Paying to anchor

[paulthober]

Originally Posted by chuck711

If you've ever anchored in St. Augustine you would understand why cities are forced to put in moorings and forbid anchoring. Because of the warm weather and ability to live outside year round, the over crowded anchorage is filled with squatters. "Boats" that have no motors and that have not moved in years inhabited by in most cases homeless people that rowed out and found a abandened boat that they broken into to live on. We cruisers have ruined it for everyone! By nature we spend very little money. Why would a city want us there? Even St. Mary's in Georgia. They love boaters, yet there is a period of time you can stay there,past that you get fined. Sadly we need these restrictions in place to keep a city's
waterfront not an eyesore. It only takes a few bad apples to ruin it for everyone.........

If you are anchored you are not squatting. We all have an equal right to use an anchorage.

Is the only acceptable boat one with a motor? This is Sailnet is it not?

Harbors are full of "homeless" people that have broken into other people's boats? You have got to be kidding, right?

Of course we spend money. I certainly have. I think of the harbors I've been to that are friendly and accepting of cruisers - Cape May, NJ, Annapolis, MD, Elizabeth City, NC, Beaufort, NC - I spent several days at each and spent plenty of money.

Eyesore is in the eye of the beholder. I think any boat with more than 9.9 hp should be prohibited from anchoring along with any Mac 26 that is still floating.

[chuck711]

PaulThober
Sadly its true... St. Augustine, the inner harbor of Gustovia (St. Barts), Marigot Bay ( St. Martin)or Chaguaramas ( Trinidad). Boats that haven't moved in years or been sitting de-masted not able to move much less sail adds nothing to the sport of sailing and what this great website stands for.
They put out so much rode (150-200 feet)in order to hold forever and as a result the anchorage area is greatly reduced ( they ping around everywhere with the tides). The waterfront is an eyesore as well as a detriment to property values.
We aren't talking about the types of anchorages such you mentioned ( Cape May, NJ, Annapolis, MD, Elizabeth City, NC, Beaufort, NC ) these are normal transist areas people come and go. Also other than NC they have winter to contend with.
As a cruiser who anchored out everyday except 3 days for 2 years out. What do you really spend? Fuel and groceries. $500-$700 month. Less once you get away from the USA.
Since we agree to anchor you are not going into a marina. You might eat out once in a while or have a drink. But likely you are getting together with other cruisers and living on a budget.
In Florida most of the cities are forced to enact tough laws to keep the water clean with some form of civility! I doubt these people are moving their boats in to pumpout.

In the USA I've only seen this in Florida. I assume its because of the weather. Also in Florida by law you can't sleep on the beach. If you could I'm sure you would have tent cities poping up.

[sailphoto]

If the real purpose of the laws prohibiting anchoring are to discourage squatters, then they could be formed to allow active cruisers to anchor as well. A rule requiring registration with the harbor master, for instance would allow proper notification of the rules and could limit the number of consecutive ddays that anchoring is acceptable. For instance a harbor could require cruisers to prove ownership of the vessel, inform them of the harbor rules, and require 2 days absence from the anchorage after a one or two week stay. Alternately they could limit stays to a maximum of two weeks per month.
Unfortunately I don't think this is the intent of the lawmakers in these towns. I think they ultimately want to clean up the view from the 15th floor condos!
Action is very difficult to organize because there are so many different towns to address. Perhaps the only thing to do is to boycott the towns and marinas that have these rules until the local marine business's feel the pinch and make noise on a local level?