affordable options to liveaboard in Fort Lauderdale/Miami? Is it still possible?

[loveytsquared]

I'm just trying to figure out the logistics of where we could still do that for an affordable price, which marinas to call? live on mooring? on Anchor? I was doing research and there seems to be some laws restricting liveaboard? and I searched through this forum, a lot of information is from like 10 years ago. What about now in 2023? We are only going there in the winters, for around 3 months at a time.

Edit: for budget, lets say less than $1k per month? of course under $500 would be amazing but I don't know how realistic that is.

Also in regards to living on anchor, how doable is that? safety wise, we have a little kid and I don't want to be living too much on the rough.

[sailorboy1]

Well it depends what affordable means. You can livaboard on anchor anywhere anchoring is allowed. There are moorings at Dinner Key and Monkey Island. Marinas of course depending on their own rules, doubtful meets definition of affordable to anyone asking.

[SailingHarmonie]

Before anything else, you have to define what you mean by "affordable"???

[loveytsquared]

for budget, lets say less than $1k per month? of course under $500 would be amazing but I don't know how realistic that is.

Also in regards to living on anchor, how doable is that? safety wise, we have a little kid and I don't want to be living too much on the rough.

I also hear there's a huge waitlist at dinner key marina? we are only going there for the winters as well, just 3 months at a time.

[loveytsquared]

for budget, lets say less than $1k per month? of course under $500 would be amazing but I don't know how realistic that is.

Also in regards to living on anchor, how doable is that? safety wise, we have a little kid and I don't want to be living too much on the rough.

[SailingHarmonie]

Originally Posted by loveytsquared

for budget, lets say less than $1k per month? of course under $500 would be amazing but I don't know how realistic that is.

Also in regards to living on anchor, how doable is that? safety wise, we have a little kid and I don't want to be living too much on the rough.

I also hear there's a huge waitlist at dinner key marina? we are only going there for the winters as well, just 3 months at a time.

$1k/month? Between Miami and Fort Lauderdale? No way... Not even close.

At anchor is doable... if the boat is seaworthy, and you have a realistic plan in the event of a tropical storm. But keeping a boat floating and seaworthy is expensive. As for kid's safety... infants do OK, toddlers are a problem. How old kids have to be before they are responsible enough to understand "No" means no varies from kid to kid. I have seen a 5 year old who knew his way around a boat better than most adults. And 10 year olds I would not trust out of arm's reach of an adult.

[loveytsquared]

Originally Posted by SailingHarmonie

$1k/month? Between Miami and Fort Lauderdale? No way... Not even close.

At anchor is doable... if the boat is seaworthy, and you have a realistic plan in the event of a tropical storm. But keeping a boat floating and seaworthy is expensive. As for kid's safety... infants do OK, toddlers are a problem. How old kids have to be before they are responsible enough to understand "No" means no varies from kid to kid. I have seen a 5 year old who knew his way around a boat better than most adults. And 10 year olds I would not trust out of arm's reach of an adult.

we plan to dry storage the boat in summers, and in winters there shouldn't be too much storm? I did read on dinner key marina website their mooring rate is $375/ month, though I have no idea if there's actually any spots left. their phone is just a voice mail saying they can't tell people if there are any spots left.

[OldManMirage]

Hurricane season is June 1st to November 30th. And even nor'easters can be pretty bad in the winter.

[loveytsquared]

Originally Posted by OldManMirage

Hurricane season is June 1st to November 30th. And even nor'easters can be pretty bad in the winter.

oh I didn't know that...

[BeneG]

Originally Posted by SailingHarmonie

$1k/month? Between Miami and Fort Lauderdale? No way... Not even close.

At anchor is doable... But keeping a boat floating and seaworthy is expensive.

Could you expand on that? I am in a similar situation. Curious how different the boat upkeep expenses would be on anchor as opposed to a marina? Also, there's probably a big difference between spending more time on an anchor rather than actual traveling- ie posting up on anchor in one spot for months at a time etc.

[boatman61]

If at anchor you would save on marina fees for a start.
These savings can be utilised for maintenance/upgrades to the boat eg; solar, ground tackle, rigging etc.. in other words the 'dead money' given to a profit orientated business is instead invested in your boat keeping it a viable home as opposed to another slowly rotting hull tied up in a marina whose fees bleed you dry.
Alternatively you could just pi$$ it up the wall and become another rotting hulk on a mooring or anchor.
The choice is yours..

