Leaving boat on anchor long term

[psneeld]

Nobody will haul and dispose of a boat here in FL before reasonable attempts have been made to contact the owner, which if your data is correct on your registration, is simple enough. Even easier if a sign with your info is posted in a window. NOT that I would ever leave a boat anchored/moored as the OP is considering.

Yep...current registration solves that issue.

For the others......There are usually other indicators too, like solar that appears to be working that runs the mandatory anchor light...and I dont mean solar garden lights. The boat not trimmed badly by flooding because the solar/batteries/bilge pumps all work.

Plus if one can see into the boat, neat and outfitted helps, a little mildew doesnt make a derelict.

Of course if the stuff all breaks......all bets off....even current registration just means an ultimatum to remove is more easily delivered.

 

[Aron Zions]

Why not get a trailer find a nearby storage lot rent a tow truck for a day and anchor down at some secure lot?

 

[Tractorjohn]

find a partner or if you must anchor, do it in groups, there is safety in numbers and others will look after the boat when you are not around.

 

[calicojack767]

I live in the North Beach part of Miami beach. When leaving to cross to the mainland everyday for work I drive on a causeway/bridge. On one side is the pelican bay marina (which offers moorings and slips at Miami prices), on the other is just Biscayne bay. I do see the same 5 or 6 boats out there anchored day after day and they seem alright. Dont know if 10 months would be bad or not but I think a few months in this spot would make it as Ive been here a year now and they are still there. I looked up the Fl Statute on anchoring and as long as you aren't with 150 feet of a boat dock, pier, or marina entrance and the boat isn't derelict you can anchor. Again Im not expert on any of this but I think something like this for a few months could help until this guy works out his issues. Inevitably, I wouldn't crap on anyone's idea personally because in the end its not my boat and to each his own. Just dont ask me to feel sorry if something bad does happen......that between you God and most likely an insurance company:lol:

 

[Spickman]

Try insurance from your car and other insurance. Some companies are very helpful. Putting the boat on the hard for most of the time seems best. Good luck!

 

[Wolfhound]

Think of a swap. A mechanic got a free space at a lobsterman's dock in exchange for an engine overhaul. A long Islander got an excellent mooring in Maine in trade for the occasional use of a guest house just outside of New York City. Just think of what you can do or make available that someone may want in exchange for what they have that you want.

Wolfhound

 

[GlennR]

I'm new to all this big boating stuff. But when I asked earlier about captain's schools I remember one of the places also offered to manage the rental, storage, & upkeep for owners. That seems like what you need to do. Just like renting out a vacation condo that you only use 2 months of the year.

(I apologize if this has been mentioned up-thread. I only read the first couple of pages.)

 

[ballyhoo1]

Haul it

Simple solution- don’t leave it on anchor, you will be sorry. Just haul it out and have piece of mind.

 

[OldDan1943]

If you own a boat, there is no such thing as a budget. It is more like, 'pay as you go'.

 

[Southern Boater]

.......Btw- never use another guys insurance as a guide price wise. 100% of rate is based on the new user in boating.

The clients full boating history seems to be very much the case these days, along with which marina the boat will be kept, with a dim view toward swing moorings.

 

[Southern Boater]

If you own a boat, there is no such thing as a budget. It is more like, 'pay as you go'.

Hope for the best, expect the worst

 

[Night Watch]

Partial ownership ?

The forum will be able to give pros and cons on this but I do see and hear of fractional ownerships in PNW. For me it’s not viable, but if you decide to sell and can’t do it outright, perhaps it’s an option.
My other suggestion is to list it with a broker so the boat could stay at the brokerage.

 

[Juggerknot]

If I was to make that my temporary solution until I can figure something else out it would be in stuart manatee pocket which is a well known hurricane hole ...plus I have a source or two there that can check on the boat...chain painted with bottom paint as well ....its a well protected hurricane hole lots of other derelict boats there even if my anchor holds yeah I'd have to worry about other people's boats dragging ... wifi security with water alarms and cameras straight to my phone and I've talked to the bottom cleaner who said for a minimal charge hed check clean solar panels off to ensure batteries stay topped off to run all the security systems on the boat.... if a terrible idea I'll scrap the idea just a last ditch effort or thought

Start looking for a private dock at a non-boat owners house, you may find an old duffer that doesn't care about insurance and you'll be cheaper than marina rates. I had a great deepwater NFB private dock off of Donald Ross Rd in Jupiter, it was cheap and the homeowner was always around, never a problem and parking a GB42 for $250 a month plus I'd throw a little towards his FP&L bill for my AC, a bargain. He's since passed away RIP... Good luck

 

[O C Diver]

Looks like the OP hasn't been on the forum in 4 days. Usually a sign that they aren't listening anymore.

