Ft Myers Beach Mooring Field Surprise.

[bdbcat]

Folks...

A word to the wise:

At Ft Myers Matanzas mooring field, there is apparently an unpublished "size" limitation. 48 ft. is the published LOA upper limit.

However, even if you are 48 ft LOA, the harbormaster may decide you are "too big" to be moored there. A judgement call on his part, without reference to vessel displacement or type. It just "looks too big".

So, even if you have signed a contract, and paid for a week, and moored safely, you may be evicted when the cruising harbormaster notices your presence. Your prepaid rent will be refunded for unused days.

This all happened to me today, so is fresh first-hand knowledge. As you may expect, it was an unwelcome surprise.

Dave

[barnaclejim]

Maybe you need better breath mints..... Or a different colonge. These simple tricks get me in and out of trouble more often than not...

[Dockhead]

Yes, and beware of shoaling in the fork between the two branches of the sound -- don't ask me how I know

I love Matanzas Pass, which is a bit gritty, and a bit noisy with the fish boat generators running all night, but it's a great alternative to the sterile boat parks of the marinas of SW Florida. I've spent many a happy night moored up there. It may be that I learned to pick up a mooring ball there, actually.

I'm surprised at the size limitation -- I've seen much bigger boats moored there. But I guess the question is whether you're going to swing into anyway, and there the harbormaster's word is the law, isn't it? As he's responsible.