looking for a cheap slip in Florida

greetings all, me and my wife have just purchased a beautiful 1982 Chris craft
motor yacht ,shes 39' and we are looking for a good home of port in the Florida area. any and all advise is welcomed.


thanks Daniel and Raine

Somewhere in Stuart or even the west cost is cheap. When you start going more southern like West Palm, Fort Lauderdale, Etc it's get expensive.

Hi Dan and welcome. Florida is a big place with over 8000 miles of tidal coastline and more than 1500 in Ocean or Gulf Coastline alone. Can you narrow it down to a particular area like Panhandle, Gulf Coast, Keys, SE Atlantic, Central Atlantic or North Atlantic. The most expensive areas are probably West Palm Beach and South to the Keys, cheapest is probably North Atlantic side or Panhandle.

we had hoped to find a good spot in middle to lower Florida, but perhaps we shall make due with somewhere in the northern area. just trying to stay warm for the winter. we are sick of cold weather lol

we are docked right now at pass-a-grill marina in st. pete. would love to stay around this area somewhere. Either way we shall continue our search and thanks for the quick replys

this is our new boat, its a 1982 chris craft 39'

There's lots of nice marinas around St. Pete area, but your cheapest alternatives sometimes appear in the Sun Coast Craigslist with owner-rented slips in various marinas, canal slips or rivers. Also check the classified in St. Pete Times.

thanks again Larry, that's a great help sir

Take a look up the St Johns River. Navigation ends in Sanford outside Orlando. Fresh water and underpriced for Florida.

I had a shipyard in Green Cove Springs - really an affordable area - the last best value in Florida.

Pass-a-Grill is a great place! Love the seafood joint by the bridge. You can always drop the hook inside off the Ft DeSoto campground. Save enough in a months slip rent to buy yourself a bunch of solar panels

rjtrane said:

Take a look up the St Johns River. Navigation ends in Sanford outside Orlando. Fresh water and underpriced for Florida.

I had a shipyard in Green Cove Springs - really an affordable area - the last best value in Florida.

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Reuben,
No disrespect but I wouldn't go anywhere near Green Cove Springs.

Daddyo said:

Reuben,
No disrespect but I wouldn't go anywhere near Green Cove Springs.

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Ok, now I'm curious, why? Was planning on cruising the entire St Johns river at some point, am wondering if that part needs to be avoided.

Ted

Draw a line across Lake O , south of the line is the climate you go to Florida for,

North of the line is just South Georgia or South Alabama.

FT Meyers Muni is nice , and very walkable to down town.

Having to drive for everything gets real old in season.

Daddyo said:

Reuben,
No disrespect but I wouldn't go anywhere near Green Cove Springs.

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I am with O C Diver. What are your experiences with Green Cove Springs and the St. Johns?

FF said:

Draw a line across Lake O , south of the line is the climate you go to Florida for,

North of the line is just South Georgia or South Alabama.

FT Meyers Muni is nice , and very walkable to down town.

Having to drive for everything gets real old in season.

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I disagree with FF. The Tampa Bay area rarely freezes and the cruising IMHO is far more interesting than the FL east coast, especially south of Lake O

I stayed at Legacy Harbor right next to Ft Myers Muni for a couple of months. That location is great.

Maderia Beach

We kept a boat at a private slip in Maderia Beach area for 6 years @ $150.00 included water and electric 15 amp circuit only. no liva board.
We also stayed at Pasadena Marina when we wanted to live aboard. Very nice but pricy. We love the area of Tampa Bay. The Harborage has good prices for the area. Cheap gets you what you pay for. Go with a private slip for less cost.
HTH,

timjet said:

I disagree with FF. The Tampa Bay area rarely freezes and the cruising IMHO is far more interesting than the FL east coast, especially south of Lake O

I stayed at Legacy Harbor right next to Ft Myers Muni for a couple of months. That location is great.

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Capt. Tim, I will agree with FF about the weather, but the weather from Tampa to the South is perfectly acceptable to me. I agree with you about the cruising in SW Florida. The Keys have their charm, but SW FL cruising can't be beat. I have kept my boat in St. Pete, Bradenton, Venice, and Placida. I hope to choose from among those again one day. Weather good, cruising great-----what's not to like.

I didn't say anything about the St John's river just Green Cove Springs. The "people" who run the big yard there (can't remember the name) are right out of "Deliverance". Crime is also an issue. The St Johns is very nice as I understand (never cruised yet).

Check Active Captain's reviews for Green Cove Springs Marina.
The marina is full and one of the few yards you can work on your own boat.

Hi, If you are looking for low cost, try the County run moorings in Ft. Myers. Easy acces to the Everglades and the keys. They also have slips available.
Alan

No disrespect, daddyo , but if you haven't cruised the St Johns , seems to me your opinion on GCS is worthless. Why not keep it to yourself ? I lived and worked on that waterfront several years. Got along perfectly well with the marina operators.

As far as I know, the St Johns is still a bargain place to keep.a boat.

If it's cruising areas they're looking for , I vote for the Keys. Secluded anchorages. Protected waters. And good jumping off point for the Bahamas.

Green Cove Springs

I was kind of 'upset' to hear negative comments about that area as well. I looked at it a few years ago as a potential spot to build and dock a 'thai style floating houseboat' I had in mind building.

It seemed to offer a lot of low-key possibilities, including less hassle from civic authorities of a town, and some commercial properties right on site.

I also have some friends that live in St Augustine,...not to far a drive away.

If I remember correctly though there was a large portion of the old Navy docks that had been 'condemned for use' until proper repair could be done. And these were heavy duty docks that likely would not get repaired anytime soon due to lack of monies?

