Paying to anchor

[sailena]

I am doing research on any anchorages that are now charging a fee. I would appreciate any information. The Vineyard Haven Harbormaster is trying to convince the Selectmen to charge an anchorage fee in Lake Tashmoo. No services come with the fee. The pump-out boat is paid from the Clean Waters Grant so that cannot be a paid service. Does any know of any other harbor where this is an issue?

[TrueBlue]

I have never encountered, or heard of, a fee charged for dropping your own anchor. I believe Tashmoo is seawater, and ocean cannot be owned by anyone, nor can the ocean's bottom . . . unless it falls above the mean high water mark. But who would ever drop an anchor above MHW at high tide?

However, if this is motivated by an environmental issue, such as boaters emtying their heads directly overboard, raising the fecal bacteria count in Lake Tashmoo, then maybe the Town will elect to do as Edgartown has recently done. Edgartown's Katama Bay is now off limits to anchorages for that reason.

By charging a fee, perhaps the logic is - more control by informing each boat owner of the no discharge rules.

As with Edgartown, and if Vineyard Haven bans anchoring in the "Lake", this leaves cruisers no other option but to anchor in the exposed outer harbor, or reserve one of the scarce Town moorings. The Vineyard Haven Harbormaster's proposal should be denied by the Selectmen, if they have any sense at all.

[Silmaril]

If you anchor at either the Salt Pond or Old Harbor in Block Island, they charge a "Landing Fee". Anchoring is free, but if you want to come ashore, they charge you.

[sailnaway]

Here in Marathon the Florida Keys the bottom is owned by the state.They are filling the anchorages with moorings and they control the harbor and are driving all anchoring vessels out. They say harbor management but it is really harbor take over. The anchoring rights will be seven spots for emergency anchoring only. They plan to install 160 new moorings this year on top of the ones they have already. this place will be like a trailer park in a year. Nice straight lines of boats with dollar signs on each one.All along the Florida coast they are doing the same thing. Marina Age a magazine on "marinas" showed a drawing of Boot Key Harbor all condos and mega yachts which is what they want. You and I most of the people on this site are not welcome here. The law Enforcement harasses cruisers the City charges more and more to bring your dink ashore for parking and water, pump outs,parking mandatory inspections a list of regs you cant keep up with. The beach is closed to dingy traffic so is the access to the grocery stores you have to taxi or walk or buy a car to get anything. Leave your boat for to long they will drag it on the rocks and strip it and cut it up " Harbor Managment". All this is big money driving out the live aboard and cruising sailors. They will say oh no we love you guys "CRAP OLA" they hate you ,your cheep way of seeing the world like as if you have the plague. Florida is not boater friendly read the www.waterfrontnews.com and read what is going on. It is a loss to all boaters world wide the people with big budgets just go with it. If your young or retired or a dreamer and wanted to just lay back forget Florida. Laws regs more laws and regs miss one and your fined sometimes hundreds of dollars like the guy "rowing" his dink and had a couple of beers BUSTED $1400 that is a crime in its self. They will board you late at night while you on the hook and get every one up so they can shine flashlights in your eyes and ask questions and see if they can find a hole in a life jacket or something to right you a ticket for.If we the people don't do something to stop this sort of thing they will close the water front to all of us in ten years. You will have to pay to look at the ocean, think I am blowing smoke look real close. Ohhhh Crap! I have written to people in Washington D.C. about this kind of thing and other issues as far as our rights being stepped on some listen few do anything. This is out fight Join NBRF National Boaters Rights Federation coming to your area soon NBRF.

[sailingdog]

Unfortunately, in the current political climate, the rights of the people are getting trampled left and right, especially in search of the almighty dollar.

[seamountie]

They tried this up in Canada. It didn't fly. Here, (and you might check your regs, south of the 49th) anchoring is considered part of navigation, and you cannot charge for transiting navigable waters. Besides, the control of said waters lies with the Feds, not city nor province.

Landing fees, yes you can charge. Using mooring buoys, yes. But not anchoring.

Richard
S/V Gandalf III

[jared]

In the US, underwater lands were sometimes granted owners going back to Royal Patents in the colonial days. More recently, they were sold by the US to various states and towns in order to raise money for war bonds in WW2. So...yes, the bottom and the anchoring rights may BELONG to someone, by law, even if you are allowed the right to sail over them. By law.

You have to research the rights area by area, and if the owners want to charge you for dropping a hook--there's nothing you can do, unless you are one of the owners (voters) and you vote for free anchoring.

[bigreddo]

In 2005 the Bay Constable in Montauk Lake (Montauk, Long Island, NY) told me there would be a $25 fee for anchoring in the harbor for more than one night, so the first night was free. I believe there was also a limit as to how long you could stay at anchor.

[Grumpy#3]

This mooring, docking and anchoring situation is getting worse by the day.
The strange thing about anyone putting up a fight is that you never hear of Hunter, Catalina and all the manufacturers sounding off.
They maybe only interested in selling new boats but they get old afterthe first payment.
It seems that they are leaving the little guys to hang out to dry.
We need to get an all inclusive movemnt going, NOW.

[lv4sailing]

so what are you waiting for you start others will fallow