I hear all this talk about boat slips getting fewer and higher priced all the time, but has any one had luck with private boat slips like someone who has a home on water but no boat. Has anyone actually done this and had good luck, or know anyone who has? I know I will have to go looking around in Port Charlotte area when I am ready to move down just wondering if anyone has had good results. nick
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Not a problem
Whenever the city of Saint Cloud decide to shut down their Marina (on East Lake Toho) and rebuild it to a larger 150+ slip marina, one such fellah who didn't have a boat trailer, went knocking on doors! His sailboat had sat in the slip for years and had gotten a bit tattered. Then on the deadline day to get all boats out, he and I towed his boat a few miles down shore to a resident who had a long dock. He told me it was okay to tie up there and his boat has been there since. (about 2 years now). I don't know the arrangement money-wise, but I am sure it was cheap. It will be interesting in February whether he will be back to the newly re-opened Marina at Saint Cloud or not. Especially since now that they have raised their rates to 90 bucks a month. But to actually answer your question, I would say that there should be no shortage of people who live around Port Charlotte and Cape Coral since there are over 40 miles of residential canals that most have bragged of open access to the Gulf of Mexico. My wife and I vacation/sail around Pine Island/Captiva/Sanibel area. We have covered a lot of ground on water and land. We have looked for property in Pine Island and Cape Romano and various other places. Seems like there are lots of people with empty boat lifts and empty docks along canals. Offering them extra income with the added understanding that you would need a place to park your SUV/Motorhome or car when using the boat would be a good idea so that they could get a complete picture of how the arrangement would look. One of the other things you might consider would be to place a test add in the local paper for dockage space and see if anyone bites. Record the number of offerings. Most newspapers have online services and email, so it should require too much effort or time to do. Good luck and happy sailing
Whenever the city of Saint Cloud decide to shut down their Marina (on East Lake Toho) and rebuild it to a larger 150+ slip marina, one such fellah who didn't have a boat trailer, went knocking on doors! His sailboat had sat in the slip for years and had gotten a bit tattered. Then on the deadline day to get all boats out, he and I towed his boat a few miles down shore to a resident who had a long dock. He told me it was okay to tie up there and his boat has been there since. (about 2 years now). I don't know the arrangement money-wise, but I am sure it was cheap. It will be interesting in February whether he will be back to the newly re-opened Marina at Saint Cloud or not. Especially since now that they have raised their rates to 90 bucks a month. But to actually answer your question, I would say that there should be no shortage of people who live around Port Charlotte and Cape Coral since there are over 40 miles of residential canals that most have bragged of open access to the Gulf of Mexico. My wife and I vacation/sail around Pine Island/Captiva/Sanibel area. We have covered a lot of ground on water and land. We have looked for property in Pine Island and Cape Romano and various other places. Seems like there are lots of people with empty boat lifts and empty docks along canals. Offering them extra income with the added understanding that you would need a place to park your SUV/Motorhome or car when using the boat would be a good idea so that they could get a complete picture of how the arrangement would look. One of the other things you might consider would be to place a test add in the local paper for dockage space and see if anyone bites. Record the number of offerings. Most newspapers have online services and email, so it should require too much effort or time to do. Good luck and happy sailing
Hi Nick
I live about 50 miles or so North of where your moving to. There are many canal front homes with empty boat slips but, to be honest, for a 100 bucks a month there a not many people who want to give up their privacy and have the hassel of strangers walking thru their yards or the liability of someone getting hurt. {Having said that, everyone I know would be happy to help a boater in distress with a short term, n/c, tie up }. I would think your going to have to find someone who knows someone that might try it on a short term to see how it works out. I let a co-worker use my boat lift for a while but when he arrived with 7 people, coolers of beer and screaming kids it was enough for me to change my mind. Again, I don't mean to sound like a jerk but i thought I would put it from a home/dock owners perspective. I sincerely wish you luck, Jack
I live about 50 miles or so North of where your moving to. There are many canal front homes with empty boat slips but, to be honest, for a 100 bucks a month there a not many people who want to give up their privacy and have the hassel of strangers walking thru their yards or the liability of someone getting hurt. {Having said that, everyone I know would be happy to help a boater in distress with a short term, n/c, tie up }. I would think your going to have to find someone who knows someone that might try it on a short term to see how it works out. I let a co-worker use my boat lift for a while but when he arrived with 7 people, coolers of beer and screaming kids it was enough for me to change my mind. Again, I don't mean to sound like a jerk but i thought I would put it from a home/dock owners perspective. I sincerely wish you luck, Jack
Had a private slip in Port Charlotte