[GreenWave]

Originally Posted by loveytsquared

we plan to dry storage the boat in summers, and in winters there shouldn't be too much storm? I did read on dinner key marina website their mooring rate is $375/ month, though I have no idea if there's actually any spots left. their phone is just a voice mail saying they can't tell people if there are any spots left.

Couple of things.
1) Dry storage in that part of Florida is scare and expensive in the summer. PLan on at least $750 per month
2) Moorings in the winter are also scarce. Likely need to reserve those a year in advance
3) Don't forget to add in costs for your dinghy to get ashore and likelihood that where you can go ashore may not be convenient to where the boat is located.

[SVE]

I just did this a few months ago so I can give some updated numbers.

Purchased a Lagoon in the Fort Lauderdale area and the previous owners were docked at a private house way, way, back in a canal (2 bridges to get out the inlet). Dock was nice and big but no electric or water and very strict rules (only accessible during the day, off the boat by 5PM, no boat work on weekends). That ran him $1,200/month.

We moved up to the West Palm area and were quoted between $1,100-1,500/month for 40’ at a marina. Ended up paying $1,200 for a side-tie slip with water and electric. Only did that for a month to get moved on. We’re now further north at anchor.

To your original question, no, I don’t think you’ll find anything sub 1K/month in the S. FL area at a marina. As far as the live-aboard restrictions, Florida defines a “live-aboard” as basically a boat with no means of safe propulsion and only used as a residence. If you have a working engine or sails and plan to use the boat as a boat, you’re not a “live-aboard” in FL (Statute 327.02). Keep that in mind when speaking with marinas and researching restrictions.

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by SVE

... As far as the live-aboard restrictions, Florida defines a “live-aboard” as basically a boat with no means of safe propulsion and only used as a residence. If you have a working engine or sails and plan to use the boat as a boat, you’re not a “live-aboard” in FL (Statute 327.02). Keep that in mind when speaking with marinas and researching restrictions.

Indeed.

According to Florida Statute 327.02 [2022], ‘Definitions’:

(23) “Live-aboard vessel” means:
(a) A vessel used solely as a residence and not for navigation;
(b) A vessel for which a declaration of domicile has been filed pursuant to s. 222.17; or
(c) A vessel used as a residence that does not have an effective* means of propulsion for safe navigation.

* (13) “Effective means of propulsion for safe navigation” means a vessel, other than a barge, that is equipped with:
(a) A functioning motor, controls, and steering system; or
(b) Rigging and sails that are present and in good working order, and a functioning steering system.

327.02 ➥ Statutes & Constitution :View Statutes : Online Sunshine

An opinion, on the “Definition of live-aboard vessels:”, issued by Jim Smith, Attorney General of Florida, in 1997:

Originally Posted by JimSmith,AG

“1. Are vessels which are used as a person's primary residence "live-aboard vessels" for purposes of s. 327.60(2), F.S., even though they may also be used for recreational purposes?
2. What are the rights of navigation which a municipality is prohibited from regulating pursuant to s. 327.60(2), F.S., when engaged in by non-live-aboard vessels?
Inasmuch as both questions involve the application of s. 327.60(2), F.S., your questions are related and will be answered together ...

Opinion ➥ https://www.myfloridalegal.com/ag-op...aboard-vessels

[flightlead404]

Originally Posted by loveytsquared

for budget, lets say less than $1k per month? of course under $500 would be amazing but I don't know how realistic that is.

Also in regards to living on anchor, how doable is that? safety wise, we have a little kid and I don't want to be living too much on the rough.

I also hear there's a huge waitlist at dinner key marina? we are only going there for the winters as well, just 3 months at a time.

Yeah good luck at dinner key. they essentially have no moorings available. they have a large number of damaged ones and don't seem to be in a hurry to repair. You can anchor on the edge of the mooring field, we've don'e that for up to a week. But, the water depth can be an issue on neap tides, we have 5' draft and back this march I think it was, we were just a couple inches too deep for tides in the -0.8' range.

There is a sailing club right next door, they might have a ball for you.

Water is a little bit of an issue at dinner key. There is a public dingy dock at the park but no water spigot and dinner key has started to get more controlling on anchored boats using their spigot.

generally did not find the staff their friendly. no day passes for facailities either.