So this subject came up in another thread. So I thought I would create a thread dealing with this.
In different parts of the country, municipalities and States have restricted where you can throw the hook. Places like Florida that have multi-million dollar homes on shore and have restricted anchorage as it interferes with the home owners view.
There is also the legal question if the above has the authority to restrict "navigable" or navigation of Federal waters. I have seen places like Sausalito CA restrict anchorages by placing mooring buoys in an area that was full of live aboard.
What have you experienced with restricted anchorages?
Florida restrictions on anchoring seem to be vastly misinterpreted by those thousands of miles away. A few clarifications.
1-The USCG has given control of the coastal waters such as the ICW to the states. Technically, they've said the states own the land under the water.
2-So, the states can regulate anchoring.
3-There were cities in Florida wanting to do their own thing. The state stepped in and made a firm statement that it's controlled by the state. However, they then made exceptions for three areas in South Florida. Now, some of these restrictions are still in court battles, but overall there are very few places in Florida you can't anchor.
4-Of those places in South Florida with anchoring restrictions, while the homeowners are the impetus, the issue they pose is real and it's navigation into and away from their home. The anchoring in question was in a very tight area. Specifically, the reasoning was "These areas were selected because they are densely populated urban areas that have narrow state waterways, residential docking facilities, and significant boating traffic. Anchoring is still permitted during the day but is off-limits between 30 minutes after sunset and 30 minutes before sunrise."
5-Florida does have anchoring restrictions on derelict vessels but no real plan for disposal or movement of such.
6-Florida also prohibits anchoring within 150 ft of marinas and ramps, within 300 ft of boatyards that work on boats over 120 ft long, and within 100 ft of a marked public mooring field.
7-Florida undertook a pilot mooring program and that resulted in several mooring fields. These were in cities wanting to restrict anchoring but instead mooring was added. These fields are well run, have pump out services, have access to docks. While the program ended the fields are still in service.
I don't know of any anchoring restrictions done simply because it affects an owners view. There have been some specific owners trying but for the most part they failed. Most of us who have waterfront property welcome those cruisers who anchor in our area. Within one mile of our home there are five marinas, two anchorages, one mooring field and other areas for anchoring. There is up the Middle River one small area where anchoring is prohibited. It is actually in an area which is designated for watersports and skiing and other activities. There are cases where one or two people decide to go after anchoring, often not even people who live on the water. They've failed to gain any real traction that would impact cruisers.
One area in Miami Beach that got huge publicity over anchoring restrictions you will find hundreds of boats anchored legally very nearby. The limitation is only between certain islands. The areas allowed to maintain anchoring restrictions are a few hundred feet in total out of thousands of miles of Florida anchoring.
Florida still, like most states, does not have an effective plan for dealing with derelict vessels. Washington perhaps has the best I've seen.
There is no state friendlier to cruisers or with more accommodation for them than Florida and it's unfortunate a widely publicized and failed attempt by a few has led many to believe otherwise. My wife and I stepped out on the balcony from our bedroom when we woke this morning, looked out on several beautiful sailboats anchored. 95% of those who live in our neighborhood are boaters and the other 5% likes watching boats as they pass. This statement,
"Places like Florida that have multi-million dollar homes on shore and have restricted anchorage as it interferes with the home owners view." is just very mis-representative and not true as written.
Florida low is in section 327.41 on these pages.
Statutes & Constitution :View Statutes : Online Sunshine
Live-aboard is defined as:
”Live-aboard vessel” means: a) Any vessel used solely as a residence and not for navigation;
b) Any vessel represented as a place of business, or a professional or other commercial enterprise;
or c) Any vessel for which a declaration of domicile has been filed pursuant to s. 222.17.
So, cruisers are in no way impacted by any limitations placed on live aboards.
Separately, we did dock in Sausalito for several weeks. We were in no way bothered by the anchoring there at that time in 2014. However, we could see the reasons for concern by some as there were clearly boats there that never moved, probably couldn't move, and were in very bad, perhaps derelict condition.