Anchoring home-made raft in Key West

[massnspace]

I would do all this on the SOUTH side of the island.....the bay between Key West and Stock Island. I used to live on a (slightly) more stable platform there in the 1980s. We called it “Hobo Bay” as it seemed everyone there was unemployed or on drugs.....or both. There’s a concrete wall you will have to scale, or go further west into the mangrove area when coming in to drink. You will have to figure out a way to get to old town but I think you will have much more success “hiding” there than right next to the military base.

[Calif.Ted]

Get a big inflatable raft or there are inflatable cabanas and rafts.
https://www.smithfly.com/products/shoal-tent

[sailorboy1]

Good chance to make it into the papers and news as a "poster child" in the current anchoring debate going on.

You most certainly will catch the attention of all the LEOs plus a good portion of the liveaboard community that know you are drawing the type of attention they don't need or want. Probably have an orange sticker in a day.

[Bill Seal]

Just come to California and camp on Venice beach, or go upscale and go to Santa Barbara beaches. Might even get some food stamps.

[skipmac]

Cannot comment on all the potential issues with the local rules and regulations but a couple of comments on the practicality.

Location. As mentioned, in the winter cold fronts roll through pretty often and can blow like mad. Wind can clock all the way around the compass so being exposed to open water in any direction has the potential to swamp your raft or at least soak you and all your gear.

Bathroom access. Key West has long had a large number of low budget tourists, campers, homeless and similar resulting in most local businesses restricting access to their facilities to "customers only". I would check carefully that your plans to use nearby restrooms will be allowed.

Commuting to the raft. Yes, how do you plan get from shore to your raft? Swimming will leave you soaking wet, cold if a front is blowing through, and not a acceptable customer in most businesses. If you bring a kayak or similar finding a place to leave it along the shore where it is both legal and safe from theft can be more difficult than finding a place to anchor the raft.

[zstine]

ALL vessels require a HIN. So yes, you are breaking laws. Yes, the authorities can hassle you and make you remove the raft from the water. Will they? i don't know. If you are there only a few days, you may get away with it. But I think it is very irresponsible. What if a storm blows through? There is a good chance your raft will end up as trash polluting the water or shore.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by zstine

ALL vessels require a HIN. So yes, you are breaking laws. Yes, the authorities can hassle you and make you remove the raft from the water. Will they? i don't know. If you are there only a few days, you may get away with it. But I think it is very irresponsible. What if a storm blows through? There is a good chance your raft will end up as trash polluting the water or shore.

Plenty of people build their own boats and are able to comply with the law and legally register the boat so I assume there must be some way to deal with the HIN issue.

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by crowexplorer

I am planning on spending a few days in Key West in January 2022.
I would like to put together a home-made raft:
8ftX8ft, 2x4's and a couple plywood sheets, an innertube strapped to each of the four corners, tent on top.
I plan to moor it in the shallow waters south of Sigsbee, on the south side of the power lines from Garrison Bight Mooring field.
I'm wondering if anyone knows if the local authorities will hassle me? Would I be violating a law or ordinance?
From what i've gathered so far, a non-motorized vessel less than 16ft need not be registered.
I may be required to have a pfd, 3 vds's, a sounding device, and light for overnight, and that's not a problem.
I plan on camping out on it four nights, tops. I'll then disassemble and dispose of it be fore I return home.
I appreciate any input!

Have at it. Four days, nobody would be able to figure out what to do with you in that time frame. Hang an LED lantern with batteries, AA or AAAs, up at night

[zstine]

Originally Posted by skipmac

Plenty of people build their own boats and are able to comply with the law and legally register the boat so I assume there must be some way to deal with the HIN issue.

yes, FL the state will provide you a HIN. You must produce all receipts for the materials that were used to build the boat and they will ensure you paid all taxes. You usually need a manufactures statement of origin, which a home builder can provide, but many states require this document to assert the vessel meets USCG standards and you as the builder sign it... They will do a sanity check on the vessel design/build to make sure it appears to be legal per CFR 33 section S, "boating safety" which this vessel would clearly not... After you get issued a HIN, then you deal with registration as a separate process.

