Other side of anchoring restrictions

[Bay Breeze]

We cruise a few months each year - gunkholing and some marinas. I've been perturbed to see what the Florida legislature and some coastal cities have been proposing to regulate anchoring. I thought it was mostly to protect the views of wealthy waterfront owners, or an over reaction to sand bar party revelers.

A 40 ft house boat appeared in our community small boat basin a couple weeks ago. It was tied up to a public boat launch ramp dock for a week, and then was towed out to and tied to an old piling. I suspect the county told him he couldn't overnight at the dock. The outdrive is patched over, so looks like there's no power. No anchor light. No FL numbers or name and port. No dingy.

Since we have no pump out facilities at our location, and the nearest is 10 miles away, I wondered what liveaboards would do about wastewater. (I know the obvious answer.) So I called the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission to ask what they would suggest and this was the answer:

•*They would investigate if I saw the owner pouring human waste overboard.

•*No FL numbers or registration is required for a boat if it is tied to a dock, anchored, and not underway.

•*If a boat is occupied, it is not a derelict vessel.

Now if these guys were fishing without a license, there would be a tactical force deployed.

So, now I have a bit more sympathy for the need to regulate and some rules. I have stayed near anchorage of old boats that will never sail or motor again - with some folks living aboard... at Englewood, Estero Bay, and Longboat Key. I never really thought about the consequences til the houseboat appeared off of our waterfront. Of course, it's nimby, but wouldn't be if we had a pump-out. We had a view of a dismasted 39 ft try for four years at the same spot, but the only thing pooping on it were pelicans.

Still opposing anchoring restrictions, and hoping this houseboat moves on to hook up to shore power at a marina.

[Dulcesuenos]

So your beef is no FL numbers when it's not required? No ability to get to a pump out? Also not a legal requirement) What if they have a composting set up. No dinghy to dump it? I wonder how they buy groceries. So there are other liveaboards there but no pump out facilities for 10 miles but you weren't really concerned until the houseboat showed up? And you want more regulation to keep " unpowered, dinghy less vessels" out?
Tis the season

[Island Time O25]

I always wondered where do manatees, sharks, groupers, alligators, turtles, etc. go for a pump out? And what the FGWC is going to do about that?

PS I have a friend who I think can't swim but doesn't want to admit it. So his official excuse for not going into the water is - "but the fish poop there".

[Captain Bill]

Originally Posted by Bay Breeze

•*No FL numbers or registration is required for a boat if it is tied to a dock, anchored, and not underway.

This is kind of funny since one can get jailed for drunk anchoring in Florida. According to the law regarding drunken boating being at anchor is being underway. Don't you love it when the law is consistent.

[sailorboy1]

I wonder every time this Florida anchoring thing comes why it seems to bother people so much (most of them not in Florida). Most of the rest of country the local city and habormaster can make up anchoring restrictions as they please (and they do).

[Island Time O25]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

I wonder every time this Florida anchoring thing comes why it seems to bother people so much (most of them not in Florida). Most of the rest of country the local city and habormaster can make up anchoring restrictions as they please (and they do).

May be it's because many (most?) of us either have sailed in FL, are planning to sail in FL or are thinking of FL as a stopover/transit destination on our way to somewhere else? OTOH I have no plans to sail in say Chicago or SF Bay so what the HMs do there is of little concern to me.

Also for example here in MA we do have quite a few restrictions on anchoring. But as a corollary of that most harbors have a mooring scheme which is working fine for the most part with few exceptions of highly desirable harbors where the wait for a mooring is in decades. But just a few miles away there are places where one can either drop a hook or pick up a reasonably priced mooring. Or install one's own after getting a permit from the HM.

The mooring I am on is within a few hundred yards of multi million dollar mansions without either of us bothering each other. And the vessels in our mooring field range from relatively pricey Bristol shape yachts to old barely afloat boats used as Summer shacks or place holders for the mooring permits. And no one has issues with these except perhaps the HM who I am sure would love to get rid of the "shacks" and "place holders" to have less worries during the Nor'easters.

I would have no problem if, as an alternative to issues/problems raised by long term anchoring boats, FL creates a reasonable mooring scheme for them within the same field. My own mooring cost me less than a good set of anchors, chain and rode would have cost me if I had to anchor out there, especially during some storms we have once in a while. Don't see how it would be different in FL if approached reasonably and without malice toward boat owners.

[sailorboy1]

You haven't paid attention. Mooring "schemes" in FL cause as much "talk" as anchoring "restrictions".

BTW - I am in FL.

[brownoarsman]

Originally Posted by Bay Breeze

So, now I have a bit more sympathy for the need to regulate and some rules.

I'm with you. We had some idiot drop an anchor in the middle of our mooring field (river off the Chesapeake Bay), and then leave the boat for three weeks. He proceed to drag here and there while he was absent, coming within a couple of feet of at least one boat but thankfully hitting no one.

Free and open access works great until there are too many people and a too high percentage of those people lack common sense and/or the ability to maintain their equipment.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[Sidney777]

Maybe they POOP in a garbage bag & take it to a dumpster ?

