Frustrated...Marina costs in FL?

[alha]

Originally Posted by RichandHelen

...We pay *50 including water and electricity.

I think you may have fat fingered that one? Otherwise that's one heckuva deal!

[captlloyd]

Wow, this is another one we get on an almost daily basis. All I can say is some of you folks need to sharpen-up on your internet skills. There is ''Marinas.com'' ''Craigslist'', ''Active Captain'', ''Waterway Guide.com'', on and on. I love www.waterway.com , has practically all marinas, a lot with prices, all with phone and e-mail address. Generally speaking Northern and Western Florida is quite a bit cheaper than S. Florida. There are tons of marinas in West Florida for $10.00-$15.00 a foot per month. My advice is get the rates, figure out where you want to be, then go there and check it out. If you find what you want, put a deposit on it, or rent it on the spot. Marinas are like motels, their space comes and goes. Also management does like to see who they are renting to.

[Nicholson58]

Originally Posted by KeepInTune

I am having a horrible time searching and finding info on marinas.
I'm looking in both Ft Lauderdale and St Pete as a possibility.

For example, I was looking and calling around Ft Lauderdale and I was floored by the costs (average looking marinas wanting anywhere from $1k to $2.5k for a 45' monohull!!).
I then called up a respected yacht broker in the heart of Ft Lauderdale and he told me that Ft Lauderdale is one of the less expensive areas in FL. He said I should easily find $10/ft/mo pricing for a wet-slip (not a yacht club, but an adequate slip). He also said "watch out...there are pirates taking your money everywhere!".

Is anyone else running into high quoted prices and then having trouble finding marinas which are competitively priced? Any help you can provide? Are there any "marina brokers" who take a fee to find and negotiate a slip rate?

I'm just frustrated...

We were impressed with the 5 to 10 X pricing in the Ft Lauderdale to Miami; Gold Coast pricing. Our experience is to stay away. We were roundly and frequently frisked at River Bend Marina while trying to get our boat trucked out. I will never go near again.

[Monepit]

St. Pete is much more affordable. St. Pete municipal. About $600. Hatborage, my choice about the same. Marker one in Dunedin is about $450. Nice place too but no livable policy i think.

[sepeteus]

Very much different market in South Australia...... but........
We pay for our 57 foot AUD467 per month, including water and electricity. Good value ⛵️

[powsmias]

Originally Posted by KeepInTune

I am having a horrible time searching and finding info on marinas.
I'm looking in both Ft Lauderdale and St Pete as a possibility.

For example, I was looking and calling around Ft Lauderdale and I was floored by the costs (average looking marinas wanting anywhere from $1k to $2.5k for a 45' monohull!!).
I then called up a respected yacht broker in the heart of Ft Lauderdale and he told me that Ft Lauderdale is one of the less expensive areas in FL. He said I should easily find $10/ft/mo pricing for a wet-slip (not a yacht club, but an adequate slip). He also said "watch out...there are pirates taking your money everywhere!".

Is anyone else running into high quoted prices and then having trouble finding marinas which are competitively priced? Any help you can provide? Are there any "marina brokers" who take a fee to find and negotiate a slip rate?

I'm just frustrated...

check craigslist?

[powsmias]

Originally Posted by KeepInTune

I am having a horrible time searching and finding info on marinas.
I'm looking in both Ft Lauderdale and St Pete as a possibility.

For example, I was looking and calling around Ft Lauderdale and I was floored by the costs (average looking marinas wanting anywhere from $1k to $2.5k for a 45' monohull!!).
I then called up a respected yacht broker in the heart of Ft Lauderdale and he told me that Ft Lauderdale is one of the less expensive areas in FL. He said I should easily find $10/ft/mo pricing for a wet-slip (not a yacht club, but an adequate slip). He also said "watch out...there are pirates taking your money everywhere!".

Is anyone else running into high quoted prices and then having trouble finding marinas which are competitively priced? Any help you can provide? Are there any "marina brokers" who take a fee to find and negotiate a slip rate?

I'm just frustrated...

60 ft Slip at Ocean Club at Port Canaveral

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by reed1v

If you can not afford it, you should not be doing it.

Thanx for your helpful input. I was unaware the cruising/boating lifestyle was just for rich snobs.

[skipgundlach]

Originally Posted by Celestialsailor

Thanx for your helpful input. I was unaware the cruising/boating lifestyle was just for rich snobs.

Nah. It's all on a sliding scale. If you can afford it, you can do it. Those who can't afford expensive marinas stay in inexpensive marinas. Those who can't afford inexpensive marinas anchor out. Those who can afford to eat ashore a lot. Those who can't fish and eat aboard.

Etc.

Sort of like (I hope they did) your parents telling you not to get into debt...