Ted

 

[Brisyboy]

Looks like the OP hasn't been on the forum in 4 days. Usually a sign that they aren't listening anymore.

Ted

Ted, I think you are correct - a classic case of flogging a dead horse - 90% of posts from experienced boaters say ......DON`T....the other 10% have said DON`t but in a different way. Time for the group to up anchor and move on.

 

[Comodave]

Well, we didn’t give him the answer he wanted...

 

[KBB]

Where there's a will, there's a way.

Don't let the naysayers discourage you. If you love the boat do what you have to do to keep it. I keep my 50' CPMY (25 ton displacement) on anchor 100 yards off my condo beach visible from my balcony in a basin on the Intracoastal Waterway. I have a Fortress 125 main anchor and a 75# secondary anchor both on all chain to my mooring ball with double 1" bridles to the bow. A simple solar battery charger system that keeps my bilge pumps powered and a solar 360" light on the arch. Perfectly legal per state and federal regs. I watched my boat ride out a direct hit of 95 MPH hurricane 2 years ago with no damage. The marina next door requires insurance, charges $800 a month plus water and power, and will not let me stay in the event of a storm. Good luck.

 

[Brisyboy]

Don't let the naysayers discourage you. If you love the boat do what you have to do to keep it. I keep my 50' CPMY (25 ton displacement) on anchor 100 yards off my condo beach visible from my balcony in a basin on the Intracoastal Waterway. I have a Fortress 125 main anchor and a 75# secondary anchor both on all chain to my mooring ball with double 1" bridles to the bow. A simple solar battery charger system that keeps my bilge pumps powered and a solar 360" light on the arch. Perfectly legal per state and federal regs. I watched my boat ride out a direct hit of 95 MPH hurricane 2 years ago with no damage. The marina next door requires insurance, charges $800 a month plus water and power, and will not let me stay in the event of a storm. Good luck.

KBB

Your example bears no similarity to what the now absent poster was proposing - anchor out and not see the boat again for 10 months. Most people would be happy with your situation, especially as I sure, you visually check it every day and step aboard probably weekly. Not an apples to apples comparison - sorry.

And I guess if we want to get a bit anal - your boat is not anchored out. If I read your description correctly, your boat is tied to a mooring ball ( with double 1" bridles) which in turn is secured to two large anchors- not the same as swinging on its own anchor.

 

[OldDan1943]

KBB,
Sounds like you have a pretty good set up. I know there is a public anchorage field around Miami. It became a haven for abandon boats. If i recall correctly, it took over a year to clean out the area. They had to discover and contact the registered owners and give the a choice, move the boats or the city would do it at the owner's expense. As I recall, one boat had a significant hole above the water line. Why it didn't sink, no one know. I am told field is all clear of these abandoned boats.

 

[OldDan1943]

Paying $800/month is cheap. I have a spare 75ft slip, I rent out for $2,500/month plus electric. Usually sits empty. SHRUG I did have an occupant who stayed about 4 months..... Cash would mysteriously appear once a month. The boat has gone to Mexico, premaritally. I had a guy who wanted to rent it for "a few days". I gave him a price, per the recommendations of the marina. That really upset the potential owner, so much that he found another slip, in the same marina, for the same price. I guess he wanted to teach me a lesson. SHRUG
I had my 46N and then my 34AT in the big slip for a long time. It was a great slip for Irma. The slip sits in the shadow of the a bunch of high rise condos but a long walk to the car. We do have golf cart rides to and from the parking lot too. Most of the time, the slip sits empty.
My concern is, someone might sneak in, declare "safe harbor" and squat.

 

[psneeld]

I know as more and more boats that are anchored long term and not used, many cruisers are not happy that choice anchorages are filled up.

Even some of them are leaning towards supporting local/state governments to prohibit or charge for long term anchoring, just like permanent moorings.

