Palm beach Mooring and Dinghy docks

[Cap Morgan]

Hello again,

Can someone let me know if the mooring balls in the mooring field by Port of Palm beach are free for the night? If not whom shall I contact to pay for a night? Also, are there any Dinghy docks that I could use to go ashore near the port?

Thanks in advance!

[flightlead404]

Are you talking about the moorings in Lake Worth just south of the inlet?

If so, I suppose the answer to "is it free" is "it depends". I stayed on a couple of those for a little over a week at the tail end of last year. It seems that many/most/all? of them are privately installed moorings and there's no permitting or other authorization process. So, strictly by letter of law, if you're willing to get into a slanging match and maybe get "moved on" by someone then there's no legal basis to charge you, so have at it.

We actually "poached" one for a few nights until someone showed up and claimed it as their own (who knows if it was).

However, at least one batch of those moorings are managed by a guy named Zach Staggs 561 309 8394 and they're $20 or 25 a night which is negotiable.

As far as a dinghy dock, there's the Palm Beach Sailing Club where you can get access to the dinghy dock, garbage, water, nice showers etc for $20/day 3 day minimum. I don't think their web site is up to date, it said they were full but we showed up and no issues.

There is also a public landing by the Blue Heron Bridge, which is walking distance to Publix. We didn't go there and I'm unsure of the security of leaving your dink.

There are several marinas none of which offered any sort of access although I did use the fuel dock at one marina for 30 min since their fuel was down for a couple months.

[Cap Morgan]

Originally Posted by flightlead404

Are you talking about the moorings in Lake Worth just south of the inlet?

If so, I suppose the answer to "is it free" is "it depends". I stayed on a couple of those for a little over a week at the tail end of last year. It seems that many/most/all? of them are privately installed moorings and there's no permitting or other authorization process. So, strictly by letter of law, if you're willing to get into a slanging match and maybe get "moved on" by someone then there's no legal basis to charge you, so have at it.

We actually "poached" one for a few nights until someone showed up and claimed it as their own (who knows if it was).

However, at least one batch of those moorings are managed by a guy named Zach Staggs 561 309 8394 and they're $20 or 25 a night which is negotiable.

As far as a dinghy dock, there's the Palm Beach Sailing Club where you can get access to the dinghy dock, garbage, water, nice showers etc for $20/day 3 day minimum. I don't think their web site is up to date, it said they were full but we showed up and no issues.

There is also a public landing by the Blue Heron Bridge, which is walking distance to Publix. We didn't go there and I'm unsure of the security of leaving your dink.

There are several marinas none of which offered any sort of access although I did use the fuel dock at one marina for 30 min since their fuel was down for a couple months.

Thanks for the detailed information flightlead. Guess I’ll give the sailing club a call.

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by flightlead404

... As far as a dinghy dock, there's the Palm Beach Sailing Club where you can get access to the dinghy dock, garbage, water, nice showers etc for $20/day 3 day minimum. I don't think their web site is up to date, it said they were full but we showed up and no issues.

There is also a public landing by the Blue Heron Bridge *, which is walking distance to Publix. We didn't go there and I'm unsure of the security of leaving your dink.

There are several marinas none of which offered any sort of access although I did use the fuel dock at one marina for 30 min since their fuel was down for a couple months.

Anchorages & Free Docks in Lake Worth, Florida
➥ https://www.waterwayguide.com/direct...ida/lake-worth

* Phil Foster Park sits between Riviera Beach and Singer Island. The Blue Heron Bridge connects the two.

[rwidman]

If you see a mooring ball and decide to just tie up to it, not knowing who owns it, keep in mind that you also don't know if anyone has been maintaining it.

It's quite possible that the mooring ball has not been maintained and might break free during the night or while you are on shore away from the boat and your boat will drift (along with the ball) into a dangerous situation.

Think about it.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by rwidman

If you see a mooring ball and decide to just tie up to it, not knowing who owns it, keep in mind that you also don't know if anyone has been maintaining it.

