State of Living Aboard in Florida

[captlloyd]

Originally Posted by Woodland Hills

You should be more concerned with how you are going to empty your holding tank at a private dock.

I’d be looking at Marina Mile in Jacksonville, there are several marinas there that allow full time cruisers. Last summer it was $10/foot per month, the power was metered and billed separately. You will still have to go to another dock to pumpout at that price. Ortega Landing may have inslip pumpouts but will be more expensive to pay for more amenities.

BTW, you will get a better response if you present yourself as a full time cruiser rather than a liveaboard.

Good advice, better yet ask for monthly or quarterly rates and just say you are a cruiser. This gives the marina time to get to know you and hopefully like you. They don’t like to get locked into situations with troublesome people.

[ScottyMR]

Thanks guys.

Yes Davy you were on a roll! I researched that article a bit a few weeks ago and came to the conclusion that it was inaccurate at best. So much for journalistic integrity... I figured I may be able to get better info elsewhere....here, for example. So thanks for being on a roll!

Thanks for the advice "Hills".

Delaware, I have a house in Georgia....Lake Worth is just too far away. But thanks for the offer!

[ScottyMR]

CaptLoyd. That does make a lot of sense. I suppose those long-term contracts are a 2-way street. And the plus for me is that I wouldn't be chained to them either. Really good food for thought. Thanks!

[hpeer]

You should be more concerned with how you are going to empty your holding tank at a private dock.

Good question.

Purasan?

[vlathom]

There is a supply/demand problem in Florida, especially mid to south eastern Florida. Marinas are disappearing. Don't buy a boat before finding a marina.

[Creedence]

The trend has noticeably shifted over the 10 years I’ve owned a boat in West Central Florida.

I lived aboard in Twin Dolphin Marina (Bradenton) for about a year, and a few months across the River at Regatta Point. Back then (about 5 years ago) the total slip fee for my 40’ was about $700 per month. Fast forward to the present day, I’m building a new house and my current home sold far faster than I anticipated so I looked to them for a live aboard again, and IF they allow it, the price has more than doubled. I did a year at the Moorings in Longboat Key as well, but I think they’re waitlisted now.

If you’re making plans, expect that some marinas will now require pictures of your boat as well as an in-person interview with some of the office staff before getting approved.

I’m noticing this kind of thing across the board in Florida though- there is a huge influx of people right now and everything from real estate, dining, retail, hobbies, etc are struggling to keep up with demand. Unfortunately the live aboard community is suffering not just from increased demand, but also the long-term political efforts to eliminate the practice.

[ScottyMR]

Yeah, high demand. Seems like a good bet to me that inflation is headed our way...everywhere. Probably more so to Florida where so many people want to be.
Thanks for your input!

[sailorboy1]

I think there are lots of slip space in Florida to be found as long as it isn't in a location with a high density of land dwellers who want to have boats.

[sailorboy1]

Btw - in Florida there is a legal difference between a live aboard boater and a cruiser. While a cruiser is living on their boat they aren't a live aboard unless they get a land job really.

[Afrinus]

I haven't read all the posts here, but the undesirability of NE FL seems to me a review of someone not here.
I live in NE FL and have my boat in Daytona.
Although I'm not a live abaord, there's plenty in the marina. There is no argument and the fee is not exorbitant either - for both the slip, the electrical connection, or the fee for live aboard, and oh, another thing - it is probably the safest hurricane marina in FL east coast.
Titusville might not be Miami, but it ain't bad, and there's plenty of new good development going on there as well.

This thing in the Keys is blown out of all proportions - if your boat is not a POS and you behave yourself in terms of discharge, etc, there's plenty places where live aboard is still ok up here.

[ScottyMR]

Sailorboy, Thanks for your comment.

I am curious about the legalities. I have an established land job with a large company that will transfer my payroll residency to Florida. And my intention is to reside in Florida as a resident. My understanding is that I need to behave like a Florida resident, including getting a FL drivers license, registering my car and boat there, registering to vote, etc. With all of that, I basically need a FL address. It sounds like a company called SBI is in the business of legitimately helping cruisers and RVs, etc establish residency, including helping the new Floridian file a declaration of residency at the courthouse. (St John's County maybe?)

I work remotely, so I will perform my "land job" from the boat...my home. Just like I do now in Georgia..except it is from my house (my home) in Georgia.

Are you aware of any legal problems with this strategy? If so, I really need to know about them.

Thanks in advance.

[ScottyMR]

Afrinus,

Thanks for your comments. I have been suspecting that your thoughts on the subject are realistic. Hard to tell from a few hundred miles away though. I've seen the Halifax River Marina in Daytona...from a distance, it looks quite nice. I'm thinking of that as a possible landing place. And it looks like their rates are reasonable too, compared to the warmer winter spots down south. It sounds like insurance carriers like their insured boats to be further north too. So it's good to hear your experience further north has been positive.

Thanks again...it is really helpful.

[denverd0n]

There are lots of marinas in Florida that allow liveaboards, and the state is NOT trying to force them to stop. What has been going on is an attempt to stop people from anchoring permanently, in one spot, in a public anchorage. I have some concerns about how they are going about it, but I do not think it is unreasonable to say that you cannot permanently occupy an area of the public waterway.

[Benz]

Originally Posted by ScottyMR

Very interesting. And thanks for your kind responses.

I won't be pulling up stakes completely. At least not yet. I have a house in Georgia that I will maintain for a while. So due to that proximity, NE Florida will be convenient for me.

So I am curious about the comment about "anywhere north" being "undesirable". I understand there have been comments made about Titusville being run down and unfriendly to liveaboards. But beyond that, are there specific issues regarding NE Florida I should be aware of?

I will be making a trip to Florida in the next couple of weeks to search for a marina. Feet on the ground will be helpful, no doubt.

Also, regarding renting "private docks". I've wondered about that. I wonder if they'll also rent me a bathroom for an occasional "Hollywood shower"...

By undesirable I meant "not in high demand." Between Titusville and Jacksonville the shore seen from the water is slightly more run down compared to further south. Less developed, still some mobile home parks with waterfront, less glitzy than, say, Canaveral to Miami. It's not a bad thing, it's just neither eye-catching nor overpopulated. And if you were looking for work near your boat, there isn't much. But if you want more affordable dockage and don't care about easy access to the ocean or walking to work from your boat (which are my metrics when pausing a cruise to find work), it's a fine place to look.

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Rick.