|
|
04-11-2016, 09:38
|
#1
|
Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2016
Posts: 5
|
Liveaboard marinas in the Florida keys
Hello everyone!
My husband and I are looking to relocate to the Florida keys and we are looking for a decent liveaboard marina. I know there are several small marinas and such and I've tried searching and calling. I've found 3 that have slips available, but would like to hear from anyone living down there. Personal experience is greatly appreciated. We are currently looking to purchase a 30-35' cruiser.
My husband has his Captain's license and we will be looking for work once there. We have a fair amount saved up, but any advice or suggestions be greatly appreciated.
|
|
|
04-11-2016, 09:47
|
#2
|
Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: West Palm Beach, FL
Boat: Catalina 470
Posts: 1,131
|
Re: Liveaboard marinas in the Florida keys
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dawn0506
Hello everyone!
My husband and I are looking to relocate to the Florida keys and we are looking for a decent liveaboard marina. I know there are several small marinas and such and I've tried searching and calling. I've found 3 that have slips available, but would like to hear from anyone living down there. Personal experience is greatly appreciated. We are currently looking to purchase a 30-35' cruiser.
My husband has his Captain's license and we will be looking for work once there. We have a fair amount saved up, but any advice or suggestions be greatly appreciated.
|
Boot Key Harbor in Marathon is great for liveaboards, as long as you don't want to be tied to a dock with electric and water hookups. It's all moorings, and a nice shore facility to hang out and meet people, shower, get mail, etc.
http://www.ci.marathon.fl.us/governm...oring-dockage/
-David
__________________
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” – Mark Twain
|
|
|
05-11-2016, 02:34
|
#3
|
Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Onboard (Boot Key Harbor)
Boat: Cornado 25
Posts: 493
|
Re: Liveaboard marinas in the Florida keys
A number of marinas in Marathon, but all are pretty pricey come the winter "season" For example, City Marina canal docks are 14.75/ft off season 19.50/ft Nov 1 thru Apr 30 (plus electric) ...
Best deal is the mooring balls at $324 a month any length up to 65' space permitting. Includes all City Marina facilities, one parking space and dinghy dockage. First come first serve, no reservations. Live aboards only, no wet storage.
Good luck
__________________
"It seemed like a good idea at the time"
|
|
|
05-11-2016, 03:58
|
#4
|
Senior Cruiser
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Thunder Bay, Ontario - 48-29N x 89-20W
Boat: (Cruiser Living On Dirt)
Posts: 51,067
|
Re: Liveaboard marinas in the Florida keys
Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Dawn.
__________________
Gord May
"If you didn't have the time or money to do it right in the first place, when will you get the time/$ to fix it?"
|
|
|
05-11-2016, 10:18
|
#5
|
Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Panama / Bahamas / Newport RI / Marathon Fl (now mostly)
Boat: Bristol CC 41.1
Posts: 318
|
Re: Liveaboard marinas in the Florida keys
Burdines Marina ...not cheap but decent...
|
|
|
05-11-2016, 10:51
|
#6
|
Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: fl- various marinas
Boat: morgan O/I 33' sloop
Posts: 1,447
|
Re: Liveaboard marinas in the Florida keys
Marathon is a good base. Key West tends to be expensive and crowded. Burdines is good but not cheap. You would be better off checking Craig's List and others for a lower slip rental. First know what your minimum requirements are- depth, distance from ocean, frequency/availability of pump out service, power, water, internet, cable TV, showers, etc. Many Marathon motels have slips, some have minimum depth others do not. You might be best off booking with Burdines and planning to find something cheaper in a few months.
The idea of finding local jobs is another story. Jobs are hard to find and decent paying jobs far harder. Unless you have some highly marketable skills you may have a major problem. For service jobs the more expensive, more touristy areas will have the best availability.
Good luck as you develop your plans.
|
|
|
05-11-2016, 11:18
|
#7
|
Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 313
|
Re: Liveaboard marinas in the Florida keys
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dave22q
The idea of finding local jobs is another story. Jobs are hard to find and decent paying jobs far harder. Unless you have some highly marketable skills you may have a major problem. For service jobs the more expensive, more touristy areas will have the best availability.
Good luck as you develop your plans.
|
^^^^^^^ WHAT HE SAID ^^^^^^^
You've already received excellent advice on where to tie-up.
