What's Up with Living on the Hook in Florida ?

[jcknox]

I'm currently living at St Pete Muni while doing a refit. The closer I get to being done the more I've thought of this to learn and prepare for cruising. This has been some good information.

[jcknox]

Originally Posted by zeehag

i dont knowabout the marina but i was anchored in mouth of manatee for over 2 weeks just 2010 and in 2009. NO PROBLEM .. there is a big white ferro cement ketch to ask the questions of -- they seem nice .. they have a family and jobs and dink across the river to their CAR and dont seem to mind,nor do water cops come out to bother anyone there

Does anyone know these folks? It would be nice if they would be willing to contribute first hand knowledge to the discussion.

[h20]

"Raku does TD or RP have a dinghy dock program? """"

Sorry i do not know.What? is Raku Td and RP?
Thanks!!

[Dulcesuenos]

Originally Posted by h20

"Raku does TD or RP have a dinghy dock program? """"

Sorry i do not know.What? is Raku Td and RP?
Thanks!!

I was asking, Rakuflames, does she know, Td and Rp are both marinas near her, do they have a dinghy dock program for liveaboards.

[Inquisitive]

Pasco county residents can get an annual boat launch pass for $50. This includes free parking of car and trailer overnight at Pasco county park.

[Inquisitive]

Oh up to ten days. I have a friend who does this and goes to his girlfriend's house for the weekend. So he is only anchored out 5 days.

[Inquisitive]

Sorry anchored out all the time. Car parked at park for 5 days at a time.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Dulcesuenos

I was asking, Rakuflames, does she know, Td and Rp are both marinas near her, do they have a dinghy dock program for liveaboards.

Does she still come on here.. I've not seen any posts by her since the 'Get outa the way.. Ferry' Thread.. she got clobbered a bit so may have gone to other less stressful Forums..
It's a shame really..

[djmarchand]

I apologize first, I have not read the entire thread. But I have read the OP's statement and I wanted to respond from the perspective of a former full time cruiser and now a waterfront property owner:

We accept and even welcome transient cruisers. Those that anchor for a day or a week, come into town, buy a cup of coffee, a beer, maybe a meal at one of the town's restaurants. That is quite acceptable behavior and is protected under federal law for boats "in navigation".

But we do not accept those that do what the OP is trying to do- anchor more or less permanently, use his boat as a floating home, use the town provided dinghy dock, etc. We consider that behavior to not be what cruising is all about. We residents pay taxes to our state and the OP is not paying anything but is using state resources- somewhat akin to parking your RV in a state forest permanently.

And he is sometimes taking up space that could have been better used by a "real" cruiser.

So I do not think that permanent anchoring in state waters should have the same rights that a cruiser in navigation has. If you want to stay permanently then pay for a slip at a marina or if the town has moorings, pay the mooring fees.

I do not live in Florida but I do live in a town that has gone through this permanently anchored situation- Oriental, NC.

David

[Dulcesuenos]

David I disagree with your thoughts. If someone can be respectful and obey the laws and are not doing any damage as for taxes we paid more in sales tax on our current and prior boat then a small house will pay over 10 years. Or even compare that to someone who rents a tiny mobile home they pay zero taxes and the owner probably pays very little as well. So what exactly is your point ?

Sent from my LG-LS980 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[a64pilot]

The problem is and has always been, how do you keep the sea gypsies and bums out, (ref the boat with the French couple that recently grounded in the Bahamas) but not adversely affect the honest working people. I'm trying to keep income out of it as income does not equate to either honest or hard working, but it has been the filter used in the past.

I don't have a clue how to do it it's a really tough thing to figure out

[sailorchic34]

Originally Posted by djmarchand

But we do not accept those that do what the OP is trying to do- anchor more or less permanently, use his boat as a floating home, use the town provided dinghy dock, etc. We consider that behavior to not be what cruising is all about. We residents pay taxes to our state and the OP is not paying anything but is using state resources- somewhat akin to parking your RV in a state forest permanently.

And he is sometimes taking up space that could have been better used by a "real" cruiser

For some the liveaboard live style is a choice to live a simpler life. Lord knows I much prefer the liveaboard life then living in a 3500 SF mc-mansion. Many a cruiser are also full time liveaboard, and sometimes stay in one place for months. Nothing at all wrong with that.

OK there are some who only use a boat for a floating home, but even for them I say more power to them.

As to not paying taxes, well oddly enough we do pay taxes proportional to the cost of the vessel. Though that varies from state to state. No I don't pay $1000's in property tax, though many boaters do. Dollar to dollar value, the property tax is proportional.

Though odds are what someone with a house on the water pays in taxes, would allow me to live for 6 months or longer. For some of us its work less, enjoy life more.

As far as paying for a slip or mooring, gee most cruisers don't do that either. least wise not all the time. Personally I avoid mooring balls like the plague. Seems silly to pay for a mooring, when anchoring is free.

Generally mooring balls are a bad investment, as the towns and cities that put them in don't make any profit on them. This as the operating and maintenance costs generally exceed income collected. Really moorings are put in mainly to encourage cruisers to go somewhere else. Least wise that's how it seems to work out.

Yes Oriental just does not have much of an anchorage, but for the most part there are countless anchorages available elsewhere. Luckily the US is mostly still a free country and its not one size fits all. Viva la difference!

[sailorchic34]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

The problem is and has always been, how do you keep the sea gypsies and bums out,

As a sea gypsy, I resemble that remark. Oh agreed that the French boat folks were just a delightful couple. But there are bad apples everywhere, even in yacht clubs.

While still mostly honest, I am no longer hard working. I found the 10-12 hours a day (or more) engineering, not so much to my liking. Gee cruising and working hard are somewhat at opposite ends of the spectrum it would seem.

But don't worry. I avoid yacht clubs and yachties like the plague.

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by sailorchic34

As a sea gypsy, I resemble that remark.

I doubt it, not my connotation anyway. I refer to the old song, Gypsies, tramps and thieves. People who stay long enough to prey upon anyone they can, steal anything they can even small things like the toilet paper and silverware.
I lived in Germany for a few years in the military and believe it or not, but there are really still Gypsies. They as a group are not well liked at all, but I believe Germans have a deep seated sense of guilt from WWII and will tolerate things most other cultures won't. The Gypsies didn't impress me at all.

[Nicholson58]

Originally Posted by denverd0n

Dinghy in to work every morning? Have you really thought this through? Public transportation around the Tampa Bay area is pretty lousy. Hence, you are going to need a car. So you need to find someplace where you can safely leave your dinghy, that is walking distance to somewhere that you can safely park your car. Presumably, you will want to also be able to do both these things (park your car during the night and your dinghy during the day) for free.

I honestly am not trying to discourage you, but I think the logistics of this are going to be more complicated than you anticipate.

Car? what abut bicycles? Skates? I'm 61 and I bike 80 per week just for fun. We totally look forward to dumping our last car & home and leaving/living on the boat. I plan to have no future need for a car.