Maryland treasures and respects the boating industry, boating tourists, and the original intent that the waters below MLW are the public commons. Skip Florida and visit the Bahamians.
Florida Anchoring (Senate Bill 1548 we need YOUR help)
- Thread starter MrBill_FLL
- Start date
well if you think about 200 ft is not that much distance and if you look at another way how would you like to anchor in front of someone's living room and be the subject of their entertainment i personally like to have my privacy as well as the next person ....and 200 ft is what's in the bill.... that may be the powers that be's way of pacifying the landowners and i bet if it passes it will be very hard to come back and ask for more distance it may well be a win win thing for both sides ...i do know it takes the worry out of where should you anchor in one respect as to say we can anchor here but no less than 200 ft to the shore ..so now you have a guideline that you haven't had in the past
and dont kill me for this...... just read it and give it some thought
and dont kill me for this...... just read it and give it some thought
When I first read this my immediate reaction was "oh great, more rich people whining about a non-issue and using their money to buy the political influence needed to get what they want"...
On the other hand, after reading the comments from other posters I am inclined to agree. 200 feet really may not be unreasonable. I imagine the drafters of this bill had some really good legal and technical advisors being that they didn't ask for something astronomical like 2 NM!
I'd be interested to see real data on designated anchorages that would be 'lost' if this passes. The law shouldn't effect those areas which were already designated and if people bought waterfront property there well then too bad. Go ahead and buy a house next to a major airport and then complain about the jet noise and get the city to shut down and move the airport.... oh wait, that already happened.
I don't have a dog in this fight either... Just wondering how far the economic elites can go to restrict freedoms of 'average joes'.
On the other hand, after reading the comments from other posters I am inclined to agree. 200 feet really may not be unreasonable. I imagine the drafters of this bill had some really good legal and technical advisors being that they didn't ask for something astronomical like 2 NM!
I'd be interested to see real data on designated anchorages that would be 'lost' if this passes. The law shouldn't effect those areas which were already designated and if people bought waterfront property there well then too bad. Go ahead and buy a house next to a major airport and then complain about the jet noise and get the city to shut down and move the airport.... oh wait, that already happened.
I don't have a dog in this fight either... Just wondering how far the economic elites can go to restrict freedoms of 'average joes'.
fwiw, the area specifically at risk is the SW coast of Fla. Where the open waters are more limited.
if you don't care, then don't write.
personally, I wonder once this is in place how hard it will be to extend that boundary. (and then applied to other states)...
I do tend to agree that 200' is pretty short distance, and shouldn't be trouble for most...
-but its the enforcement where the 'in real life' matters. (I think of Naples anchoring/ enforcement).
Here's the text from the HISC commodore
=============
Copy from here>>>
Dear(Put the Legislators Name Here),
I am writing to register my opposition to Senator Dean’s recently introduced bill www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2015/1548.
In particular, I object to any type of anchoring setoffs for the following reasons:
1)They are a clear violation of our rights to use the waters of the state freely, as defined in the Public Trust Doctrine
2)They create numerous dangerous scenarios for boaters facing weather or other issues by denying them a place to safely anchor
3)They do not solve any of the problems cited by the State of Florida and/or the FWC, in particular, derelict boats
4)There are already laws on the books to deal with the purported issues being raised
5)This bill serves only to placate waterfront homeowners who wish to remove boats from their view. This is a completely dishonest use of your legislative power.
6)The 200 foot setoff will eliminate virtually every anchorage in SW Florida, and most of those elsewhere in the state
You may not be aware of the following facts:
Over 12000 boats come into Florida every fall/winter. These boaters generate considerable revenue for Florida businesses. The average boater’s budget is in excess of $1500 per month. That’s $18 million per month as a minimum. This does not count capital expenditures in Florida for such things as repairs, replacements or necessary upgrades on the boat, expenditures which are vital to the financial health of small marine oriented business in Florida.
Boaters are not one or two week vacationers on tiny budgets. Snowbird boaters will often stay as long as six months, making their financial contribution to the state of Florida much more important.
The vast majority of boaters are responsible individuals who obey the laws and who work to improve our sport so that all may benefit.
This past winter, there were waiting lists for a mooring ball of as many as 30 boats in Marathon’s Boot Key Harbor. The same situation existed in Miami, with Dinner Key having almost no available slips or mooring balls from mid-December. Fort Lauderdale of course has only ten or so mooring balls and again, almost no available slips.
Just where do boaters go if there is no available dockage/moorage and there are no anchorages available? Has anyone even thought of that? Have you?
As a boater, should you pass this legislation, I will be forced to go elsewhere - which is of course what those backing this Bill wish to see happen. I will of course take my money with me.
As a voter, I assure you, your vote in favor of this Bill will lose mine, and we ARE watching what you do through our various boating organizations. There will be repercussions.
I repeat, please do not support this Bill. The negative consequences of doing so for all concerned, with the exception of a very few waterfront homeowners, is far too great.
Lastly, I wish to hear from you your intentions regarding this Bill so that I may inform other boaters of what you intend to do. Please contact me via this email address.
