I was thinking of shipping my boat down to Florida for a summer or winter home. Anyone have any recommendations on any good harbors (with the cost). I think I would like to be in the Tampa area but I am open for any of the following…..RSW, MIA, FLL, TPA something close to a major airport (not too close). Thanks!!
Florida
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i wouldnt do that. florida has a lot of boats laying around with slips for less than it would cost you to ship. buying a boat to get the slip is quite common. ebay has live aboards for sale all the time in florida
i wouldnt do that. florida has a lot of boats laying around with slips for less than it would cost you to ship. buying a boat to get the slip is quite common. ebay has live aboards for sale all the time in florida
Not that easy...
or everyone would be trying to do it ;D !!! Seriously, between a shortage of slips and insurance issues, it's just not a practical thing to do. Many marinas still recovering from hurricanes, others being bought out and shut down to build condos, and many others that don't allow liveaboards. Summer home? You do understand hurricane season runs June-November? Insurance is a whole 'nother deal, especially if you don't live in the area.
or everyone would be trying to do it ;D !!! Seriously, between a shortage of slips and insurance issues, it's just not a practical thing to do. Many marinas still recovering from hurricanes, others being bought out and shut down to build condos, and many others that don't allow liveaboards. Summer home? You do understand hurricane season runs June-November? Insurance is a whole 'nother deal, especially if you don't live in the area.
We had a Canadian family come down
to purchase a Catalina 30. We tought they wanted to keep it down here or at least sail to the keys and the Bahamas before taking it up north but the ink in the bill of sale was still wet when they hauled it out into a flat bed bed truck and took off for home. I would have never imagined anyone driving 1,000 miles to purchase a Catalina 30, I thouhgt they were like a belly button, everyone had one and could be found a dime a dozen. Maybe they did intend to keep the boat here and when they found out how expensive wet slips are they cut their losses and ran home.
to purchase a Catalina 30. We tought they wanted to keep it down here or at least sail to the keys and the Bahamas before taking it up north but the ink in the bill of sale was still wet when they hauled it out into a flat bed bed truck and took off for home. I would have never imagined anyone driving 1,000 miles to purchase a Catalina 30, I thouhgt they were like a belly button, everyone had one and could be found a dime a dozen. Maybe they did intend to keep the boat here and when they found out how expensive wet slips are they cut their losses and ran home.
Live aboard vs. a slip, hard to do.
A major consideration is the fact that some, but not all, places will take you as aliveaboard and you will pay for the electric, cable tv, sanitation ( you must be hooked up ) etc. Ballpark price is $800 per month. The other way is to rent a dock behind a home for about $10 a foot per month. You will not be allowed to live aboard. Here in Ft.Lauderdale there are many docks available to do either, but I would suggest to you that it will be a case of having to do one or the other,or pay the $800 per month all year. I suggest you look at the Waterfront News, on line edition, and look in the dock rental section to get a handle on the prices. And remember that Ft.Lauderdale is a great jumping off location to the Bahamas!
A major consideration is the fact that some, but not all, places will take you as aliveaboard and you will pay for the electric, cable tv, sanitation ( you must be hooked up ) etc. Ballpark price is $800 per month. The other way is to rent a dock behind a home for about $10 a foot per month. You will not be allowed to live aboard. Here in Ft.Lauderdale there are many docks available to do either, but I would suggest to you that it will be a case of having to do one or the other,or pay the $800 per month all year. I suggest you look at the Waterfront News, on line edition, and look in the dock rental section to get a handle on the prices. And remember that Ft.Lauderdale is a great jumping off location to the Bahamas!
Absentee Boat Owner in Florida
I would not recommend anyone leaving a boat unattended in Florida (especially south FL) while a named storm is brewing anywhere in the Caribbean (June-November). When a named storm is "in the works", you have a small window of time to take proper storm preparations after anticipating a possible impact. You NEVER know precisely where it will hit or how strong it will be. Sometimes this window is only 48 hours, if that. In Pensacola, I get very uneasy when I travel for a 5-day period while a storm is brewing in the southern Caribbean. The key is being near your boat to make very important decision as the storm situation develops. This includes preventive preparations, just in case of a sudden storm path shift or strenghtening. Some folks manage their risks with boat insurance ONLY. This is what is causing all of us to pay sky rocketing premiums, even if we take protective measures to minimize damage. This is just my 2 cents worth after living through the last 3 hurricane seasons and numerous "pucker factor" moments. BrianW
I would not recommend anyone leaving a boat unattended in Florida (especially south FL) while a named storm is brewing anywhere in the Caribbean (June-November). When a named storm is "in the works", you have a small window of time to take proper storm preparations after anticipating a possible impact. You NEVER know precisely where it will hit or how strong it will be. Sometimes this window is only 48 hours, if that. In Pensacola, I get very uneasy when I travel for a 5-day period while a storm is brewing in the southern Caribbean. The key is being near your boat to make very important decision as the storm situation develops. This includes preventive preparations, just in case of a sudden storm path shift or strenghtening. Some folks manage their risks with boat insurance ONLY. This is what is causing all of us to pay sky rocketing premiums, even if we take protective measures to minimize damage. This is just my 2 cents worth after living through the last 3 hurricane seasons and numerous "pucker factor" moments. BrianW
Brian
So what do snow birds do who say leave from June to maybe sept do they put the boat on the hard and hope and keep their fingers crossed. I would think if a storm hits and your boat is in the path you do the best you can.