It's starting to bleed over to marinas even. With the shortage of slips in many destination locations, seeing unused boats sit and turn green is not making friends with others who want to be able to visit these nice destinations but cant get reservations or the price is driven sky high because of demand.

 

[Capt Richard A.]

I would really consider going up the coast in your car. With your computer in WV make a list call by phone first. Hitting all marinas in a ways off the coast. With 24 hr security. Put your boat there until next year. Getting on the new list for your home base where you want to be.
If left on the hook it will be stripped, your WiFi , any WiFi is not really going to work. By time anyone makes it to your vessel it will be to late.

So, you could wait one more year in the temporary spot, still using your vessel for the 2 months.
Best to you

 

[Group9]

Paying $800/month is cheap. I have a spare 75ft slip, I rent out for $2,500/month plus electric. Usually sits empty.

South Florida slips are insane. Back from 2001 to 2004, I had a slip for a 32 foot boat in south Florida, that costs me around $350 a month (long cruise for ocean access), plus power. When I got transferred to Mississippi, I went to the Pass Christian harbor (direct ocean access) and asked what a slip for a 32 foot boat would be.

She says, "$91.
I say, what about tax and power?
$91.
I say, and how many of these theoretical and magic $91 slips are available right now?
She looks at her sheet. Eleven.
Reverse sticker shock is nice!

And, the hell of it was, I got a raise going there!

 

[ScottC]

What absolutely ASTOUNDING numbers for dockage in FL!

It's very rare when I can say something is cheaper in Scandinavia - but in this case, where I am on the South Swedish "Riviera" dockage is, by comparison, DIRT CHEAP. When in my home port, I keep my 33' boat in a slip for roughly a 46' boat. There are a number of convenience-related reasons justifying the expense of this unnecessarily large slip. All-in-all, it's about $1300/year (which includes the 25% VAT). Yes, people do run their boats in the middle of the winter here, as we rarely get ice or snow...but the weather is still not very friendly November to early March in terms of rain, wind and waves.

 

[Rosborough 35]

Here in the Houston-Galveston area, the brokers don't provide a dock for free. A brokerage dock will cost you $500 to 600 per month.

 

[Rejuvination]

This is my neighborhood, just outside of our marina on the Caloosahatchee is a live aboard sailboat guy who works ashore and commutes with an inflatable. Not long ago a knucklehead stole his dinghy to get to his boat in an attempt to sail it home to Cuba.


He then got a lift out to his boat by someone in our marina, the bad guy had a machete. The owner call the police who told him they did not have a "water unit" on duty, and would look into the matter in the morning.



I cannot imagine leaving a boat unattended in the river for any strech of time. I would think you will be able to watch someone take your security cameras and what sounds like a really nice anchor.


Just bite the bulit and pay the storage, inform the insurance company and request a rate for a storage in a secure yard. Shop the policy. We all get clobbered with the real cost of boat ownership at one time or another



With Respect
Ed

 

[Portage_Bay]

My long term anchor out story.

Many years ago,with a different boat, I wanted a slip in a marina on Bainbridge Island, Eagle Harbor. For those of you who know the area it is far from "low rent".

While waiting for my name to percolate up the wait list I choose to keep the boat on anchor. Every time a storm came I went to check on the boat. Every time I wanted to do any work on the boat everything had to be trucked out by dingy.

One beautiful sunny day I arrived intending to go for a short cruise to find a dingy tied to the swim step, doors and windows on the boat open and a stranger sitting in the saloon at ease. I asked him what he was doing there and his response was "I'm living here. My friend said it was OK." Well I informed him it was not OK and he had to leave immediately.

Storms, difficulty of doing maintenance and uninvited guests. Never again will I anchor out long term unattended. The only difference a remote monitoring system would have made (not a option then) would be to notify me earlier.

 

[captain b]

long term ancorage

I have had three boats 40' range moored in st johns river green cove springs fl' brackage water for 12 years. there are 25 other boats here

 

[Swfla]

My 2 cents. If it was an all around good idea, lots of folks would do it. I'm sure it's been tried thousands of times. Not an explanation, just an observation.

 

[Whgoffrn]

Sorry I haven't posted on this thread it's because I was on the boat ....I moved it to indiantown after a 2 week vacay on the new boat....I moved it to Indiantown and gonna just max out credit cards and expenses until I can get into the glades or somewhere cheaper and keep trying for better insurance and when the day comes I run out of money I'll come up with a new plan ��*