An interesting read about Florida Anchoring

[Vasco]

Originally Posted by Kettlewell

By the way, many seem to like the St. Augustine mooring field off the marina, but it's too bad they decided to eliminate anchoring in Salt Run too. They put in a lot of moorings over there that I understand are not heavily used. There's a new dock open at Vilano Beach that allows temporary tie ups and nearby ashore is a Publix and other shops and restaurants. That would be convenient for those now anchoring up near the Vilano Beach bridge.

Yeah, that's where we anchor now. North of the bridge, on the east side. It's actually better than the North or South anchorages. Or we anchor further north in the Tolomato and don't stop in St. Augustine at all. Don't have to worry when the boats start going every which way like they do in St. Augustine. Haven't gone ashore in St. Augustine for a few years. It was just a stop before Daytona.

[Blue Crab]

OK, I think I read all relevant links, and joined BARR, and noted it hasn't been updated lately, so my take is that there's nothing new to concern me. Always a good thing. Sure good to know what a strong supporter is BOATUS.

Around Beaufort, NC, the anecdotal feeling is BOATUS = Good. SeaTow = Bad.

Thanks to Kettlewell and others who had access and time to go to mettings. Much obliged.

[Buc210]

I would say that things are better now than a few years ago. I live near "infamous" Marco Island, which passed a very restrictive anchoring law in 2006 only to have local boaters "test" the law. The result was the City of Marco Island wasting $250K in legal bills fighting in the courts to uphold the law, which was again and again found to be unconstitutional in FL. Marco could have saved a boatload of money by checking with the DEP over how to craft a law that would give them some of what they wanted, without violating the FL and US Constitutions. There's a guy at the DEP in Tallahassee who not only is a lawyer, but he's a licensed captain with decades of experience who would have saved the taxpayers and boaters a lot of bucks and hassle. As for the likelihood of more restrictive laws down the road....they may try, but cities will pay the price if the laws run afoul of the FL Constitution.

[gettinthere]

So what will happen to all the moorings when they are deemed unsafe to use? The ultimate way to get rid of anchored boats?

Cap Force, I'm surprised you found LIS/Cape Cod difficult. We never paid a dime for 6 weeks of cruising there this summer. Many harbors have room just beyond the mooring fields and the plus is free access with your boat to the town dock for filling the water tank and washing the boat. Vineyard Haven, Marthas Vineyard was one good example. Northport LI works well too

[Hudson Force]

Originally Posted by gettinthere

So what will happen to all the moorings when they are deemed unsafe to use? The ultimate way to get rid of anchored boats?

Cap Force, I'm surprised you found LIS/Cape Cod difficult. We never paid a dime for 6 weeks of cruising there this summer. Many harbors have room just beyond the mooring fields and the plus is free access with your boat to the town dock for filling the water tank and washing the boat. Vineyard Haven, Marthas Vineyard was one good example. Northport LI works well too

Yes, I filled my water tanks at Martha's Vinyard and I did tie up at Northport town docks to pick up batteries delivered by Compass Marine. Certainly I enjoyed my cruising in Long Island Sound and all though New England too, but, without question, the freedom to easily anchor is far more limited in these areas than by the very few mooring fields in Florida. It's just a matter of concentration. There are likely more boats moored in Northport alone than all the moorings in the state of Florida.
edit: that's a bold exageration!
2nd edit: I recieved a PM from "gettingthere" and found that I was in Huntington Harbor for Compass Rose Marine (confirmed by my log). I'm fortunate that my navigation errors are only in memory and not while presently underway!

[w1651]

Originally Posted by Kettlewell

I think most of these places will find that mooring fields are not the cash sea cow they thought. Even Marathon has only been able to keep going by getting hundreds of thousands of dollars from the county to repair moorings--the mooring field there, with hundreds of seasonal rentals, is not paying for itself either. Plus, they have now raised the dinghy dock fee to the same cost as renting a mooring in order to try to force more anchored boaters onto moorings.

Amen Brother.
this year St Pete put in a mooring field down town by our pier. 35 bucks a night is crazy. They also put it right in front of the Vinoy hotels marina entrance which is 700 a month to dock there. And over a bizzilion bucks a night. Have a look!
St Petersburg, Florida Resort | Resort in St Petersburg, Florida

Now let's look at this.
Forget the fact they forced out locally anchoring and cruising boats to do it. And when the boats moved to the other side of the pier the City simply outlawed anchoring there. I guess the Yacht club (which uses that side ) complained about the safety coming and going out of the local downtown marina. They didn't mention that it was behind the break water where the Yacht club likes to teach young people to sail at a hefty amount for lessons.
So what we have now is a mooring field spent for but not used, no place to drop the hook down town, and all that cruising money gone somewhere else that will allow cruisers to drop the hook.
It might be time to move to Bradenton because like someone else has written they don't repeal the money making laws. Even if they don't make money because politicians are all CONTROL FREAKS !

