Venice, Florida Dockage

[AnchorageGuy]

It would appear that free dockage in Venice, Florida may soon be a thing of the past for those that travel in that direction,
Venice to pass rules restricting night docking | Section Florida | HeraldTribune.com
WG

[s/v Beth]

You can still anchor a stones throw away from the dock. To me it doesn't seem to be much of a problem, but the paid mooring field I don't like...

[AnchorageGuy]

Originally Posted by s/v Beth

You can still anchor a stones throw away from the dock. To me it doesn't seem to be much of a problem, but the paid mooring field I don't like...

That is not necessarily true, Venice has been notorious for restricting anchoring. WG

[s/v Beth]

Last time I was there there were people anchored everywhere. Sorry to hear it has gone the way of Marco Island. I guess there is always Naples...

[svHyLyte]

The "dock" referred to in the article is 160 feet long of which the first 90 feet or so, measured from short-side, is in water that varies between 1 and 3 feet deep depending upon tides. The maximum depth in the basin on the north side of the pier is arguably 6 feet and the basin is quite narrow, shoaling quickly to 3 feet or so as one approaches the shoreline, leaving very little maneuvering room. Given the foregoing, only about 100 feet of the pier is actually useful. While we have often stayed at the Venice Yacht Club, across the basin from the pier, we have rarely seen more than one or two boats tied up there save small trailerable boats awaiting their turn at the launching ramp (the arguable purpose for which the pier was last reconstructed). I find the arguement that the "free" use of the pier for overnight docking has any measurable adverse effect on the area or the Crows Nest pretty laughable although I have no doubt the Crows Nest would certainly like to have whatever little business it might loose to the pier.

Venice's arguement as to its intent to install a mooring field seems preety disingenuous unless the town intends to undertake a massive dredging project considering that the vast majority of the water between the pier and the channel of the ICW carries a depth of 1 foot or less and much of it dries during minus tides.

FWIW...