Can any of the sailors in this part of Florida paint a picture of what slip fees are like between Jupiter and Miami? We've been paying anywhere between $300 and $400 on the Florida panhandle. Looks a little pricier in southeast Florida... Whoa... Are private docks widely available?
Marinas of SE Florida...
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I recently moved to Fort Lauderdale, and looked for a slip for a few months. The prices I saw at marinas ranged from $22 to $28 per foot per month, plus power, plus liveaboard fees for in-season, and about $2-3 dollars less for off-season or if you make a year's commitment.
Try Active Captain for details on each marina.
For my 32' boat the best deal I could find at a marina was going to run almost $900 per month, and that was without the liveaboard fee.
You can find private slips and situations behind people's houses - check Craigslist. Most of the options I found there were $12-$20 per foot with a wide range of options, amenities, and restrictions.
I ended up in a little hole in the wall marina in Key Largo for $9 / foot, no amenities.
Good luck with your search....let me know if I can help with info on any particular places you're looking at.
Try Active Captain for details on each marina.
For my 32' boat the best deal I could find at a marina was going to run almost $900 per month, and that was without the liveaboard fee.
You can find private slips and situations behind people's houses - check Craigslist. Most of the options I found there were $12-$20 per foot with a wide range of options, amenities, and restrictions.
I ended up in a little hole in the wall marina in Key Largo for $9 / foot, no amenities.
Good luck with your search....let me know if I can help with info on any particular places you're looking at.
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Most of the ones I looked at in the Florida Keys and north to Juniper were priced much higher than those in Chesapeake Bay.
Gary
Gary
Andy, thanks much for the info. We're looking to move to Boca around June 1, with eye toward putting the boat on a semi trailer to a boatyard in the Port St. Lucie area for commissioning. It's looking like I'll have to either keep the boat way north of Boca or way south in order to afford it. The problem, of course, is that this puts her nearly two hours away in either direction. If it's all right, I might PM you for specifics?
Thanks again, Cap...
And thank you, Gary. Much appreciated!
Thanks again, Cap...
And thank you, Gary. Much appreciated!
Glad to help. PM me anytime. You may want to look at Harbortown in Fort Pierce....reasonably close, not too expensive, good amenities, fabulous ocean access.
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Check Coconut Grove Sailing Club in Coconut Grove. The drive is a pain but the Club and the sailing are great.
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Dude - I feel your pain. My boat is 3 hours one way. It's worth it though.
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My info is kind of dated, but I found a cool little marina in Sunny Isles Beach (just south of Adventura) called the Winston Yacht club. I kept 32 footer there for about $225 a month back from 2001 through 2004. Most of the other marinas were in the 300 to 400 dollar a month range for my boat at the time.
I believe it is on Active Captain.
I believe it is on Active Captain.
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There are scores of dockage options behind private homes throughout Lauderdale and the surrounding area, which will be your most affordable option. As andy mentioned, some will have different restrictions than others, but if you're not looking to live aboard, most any will probably be suitable. Craigslist is one source, another good place to start would be the classifieds in the WATERFRONT TIMES...
Waterfront Times
One of the more affordable real marinas in the area, is the Las Olas Docks, owned by the city of Ft Lauderdale. Whenever I stop in Lauderdale with my own boat, that's where I'll go if staying in a marina... Nice little place, the manager Levend is a great guy, and the location can't be beat... That will likely be one of your biggest challenges in finding an affordable location, is finding one that has convenient ocean access. Many locations behind private homes are likely to entail a LONG ride to an inlet, dealing with several bridges, before you can make it outside. Las Olas is a great location in that regard, not too long a ride down to Port Everglades, with only the Las Olas Bridge for you to deal with...
City of Fort Lauderdale - Las Olas Docks
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Hate to break it to you, but that area IMHO has to be one of the crappiest locations on the entire East coast to keep a sailboat. It's no wonder that even on the most perfect of days, one will rarely see more than a handful of boats sailing off the beach between Jupiter and Lauderdale. Jupiter and Boca Raton Inlets can be very dicey for a sailboat, and Hillsboro isn't much better...
