Florida/Panama City Beach long term anchoring laws

[kfowler4444]

Im sure this has been covered before and I have read through the many posts related to mooring and the pilot program...

with what i have read is it the proper understanding that I can anchor my boat almost anywhere outside of mooring fields that is outside of navigational channels and traffic?

I also understand that I will need all safety anchoring requirements( i am assuming lights, bildge pump and what else?

I am new to sailing and am looking at purchasing an inexpensive boat and would like to anchor it safely(as much as possible) in the St. Andrews Bay area...it would be unattended for up to two or three months is this legal? or am i crazy any info would be greatly appreciated

[RTB]

Originally Posted by kfowler4444

I am new to sailing and am looking at purchasing an inexpensive boat and would like to anchor it safely(as much as possible) in the St. Andrews Bay area...it would be unattended for up to two or three months is this legal? or am i crazy any info would be greatly appreciated

[QUOTE=kfowler4444;1603201]

Why would you want to buy a boat and leave it unattended for two-three months? So what anchor is going to hold this inexpensive boat safely (while unattended)?

Hey, that's a very nice area with plenty of good anchorages. We were anchored there recently. Sorry, I can't answer your question exactly, but you would probably be legal with what you posted. But, I really don't think they want to clean up another one of these-



This was at dog island, but I have more from other areas in Florida.

Ralph
http://www.sailblogs.com/member/brogdon/

[ElGatoGordo]

Is this a legal or horal question? I plan to be there around the first of November, I hope I won't see a few hundred people who own boats but can't afford to store them safely in a marina or dry storage when they are gone so they leave them at anchor for the rest of the boating community to care for.

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, kfowler.

[a64pilot]

There are several boats left like you describe, many look abandoned, a few break free in bad weather and play bumper cars with peoples boats who are just holed up for the storm.
There are a couple of anchorages like this, you usually can tell when you've found one as from a distance you can see a mast or two sticking up from the water, and when you get closer the boats usually look really bad, often no sails, lichen and mold / mildew growing on the hull, and the hull sports quite a beard, sometimes even Oysters.

I can understand why homeowners get upset about this kind of anchorage, I wouldn't want a junkyard out back of my house either.

[denverd0n]

I have to add my voice to the chorus of those saying this is probably not a good idea. Legal? Yeah, I suppose so. But two or three months is a long time to leave a boat unattended.

Besides the possibility of the anchor dragging, or the rode chafing through, there is the very good likelihood that a boat left like that is eventually going to be vandalized. Or you may come back to find someone squatting on the boat. Worse yet, squatters may come along, spend a little time, and then leave... And trust me, they aren't going to worry about closing the hatches or through-hulls when they go. So now what happens? You come back three months later to find your boat looking like this:


Nope. Legal or not, definitely not something that I would want to do.

[Andy73]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

There are several boats left like you describe, many look abandoned,...

So, when does a boat legally become "abandoned"? I have seen a few comments in the past referring to areas that claim boats and resell them but have never seen a clear guideline.

Anyone have any practical experience?

[ElGatoGordo]

Around here (clear lake Texas) abandoned means it needs help to keep from sinking or drifting. It may be a Texas thing, but these problems seem to resolve themselves if you know what I mean.

[Cort]

my plan is to wait till the daughter is moved out in five years then purchasing a pdq 36 catamaran for the wife and I to live on... now the marinas have all bent to the will of fwc and the state and are no longer taking new live aboard leases. so I plan to anchor in the bay. but I plan to be a full time live aboard. my vessel will be well kept, taken to the marina at least once a week to dump the waste tank. lots of solar and wind generators, water makers. the whole self sufficient works. do you forsee any problems?

[Sailmonkey]

Originally Posted by ElGatoGordo

Is this a legal or horal question? I plan to be there around the first of November, I hope I won't see a few hundred people who own boats but can't afford to store them safely in a marina or dry storage when they are gone so they leave them at anchor for the rest of the boating community to care for.

This is funny.......the Gordo Gato is sunk under the kemah bridge in kemah Texas!



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[a64pilot]

Why do you say no live aboard leases?
There are plenty of live aboards in my Marina and I've heard nothing new against them, to my knowledge in PC, there are no restrictions in live boards in the city Marinas


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