Ft. Lauderdale anchoring or mooring field

[Gayla]

Hi we have a 42 ft Lagoon catamaran and we are currently in Sarasota Florida. We were hoping to already be heading to the Bahamas but of course need to have some warranty work on our watermaker and the only place they will let us have it repaired is at Multitech in Ft.Lauderdale on the New River. We have never been anywhere near that area of Florida and are not familiar with any anchorages or mooring fields which we prefer to save a little cash. We have heard it is really expensive in Ft. Lauderdale and we have to pay to be at the the repair center dock so we are hoping to find a less expensive anchorage or mooring field to stay on until they can do the repairs. Any advice would be much appreciated.

Thank you
Gayla

[fcftampa]

Lake Sylvia. Don't know the current status. You can search a few threads here, but use the google search option or just the word sylvia on the regular search.

[billknny]

The docks at Multitech are the cheapest in Lauderdale, but not cheap. The trip up the new river is a challenge, it is VERY busy and VERY tight. If you aren't sure about it, having a local onboard, even if you have to pay, might be worth it for your first trip.

Lake Sylvia.. still open for anchoring.

[Scatterling]

There is an anchoring field and mooring balls at the Los Olas marina. Anchoring is free but dinghy dock is $25/day which includes access to very nice showers and laundry. Operated by the City of Fort Lauderdale. Easy walk to beach. Uber to Publix.

[Paul L]

The few anchorages around usually don't have any convenient dinghy landing. The city marina has moorings, but the crowd will be filling in this month from up north.

Have you considered getting a rental car, cheap in Fla, taking the unit out and driving it over?

[Suijin]

There is also North Lake and South Lake a few miles south in Hollywood that are open for anchoring. There's a public dinghy dock on North Lake at the boat ramp, and plenty of restaurants to tie up your dinghy at on the east side of the ICW.

[flyingfin]

Stay on the hook in West Palm Beach north of Lake Worth Inlet, or at Riviera Beach City marina, then take the city bus to TriRail train station. TriRail goes direct to downtown Ft Laud

[Caribbeachbum]

Originally Posted by Scatterling

There is an anchoring field and mooring balls at the Los Olas marina. Anchoring is free but dinghy dock is $25/day which includes access to very nice showers and laundry. Operated by the City of Fort Lauderdale. Easy walk to beach. Uber to Publix.

I think the Las Olas marina has no facilities at all right now. There is construction going on, the city has contracted with Suntex (I think), and a new and luxurious marina is going in. Or so I hear. The mooring balls and anchorage remain. They probably still charge for dinghy access. But if there are any shower/laundry facilities, they will be minimal and in a portable building.


The New River is, as noted above, very narrow, very busy, and the current is truly evil. I declined a quite cheap behind-a-house dock because I did not want to go up the river in my 24'-abeam Privilege catamaran.

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by Paul L

The few anchorages around usually don't have any convenient dinghy landing. The city marina has moorings, but the crowd will be filling in this month from up north.

Have you considered getting a rental car, cheap in Fla, taking the unit out and driving it over?

This has got to be the best advice here. Just pull the water maker and drive it over. Would be much faster.

[Lost Horizons]

Originally Posted by flyingfin

Stay on the hook in West Palm Beach north of Lake Worth Inlet, or at Riviera Beach City marina, then take the city bus to TriRail train station. TriRail goes direct to downtown Ft Laud

This is what I would do if you can have the tech visit the boat instead.

[crayiii]

Originally Posted by Chotu

This has got to be the best advice here. Just pull the water maker and drive it over. Would be much faster.

If it's the warranty work that all the rest of the L42 owners are needing on the Sea Recovery, they need access to the boat.

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Gayla.

[Tellie]

If it is a Sea Recovery there is a Sea Recovery dealer in Sarasota, I don't understand why one of their official dealers can't do the warranty work.
If it is a Dessalator then Multitech is the closet dealer. But Multitech has service vehicles, will they not come out to your boat in the Ft. Lauderdale area?




Coastal Yacht Services

2756 63rd Ave E
Sarasota, FL 34243

Contact: Dustin Lewis
Work: (941) 504-5949
Direct: (727) 688-9722
Email: dustin@cysfl.com


www.cysfl.com

[Davidhoy]

If you need some local knowledge help on the New River, I'd be happy to help for some conversation over a beer or two after the trip. I used to have my prior boat docked right on the New River, close to LMC where Multitech is located. And Multitech did some work on my current boat, a Catalina 470 that I live aboard in a marina in Hollywood just south of South Lake. Speaking of marinas, mine often has space for transients, not sure how much they charge but they are not the most expensive nor the cheapest, but you could give them a call. Used to be part of the Suntex group, but they're in the middle of a change of ownership. Drop me a private message if you're interested, and we can chat...

Regards,
David

[wannacat]

The New River isn't all that bad as long as you keep your VHF on and talk up your entry just before you enter. Then listen for down bound traffic especially The Jungle Queen or better yet hitch a ride inbound behind her, makes quite a few trips a day and goes past Multitech. Talk to the Captain and tell him you plan to tail and ask him to inform the bridge tenders, there all great to get along with! There's also the City docks downtown as you go up the River.