Waterfront Times
One of the more affordable real marinas in the area, is the Las Olas Docks, owned by the city of Ft Lauderdale. Whenever I stop in Lauderdale with my own boat, that's where I'll go if staying in a marina... Nice little place, the manager Levend is a great guy, and the location can't be beat... That will likely be one of your biggest challenges in finding an affordable location, is finding one that has convenient ocean access. Many locations behind private homes are likely to entail a LONG ride to an inlet, dealing with several bridges, before you can make it outside. Las Olas is a great location in that regard, not too long a ride down to Port Everglades, with only the Las Olas Bridge for you to deal with...
City of Fort Lauderdale - Las Olas Docks
Hate to break it to you, but that area IMHO has to be one of the crappiest locations on the entire East coast to keep a sailboat. It's no wonder that even on the most perfect of days, one will rarely see more than a handful of boats sailing off the beach between Jupiter and Lauderdale. Jupiter and Boca Raton Inlets can be very dicey for a sailboat, and Hillsboro isn't much better...
Thanks to everyone... You all have been a huge help.
Jon, I hear what you're saying regarding the poor sailing access. A friend of mine found himself stuck outside on a center console when he couldn't get through the Hillsboro inlet due to a falling tide and a howling wind out of the southeast. I'll be driving either north or south -- Biscayne Bay or Largo, or Fort Pierce. Wish there were better options. Argh.
Jon, I hear what you're saying regarding the poor sailing access. A friend of mine found himself stuck outside on a center console when he couldn't get through the Hillsboro inlet due to a falling tide and a howling wind out of the southeast. I'll be driving either north or south -- Biscayne Bay or Largo, or Fort Pierce. Wish there were better options. Argh.
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I keep my 35' sloop at the Coconut Grove Sailing Club on a mooring. There is security and 24/7 launch service on demand. Cost: $9/foot per month + $65 per month flat fee. One does not have to be a Club member to moor there, but at $250 per year dues and no initiation fee it is hard to make a case for not joining. It is a very informal Club where dressing up is wearing a shirt with a collar. You'll find that the folks are very friendly and welcoming.
But I live 2 only miles away. I ditto Jon's comments. The sailing between Biscayne Bay and the Chesapeake is almost always going out and returning to home port. There is almost nowhere to put down the anchor and enjoy a quiet evening on the hook. But from Miami southward this is possible in numerous locations and even with my over 6' draft I can do so.
What some folks who live north of Miami do is come down on Fridays and go back up on Sunday evenings; living on the boat for the weekends and spending them on the hook. (Interestingly this is what I did when I lived up North...living in Manhattan and driving the 2+ hours to Sag Harbor where my boat lived on a mooring.) From Boca Raton the drive would be a bit over an hour depending upon when you traveled. As there is no contract to sign, this might be an option worth exploring.
Cheers,
Ron
But I live 2 only miles away. I ditto Jon's comments. The sailing between Biscayne Bay and the Chesapeake is almost always going out and returning to home port. There is almost nowhere to put down the anchor and enjoy a quiet evening on the hook. But from Miami southward this is possible in numerous locations and even with my over 6' draft I can do so.
What some folks who live north of Miami do is come down on Fridays and go back up on Sunday evenings; living on the boat for the weekends and spending them on the hook. (Interestingly this is what I did when I lived up North...living in Manhattan and driving the 2+ hours to Sag Harbor where my boat lived on a mooring.) From Boca Raton the drive would be a bit over an hour depending upon when you traveled. As there is no contract to sign, this might be an option worth exploring.
Cheers,
Ron
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You might want to research Hurricane Cove at Miami River. They have the best prices.
Hurricanecove dot com
Hurricanecove dot com
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The problem with keeping a boat in slip at Hurricane Cove, or anywhere on the Miami River for a sail boat, is all the bridges between you and the open water. Plan on at least an minimum of an hour if not more of motoring and waiting before you can raise your main.
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