

Originally Posted by reed1v

Might not be a good idea to just go around ringing door bells in southern Florida. Bad for the health.

I guess you forgot to add the smilie. You have to be joking. Either that, or you are being quite ridiculously paranoid.

(My fear is that, without the smilie, people may actually believe that there is some real reason to be afraid. Of course, there isn't.)

[reed1v]

Originally Posted by denverd0n

I guess you forgot to add the smilie. You have to be joking. Either that, or you are being quite ridiculously paranoid.

(My fear is that, without the smilie, people may actually believe that there is some real reason to be afraid. Of course, there isn't.)

Given the number of folks who have been shot, held at gunpoint, or otherwise threatened for ringing doorbells in Florida, nope, not in jest. If you have doubts, go google "person shot while ringing doorbell, florida". Evidently quite the sport down there.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by reed1v

Given the number of folks who have been shot, held at gunpoint, or otherwise threatened for ringing doorbells in Florida, nope, not in jest. If you have doubts, go google "person shot while ringing doorbell, florida". Evidently quite the sport down there.

And they all happened in the middle of the night. Not one was in broad daylight. I wouldn't shoot anyone but I'd be a little weirded out if someone started banging on my door at 1:00 in the morning.

[EzzyD]

I definitely would shoot the door bell ringer if they behaved like this....

After all, it is Florida...

[captlloyd]

Activecaptain, cruising guide.com, marinas.com, cruisers forum- various forums. Internet is great.

[denverd0n]

Wow. So it wasn't a joke. It really was just ridiculous paranoia.

I actually did the google search and, like Skipmac said, not a single one that involved someone politely knocking on the door during daylight hours. Not. Even. One. (Never mind the fact that about 80% of the hits were related to one, single incident.)

So, Rugger, ignore the nonsense and find yourself a dock. And if that involves knocking on doors (during reasonable hours, of course), don't worry about it in the least.

[reed1v]

Originally Posted by denverd0n

Wow. So it wasn't a joke. It really was just ridiculous paranoia.

I actually did the google search and, like Skipmac said, not a single one that involved someone politely knocking on the door during daylight hours. Not. Even. One. (Never mind the fact that about 80% of the hits were related to one, single incident.)

So, Rugger, ignore the nonsense and find yourself a dock. And if that involves knocking on doors (during reasonable hours, of course), don't worry about it in the least.

But be sure to wear a kevlar vest when you do go door to door.

[captlloyd]

Originally Posted by denverd0n

Wow. So it wasn't a joke. It really was just ridiculous paranoia.

I actually did the google search and, like Skipmac said, not a single one that involved someone politely knocking on the door during daylight hours. Not. Even. One. (Never mind the fact that about 80% of the hits were related to one, single incident.)

So, Rugger, ignore the nonsense and find yourself a dock. And if that involves knocking on doors (during reasonable hours, of course), don't worry about it in the least.

Exactly, as if there already is not enough paranoia in the world!