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by rognvald

"Nonsense. You need to be smart about it. I suspect you see cruisers who don't use marinas because you are anchored out with those who don't use marinas. We see lots of cruisers in marinas. While we often anchor out in expensive areas, we can usually keep our monthly marina bill down around $600 (34' boat) staying the large majority of nights in marinas." Valhalla


Valhalla,
It has nothing to do with intelligence . . . it has to do with economics, for some. There are many seasoned cruisers who simply do not use marinas unless in a dire emergency. They have budgeted their freedom based upon a limited income and are willing to forego the expense/convenience of marinas to have a cruiser's lifestyle. Others, simply do not enjoy the ambience of a marina, irrespective of money, and prefer to be on the hook away from the crowds and circuses. We fall into the latter category. Most marina "cruisers", in my opinion, are people who enjoy the assumed safety, convenience and shoreside amenities available in a slip. They usually sail power hungry boats, have reluctant wives as partners and spend more time on the dock than on the water(how's that for a generalization!!). . . "It's soo nice here, honey! Let's get an ice cream later!" But, cruising is many things to many people. There's no right or wrong in a general sense . . . just how some people view their experience on the water. For us, give me a roily open roadstead and 35 mph winds, away from the crowds and I'm happy as a lamb . . . and of course Valhalla, you can relate to that, right? Good luck and safe docking. Capt. Rognvald--searching for Shangri-La

I never said there weren't people who anchor out all the time. I was correcting your statement that most people do that. As I stated, your assumption that most people anchor out is more likley due to you being anchored out, so you are exposed to a specific subset of cruisers who anchor out.

Nothing wrong with it if you like anchoring out. I never suggested anything of the sort. But if part of cruising is experiencing the local culture, it's much easier to do so from a marina slip. If the OP has similar desires, he can easily do so by managing where he stays and for how long while staying at very reasonable rates.

[Waterway Guide]

There are also cruisers who can afford to stay at marinas every night if they wanted to, but prefer to anchor most of the time – more peaceful, and more space and privacy not being crammed in with a bunch of other boats, often with no view. It is downright claustrophobic to be in a slip in our 34' catamaran with a wall of megayacht on each side. Our cats never liked marinas either – we have to keep them closed in the cabin all evening – they really enjoy roaming the decks, watching the fish jump, the birds and sounds, and hanging out with us. Anchoring at night is one of the main reasons we cruise.
It's also a lot more convenient to just drop the hook for the night when we're on the move, like on the ICW – no tying up, checking in, worrying about waking up a bunch of people if we want to shove off at first light, etc.... BTW: We love marinas, too – perfect for when we need to get a lot of things done or to more easily explore a destination – and, frankly, Cat Lady needs a rinse-off occasionally!

[Russ]

Melbourne FL I'm paying $600 a month for 45 feet.

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by skipgundlach

Sort of like (I hope they did) your parents telling you not to get into debt...

Well obviously they failed terrible getting that point across...I own a boat!

[rognvald]

"I never said there weren't people who anchor out all the time. I was correcting your statement that most people do that. As I stated, your assumption that most people anchor out is more likley due to you being anchored out, so you are exposed to a specific subset of cruisers who anchor out." Valhalla,


Valhalla,
Please provide my quote in this discussion that most people anchor out all the time. I suggest you re-read my comments.

[adlib2]

Originally Posted by KeepInTune

I am having a horrible time searching and finding info on marinas.
I'm looking in both Ft Lauderdale and St Pete as a possibility.

For example, I was looking and calling around Ft Lauderdale and I was floored by the costs (average looking marinas wanting anywhere from $1k to $2.5k for a 45' monohull!!).
I then called up a respected yacht broker in the heart of Ft Lauderdale and he told me that Ft Lauderdale is one of the less expensive areas in FL. He said I should easily find $10/ft/mo pricing for a wet-slip (not a yacht club, but an adequate slip). He also said "watch out...there are pirates taking your money everywhere!".

Is anyone else running into high quoted prices and then having trouble finding marinas which are competitively priced? Any help you can provide? Are there any "marina brokers" who take a fee to find and negotiate a slip rate?

I'm just frustrated...

Highest I've paid is 4000/mo in West Palm Beach and lowest $400/mo in Jacksonville for a 43ft sloop. I've received 4mo/yr free for advanced yearly payment of slip fees. Currently in the process of moving to Green Cove Springs on the St.Johns:- They have over 3 miles of pier for dockage.--
Dry Storage: $5.75 per foot
Non Live aboard: $9.50 per foot
Live Aboard: $11.00 per foot
At the marina we have a guest facility as well that includes showers, bathrooms, a kitchen, computers with a printer and internet, and a sitting area. That along with water, cable, and wifi will be included for your use with the dockage. Electricity is metered and at the moment the city is charging $0.12 a k/h.