Ft Lauderdale Marina Recommendations

[crayiii]

We'll be making landfall in Ft Lauderdale in February in a 42 foot cat with a 26' beam and about a 70' air draft and would like to stay in a marina for about a month.

I've never been here to Florida before so I asked a couple people for recommendations. This is what I was given:

Las Olas Marina
Hall of Fame Marina
City Docks
Bahi Mar Marina

I thought I would also ask this group for input.

We would like to avoid as many bridges as possible, live in the boat, and have good security.

[Snore]

When the tide is running the Las Olas is a challenge. You need good skills, a plan and a good crew.

[crayiii]

I also just found out that Bahi Mar Marina is $6000 a month...

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by crayiii

I also just found out that Bahi Mar Marina is $6000 a month...

That's south Florida. Nice marina, close to the ocean that's what they charge.

[tmccaffery]

Check out the Fort Lauderdale City Docks along the New River. They usually put catamarans at Sail Boat bend, just down river of the 7th Avenue bridge. The berths are in a very quiet, secluded, residential area that is walking distance to a large Publix supermarket, shopping, restaurants & etc. Showers, laundry & etc. are available at the City's Cooley's Landing Marina which is on the other side of the 7th Avenue Bridge. Still not "cheap" but much more reasonably priced that others.

[Hobiehobie]

Pier 66 will be 7k or more.

We turned south at Port Everglades and went to Loggerhead marina in Aventura for a few months. Was 1400 a month but few services and 4 bridges. But they are easy.


Then we got a private dock for 1000 per month right off the 17 st bridge but no legal liveaboard.

You could anchor lake Sylvia for $0 but neighbors won’t be super yachts and dinghy logistics not that convenient.

[wannacat]

I agree with "tmccaffery"! Lots of things within close walking distance. Also close to all the restaurants and activities on Los Olas Blvd. Busy with river traffic but neat to watch!Lauderdale is not quiet however, we're docked not far from there and you hear lots of sirens and trains 24/7! Jump to The Bahamas ASAP after that, then take a deep breath and only hear the odd chicken crow!

[Davidhoy]

I live aboard at Suntex Marina in Hollywood, 3 bridges south of the Port Everglades inlet. Great place, friendly people. The name is changing, as some equity group purchased the old Loggerhead marinas from Suntex, but that does not seem to be having any effect on the local management.

Marina has pump out at every dock, showers, laundry, mail, nearby pool and gym, and a great group of live aboard a who host regular social activities.

Some of the other marinas mentioned are in very busy areas, both boat and people traffic, and can be pricy. This marina is inside a gated community, and off the intracoastal so you don’t have to deal with wake from passing boats.

[Caribbeachbum]

Originally Posted by crayiii

I also just found out that Bahi Mar Marina is $6000 a month...

I suspect that you have been misled, or someone made a mistake somewhere. I don't want to suggest that Bahia Mar will be cheap. It will not. All of the marinas in your original post are right near Port Everglades and will be at least $2500/month for a boat like you describe. But not $6K. Probably.


The Las Olas marina will be the least expensive of that group, but still very expensive. It is also the easiest to manuver in. The current really isn't a problem for a twin-engine catamaran if you pay attention to what you're doing.


Your biggest difficulty will be the beam of your boat. Someone in the thread mentioned Hollywood marina. It's nice, but they have very few slips that fit a wide-beam catamaran. We never had any luck there, and we tried several times.


For cheap? The Las Olas mooring field isn't bad, though the marina, being under constructions, offers little beyond a dinghy dock and fantastic location. There is a free anchorage nearby as well, just north of the Las Olas marina.


Good luck. It's insanely expensive here, and there are always lots of rules.

[CF32907]

Originally Posted by crayiii

We'll be making landfall in Ft Lauderdale in February in a 42 foot cat with a 26' beam and about a 70' air draft and would like to stay in a marina for about a month.

I've never been here to Florida before so I asked a couple people for recommendations. This is what I was given:

Las Olas Marina
Hall of Fame Marina
City Docks
Bahi Mar Marina

I thought I would also ask this group for input.

We would like to avoid as many bridges as possible, live in the boat, and have good security.

I've been sailing Florida waters for 55 years, I totally concur, those are about all that could fit you in Lauderdale, that's by the inlet. And there all very reasonable cost wise, comparing them with Monte Carlo.
South, there is a couple down in Coral Gables, got to go outside (no bridges) and a couple just inside the Palm Beach inlet, Spencer / Rybovitch comes to mind. Capt. Vince Rakstis, Ret. St.Petersburg, Fl.

[onavegador]

Years ago I moored my cat in the city of Hollywood Marina just south of Port Everglades.

Later I found a berth in the Citrus Isles, up the new River south branch, for 600 a month.

Living aboard was accepted.

[dennismenace111]

Originally Posted by crayiii

We'll be making landfall in Ft Lauderdale in February in a 42 foot cat with a 26' beam and about a 70' air draft and would like to stay in a marina for about a month.

I've never been here to Florida before so I asked a couple people for recommendations. This is what I was given:

Las Olas Marina
Hall of Fame Marina
City Docks
Bahi Mar Marina

I thought I would also ask this group for input.

We would like to avoid as many bridges as possible, live in the boat, and have good security.

If youre not going to be doing alot of day sailing near Port Everglades, then Lauderdale Marine Center is 45 minutes up the New River and has all the facilities you will need for a CAT that size. They specialize in large yachts. Its really a first class operation and worth the trip up the congested river and 5 opening bridges...



They have floating concrete docks in a very protected area on the New River. There really are no wake issues there. Its flat calm all the time.



Downside is that its fairly close to I-95... I think the Moorings have a base there with a few large catamarans. Its safe year round..even hurricane season.


Docking at the city marina on the New River is problematic in that alot of boaters just dont pay much attention to wake etiquette.... then there are the commercial boats, the water taxis and towing services.



Further up the river, you wont have these problems. I keep my 30 foot sloop at a private dock thats another 30 minutes beyond I-95 for $300.


The further up the river you go, the further from the ocean and ICW, the lower the price.

[paullmaloney3]

If you choose to go up the new river, its going to be crowded when a bigger boat comes down the river. I travel against the tide. the current is very strong. So if you travel against the tide, you will have a lot more control. There is a point in the river where there are a number of bridges close together, and the river bends, so visibility forward is limited. you need to have your vhf on, so you can hear of large vessels coming at you, or if someone is being towed.

[Tom and Maje]

I think it depends on how long you want to stay. We stayed on the Las Olas mooring balls and were happy, but we didn’t stay for more than a few days.

Maje

[capn_billl]

oh tell me about the mooriing balls