MacGregorSailors.com

Obelix wrote:Cinnook,

Here is a link to the current mooring regulations in Florida. They installed mooring fields in several cities to combat derelict boats anchoring until sunk.

http://myfwc.com/boating/anchoring-moor ... t-program/

Obelix

Since I am planning to trailer my down ti FL in the next year, I was hoping to learn something from the links provided. Seems all that is on the website is info about pilot programs. What are the actual rules about anchoring and mooring?

On this page are the currently released regulations for the test areas, you might have to recheck for changes prior to your trip.

http://myfwc.com/boating/anchoring-mooring

Obelix

RobertB wrote:Since I am planning to trailer my down ti FL in the next year, I was hoping to learn something from the links provided.

I was just down there (Boca Raton area), and the Admiral still is, staying with her parents for a while longer. We've been talking about dragging the down there for the winter next year. The in-laws have a dock in their back yard, on a canal off the Intracoastal, and since he no longer has a boat, I've got a place to put it for free.

I've been following the OP's trip with great interest, as there's a real possibility of being down there for the winter next year. I just have to move my office there, too, which is a bigger job than moving the boat.

Keep the reports coming.

Chinook, we are slipped at Key West Bight Marina, which is in the historic waterfront area. Everything is within easy walking. We have electric, water, wifi, showers, laundry.....all at 2.75 a foot (min 30 ft). The anchorage is fairly far out and depending on the wind you could have a lumpy stay. This is the most we paid for a slip on our whole trip ( 6 bucks a foot sounds like th rumor mill working overtime). We made our reservations 2 or 3 months in advance, so I can't really comment on short notice availability.

THE CUSCUS wrote:We have electric, water, wifi, showers, laundry.....all at 2.75 a foot (min 30 ft).

Is that per night? That's $82.50 for 30 ft. I pay $7 per night for dock space (wall) in the middle of town on the Erie Canal, with all the same amenities, when I leave it in the canal at least.

Granted, it's the canal, not the keys, but yowsa!

Yep, per day. Not bad considering a room downtown will cost ya about 250 a night.

The next day, still at Bahia Honda, we relaxed with strolls around this beautiful park, swimming on the nice beach, and rowing our dinks around. Dobbs and I rowed out to the small island ( I mean like 3 trees small, but it's on the chart) that is at the start of the channel into Bahia. It wasn't a bad row out with the current, but the row back was challenging! The park facilities are great, clean and close by the mooring basin. The boat ramps look real nice, with plenty of parking. You can catch the Key West bus here too. I would highly recommend making this park a stop on any Keys adventure. After watching another beautiful sunset, we readied the boats for an early departure and went to sleep. Thur morning at 0800 we motored back out to Hawks Channel for the sail to Key West. The wind was from the SSE at 10-15 to start, so we had a nice reach with full main and genny. It was the perfect seasickness point of sail, waves of the aft quarter, and the admiral was downing the Dramamine and keeping her stomach full. As we neared Boca Chica Key the wind piped up a little more, and we were off to races again, easily making hull speed plus a little. About this time we spied a Mac 22 to our north and a Mac 26 to our south ( found out later the 26 belonged to fellow member, JoeG). After working harder than I wanted to for awhile, I reefed the main. That didn't last very long as the wind started to fade, so up went the full main. When we hit the outer markers for the KW channel the wind was a little lighter and from behind, so not wanting to enter an unknown to me harbor with flapping sails, we dropped them and motored in. We have slips at the Key West Bight Marina, which is directly in the middle of the historic harbor area. Easy walking to just about anything you would want to or need to do in KW. We will stay here for the next week, day sailing about and perhaps a trip westward to one of the remote keys.

Dude the Dry Tortugas are calling you although Key west has a awful lot to offer in entertainment. Fort Jefferson would be calling me.

THE CUSCUS wrote:The next day, still at Bahia Honda, we relaxed with strolls around this beautiful park, swimming on the nice beach, and rowing our dinks around. Dobbs and I rowed out to the small island ( I mean like 3 trees small, but it's on the chart) that is at the start of the channel into Bahia. It wasn't a bad row out with the current, but the row back was challenging! The park facilities are great, clean and close by the mooring basin. The boat ramps look real nice, with plenty of parking. You can catch the Key West bus here too. I would highly recommend making this park a stop on any Keys adventure. After watching another beautiful sunset, we readied the boats for an early departure and went to sleep. Thur morning at 0800 we motored back out to Hawks Channel for the sail to Key West. The wind was from the SSE at 10-15 to start, so we had a nice reach with full main and genny. It was the perfect seasickness point of sail, waves of the aft quarter, and the admiral was downing the Dramamine and keeping her stomach full. As we neared Boca Chica Key the wind piped up a little more, and we were off to races again, easily making hull speed plus a little. About this time we spied a Mac 22 to our north and a Mac 26 to our south ( found out later the 26 belonged to fellow member, JoeG). After working harder than I wanted to for awhile, I reefed the main. That didn't last very long as the wind started to fade, so up went the full main. When we hit the outer markers for the KW channel the wind was a little lighter and from behind, so not wanting to enter an unknown to me harbor with flapping sails, we dropped them and motored in. We have slips at the Key West Bight Marina, which is directly in the middle of the historic harbor area. Easy walking to just about anything you would want to or need to do in KW. We will stay here for the next week, day sailing about and perhaps a trip westward to one of the remote keys.

Yeah, Fort Jefferson would be cool, but this isn't the best time of the year to head back from there.

Sailing in Key West Harbor
We had a great afternoon sailing in Key West Harbor. Below is a link to a video of "Whimsey", taken from "Miss AdVenture", as she sails in the harbor with Sunset Key and Christmas-tree Island in the background. It was a great February day for a sail.

Thanks Jim, Suzanne and Dobbs for having me along.

http://www.keywestbaitandtackle.com/mer ... G_1127.MOV

In the keys you can anchor anywhere you like as long as your only staying a few days. You can anchor longer term if you choose your location. There are some mooring fields but they can't force you to use them. Use the shallow draft and easy to handle mac to its full advantage. Park it someplace shallow and protected. I've even anchored in shallow water and waded ashore.

Ixneigh wrote:In the keys you can anchor anywhere you like.

That is true. Even though there is an official city mooring field, the waters around Key West are strewn with transient as well as permanent live aboard anchorages.

Make sure your anchor is in sand and not on coral or grass. I hear they take that seriously.

Thanks for posting the video Joe. We all enjoyed your company as well. It was great to share our mutual interest......sailing!

THE CUSCUS wrote:Thanks for posting the video Joe. We all enjoyed your company as well. It was great to share our mutual interest......sailing!

I had a great time. See you next year. and have a safe trip home,
Joe