Sincerely,
(Put your name and address here)
<<< copy to here
if you don't care, then don't write.
personally, I wonder once this is in place how hard it will be to extend that boundary. (and then applied to other states)...
I do tend to agree that 200' is pretty short distance, and shouldn't be trouble for most...
-but its the enforcement where the 'in real life' matters. (I think of Naples anchoring/ enforcement).
Here's the text from the HISC commodore
=============
Copy from here>>>
Dear(Put the Legislators Name Here),
I am writing to register my opposition to Senator Dean’s recently introduced bill www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2015/1548.
In particular, I object to any type of anchoring setoffs for the following reasons:
1)They are a clear violation of our rights to use the waters of the state freely, as defined in the Public Trust Doctrine
2)They create numerous dangerous scenarios for boaters facing weather or other issues by denying them a place to safely anchor
3)They do not solve any of the problems cited by the State of Florida and/or the FWC, in particular, derelict boats
4)There are already laws on the books to deal with the purported issues being raised
5)This bill serves only to placate waterfront homeowners who wish to remove boats from their view. This is a completely dishonest use of your legislative power.
6)The 200 foot setoff will eliminate virtually every anchorage in SW Florida, and most of those elsewhere in the state
You may not be aware of the following facts:
Over 12000 boats come into Florida every fall/winter. These boaters generate considerable revenue for Florida businesses. The average boater’s budget is in excess of $1500 per month. That’s $18 million per month as a minimum. This does not count capital expenditures in Florida for such things as repairs, replacements or necessary upgrades on the boat, expenditures which are vital to the financial health of small marine oriented business in Florida.
Boaters are not one or two week vacationers on tiny budgets. Snowbird boaters will often stay as long as six months, making their financial contribution to the state of Florida much more important.
The vast majority of boaters are responsible individuals who obey the laws and who work to improve our sport so that all may benefit.
This past winter, there were waiting lists for a mooring ball of as many as 30 boats in Marathon’s Boot Key Harbor. The same situation existed in Miami, with Dinner Key having almost no available slips or mooring balls from mid-December. Fort Lauderdale of course has only ten or so mooring balls and again, almost no available slips.
Just where do boaters go if there is no available dockage/moorage and there are no anchorages available? Has anyone even thought of that? Have you?
As a boater, should you pass this legislation, I will be forced to go elsewhere - which is of course what those backing this Bill wish to see happen. I will of course take my money with me.
As a voter, I assure you, your vote in favor of this Bill will lose mine, and we ARE watching what you do through our various boating organizations. There will be repercussions.
I repeat, please do not support this Bill. The negative consequences of doing so for all concerned, with the exception of a very few waterfront homeowners, is far too great.
Lastly, I wish to hear from you your intentions regarding this Bill so that I may inform other boaters of what you intend to do. Please contact me via this email address.
Sincerely,
(Put your name and address here)
<<< copy to here
The problem is the distance requirement. If someone is a nuisance, vagrant, derelict or danger we have existing laws and regulations for that. By placing an arbitrary distance measurement on anchoring we leave the situation open to cranky dirt dwellers, enforcement discretion and the availability of a tape measure, not any real problem.
Wonderful!I for one would like to pull into a cove at 2am and break out my search light and laser range finder so I can comply with the law.
Of course, you'd have to make sure you get your range finder into their bedroom window, too.
Like Chevy Chase's Christmas movie. Wasn't that the "chick" from Seinfeld?
cruisersforum has lots of discussion on this topic.
Much of S Florida will be effectively off limits with this restriction. That is the sole intent of the law.
The level of hostility toward anchored boats down here is amazing. RETIRED friends with a nice 40' motorsailor were anchored near Marathon waiting for a mooring to free up. After 3 weeks they gave up and left. Meantime, power boats were plowing very big wakes near them regularly and shouting at them to 'get a job'.
so am i to assume that if you anchor 300 ft away you are not in compliance with the new law or are these places like canals and not open water away from shore ...i am having a hard time visualizing the conditions
Pull up GoogleMaps and take a look at the waterways around Naples. Then you will get the picture.
Active captain.
https://activecaptain.com/X.php
you can't anchor in a channel. that leaves bays. many w/ seawalls. condo or houses...
its just another step towards the prohibition of anchoring. slips and moorings only. -its only fair, you pay, since you can afford it...
:0
https://activecaptain.com/X.php
you can't anchor in a channel. that leaves bays. many w/ seawalls. condo or houses...
its just another step towards the prohibition of anchoring. slips and moorings only. -its only fair, you pay, since you can afford it...
:0
from looking at the map it looks like to me they are working toward a toll road for travelers.... i thought the ICW was a federal project.... how the hell can they just take over that water as a state and restrict use to anyone without federal blessings.... did the fed give this up like they did panama canal this like living in covington ga where the county thinks they own the taxpayers not the taxpayers owning them....... oh and after looking at the map i see what the problem is thanks for pointing that out i now agree with the post about the search light at 2 am post number 27
Sunpass for boats... just a matter of time.
who else is going to pay for the enforcement?