So what do snow birds do who say leave from June to maybe sept do they put the boat on the hard and hope and keep their fingers crossed. I would think if a storm hits and your boat is in the path you do the best you can.
Life is Different Now
I don't have all the answers. Everyone in FL is adjusting to the NEW "normal". We used to be able to enjoy a good 10 years between major hurricanes. Full-time FL resident boatowners are still struggling with what to do with their boats when a storm approaches. I can't imagine being 1,500 miles from my boat watching the Weather Channel as a buzz saw-shaped blob of green and red images crawl across the Caribbean. There are no easy solutions. It's pretty simple.... if a major hurricane comes to call and you leave your boat in a slip ... you're gonna lose your boat and pay the marina owner for trashing his dock. The frequency of FL hurricanes is unprecedented. There are some possible actions to help improve your odds. Storing your boat on the hard will probably get you through a tropical storm or a Category 1 hurricane. In Pensacola, some part-time residents even cruise up the Tenn Tom waterway and "summer" their boats at inland destinations like Demopolis, AL. Some folks anchor in the intracoastal or in a coastal bayou or creek. In 2004, I WAS planning on buying a 27 to 30 ft. boat before the 2004 hurricane season. After Ivan, I changed my plans and ended up getting the largest trailerable boat I could find, a Hunter 26. My strategy is to pull my boat out of the water when a storm comes. In summary, being 2 miles from a boat in Florida when a named storm hits offers great challenges. Being 1,500 miles from your boat greatly reduces your chances of protecting your boat from a bad storm. BrianW
I don't have all the answers. Everyone in FL is adjusting to the NEW "normal". We used to be able to enjoy a good 10 years between major hurricanes. Full-time FL resident boatowners are still struggling with what to do with their boats when a storm approaches. I can't imagine being 1,500 miles from my boat watching the Weather Channel as a buzz saw-shaped blob of green and red images crawl across the Caribbean. There are no easy solutions. It's pretty simple.... if a major hurricane comes to call and you leave your boat in a slip ... you're gonna lose your boat and pay the marina owner for trashing his dock. The frequency of FL hurricanes is unprecedented. There are some possible actions to help improve your odds. Storing your boat on the hard will probably get you through a tropical storm or a Category 1 hurricane. In Pensacola, some part-time residents even cruise up the Tenn Tom waterway and "summer" their boats at inland destinations like Demopolis, AL. Some folks anchor in the intracoastal or in a coastal bayou or creek. In 2004, I WAS planning on buying a 27 to 30 ft. boat before the 2004 hurricane season. After Ivan, I changed my plans and ended up getting the largest trailerable boat I could find, a Hunter 26. My strategy is to pull my boat out of the water when a storm comes. In summary, being 2 miles from a boat in Florida when a named storm hits offers great challenges. Being 1,500 miles from your boat greatly reduces your chances of protecting your boat from a bad storm. BrianW
Green Cove Springs
A little known secret is on the St. John's River well above Palatka and just south of Jacksonville. It is the marina at Green Cove Springs nestled in the long concrete docks used to house the Navy's destroyers and other vessels for decades. Back in the 80's I lived aboard at the Green Cove Springs Marina and felt quite secured tied to one of those massive docks. I am not certain what name the marina goes by now, what the prices or amenities are, but I recall that it was the site of the old Naval base. Their are six to ten concrete docks running out several hundred feet of which the marina was set up between two. They had a do-it-yourself yard, large travel lift and a good number of liveaboards. I would be curious as to their status now, but the St. Johns can be a safe harbor and the Jax Airport is not that far away as well. Good luck Bob Catalina 30
A little known secret is on the St. John's River well above Palatka and just south of Jacksonville. It is the marina at Green Cove Springs nestled in the long concrete docks used to house the Navy's destroyers and other vessels for decades. Back in the 80's I lived aboard at the Green Cove Springs Marina and felt quite secured tied to one of those massive docks. I am not certain what name the marina goes by now, what the prices or amenities are, but I recall that it was the site of the old Naval base. Their are six to ten concrete docks running out several hundred feet of which the marina was set up between two. They had a do-it-yourself yard, large travel lift and a good number of liveaboards. I would be curious as to their status now, but the St. Johns can be a safe harbor and the Jax Airport is not that far away as well. Good luck Bob Catalina 30
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