Available Moorings in Miami Fl

[Cap Morgan]

Over the past year I have attempted to identify mooring fields in the Miami area where I could keep my boat when I got it. My newly acquired CAL 39 has a 6’ draft and so she needs at least 7’ MLW home. Coconut Grove Sailing Club has a waiting list that is years long. The City of Miami run mooring fields are also full. I’ve specifically been trying to get into Dinner Key but they told me that they don’t take reservations and that I should call them when I got to town and am “in the channel” because they always have spots. I actually went to their DockMaster 2 days prior to getting the boat to Miami and that’s when I was told that they have no spots due to the fact that it is high season. I have now had to drop anchor south east of the Rickenbacher Causeway and am not comfortable with this as I believe this area to be tightly controlled. Given the above Challenges I thought I’d consult my friends on the Cruiser forum to see if someone in this area can give me some pointers given my boat’s specs. She is 39’ with a 12’ beam and 6’ draft. Please let me know of any suggestions that you may have.

Thanks in advance!

[flightlead404]

IDK what you mean "tighly controlled" but there are several boats in the area that haven't moved in at least a year. They are on the other side of the causeway though. AFAIK as long as you observe any required set back from the bridge pylons, and stay out of a channel, you could stay anchored there forever. Certainly FL is full of derelict boats that do that.

It gets super choppy there on busy weekends/holidays though. Biscayne Bay is essentially Miami's lake.

You could also anchor outside No Name, or behind the western shore of Key Biscayne. There's at least one "permanent resident" (judging by the amount of guano on the decks) anchored there.

[Cap Morgan]

Flightlead, thanks for the feedback, this really helps me!

[Capt Clark]

Cap Morgan,

The mooring field near Jungle Island (formally Parrot Jungle) has room and good holding. There is also an option there to join the club which give you access to the dinghy dock, showers, rest room, & restaurant.

Capt Clark

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by Capt Clark

Cap Morgan,

The mooring field near Jungle Island (formally Parrot Jungle) has room and good holding. There is also an option there to join the club which give you access to the dinghy dock, showers, rest room, & restaurant.

Capt Clark

and where is that???

[GordMay]

Jungle Island is on the MacArthur Causeway [395-A1A], in Biscayne Bay, on the north side of Watson Island, across from the cruise ports, between Downtown Miami, and South Beach.
I didn't know they had a mooring field.

[michaeld]

The Miami Yacht Club is next to Parrot Jungle. Lots of boats anchor there. There may be moorings, but they are all private as far as I know.

The Miami Marine Stadium has great holding and a great view of the Miami nighttime skyline.

No Name Harbor is packed. Anchoring outside there is quite rolly with all of the power boats running hard through the boats on anchor.

You'll also need to acquire a taste for Latin music, as you'll get an ear full late into the night, but you'll also have lots of eye candy to compensate on sunny days.

[facciatosta]

Anchorage in front of Key Biscayne yacht club or north of it next to the mangroves. There are a couple boats on the anchor there that I have seen for a couple years.

[captstu]

Crandon Park has moorings and slips - usually I could find a space and normally stayed there during the Miami boat show. Convenient to public transportation, protected, and quiet.

[Roniszoro]

The Miami Boat Show is this weekend, but I think you will find that things may begin to open up next week. I'd try the Dinner Key Marina mooring field again then.

[Cap Morgan]

Sorry for not answering all you kind folks, have just been so busy with boat projects and otherwise. I did wind up at Dinner Key on a mooring ball. I like Dinner Key a lot with one exception, getting access to my boat when I'd like to. Dinner Key has a launch that is used to ferry boat owners back and forth to their mooring. Problem is they only run at 9am and 2pm if they run at all. On too many occasions there's no Captain for the launch for the day which makes planning a real pain. Also, (and understandably) they dont take the launch out when the wind is over say 12knotts. I will say though that their staff is great! If only they could maintain some consistency with staffing for the day that would be greater!

[Ally Cat SC]

Capt Morgan

I am in the "same boat"
Trying hard to get a spot in
CGSC feild, or Dinner Key Feild. I was told to call everyday, but I do not want to annoy the only person who may be able to help me.

Need a ball for about 4-5 months
Do some really become available in either feild?
or is a pipe dream?

I'm in Stuart now, and can not plan on moving unless I secure a place.

Any advice?
Are you still in that feild?
Thanks

[Roniszoro]

If you call daily and if you are courteous when doing so, that would likely be the best approach. Transient moorings are exactly that, and folk often leave giving the management little notice. But may I suggest that you focus on Dinner Key Marina as CGSC might not let you stay for 4-5 months as a non-club member. It is worth asking however.

[Ally Cat SC]

Thank you very much for the response.

Do you have to be on an approach or near by in order to secure a new vacancy, or will the let you secure one with payment.

Thanks

[Cap Morgan]

Ally Cat

No longer in Dinner Key as I had to sell the boat.
However, I certainly learned a lot there.
First up, forget about CGSC please as it takes at least 2 years to get a mooring. I know because I was on that list but needed a mooring now.
Dinner Key owned by City of Miami also owns and runs a newly renovated mooring field up by the Miami Yacht Club and Outboard Club. This is the one that another respondent indicates is by Jungle Island.
I actually prefer the Dinner Key location because it’s open to South Biscayne bay so you can day sail in the bay or shoot out to the ocean past the southern end of Key Biscayne. What’s more you’ve got lots of eyes there to keep an eye on your boat when you’re not around. Dinner Key also has a launch that does pickups and drop offs 4 times daily (as long as the wind isn’t 12kts and above). Their Marina facilities are also very nice, bathrooms and laundry included. I was paying $402 / month including a parking pass.
OK, how to get a mooring? This time of year is the busy season as the Snowbirds head down from Canada and our Northeast. The process is real simple all you need is persistence. Call daily starting at 10am. Why then? This is right after the 9am launch returns when they do drop offs and pickups and inventory the moorings to see which boats left during the previous 24 hour period. So if you’re calling at 10 you’re most likely first in line. Be wary of draft (anywhere in Miami) If you have near 6’ you’ll want to specify that as the you’ll need a special hole in the mooring field. Boats in the 4-5’ range are usually ok.
By the way, make absolutely certain to check your mooring apparatus, especially the mooring pin.
Good luck!