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

You haven't paid attention. Mooring "schemes" in FL cause as much "talk" as anchoring "restrictions".

BTW - I am in FL.

They do because they more often than not in S Fl cost more per month than my slip rent in the Panhandle does, and provides a dinghy dock miles from the town and miles from the mooring field, and use of prison bathrooms.
I speak of the mooring field in Key West, where I was told there were weekly pump outs, so I asked to be put on the list and was told all boats get pumped out, but more than likely there will be no pump out this week cause maybe the weather might be bad.

I see why there was plenty of room. If I ever return, I will drop anchor like most everyone else, and purchase a bathroom key and dinghy dock access, right in town, which we ended up doing anyway and forego the mooring field.
Of course the whole point of it is to force ALL boats into being packed together into mooring fields like they do RV's in RV parks.
I don't want that, so that is why if I'm ever there again, it will be just passing by.

[Sidney777]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

They do because they more often than not in S Fl cost more per month than my slip rent in the Panhandle does, and provides a dinghy dock miles from the town and miles from the mooring field, and use of prison bathrooms.
I speak of the mooring field in Key West, where I was told there were weekly pump outs, so I asked to be put on the list and was told all boats get pumped out, but more than likely there will be no pump out this week cause maybe the weather might be bad.

I see why there was plenty of room. If I ever return, I will drop anchor like most everyone else, and purchase a bathroom key and dinghy dock access, right in town, which we ended up doing anyway and forego the mooring field.
Of course the whole point of it is to force ALL boats into being packed together into mooring fields like they do RV's in RV parks.
I don't want that, so that is why if I'm ever there again, it will be just passing by.

Thanks for info. In agreement !

[Bay Breeze]

Originally Posted by Dulcesuenos

So your beef is no FL numbers when it's not required? No ability to get to a pump out? Also not a legal requirement) What if they have a composting set up. No dinghy to dump it? I wonder how they buy groceries. So there are other liveaboards there but no pump out facilities for 10 miles but you weren't really concerned until the houseboat showed up? And you want more regulation to keep " unpowered, dinghy less vessels" out?
Tis the season

Just sharing what I learned from FWCC - so you don't need FL numbers at your anchorage until you decide to cruise somewhere. And you don't need FL registration for the dingy you row to empty your compost residue and buy groceries.

Yes, we were concerned about no pump out because it is inconvenient to go 10 (20 round trip) miles to get a pump out. BTW - no other liveaboards here, so c'mon up when the Keys gets too crowded or regulated for you.http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...lies/peace.gif

[PrivateerAnthem]

Helpful tip for the OCDs wringing their hands trying to convert Florida coastal waters into the thing they had Up North:

1. Go to eBay and buy a few Jimmy Buffet cassettes (8-tracks if you must).
2. Mix up a rum drink of your choice.
3. Consume 1 and 2 simultaneously (while anchored safely).
4. Lighten up.

After gasping at the above, repeat #4.

[Island Time O25]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

You haven't paid attention. Mooring "schemes" in FL cause as much "talk" as anchoring "restrictions".

BTW - I am in FL.

Yes I have had. That's why I prefaced my point with words like "reasonable", etc. I do not pay any monthly charges to anybody for my mooring since I own it. I only have to pay a) about $50 annual excise tax to town, b) $4/ft annually to harbormaster for an annual permit and c) about $150-200 every 2-3 years to the mooring service company for inspections. The occasional chain and/or pennant replacements that are required to keep the mooring robust cost about that much every 2-3 years. So on the average, all costs considered, that mooring is costing me about $300/yr to own. That's it. I consider what comes out as $50/mo (our sailing season is only 6 months) "a reasonable" alternative to finding anchoring swing room in a very crowded harbor each time I return from a short sail and/or being at peace knowing that the other moorings around me were inspected and given an OK. The free water is at the dock and the free pumpout operates 3-4 days in high season and 2 days in low season months both maintained by the town out of HM permit fees and excise collections.

Why FL with its gazillion of square miles of inlets, waterways and harbors can't adopt a similar and financially non-ruinous scheme for the boaters is beyond me. IMO as long as the cost of the scheme to a mooring user/owner is in the vicinity of $50/mo annualized it will not be onerous for the most but the very few truly destitute.

BTW there is no requirement from HM to use a particular mooring service which IMO keeps the service costs reasonable and very competitive among the 3 or 4 companies available to choose from. I'e used the same company since the beginning and they go out of their way checking up on things if necessary, especially during forecasted storms, etc.

[Kita]

Correct me if I am wrong but a while back didn’t they change the law some saying that the local community couldn't make up there own rules in favor of a state law saying you could anchor almost anywhere as long as you were not in the way,like in the channel or in the way of something? In addition there are paid spots on moring balls that belong to marinas. ...or has something changed again? I thought there was a big win for liveaboards but I do remember something about a time limit in some areas...somebody update me please as I plan to live onboard in FL soon,& I don't plan on living at a marina,thanks