However, you may want to seriously consider scouting Marathon (or wherever in the Keys you are looking at) for work opportunities BEFORE you pull the trigger on buying your liveaboard and moving down, cold-calling for work.
First, the Keys aren't cheap, for anything except sunshine. Second, I will venture a wild guess that your hubby has a 6-Pack license.
There are tons of guys (and several gals) who have 6-Packs and are perpetually looking for work. Third, if hubby is looking to captain a sportfishing charter, he had best have a proven track-record of putting fish in the boat. Otherwise, the best he'll find is maybe a low-paying Mate's job. Its purely an employers market in the Keys for 99.9% of the jobs, and the wages are generally, well putting it nicely, pretty poor. And, little or no bene's.
Not trying to throw ice-water on your dream, but do your due-diligence well before you put your plan in motion. That nest-egg can vaporize in a short period of time.
|
|
|
05-11-2016, 11:44
|
#8
|
Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: SC
Boat: None,build the one shown of glass, had many from 6' to 48'.
Posts: 10,206
|
Re: Liveaboard marinas in the Florida keys
Quote:
Originally Posted by sailingfarmer
Burdines Marina ...not cheap but decent...
|
|
|
|
05-11-2016, 14:17
|
#9
|
Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Florida
Boat: Scout 30
Posts: 3,112
|
Re: Liveaboard marinas in the Florida keys
If you're gonna have to find work you might want to consider Fort Meyers, Sarasota, Tampa, St Petersburg, Miami, Fort Lauderdale .....
|
|
|
05-11-2016, 15:11
|
#10
|
Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Up the mast, looking for clean wind.
Boat: Currently Shopping, & Heavily in LUST!
Posts: 5,629
|
Re: Liveaboard marinas in the Florida keys
www.ActiveCaptain.com is a resource to check out. For what you're looking at, as well as many other things.
In terms of slips, as has been mentioned, draft is a big consideration. Ditto on deep water channels. And what's your plan for hurricane/storm season? That needs figuring out as well.
__________________
The Uncommon Thing, The Hard Thing, The Important Thing (in Life): Making Promises to Yourself, And Keeping Them.
|
|
|
05-11-2016, 15:25
|
#11
|
Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: SC
Boat: None,build the one shown of glass, had many from 6' to 48'.
Posts: 10,206
|
Re: Liveaboard marinas in the Florida keys
Quote:
Originally Posted by Scout 30
|
You make a good point about work. It would seem the food or bar service business and housekeeping may be the biggest industry on Key West. A commercial shrimper or crabber might find a job.
|
|
|
05-11-2016, 19:23
|
#12
|
Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Florida keys
Boat: 33 ft Morgan oi
Posts: 48
|
Re: Liveaboard marinas in the Florida keys
Sent you a pm
|
|
|
05-11-2016, 19:40
|
#13
|
Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2016
Posts: 5
|
Re: Liveaboard marinas in the Florida keys
Thank you! Looking forward to the wealth of knowledge here!
|
|
|
05-11-2016, 19:42
|
#14
|
Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2016
Posts: 5
|
Re: Liveaboard marinas in the Florida keys
We currently live in st pete and work here is hard to find. We are both hard workers so I think we'll find something. Thank you for all the advice. I think we are going to stay at the mangrove marina for a month or so. Husband wants to ease me into living in boat before we take a mooring.
|
|
|
05-11-2016, 20:26
|
#15
|
Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Tavernier, Fl
Boat: Outremer 50
Posts: 750
|
Re: Liveaboard marinas in the Florida keys
You say your husband had a captains license so folks are assuming that's his line of work. If it is then I can somewhat agree with all the negative comments regarding work. There are a ton of captains down here. However as a former employer in the Keys who placed adds all over the country to locate and import skilled trades people. Starting salarys were between 60k and 80k and that was over 10 years ago. Management level compensation was over 100k. This was usually a fair amount above what they were making elsewhere.
Of course that was still not enough when you factored in the cost of housing. But if you come here with a skill and are reliable you will do fine as you solve the housing problem by living aboard.
Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum
|
|
|
|
|
Thread Tools |
Search this Thread |
|
|
Display Modes |
Rate This Thread |
Linear Mode
|
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
|
Advertise Here
Recent Discussions |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Vendor Spotlight |
|
|
|
|
|