[dannc]

The HIN requirement has a solution but I don't think the OP is going to be providing a HIN. It really is the least of his problems.

A quick read of Florida statutes says his raft is going to be considered a vessel so will the OP have the required life jackets on board? With the tent, is that going to require a MSD? Surely he will have a light producing device but what about a sound producing device? Visual signaling devices? Will the raft pass a boat safety inspection?

If the OP was trying to do this in other parts of Florida, he might not have any problems. But in SE Florida, much less the Keys, and even more so with Key West, it is just asking for attention. Sounds like it will be an adventure for many reasons.

Later,
Dan

[grahamj]

Originally Posted by zstine

yes, FL the state will provide you a HIN. You must produce all receipts for the materials that were used to build the boat and they will ensure you paid all taxes. You usually need a manufactures statement of origin, which a home builder can provide, but many states require this document to assert the vessel meets USCG standards and you as the builder sign it... They will do a sanity check on the vessel design/build to make sure it appears to be legal per CFR 33 section S, "boating safety" which this vessel would clearly not... After you get issued a HIN, then you deal with registration as a separate process.

Is there a reference for this?

[Siberian Sea]

If your not a navigation hazard, or in the face of million dollar homes I think you could get away with it for a few days before someone stops by asking to many questions. Try to keep bright lights low in the evening as not to attract to much attention. Honestly I hope you try this and successfully pull it off. In my opinion there is no harm in all of this and there has been times in my life I had done my own share of stealth camping, it was fun

[boat driver]

i applaud the idea and adventure.
I think you will have better success further north of Key west since everyone wants to be in key west and many can not afford to be in key west.

IN that thought- maybe contacting the local dnr and simply asking if your plan could be implemented- including the noted insistence that all materials will be properly disposed of- they may suggest multiple acceptable places. The issue in Fl is the derelict vessels and homeless peoples- they are not there to discourage visitors.

[MicHughV]

I generally have great admiration for those people that are willing to think and live outside the box so to speak. A little derring do goes a long way in my book.

I question the location for this attempt at some " spiritual connection" in Key West. I can think of several other Keys or areas on the Bay side, which would be more off the beaten track, where being noticed by LEO or curious people would be substantially less. Extending this thought, were you to rig a small sail of sorts, you could even drift to one of the millions of small islands in the Keys, and anchor there, where you'd be pretty much on your own. It's possible to make your tent into a wind catching device. Getting back to your starting point would likely be an adventure. Being on your own, out in the middle of nowhere, would also expand your options regarding your toiletry needs.

Nonetheless, while 4 inner tubes might suffice for the corners, I'd consider some more tubes in the middle to support your plywood structure, and off course...you.

This structure is likely to move around in the water, ie, it would flex, bend, etc, so constructing the frame work needs attention. I would not screw or nail anything together, as you don't want sharp points anywhere near your tubes, but would suggest you thru' bolt everything with some large washers to spread the load.

Boot Key Harbor in Marathon sports a variety of craft, where you'd likely fit right in, without being noticed.

You can go to Walmart (or Amazon) and purchase a small one man blow up canoe and paddle, which should suffice to get you to shore.

Send pics.

[zstine]

Originally Posted by grahamj

Is there a reference for this?

What is "this"? here are some references which may answer your question

CFR 33, chapter I, subpart S, part 173 covers "numbering" and most boats are required to have a HIN.
https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-33/

I'm not from FL, but I googeld 'Florida homebuilt boat requirement' and This is from the form he would need to fill out.
"In applying for an initial title, the owner of a homemade vessel less than 16 feet in length shall submit to the county
tax collector, Form HSMV 82040, along with a Vessel Statement of Builder and applicable title fee."
https://www.flhsmv.gov/pdf/forms/87002.pdf

His vessel being under 16ft, unpowered, may not need a HIN.. not sure. but it surely needs a title and tax paid.. gov needs their cut $$!