Green Cove Springs Marina - The Cruiser's Homeport

Green Cove Springs Marina in Green Cove Spgs, Florida, United States

I loved tarpen Springs

Brian. The port at GCS are 1/4 mile long, drive on piers. The marina occupies one pier. Others are rented to commercial operations. That area is perfect for your floating home concept. My brother moved there in the late 80s and still lives in GCS. It's a delightful, low key community.

I haven't been there lately and can't speak to the piers being condemned. The waterfront was operated by Reynolds - a quick internet search should direct you to whom to call.

Twin dolphin marina in downtown Bradenton (west coast) is receptive to liveaboards and extended cruisers.. Good walk around down town with library a block away. Now for upscale, marina jack's in downtown Sarasota is hard to beat. Right downtown in a fun walk around community high in culture and amenities. Weather is great in both locations. Cheap is relative depending on things like whether you will have private transportation available or are walking or bicycle bound and reliant on public transportation.

Location, location, location. You get what you pay for, and the convenience of what's nearby. Some things that look cheap on paper, are anything but- once you realize where your at, and how far away it's from anything, and I mean anything with the exception of mosquitos and noseeums. If you have to spend hours to reach open water because you're so far up idles zone only canals and rivers to get out to open water BEFORE you can even turn left or right to go anywhere- and that "anywhere" is still hours away, then maybe you just wasted more money in fuel than if you had just paid to dock right near the nice places in the first place? Need a rental car to go to a grocery store, and the closest Rental car agency is 20 miles away? (Enterprise will pick you up).. you get what you pay for!

There's a reason cheap places are cheap, and expensive places are expensive. We've got some really bad neighborhoods in Florida just "right around the corner there" from the waterfront. You CAN get easily killed here. I've chased crazy people off my boat and OUT of my RV (in both Key West and Key Largo) before, and it took me whipping out a machine gun to do it!! Guess where the most people are at? Not at the cheap places. You only want to socialize with other cheapskates, I mean frugal folks or would you like to (as Jim Morrison used to say) "elevate your taste in trolls?" Maybe your neighbors at the nice places have premium brands to share, whereas at the cheap joint- YOU might be expected to pay, and have 'Coleman's' to deal with? You buy (or rent) quality you only cry once.
ANYBODY thinking about coming to Florida MUST read Tim Dorsey's Novels!!! They're more true than not. I may, or may not be Serge. :>), and even I who drives through Opa Locka (I like to think of it as a "bad part of the Caribbean") daily will NOT go into Miami Gardens!!! (oh, just one wrong turn off the Interstate) so do you feel lucky?

A recent normal sunday at Lucky's joint out in the Glades. A famous photographer (Lucky Cole, leather cowboy hat, he's big!) GOOGLE HIM UP for some wonderful photos of his work-if you don't like naked girls, then move on, famous writer (Tim Dorsey in the socks), an Artist and Yacht Broker (me, in Norstrom Kangol, at 6'), some kind of Park Ranger (pretty well strapped too I must say), and some guy I don't know. For your safety stay at the secure marinas! If this is what rich old white guys in the arts can look like down here, are you prepared for the young bums? Yes, there's a story in the photo, but for the life of me can't tell you what is. Fill in the blanks yourself.

Mothball Fleet of DE's at Green Cove Springs

rjtrane said:

Brian. The port at GCS are 1/4 mile long, drive on piers. The marina occupies one pier. Others are rented to commercial operations. That area is perfect for your floating home concept. My brother moved there in the late 80s and still lives in GCS. It's a delightful, low key community.

I haven't been there lately and can't speak to the piers being condemned. The waterfront was operated by Reynolds - a quick internet search should direct you to whom to call.

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That is were I first viewed the Great Harbor Trawlers out of the water,...one of my trips thru there.

I was real surprised to learn of and see photos of what had existed at that 'port'. Learned that upon a visit to that little military museum at the airfield across the road.

With the end of the war, in 1946 and 1947 about 600 DEs, APDs and other ships were berthed at Green Cove Springs, FL, in what was known as the US Naval Atlantic Reserve or " Mothball Fleet". But, there is little written or documented about this historic event. The two ships on which I served were sent here in 1946 to wait patiently in case they were again needed to serve our country.
...more here

The Mothball Fleet at Green Cove Springs

rjtrane said:

No disrespect, daddyo , but if you haven't cruised the St Johns , seems to me your opinion on GCS is worthless. Why not keep it to yourself ?

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Really, wow? I have been to GCS several times with clients to look at boats. I have talked to brokers there and boat owners several times. Did I shoot someone's dog? I don't care for GCS. He was asking opinions, I can't have one? Sorry to offend by answering with a different response from yours. I'm going to bite my tongue now.

On second thought. I cruise many thousands of miles a year (in the here and now). I've been to GCS several times in the last 22 months. I just spent seven days of the Thanksgiving holiday at the hospital with my 14 yr old daughter who nearly died on Thanksgiving eve. Two nights ago the two story three car garage that we stored our lifetime of possessions in while we are temporarily in a much smaller house burned to the ground. Last night my Dad informed me he has cancer (slow growing) and now today I have to listen to you telling me to go sit in a corner? In spite of my personal trials, I have posted here on this site offering insight, advice, attaboys and encouragement. I have spent many hundreds of hours posting information and pictures that some felt helpful, I'm sorry you deemed this opinion to be "worthless". This site has always stood above the others because it has been about the free exchange of information and opinions without the rancor or dismissiveness of so many other sites. Did you ever see the movie "Falling Down"?

Mark, That totally sucks. I can only say "living well is the best revenge" to the naysayers, and those jealous of your successful lifestye, and in an weak attempt to make lemonade out of the lemons of the fire- at least your now finally free of possessions that might had possession of you, and can start over with a clean slate with new stuff in new boxes. Nothing lasts anyway but memories. Hope the daughter is well.