Living on the HOOK sailboat W.Coast,Fla is it hard or they pushing people into marina

[videorov]

I think things have changed around the bay by Marina Jacks where boats have docked
for years. Not sure if there is a time limit that you can stay in the mooring field. I think you can't be just on the hook.

[Davy J]

A couple of weeks ago we were anchored in a favorite place of ours. We counted ten to fifteen boats "parked", as in, anchored with no activity. Most would be considered borderline derelict........

We also counted about five boats that were anchored with activity aboard, but looked like they haven't moved in months, one had no mast.........

The few days we were there, about three or four boats showed up, anchored and then stayed a day or two or moved on the next day.

The problem is really the boats that are just parked and not being attended to and the boats that people are living on and don't actually go or can't go anywhere.

[RainDog]

I have spent a few years in Florida and found very, very few places we were not allowed to anchor.

[videorov]

Sounds great Raindog.

[rpjn59]

I have been living aboard, on the hook full time, on the east coast of FL for more than 10 yrs. I believe the OP is right, in away, there is definitely a movement toward reducing open anchoring, the communities, especially those on the water front would really be happy if anchoring was banned. As someone else stated, it mostly has to do with irresponsible boaters. Some are basically squatting, others think free space, some buy cheap boats and initially have no clue to the time and money is takes to restore a boat, and when they do, they lose interest and the vessel ends up delirect or a sunken eye sore. Quite a few do not have real sense or skill about anchoring and or its limitations especially when named storms are near by. Currently, there are test anchorages around the state and could easily turn in state wide regulation at the stroke of the pen. Although, anchoring outside of the designated mooring fields maybe possible, real useability is questionable when you have restricted dinghy or vehicle access. Its a bit different for cruisers travelling thru. I personally and some others I know understand the priviledge and responsibility we have with this wonderful opportunity to live on the water. I hope we get it sorted out...Another issue is that, as we know money talks and some communities and marinas are being more political and money oriented than reality based. Case in point one anchorage I know of says that the program is a disaster , in that the intial cost, continuous maintenace, inspection and recertification of the moorings is a bust. Remember we are living in age/country of the lawsuit.

[videorov]

Hope all works well for the new year coming.

[billknny]

Shore line access is not always impossible, even if it looks like it. Almost everywhere it is considered a problem, the shoreline is lined with houses and docks.

Here is an idea... Shower. Shave. Dress nice. Have a nice boat. Look for a house with a boat docked behind it that looks as much like yours as possible. Introduce yourself and ask (humbly and politely) if you can use their dock to land your dinghy for a few days.

You might be surprised...

If they say yes, be sure to buy them the best case of beer you can afford...

[videorov]

Maybe bring cookies too, can't we just get along
I do see on Youtube where people are sailing in the area and people with
homes and docks offer them to stay if they want for a bit. Can't we get along

Would be nice Maybe take the people out for a sail too, Can't we just get along

[videorov]

Rising waters as they talk about for coastal areas, Maybe we will all be living on boats if we want to be on the water in the future.

[Doek]

I'm still confused as to why this discussion keeps occuring. The Navigable waterways of the US are controlled soley by the Federal Government. Period. All Zoning Laws, for instance, are LAND USE laws. There is no such thing as a legal, defendable WATER USE law except one written by the Federal Government. If you study the Code of Federal Regulations you will find that States and Municipalities can APPLY for a permit for a mooring field that will be specifically delineated by the Feds, or they can APPLY for a permit to put up speed limit signs to protect their shoreside constructions. That's it. They cannot even apply for a permit to create a no-anchoring zone. It simply doesn't exist. That is why the Federal Government stepped in and forced the removal of any and all no-anchoring zones in Florida a few years ago. No anchoring zones are illegal and open these municipalities up to very serious liability suits in an area that gets hit by hurricanes (like Florida). If someone is injured or dies because a certain municipality didn't allow them to seek proper anchorage shelter from a storm because of an illegal anchoring law, thay will be in deep legal trouble.

[Sapphir3]

I have heard more than once the resistance to live-a-boards, or perpetual anchor residents, being based on preventing people from being able to send their kids to the local school without paying property taxes to the town. That issue may have a lot to do with limiting long term anchorage and shore access.

[Scout 30]

Originally Posted by sailm8

I guess our town is bucking the trend. We have a public dinghy dock that is basically free unless you want to use it after dark. Then a permit is required. we have a free pump out boat that will visit you twice a week if necessary. There is a mooring field but a set of bridges keep ost sailboats from using it.


There is a marina with a fuel dock and shops and restaurants etc. Also free loaner bikes throughout the town. What we don't have is a shoreside shower room. At this time there are about a dozen boats anchored off the city park.

What town are you referring to? Sounds like a great place to visit!

[SUNCAT365]

Originally Posted by sailm8

I guess our town is bucking the trend. We have a public dinghy dock that is basically free unless you want to use it after dark. Then a permit is required. we have a free pump out boat that will visit you twice a week if necessary. There is a mooring field but a set of bridges keep ost sailboats from using it.


There is a marina with a fuel dock and shops and restaurants etc. Also free loaner bikes throughout the town. What we don't have is a shoreside shower room. At this time there are about a dozen boats anchored off the city park.

Sounds great. What town is this please ?

[Cal31]

Originally Posted by sailm8

I guess our town is bucking the trend. We have a public dinghy dock that is basically free unless you want to use it after dark. Then a permit is required. we have a free pump out boat that will visit you twice a week if necessary. There is a mooring field but a set of bridges keep ost sailboats from using it.


There is a marina with a fuel dock and shops and restaurants etc. Also free loaner bikes throughout the town. What we don't have is a shoreside shower room. At this time there are about a dozen boats anchored off the city park.

Would you share the name of your town? Sounds like a place we would like to visit. Shopping access and pump outs are our two biggest needs.

[Island Time O25]

Reading this thread I think the time may be right for some kind of app re: dinghy landings, etc.

I know that Active Captain et als have that but I was thinking more like a friendly thread here on CF with some kind of linkage to a very simple smart phone app connected to CF membership. This way it sort of stays under the radar and does not defeat its purpose of providing easy access to the good landing/anchoring spots.

Basically the app would read the phone's GPS and recommend nearby spots from a list. To be effective the app should not be used by many thousands of users all fighting for the same spot but rather occasonally by a few when circumstances warrant looking for such spots.

Also, the app's limited scope will (hopefully) avoid commercialization by some bigger marine industry players.