Frustrated...Marina costs in FL?

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by rognvald

KIT,
If you're intending to cruise, you'll need to break the marina habit unless money is no object. Purchase good ground tackle, develop safe anchoring skills and use marinas only when there is a real need. Life aboard is not as convenient as when tied to a dock but that's part of the cruising experience. Most seasoned, long-term cruisers I know rarely patronize marinas. And, the knowledge and skills you'll develop will give you freedom. Good luck and safe sailing.

Nonsense. You need to be smart about it. I suspect you see cruisers who don't use marinas because you are anchored out with those who don't use marinas. We see lots of cruisers in marinas. While we often anchor out in expensive areas, we can usually keep our monthly marina bill down around $600 (34' boat) staying the large majority of nights in marinas.

Florida is a simple example up supply and demand. They have a very long cruising season with a highly populated state. There is a lot of demand for slips. But as others have pointed out, there are cheaper locations but they won't be prime locations. It was a few years back but when we were in florida, it was more on the order of $15/ft/month except in really isolated or less desireable marinas. Not sure who was telling you $10/ft/month but I wouldn't take their advice in the future.

[Larry Florida]

Was looking in Ft. Laud last month. Recall a few listings on Craigslist in the $500 a month range. Have a look.

[pesarsten]

Maximo marina in St. Pete is $10 to 12 per ft. Marinemax off the ICW The same area is $8 to 10 per ft monthly no contract. That is what I have been paying for my 34 ft mono.
In my experience FT Lauderdale in an expensive area just like Key West and Miami.

[chuckr]

Called -- free enterprise and take a look at the supply demand curve.

[PeteHalstedc]

I don't think I saw anything in the OPs post about Liveaboard or not. But in FL that makes a big difference. Marinas that can offer "legal" liveaboards reduces the number of options considerably.

[moctrams]

My friend keeps his Westsail 32 at Indiantown Marina west of Miami when he's not cruising.
Indiantown Marina - Home

[Robin3]

Originally Posted by KeepInTune

I am having a horrible time searching and finding info on marinas.
I'm looking in both Ft Lauderdale and St Pete as a possibility.

For example, I was looking and calling around Ft Lauderdale and I was floored by the costs (average looking marinas wanting anywhere from $1k to $2.5k for a 45' monohull!!).
I then called up a respected yacht broker in the heart of Ft Lauderdale and he told me that Ft Lauderdale is one of the less expensive areas in FL. He said I should easily find $10/ft/mo pricing for a wet-slip (not a yacht club, but an adequate slip). He also said "watch out...there are pirates taking your money everywhere!".

Is anyone else running into high quoted prices and then having trouble finding marinas which are competitively priced? Any help you can provide? Are there any "marina brokers" who take a fee to find and negotiate a slip rate?

I'm just frustrated...

I would pay NOT to be in fort Lauderdale, especially with a shoreside car.

My marina fee is $10/ft/month in a well protected, floating docks marina on an annual contract here in Daytona Beach. Lauderdale and/or a departure point for the islands is but 36 hours away by boat, inside or outside the ditch.

[Infatuation]

St Petersburg Municipal Marina is a great marina and as reasonably priced as any you will find...and you can live aboard, but that costs more. It is also more expensive if you are not a resident of the city but still reasonably. I think a 50 foot slip for a live aboard runs in the $700 per month range but a call to the marina will confirm the current rates. I have been in this Marina for 30 years.

[boatman61]

Dunno about marina's but.. I had a great riverside berth.. great couple of bars in spitting distance.. no crime.. (prison was just behind some trees and strong LE presence.. Super just up the road.

[skipgundlach]

Originally Posted by rognvald

KIT,
If you're intending to cruise, you'll need to break the marina habit unless money is no object. Purchase good ground tackle, develop safe anchoring skills and use marinas only when there is a real need. Life aboard is not as convenient as when tied to a dock but that's part of the cruising experience. Most seasoned, long-term cruisers I know rarely patronize marinas. And, the knowledge and skills you'll develop will give you freedom. Good luck and safe sailing.

But he's talking about FL, where a bill has passed the House on the way to the Senate, which will basically eliminate anchoring in any county with over 1mm population; others are sure to follow.

If you are not already up to speed on this, go to SSCA.org and check it out. It is an ongoing battle, and, so far, the bad guy$ (those being the waterfront owners who 'own' the politicians in the big buck$ areas) are winning a war of attrition.