It's quite possible that the mooring ball has not been maintained and might break free during the night or while you are on shore away from the boat and your boat will drift (along with the ball) into a dangerous situation.

Think about it.

Exactly. Unless I am 100% certain of the mooring would always prefer to use my own anchor.

I rode out hurricane Mathew on a mooring that the marina swore was heavy duty. Then watched several boats drag that heavy duty mooring until they reached a concrete pier or the sea wall and proceed to smash apart. Also saw several break the heavy duty chain to join the party at the seawall.

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by skipmac

Exactly. Unless I am 100% certain of the mooring would always prefer to use my own anchor.

I rode out hurricane Mathew on a mooring that the marina swore was heavy duty. Then watched several boats drag that heavy duty mooring until they reached a concrete pier or the sea wall and proceed to smash apart. Also saw several break the heavy duty chain to join the party at the seawall.

Exactly x 1000.

I forget the name of the hurricane but I think you’re describing what happened to my boat. It was in that melee getting smashed up. A few boats sank. I feel proud as a builder mine only had cosmetic damage, even though it was smashing together with the rest of them as others sank around it.

There is a lot to be said for very strong AND lightweight construction as the forces are lower on the boat in these types of situations because it lacks the momentum of heavier boats.

It did, however, significantly set my build back in time.

When the second hurricane hit the same area, I moved it to anchor and well clear of dangerous marinas. It didn’t budge or get any further damage, even though the eye of a category 4 went right over it.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by Chotu

Exactly x 1000.

I forget the name of the hurricane but I think you’re describing what happened to my boat. It was in that melee getting smashed up. A few boats sank. I feel proud as a builder mine only had cosmetic damage, even though it was smashing together with the rest of them as others sank around it.

There is a lot to be said for very strong AND lightweight construction as the forces are lower on the boat in these types of situations because it lacks the momentum of heavier boats.

It did, however, significantly set my build back in time.

When the second hurricane hit the same area, I moved it to anchor and well clear of dangerous marinas. It didn’t budge or get any further damage, even though the eye of a category 4 went right over it.

Was that in Green Cove Springs?

[flightlead404]

Originally Posted by rwidman

If you see a mooring ball and decide to just tie up to it, not knowing who owns it, keep in mind that you also don't know if anyone has been maintaining it.

It's quite possible that the mooring ball has not been maintained and might break free during the night or while you are on shore away from the boat and your boat will drift (along with the ball) into a dangerous situation.

Think about it.

There is definitely this risk, and some of them are quite shady looking.

[flightlead404]

Originally Posted by skipmac

Exactly. Unless I am 100% certain of the mooring would always prefer to use my own anchor.

True, but the OP asked specifically about the moorings.

Unsure if OP was specifically asking about the location I was talking about, but there's so many private moorings there, there isn't much room to drop an anchor.

[Cap Morgan]

Thanks all for the many responses. I wound up dropping anchor on the northern edge of the same mooring field.

[Wallaby]

The current rate (as of today) for the Palm Beach Sailing Club for a 3-day (minimum) dinghy tie up (includes the use of some club facilities) is $120.
Nice people and very helpful, a welcome break in a place where mega-yachts are all that count.

[captstu]

The moorings in the port area are private.

There is a far better anchorage near the West Palm Beach city docks, just after the first bascule bridge with a limiting draft of about 10'.

The anchorage is free, quite well protected, and served by two long docks for your dinghy or mother-ship during daylight hours until about 10 pm. You may take on water at a few places along the dock. There is a paid pump-out and fuel at the marina next door.

[flightlead404]

Originally Posted by Wallaby

The current rate (as of today) for the Palm Beach Sailing Club for a 3-day (minimum) dinghy tie up (includes the use of some club facilities) is $120.
Nice people and very helpful, a welcome break in a place where mega-yachts are all that count.

Doubled since I was there two months ago!

[Wallaby]

Originally Posted by flightlead404

Doubled since I was there two months ago!

Yup. That's what inflation does, increase prices.