Last winter my wife and I rented a slip behind a home that was hit by Charlie. $100 a month included electric and water. Worked out great, but we only stayed for six months. Best to find snow birds who will only be there for half the year. A lot of older people find it exciting to have younger people around doing something adventurous. Just try to keep it low profile and don't show up with a loud party unless the old geezers drink and are invited to the party. A lot of these people are bored to death, and handled diplomatically, your problem won’t be them wanting you to leave, but never wanting you to go. The slip we rented was actually advertised with a boat they had for sale. They sold the boat, but the slip was still available. Why then, would someone with a half million dollar home (and thisonly being a winter home) want to bother with renting their slip? There has to be others like them.! Randy
Last winter my wife and I rented a slip behind a home that was hit by Charlie. $100 a month included electric and water. Worked out great, but we only stayed for six months. Best to find snow birds who will only be there for half the year. A lot of older people find it exciting to have younger people around doing something adventurous. Just try to keep it low profile and don't show up with a loud party unless the old geezers drink and are invited to the party. A lot of these people are bored to death, and handled diplomatically, your problem won’t be them wanting you to leave, but never wanting you to go. The slip we rented was actually advertised with a boat they had for sale. They sold the boat, but the slip was still available. Why then, would someone with a half million dollar home (and thisonly being a winter home) want to bother with renting their slip? There has to be others like them.! Randy
Thanks Guys
I do have plenty of time to look for a slip before I make the move in 1 year,just looking at all possible option's while I wait to retire. I keep my boat at a private dock here in ny and much cheaper than a marina,I don't spend much time at the dock so don't need all the extra's at a marina. Like I said just checking all the option's but things could change when we retire and might want to be in a marina with other people to enjoy sailing in a new area,thanks again nick
I do have plenty of time to look for a slip before I make the move in 1 year,just looking at all possible option's while I wait to retire. I keep my boat at a private dock here in ny and much cheaper than a marina,I don't spend much time at the dock so don't need all the extra's at a marina. Like I said just checking all the option's but things could change when we retire and might want to be in a marina with other people to enjoy sailing in a new area,thanks again nick
One more splash of water
I used to live "in town" and took over the rent on a private boat dock on the coast that the previous boatowner was using. You have to expect to respect the homeowners privacy, of course, but you also have to expect little privacy for yourself. As soon as my new home's dock was finished, we moved the boat. I offer friends to leave their boats at my dock for short periods of time, key word is short, ie weekend fishing trips. Our homeowners association got so fed up with speeding, language, and general litter and instances of flat out disrespect to neighbors, we do not allow renting dockspace anymore. You may not have a problem with the time you have to arrange this, but you will want to meet the people and become friends before it will work. Everyone needs to know the rules; ie carry out your own trash, keep the noise down, sun on your deck, not my lawn, etc. Good luck. Steve
I used to live "in town" and took over the rent on a private boat dock on the coast that the previous boatowner was using. You have to expect to respect the homeowners privacy, of course, but you also have to expect little privacy for yourself. As soon as my new home's dock was finished, we moved the boat. I offer friends to leave their boats at my dock for short periods of time, key word is short, ie weekend fishing trips. Our homeowners association got so fed up with speeding, language, and general litter and instances of flat out disrespect to neighbors, we do not allow renting dockspace anymore. You may not have a problem with the time you have to arrange this, but you will want to meet the people and become friends before it will work. Everyone needs to know the rules; ie carry out your own trash, keep the noise down, sun on your deck, not my lawn, etc. Good luck. Steve
Sorry, but another thought
Sorry, but another thought. Come to terms with the homeowner what you are going to do with your boat when a storm comes in; or what you can accept him doing to your boat if you don't show up. I don't think I would accept an I'm sorry if your boat tore up my dock during a storm. Check this out, but I believe Florida laws are written for the marina owners and you are liable for any damage done to their marina by your boat if you leave your boat there during a storm. Some marinas may actually tell you to get out when a hurricane is predicted. Food for thought. Good luck, Steve
Sorry, but another thought. Come to terms with the homeowner what you are going to do with your boat when a storm comes in; or what you can accept him doing to your boat if you don't show up. I don't think I would accept an I'm sorry if your boat tore up my dock during a storm. Check this out, but I believe Florida laws are written for the marina owners and you are liable for any damage done to their marina by your boat if you leave your boat there during a storm. Some marinas may actually tell you to get out when a hurricane is predicted. Food for thought. Good luck, Steve
Try Condos
There are some waterfront apartment properties that have one or two vacant slips which they rent to outsiders. These are usually small, older income producing properties. To compile a list look for apartment rentals that have available water slips. Just call the owner and offer just to rent a slip.
There are some waterfront apartment properties that have one or two vacant slips which they rent to outsiders. These are usually small, older income producing properties. To compile a list look for apartment rentals that have available water slips. Just call the owner and offer just to rent a slip.
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