Legal or illegal to set a mooring

[BlackHeron]

FYI:. Mantus is having a 20% off sale right now.

You want a good anchor, one of the new-generation designs such as the Mantus or Rocna that can deal with resetting reliably in the reversing currents in that area.

https://www.mantusmarine.com/mantus-anchors/

[Captain Puget]

Locally (Washington State) its DNR, and they are on a big campaign to remove, regulate and discourage moorings. Its possible but time consuming and expensive - Go thru their permit process/ environmental reviews, hire engineering/ dive firm they approve, buy very specific gear they recommend and inspect/ replace on their schedule. If you don't own shoreline property nearby, you MAY lease state property if you meet all the requirements .... those requirements are highly subjective and not well documented.

[michaeld]

We are quite familiar with those waters, but unsure of rules and regulations. I recommend that you confer with the Palm Beach Sailing Club just west of the mooring field. It's a great organization, and if I could keep our boat there, we would definitely join if nothing more than the tender operation, showers, and bar. Great location and membership. Good luck.

[crazeflier007]

Thank you everyone for your input, much appreciated. The boat is currently in the Bahamas at a marina so I have some time to look at options and talk to any officials about it. While I wouldn't be opposed to beefing up on the hardware to anchor it I figured it would probably be better if it had more of a secure hookup to a permanent mooring especially since it would be on the hook for longer periods of time unattended.

Originally Posted by michaeld

We are quite familiar with those waters, but unsure of rules and regulations. I recommend that you confer with the Palm Beach Sailing Club just west of the mooring field. It's a great organization, and if I could keep our boat there, we would definitely join if nothing more than the tender operation, showers, and bar. Great location and membership. Good luck.

I did reach out to the club and they recommend someone to talk about the mooring field. I did talk to him and he would be the one constructing the mooring but I forgot to ask him about the legality of it or if there is a permit/registration process to it. I will give him a call tomorrow to ask. Don't want to spend money on making and placing a mooring and then have to deal with fines, having to remove it, or not being able to use it because someone has hooked up to it and I have no say on it being mine, etc.

[a64pilot]

I’ve talked to several, well a few actually about the moorings there, when you ask about permits etc., they get real quiet.
I’m 99% sure they are illegal and people just do it, and get away with it cause In truth no LEO agency gives a darn.
But there are many empty moorings and it forces a transient who is just passing thru to find other places to anchor, just so a local can always have “their” reserved spot.

You want a private “spot” do what I do, rent a slip, or rent a mooring in an established legal mooring field, one that is owned and maintained by some government agency.
Otherwise use an anchor, you don’t get a private spot, it’s public water, we all share.

[a64pilot]

I sound harsh, but am not jumping on you, your asking cause you want to do the right thing, most don’t and for some reason or another think they are special.
Just like the Jack arse in his Sportfish that was dead center of the channel and rolling a 6 ft wake the day we came in, the biggest he could roll as he was right at the perfect speed to do so.
No consideration of others in South Fl.

[crazeflier007]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

I sound harsh, but am not jumping on you, your asking cause you want to do the right thing, most don’t and for some reason or another think they are special.
Just like the Jack arse in his Sportfish that was dead center of the channel and rolling a 6 ft wake the day we came in, the biggest he could roll as he was right at the perfect speed to do so.
No consideration of others in South Fl.

Not taking it as harsh at all, just want to keep it as least problematic as possible. I have been looking at the marinas in the area and have heard back from some but they are asking a lot per month just to dock it there. I know the area I am in that it is to be expected unfortunately.
I can't believe there isn't a field already in place with moorings you can get permits for like the lakes/waterways up north where I am from. Seems like it would just makes sense and wouldn't be too complicated to get done.

[michaeld]

I can't comment on what is legal or illegal in WPB, but all I can tell you is our experience anchoring there. Our sailing clubs sponsor an annual coastal race from Pompano to the Lake Worth Inlet. PBSC pulls out all the stops with a great meal, live music (or DJ), and an excellent awards party. We normally run this race in May, but in recent years it has moved closer to mid June. On arrival, we drop anchor in the mooring field. PBSC provides a tender to/from their docks. I think you will get the best information from PBSC flag officers. All I can tell you is that there are a lot of moorings there, and many were not occupied and questionable.

[Trawler2016]

In Utah, an inland state, the lake bottom belongs to State Lands up to the high water line and you must get permission to set any permanent attachment. This includes floating docks and swim platforms.
Even temp anchors for race markers are supposed to have been granted permission to the organizer to place them by State Lands.
If a boat sinks, for instance, and once the Park Rangers have completed their investigation, removal becomes a state lands problem.

[lelolay]

Originally Posted by crazeflier007

I have been looking around at a bunch of different pages and docs online and can't really find a clear yes/no answer. If I construct a mooring and set it in a public mooring field is that legal? There is a lot of information about anchoring but I haven't found a clear answer to whether that can be done. I wouldn't want to spend the money building one and then after it is in the water and I am hooked to it be told it is illegal and have to remove it, be fined, etc.
It would be in the mooring field by the Palm Beach Inlet south of Peanut Island, in Florida. If anyone is moored currently I would appreciate the input. Thanks in advance.

Did you look in your state statutes?

[lelolay]

In Florida is illegal.

[lelolay]

Originally Posted by lars

In florida a mooring is only a mooring if there is a submerged land lease for the seabed. If that is the case the municipality is renting that property from the state. And no you can not anchor or do anything there without their consent. However if you build a mooring outside a mooring field it is not a mooring or anything just a fender floating about. There is no implied ownership like there would be with a car parked on the street..if you leave your car to enter a store the car still belongs to you...not so with your expensive anchors or mooring ball.the next crackhead can use it and never leave and there is nothing you can do about it. FWC will not care one bit. I have had several "moorings"in florida and managed to keep them clear for a few months at most and this is in a much more remote are than peanut island..better just get a bigger working anchor and more chain

NOT starting an argument. Florida enacted laws in 2017 became effective. Statute 327. Please take a minute to familiarized with it. It will help you a lot. Plus there is a new organization Cruiser Rights Network of North america an there is also Save Florida's Anchorage in facebook. that can answer a lot of questions.

[lelolay]

No you can't place a mooring in the state of Florida. If you do hope you have good insurance. It is illegal plain an simple.

[lelolay]

NOpe no mooring is allowed in Florida Waters. An No you can not anchor in an approved mooring field. 3 years ago Florida enacted new laws. Now if a municipality has an event they may have designated place to anchor spectators.

[lars]

I've spent 12 years dealing with every aspect of marina operations and state regulations at the largest municpal marina in florida. Coastguard,fwc, municipal police Heed my above statements I assure you they are golden