# Florida Keys Mooring



## Lummox3077 (Jun 23, 2015)

I ran across an ad stating a mooring is for sale in "Schoonerville" Key West for what seems to me to be cheap money. I emailed the poster asking for info, just figured I'd throw out the question here too in case anyone feels like helping out with some info. 

Are moorings in mooring fields usually owned or rented by the season in Florida? If they are owned, is a decent investment? Meaning could you rent one out if you're not around? Are you responsible to maintain them? Can you fully expect to show up every six months and not find someone hanging on it, and would you have legal recourse to ask them to shove off?


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## FSMike (Jan 15, 2010)

A mooring for sale in Key West is most probably not in a mooring field. Some folks have installed their own private moorings. You could buy one of those, but caveat emptor. You would have to dive on it to know what you're getting. God only knows what the regulations are nowadays in the keys concerning private moorings.

The mooring fields I am familiar with are usually owned by a government agency of one sort or another. They can be rented/leased from the controlling agency, but I do not think they can be sublet.


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## hellosailor (Apr 11, 2006)

Unless they are literally selling a mooring, as in, a couple of hundred pounds of mushroom anchor and shackles and chain. And then it is your problem to have it dropped someplace before you can use it?

Once you get that extra info, maybe call the USCG in Key West, or town authorities, and find out what the local rules really are. 

And if the guy wants you to send money to Western Union...(G)....


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## DavyJ (May 30, 2008)

Looks like the sale is for the ground tackle only. From the ad:

_Please note: this is not an old-fashioned registered/deeded concrete mooring with ground rights - the anchorage/Harbor does not permit. This is a moveable US steel anchoring system _

Actual ad:
https://tampa.craigslist.org/psc/boa/5192164644.html


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## denverd0n (Jun 20, 2008)

Yeah, I would be wary of that ad. $2500 sounds like what he wants for just the ground tackle. So what is the $80/month that he mentions for? It appears to be in an anchorage that is open to the public, so does he want you to pay him to keep it there? I wouldn't pay anyone monthly rent to stay in a public anchorage!

The island that it is next to is a naval air station. I sincerely doubt that anyone (other than maybe the U. S. Navy) owns the ground rights there.

One of those ads that raises more questions than it answers, if you ask me.


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## DavyJ (May 30, 2008)

> So what is the $80/month that he mentions for?


The $80.00 per month is the fee for the dinghy dock.  Key West Bight Marina charges a fee to land dinks at the marina.


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## Lummox3077 (Jun 23, 2015)

That's funny.. the ad changed since last night.. and I since I asked a bunch of direct questions this morning too.. Here's an excerpt..

Hi,

I'm curious about how the mooring for sale on Craigslist works. Is that a one time price or a yearly rental fee? Would it be like a deeded piece of property more or less? I'm from NJ where prices for something like this are way more out of control and just getting into sailing, so I apologize if these questions seem strange.

Thanks,

Scott 

Hello,
You are purchasing outright & receive bill of sale. There is no ground property included (not allowed here). This is not an old-fashioned concrete mooring, it is a set-up of very large all US steel ground tackle installed perfectly in a very tight anchorage.
Thanks for looking - best from Key West,
Christine

Hi, Thanks for the info. I guess what I meant by deeded is.. How does the ownership work? If you buy the mooring, is there still a fee to be in the field or is that price it? And who is responsible for maintaining the ground tackle, and how is using the mooring enforced if I'm not there year round?

Thanks again,

Scott

Hi Scott,
You buy it - it is yours. No fee additional. You are responsible for it - maintenance, etc. I have Hugh check it & exchange the anchor ball lines on it regularly & he will check it for you whenever ($50 usually is the going rate per hour). If you're not here year around you can personalize your own mooring ball and have a neighbor keep eye on it for you (several big schooners here only in Summer do that) - usually no one will go on it.
~christine




Notice in the email she told me there's no additional fee's.. where'd the $80 come from? lol


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## DavyJ (May 30, 2008)

I can't speak for the seller, but my assumption is that the $80.00 is the fee for the monthly permit to use the dinghy dock. You would only have to pay if you choose to use the city's dinghy dock.

From the website:
_Dinghy Dockage Rates are $6.00 per day, $26.50 per week and $80.00 per month (13' maximum).
_

Key West Bight Marina:
Historic Seaport / Marinas / Key West, FL


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## Sal Paradise (Sep 14, 2012)

This really sounds like a bunch of b.s.

She tapped danced around your question. I'd call the manager and ask what he thinks of it.

- [email protected]

If you aren't that bold, do a google search for conchscooterand see his blog. You can e-mail him. he is a nice local guy, works for the PD as a dispatcher. He is a sailor and might have an opinion.


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## denverd0n (Jun 20, 2008)

See, it looks to me like she has this mooring in a public anchorage, and now wants to sell it. That is, sell the ground tackle. You don't get any "right" to keep it where it is, it's just in a public anchorage.

Of course, that anchorage is right off shore from a naval air station, so I'm guessing that it is currently only "public" by the grace of the Navy. If they decide that they want people to clear out of the area, I'm sure they can demand that at any time.

In fact, that might be why she is trying to sell this. Can't stay there anymore, and doesn't have any way to move it. So, hoping to unload it on someone else.

Hmmm. Just decided to do a little research. Found this on a website about anchoring in the Keys...

"Fleming Key - We always anchor out in Key West and normally on the west side of Fleming Key. However, the navy is in the process of enforcing a new restricted zone which provides a 500 yard blast zone from their ammunition bunkers. This means many people are getting moved out and anchorages will just be different."

Yeah, that mooring is on the west side of Fleming Key, isn't it? Like I said, I would be wary.


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## DavyJ (May 30, 2008)

> See, it looks to me like she has this mooring in a public anchorage, and now wants to sell it. That is, sell the ground tackle. You don't get any "right" to keep it where it is, it's just in a public anchorage.


I think denverd0n is correct about this...............

However, if you got the Navy info here:

Jim Faughn's Anchorages and Dinghy Docks in the Florida Keys

I'm not sure, but it doesn't look like they have updated their blog since 2009.


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## P424 (Feb 13, 2005)

Florida the bottom of any water belongs to the state and requires a special permit to make a "LEGAL MOORING" but i have seen many illegal ones out there.


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## svzephyr44 (Jun 26, 2000)

Fleming Key is off limits to everyone. It houses not only the munitions but several groups of "Special Operators." Not a place you want to mess around with or drag into. If you go on the other side of Fleming Key you will find Garrison Bight. It is a public mooring field - nicely maintained with weekly free pumpouts. I mention this because if you are on a mooring you can expect frequent visits from the "sh^& police" checking that you are not pumping overboard. I have not been in that area for a couple of years but I know that Florida is very aggressively dealing with mooring fields, anchorages, and the like. They have had a significant problem with abandoned boats and this is part of the master plan. There is also a lot of new laws in the works - Google "Florida Anchoring Laws." The State is trying to figure out a master plan but at the moment a lot of things are up in the air.

Fair winds and following seas


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