A different link on the same subject:

http://www.waterwayguide.com/latest-...eard-wednesday

As we can't afford dockage (well, if you don't mind being on the border, in GA, in St. Marys you can get cheap long-term dockage in a very high-flow river near Cumberland Island), we don't, but anchor out unless forced otherwise, such as the mooring field in Vero Beach, which frequently is triple-rafted at the same ~400/mo (no $ize difference)...

YMMV, of course, and if I were employed where rentals might be well over a grand, a dockage at under that might make sense. But I'm not; we're frugal full-time (well, those interminable times on the ball in VB excepted) cruisers, about to head over to the Bahamas again, tomorrow...

[reed1v]

If you can not afford it, you should not be doing it.

[rognvald]

"Nonsense. You need to be smart about it. I suspect you see cruisers who don't use marinas because you are anchored out with those who don't use marinas. We see lots of cruisers in marinas. While we often anchor out in expensive areas, we can usually keep our monthly marina bill down around $600 (34' boat) staying the large majority of nights in marinas." Valhalla


Valhalla,
It has nothing to do with intelligence . . . it has to do with economics, for some. There are many seasoned cruisers who simply do not use marinas unless in a dire emergency. They have budgeted their freedom based upon a limited income and are willing to forego the expense/convenience of marinas to have a cruiser's lifestyle. Others, simply do not enjoy the ambience of a marina, irrespective of money, and prefer to be on the hook away from the crowds and circuses. We fall into the latter category. Most marina "cruisers", in my opinion, are people who enjoy the assumed safety, convenience and shoreside amenities available in a slip. They usually sail power hungry boats, have reluctant wives as partners and spend more time on the dock than on the water(how's that for a generalization!!). . . "It's soo nice here, honey! Let's get an ice cream later!" But, cruising is many things to many people. There's no right or wrong in a general sense . . . just how some people view their experience on the water. For us, give me a roily open roadstead and 35 mph winds, away from the crowds and I'm happy as a lamb . . . and of course Valhalla, you can relate to that, right? Good luck and safe docking. Capt. Rognvald--searching for Shangri-La

[rognvald]

Originally Posted by skipgundlach

But he's talking about FL, where a bill has passed the House on the way to the Senate, which will basically eliminate anchoring in any county with over 1mm population; others are sure to follow.

If you are not already up to speed on this, go to SSCA.org and check it out. It is an ongoing battle, and, so far, the bad guy$ (those being the waterfront owners who 'own' the politicians in the big buck$ areas) are winning a war of attrition.

A different link on the same subject:

ALERT: Florida anchoring ban bill to be heard Wednesday located in Gulf Coast - Florida | Waterway Guide News Update

As we can't afford dockage (well, if you don't mind being on the border, in GA, in St. Marys you can get cheap long-term dockage in a very high-flow river near Cumberland Island), we don't, but anchor out unless forced otherwise, such as the mooring field in Vero Beach, which frequently is triple-rafted at the same ~400/mo (no $ize difference)...

YMMV, of course, and if I were employed where rentals might be well over a grand, a dockage at under that might make sense. But I'm not; we're frugal full-time (well, those interminable times on the ball in VB excepted) cruisers, about to head over to the Bahamas again, tomorrow...

Skip,
I could provide a list of beautiful anchorages on both coasts of Florida that are well-protected, good holding, and with no access problems as you and others have mentioned. However, they are not the traditional cruisers' hotspots. But, many have good shore access to reprovision, some are remote with few, if any, other boats and all have good holding and protection based upon the prevailing winds. They will not include Miami Beach, Hurricane Hole, New River, Naples and Marco canals etc. You just need to buy a chartbook and create your own anchorages. They don't have to have an anchor symbol next to them or appear on Active Captain. Get out and explore. You'll be surprised what you'll find. We did. Good luck and safe sailing.

[KidSheeleen]

Florida marina's are like a bar, you have top shelf booze and house booze. you get what you pay for in comfort, convenience, parking, courtesy cars, ect.

[RichandHelen]

We don't keep the boat in Ft Lauderdale even though we live there because it's a hike to get to the ocean and then your sailing choices are in/out or left/right.

We chose Dinner Key Marina on Key Biscayne. It takes live aboards and pets. We pay *50 including water and electricity.