Dockage in Miami/Ft Lauderdale Area ??

[Lightfin]

We're considering the purchase of a 45' monohull that draws 5'4" or a 50' monohull that draws 6', and want to keep the boat we choose in the Miami/Ft Lauderdale area.

We're looking for info on costs in that area for slips and for boat sitting; and for the names of any particular sites/marinas you recommend.

We live in Kentucky and will be using the boat for long weekends and periodic weeks until we're able to break away longer term, so we need a reasonably secure site and the "boat sitting."

Any info would be greatly appreciated.

Please accept my apologies to those of you that may see this question on another bulletin board. I tried this question there first because I know there are lots of participants on that board from Florida; but alas, I've gotten zero response.

I didn't try it here first because I don't recall many Florida participants on this board, but hopefully I'm wrong about that.

Many thanks!

Bob

[SG]

Would you chose Miami?

There really isn't much real sailing to do down there for most of the year?

I don't thing that it is that more convenient from Kentucky to other places that would be more diverse sailing areas.

What sort of sailing/cruising are you planning on? Do you have some special requirements with regard to entertainment/other activities?

[CSY Man]

The short answer is:

$10.00 per foot, per month for dockage in residential canals.

Commerical marinas may charge more, as in double or tripple.

Remember the old real estate value guide: Location, Location, Location.

I rent half of my dock every month to either brokers or private boat owners.

I keep getting more and more calls as demand replaces supply.

Presently I have a Morgan OI 36 in my back-yard, plus my own CSY 33.

When the Morgan is gone, I have a waiting list of other boats ready to dock.

Would you chose Miami?

Aye, Miami has great sailing:
Biscayne Bay all year, then the Bahamas summer and winter..

[Lightfin]

SG, I am under the impression that Biscayne Bay has good weekend sailing, and that Miami is a good jumping off point for a week in the Bahamas or the Keys....am I mistaken?

Where, that it's warm in the winter, do you recommend that's fairly accessible by commercial airline?

Thanks for your help.

Bob

[Lightfin]

CSY MAN, are the residential canals deep enough for a 5' to 6' draft? Are there typically many bridges to deal with? And, is security a concern in those areas?

From the little I could find on the internet, $10 to $12 a foot is what I found, but I was hoping someone like you with "local knowledge" would have better news.....

I guess it's safe to assume that electricity and water costs would be in addition to the above?

If one goes a little further north does it get less expensive?

Thanks much.

Bob

[SG]

There are places to go -- but they are pretty shallow along the coast if you're trying to gunkhole. You have the Keys.

After that, it's a bunch of day sails.

The crossing to the Bahamas is not such a simple crossing if you're on a schedule. The wind out of the North, makes it a very different experience which would make waiting a few days a lot more of likelihood than not.

It's not that you CAN'T do it, it just that you have relatively few choices compared to other places during the year. Take the Chesapeake or Long Island or Newport or ....

Anyway, that's just my view.

My view that it would be more interesting to keep a boat in the Bahamas and comute there -- or try the Gulf Coast.

Anyway, if you're going to be cruising there -- the shallower draft would be beneficial. It would provide you with a lot more choices.

[Hamsailor]

Hi there,

My brother and I kept a J24 on a rental dock in somebody's backyard for years with good results.

We found competitive pricing in Fort Lauderdale's newspaper, the Sun Sentinel. See the classifieds.

Maybe this could be done on line too.

We had our boat in the Lighthouse Point area, and later down by Port Everglades, for racing reasons. Both locales would be good for a cruiser.

Just walked right around the guy's house to the dock all the time to work on the boat etc., and sometimes stayed overnight, even though the city does not allow this in certain areas.

Lighthouse Point has a little community newspaper with good docking info and classifies as well, but I forgot what it was called.

Ocean access at both Port Everglades and Lighthouse Point of course.

Lighthouse Point is about 20 minutes by cab from FLL, and Port Everglades is even closer.

[CSY Man]

CSY MAN, are the residential canals deep enough for a 5' to 6' draft? Are there typically many bridges to deal with? And, is security a concern in those areas?

Yes, most of the boats in the canals are sailboats, some with drafts up to 7 or 8 feet.

Yes, there are bridges to deal with, at least in my neiborhood.
They can be a pain if ya go in and out all the time as ya are dealing with tidal currents and rush-hours closures, etc.

The flip side is that thses canals are fairly protected in case of hurricanes since they are several miles inland.

Don't think security is a concern, I have never locked my boat in the 7 years we lived here.

Electricity would be extra if you plan on running A/C day and night, but just having a battery charger hooked up is not big deal, I don't charge for it.
Water is free for the occasional wash-down.

Yes, it would probably be cheaper further North.

[Lightfin]

SG, Hamsailer, & CSY MAN,

Excellent info.

Thanks MUCH!!

Bob

[cpa]

FT. Lauderdale and Miami are tough places to look for dockage.
I live aboard, so a slip behind a house doesnt work for me. I paid $18 a foot in Miami beach marina and now im paying $30 a foot at las olas in FT Lauderdale(i get some sort of discount for month to month dockage it end up being just under $900 for a 34 footer). I would look in the paper for docks behind houses, If living aboard for more than a couple days, i dont know if the owners of the houses would be keen about renting the slip. But, the winter sailing here is great. I was in Newport RI for about 5 years and in those 5 years we had about 3 good summers to sail the other two were cold, rainy, and foggy. Dont get me wrong its a great area, but its either hit or miss there. Nothing worse than spending a cold winter waiting for the summer sailing, only to have crappy weather when it arrives. I guess every place has its draw backs. good luck

[CSY Man]

i get some sort of discount for month to month dockage it end up being just under $900 for a 34 footer).

Ya can do slightly better than that.

There is a place called Villa Velencia in yer neigborhood, they rent liveaboard slips for around $700.00 per month.

There is also a place up the New River that rents to Liveaboards for arond $500.00.

[GordMay]

"Villa Venezia" is at 132 Isle of Venice. Isle of Venice, and Hendricks Isle (about 3/4 mile up Las Olas from the ICW)
both have a lot of live-aboard dockage, behind the Apartment resorts.

[cpa]

CSY Man once whispered in the wind:
Ya can do slightly better than that.

There is a place called Villa Velencia in yer neigborhood, they rent liveaboard slips for around $700.00 per month.

There is also a place up the New River that rents to Liveaboards for arond $500.00.

I checked them out as well, Im all about location. Im 25 minutes w/ no waiting for bridges(ill fit under 17th st) to ocean and 2 blocks from the beach. Maybe if it was $300-400 a month i would dock there, But in FL that would never happen. Thanks for the help though!

[CSY Man]

There is a dock for rent across the street from me.

If anybody wants it right now, take contact ASAP.

Empty docks don't last long around here

[SailWiz]

Lightfin, The info provided above is very accurate and I would only add a few thoughts. There are two places to watch out for. Ruffy's marina in Hollywood is a very strange place. i kept my 1st boat there for a year. The marina and restaurant have been recently purchased by marriot. They are evidently putting up a hotel across the street. The marina is right on the ICW and can be bumpy from weekend traffic. The last qoute I heard was $17.00 per foot. Not really worth it in my opinion.
The next place is maule lake marina, now called Loggerhead resort and marina. Well, marina yes, resort no! In it's day, I'm sure it was topshelf but not today. My Pearson 365 received some major damage during Wilma's visit and three other boats sank. This was due primarily to week/old pilings and dock structure. They are pretty inexpensive, about $10-11 per foot and an OK short stay. They are planning a huge renovation with very high end condos and a new marina layout but I understand there are problems with getting the proper permits from North Miami beach.

All the best,

Wiz