Leaving boat in Florida (ICW)

[Megs]

Ahoy!


The crew and I are heading south with The Great Migration and have the opportunity to visit family (middle to end of November) in California before we make the jump to the Bahamas. We can leave from just about any airport along/near the east coast. Of course, we are on a cruiser's budget so leaving the boat tied up in a marina isn't really an option and we don't want to leave her on the hook unattended. Any ideas for cheap (free?!) safe dockage along the Florida portion of the ICW? Mooring balls, personal boat slip and you're out cruising, friendly marina that needs web work (my husband is a software engineer!), etc.

Thanks!

[Waterway Guide]

We've left our sailboat for a couple weeks on a mooring at Dinner Key Marina in Coconut Grove (Miami). Crandon Park is another option with moorings. Much further north: Vero Beach Municipal Marina and St. Augustine Municipal Marina. I think they are each $20-25/day...weekly deals available too at some. Good luck!

[Megs]

Originally Posted by Waterway Guide

We've left our sailboat for a couple weeks on a mooring at Dinner Key Marina in Coconut Grove (Miami). Crandon Park is another option with moorings. Much further north: Vero Beach Municipal Marina and St. Augustine Municipal Marina. I think they are each $20-25/day...weekly deals available too at some. Good luck!

Good starting point. Thanks!

PS- saw you guys pull in the other day. Welcome to 'Naptown!

[Waterway Guide]

Say "Hi" for me. (I'll be up there Sunday for the SAIL Secrets of the ICW Seminar at the museum). Happy cruising!

[John Galt]

Titusville Municipal Marina has moorings. 39 miles to ORL. They've raised their rates from $212 to $238 a month, but nice facilities and 4 lane highways straight to the airport. No tide or current.

[Vasco]

Your best bet is Vero. Lots of cruisers, well sheltered mooring field and best price for moorings on the ICW. Fly out of West Palm.

[The Garbone]

Wet storage in Titusville is $165 according to the website.

If you want a slip I think you can get one at Harbor Square in Merritt Island for $180 a month. That is what it was last Janruary anyhow.

[Vasco]

I would not leave a boat unattended on the moorings in Titusville. The area is wide open and from what I've seen the mooring field does not seem to be well maintained.

[John Galt]

I sit out the summers here in Titusville. I see them at least once a week out working on the moorings. What makes you think the field isn't maintained?

[Vasco]

Originally Posted by John Galt

I sit out the summers here in Titusville. I see them at least once a week out working on the moorings. What makes you think the field isn't maintained?

Missing buoys.

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by Megs

Ahoy!


The crew and I are heading south with The Great Migration and have the opportunity to visit family (middle to end of November) in California before we make the jump to the Bahamas. We can leave from just about any airport along/near the east coast. Of course, we are on a cruiser's budget so leaving the boat tied up in a marina isn't really an option and we don't want to leave her on the hook unattended. Any ideas for cheap (free?!) safe dockage along the Florida portion of the ICW? Mooring balls, personal boat slip and you're out cruising, friendly marina that needs web work (my husband is a software engineer!), etc.

Thanks!

As someone below me did, I am also going to recommend Dinner Key Marina. They really understand what cruisers need. It's well run and they maintain their moorings. I doubt you can work a deal for web services but you could try. I know somoene who got a great slip for free for a year because he used his considerable carpentry skills to build a beautiful staircase to the second story marina office.

[Jan B]

I recommend Dinner Key Mooring Field also. They have a water taxi that runs every hour during the day to take you ashore, so you can leave your dinghy on your boat. Miami has a great rail system which, I believe, can get you to the Miami Airport. You get to the train from a bus that stops right next to Dinner Key. Once you get back you can leave right from Dinner Key and cross to Bimini.

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by Jan B

I recommend Dinner Key Mooring Field also. They have a water taxi that runs every hour during the day to take you ashore, so you can leave your dinghy on your boat. Miami has a great rail system which, I believe, can get you to the Miami Airport. You get to the train from a bus that stops right next to Dinner Key. Once you get back you can leave right from Dinner Key and cross to Bimini.

That's right. The only flaw, and it's a minor one as such things go, is the that the water taxi won't run bad weather or high seas. I was there to help a friend prepare his boat for TS Debby. The management made it very clear to everyone when the water taxi would stop running. A pop-up summer squall would probably cause it to shut down for an hour or so, but sailing and schedules never were a good match ...

[Mark Leslie]

"and from what I've seen the mooring field does not seem to be well maintained"

Not sure what folks from Toronto can see but as the Titusville Marina Manager who dives down and exchanges moorings covered with marine growth, I can say without hesitation that one can't see anything well enough in the waters of the Indian River Lagoon to tell if moorings are properly maintained or not. This is why we exchange them with units that are thouroughly inspected and assembled while out of the water.

Additionally, we do not deploy more mooring units than are needed during the season. Perhaps that's why poster Vasco thinks balls are missing.

We work hard at maintaining the buoys, please don't believe everything you read on the web.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by Mark Leslie

"and from what I've seen the mooring field does not seem to be well maintained"

Not sure what folks from Toronto can see but as the Titusville Marina Manager who dives down and exchanges moorings covered with marine growth, I can say without hesitation that one can't see anything well enough in the waters of the Indian River Lagoon to tell if moorings are properly maintained or not. This is why we exchange them with units that are thouroughly inspected and assembled while out of the water.

Additionally, we do not deploy more mooring units than are needed during the season. Perhaps that's why poster Vasco thinks balls are missing.

We work hard at maintaining the buoys, please don't believe everything you read on the web.

Thanks Mark,

Good post, good information and welcome to the forum!