[Kettlewell]

Yep, it's too bad about St. Pete. I have anchored in the Vinoy basin many times, and I enjoyed watching the Christmas parade there several years--complete with imported snow so the kids could slide down a little hill they built. The sad thing is these anti-anchoring laws not only chase away long-termers, but transient boaters like myself who just prefer to anchor. I enjoy doing it, just like other aspects of cruising, and to me it isn't cruising without being able to anchor out.

[Blue Crab]

Originally Posted by Kettlewell

The sad thing is these anti-anchoring laws not only chase away long-termers, but transient boaters like myself who just prefer to anchor. I enjoy doing it, just like other aspects of cruising, and to me it isn't cruising without being able to anchor out.

Double bummer when we all know that the derelict/dirtbag problem could have been solved with cheaper solutions like proof of navigability, a current registration/safety equipment checkups, potty policing and doubtless others. None of these were done in the "Miami Mooring Field" back when it was called the Dinner Key anchorage and the squabble was in its beginning stages. I was there. I worked at the sailing club and maintaining the moorings was almost a full-time job for one man.


I doubt the towns have thought through the very real maintenance costs of mooring fields. The chains grinding around 24/7 wear far more quickly than local administrators have considered. Although I doubt they care about that. Most people don't have the Bayshore Drive view although all will pay for the city-mandated moorings.

The other shoe is the liability issue. Maybe I'm incorrect but I think I read where the cities will not be liable for damage if the mooring carries away. Let's see how that goes for them because that is sure to happen in a couple of years when the fields aren't new any longer. I can hear the defense lawyer for [pick your spot] auguing that cruisers weren't coerced to use the mooring field. Oh no? Consider the $20 a day dinghy dock fee in Marathon. You don't have to be smarter than a fifth grader to see through that.

Many cruisers love mooring fields and the false security but genuine convenience they offer. Great! Communities that want boat business can offer them. Good idea, particularly bundled with showers and laundry. But keep it real with those boundaries, please.

[w1651]

The sad thing is these anti-anchoring laws not only chase away long-termers, but transient boaters like myself who just prefer to anchor. I enjoy doing it, just like other aspects of cruising, and to me it isn't cruising without being able to anchor out.

They just don't see the forest for the trees. I would much rather pay a reasonable cost for a mooring fee that includes a facility for a hot shower. Maybe a P.O. Box if I'd like one and a free shuttle service to get you restocked and around the down town area. And how about a monthly fee instead of a daily one.
Then you have a lease type of agreement for one month at a time and at the end of the month you either leave or move to another mooring ball. Either way your not a derilect boat and you are contributing to the economy here by spending money. I like the idea of making money but let's be smart about it. Everything you need to do it and Everything I just wrote is there now so let's use it.
As for anchoring there is plenty of room on the south side of down town to anchor and if you include a small,small, I said SMALL fee at the local dock you could give out weekly tickets to showers and have a coin operated laundry(This alone would make a killing) as well as having a free shuttle service already there and a market downtown as well as drinking holes lining the road to and from where your going.
There's also a long sand bar just off shore from the down town area believe me I know I spent a few hours there. (Dam that chart) It wasn't my fault the crew on deck must have gotten a little close to it. But it goes for a good 3 to 4 miles north to south along the channel they dredged. Stay on the east side of the sand bar and anchor out if you'd like to. Then come in and get your supplies and go out to your boat for the night.You just spent more money in the local economy. That's what it's all about anyway isn't it?
Maybe I'm not being realistic but I'm thinking volume here. And the more the merrier and the more money there is to be made by the city of ST Pete. As for the abandoned boats haul them off at owners expense. Someone owned them. They have ID numbers and boat manufacturers names they didn't just appear there.
Is it me? Am I dreaming here?

[Auspicious]

Originally Posted by w1651

What do you all think about this new state test and what should we say about it to Boat US which is advising the municipalities and state regulators?

The pilot programs in Florida are wrapping up. FWC has been receiving input from individuals and organizations about the effectiveness. One of the major issues seems to be compliance of local jurisdictions with state law.

Boat/US and the Seven Seas Cruising Association (SSCA) have been invited by FWC to participate in development of reasonable regulations statewide.

Although some localities are not concerned, the State of Florida is well aware of the impact of inhospitable regulation on tourism.

If you care about anchoring rights in Florida, or anywhere in the US, you should be a member of both Boat/US and SSCA. Let David Kennedy at Boat/US and Phil Johnson at SSCA know you care and what you are able to do to help.

sail fast and eat well, dave
Dave Skolnick S/V Auspicious
SSCA President