Looking for Ft. Lauderdale Marina Recommendations

dannc said:

Funny thing but I was talking to my parents about the train last week. Dumb idea to say the least. Who do they think is going to ride the train?

The traffic jams caused by this are going to be huge. There is going to be a big blow back if this goes though, not only from the boating interests, but from people who have to cross the rail road tracks.

Given that South FLA has horrible traffic, this is just going to make things even worse.

Later,
Dan

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but, but, but, everyone will be riding the train. You will only use your car to get to the park and ride. See, traffic jambs will evaporate. It will all be wonderful. Uh oh, wake me up I'm dreaming again.

The truth is that rail travel in the US is a boondoggle. Believe me big money changes hands for the major players. The public winds up holding the bag. 99% of the projects never meet their goals, and many don't even achieve much over 10% of promised riders. When you have big equipment suppliers, political contributions, and union jobs this is what happens.

Somebody talk me down.

The RR bridge is typically 10 minutes from close to open as well. Seems like an eternity while you are standing off in the midst of everything else going on. That's why i put a watch to all the bridges along there for the mere fact I had nothing else to do while waiting and was curious. But I strongly agree the extra trains would be a major PITA to deal with. It's hard to get much empathy from the public, one train car will likely hold as many people as two hours worth of boats, other than when the Jungle Queen has a full slate.

There's supposed to be only 3 cars per train, but 32 times a day, and they'll be traveling between 79 -129 mph on those old tracks, across those old wood bridges (no, they're not replacing them-what do you want for our $1.8 billion dollar loan they seek?), it's the 2 mile long lumbering freight trains being the TRUE issue of concern. This passenger thing is just the diversion for the public dumb enough to think people will want to take a train (other than Amtrak, which already goes directly to downtown ) to the AIRPORT in Orlando. People with an ounce of common sense realize that tourists will just continue in whatever medium brought them to Florida. If flying in from South America, they will just fly there direct, as they now do, and if they drove here in their own car, they'll continue in their own car.
It's those 12,000 container ships that'll be coming to the two ports once the Panama Canal is finished being widened. My son has been on the dredge in Miami for months now. This is real. To give you an idea of the size of these new ships-the biggest ones now coming to either port carry only 4,000 containers. Containers of WHAT you ask?
Junk from China. How many of you are aware of the new canal being dug by China in Nicaragua right NOW? Very hush hush.

caltexflanc said:

The RR bridge is typically 10 minutes from close to open as well. Seems like an eternity while you are standing off in the midst of everything else going on. That's why i put a watch to all the bridges along there for the mere fact I had nothing else to do while waiting and was curious. But I strongly agree the extra trains would be a major PITA to deal with. It's hard to get much empathy from the public, one train car will likely hold as many people as two hours worth of boats, other than when the Jungle Queen has a full slate.

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We're against them, have voiced that, but if they come we'll find a way to live with them, just like we do rush hour. And remember all the times 50 cars have lined up at a bridge waiting for one boat to go through. It would be a lot easier if all the bridges were just 65' but that's not the way it is. If I felt the trains would get huge use and benefit a lot of people then I might feel different, but I don't see that happening.

yachtbrokerguy said:

Alex,
if you do decide on Marina Bay or Yacht Haven give me 24 hours notice and will ride up the New River with you as a no charge river pilot. Every now and then I sell a boat to someone from the forums and that would be a good way to give some pay back.

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I would take him up on that offer.

If enough people speak out against this plan, and expose it for what it is -a benefit for the Republic of China, it CAN be stopped. How about terrorism? 180 miles of unprotected tracks and kids going to the mouse isn't a terrorist dream? 180 miles runing smack through residential neighborhoods and slicing right through the downtowns of dozens of towns?
Heck, a kid can derail a train with just scrap metal. Imagine what torches and explosives can do?
Remember the Sunshine Skyway? That was a new modern bridge. THESE tracks go over 3 old (one 100 years old) wood bridges over 3 rivers, 2 very wide and totally unsecured. One drunk with a barge can knock 2 of them down. The problem is so few people are aware of these plans.

harbor950 said:

I would take him up on that offer.

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Very cool video clip. Thank you for sharing.

Miami International Airport= Cuban coffee free at Hopkins-Carter Marine. Dinghy dock available. End of argument.

HopCar said:

Miami International Airport= Cuban coffee free at Hopkins-Carter Marine. Dinghy dock available. End of argument.

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Wifey B: Just coming to the world famous Hopkins-Carter Marine Dinghy Dock, otherwise known at HCMDD in the PM is end of argument....

"How many of you are aware of the new canal being dug by China in Nicaragua right NOW? Very hush hush."

If by being dug right "NOW" you mean to say they have yet to break ground in any significant way. And if by "very hush hush" you mean to say it's been and still is in the news quite regularly, then you're right on the money.

Why the Plan to Dig a Canal Across Nicaragua Could Be a Very Bad Idea | Science | WIRED

Bill, didn't you shoot a similar video once? Boy that brought back memories.. River Bend, the Wiggles, the Ducks , the Benihana, Little Florida, the Split, Performing Arts, the Old Grocery, the Tunnel, the Girl's School, Tarpon Bend.. all it was missing was a JQ fly-by or two.

Wifey B, Give me some warning if you come to visit. I'll put the red carpet out on the dinghy dock. I worry that your high heel Topsiders might get caught in the cracks without the carpet. It also takes time to arrange the brass band. Since you don't drink coffee, we'll figure out how to make you a nice cup of tea. It would be a great honor to have you visit my dinghy dock.

Capt.Bill11 said:

"How many of you are aware of the new canal being dug by China in Nicaragua right NOW? Very hush hush."

If by being dug right "NOW" you mean to say they have yet to break ground in any significant way. And if by "very hush hush" you mean to say it's been and still is in the news quite regularly, then you're right on the money.

Why the Plan to Dig a Canal Across Nicaragua Could Be a Very Bad Idea | Science | WIRED

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Your asking the wrong question- it's the WHY the new canal and HOW will it effect/affect the USA? This train (up and running 2015 Miami to West Palm Beach) thing is solely because the Panama Canal is being widened for super container ships.
I'm not here to argue, I'm explaining what the Chinese are up to, and how their plans for the FEC tracks are going to devastate the marine industry west
and along these tracks their whole route to Cocoa Beach. And when I say "hush hush", it means that likely you never heard about it before you googled it looking for an argument. It certainly isn't in the mainstram media is it? Many IN Miami, who live along these tracks haven't heard about it either. There's a giant Lexus dealership in Miami separated from Biscayne Blvd.,by these tracks and they haven't heard about it. A city councilman from N. Miami lives next to the tracks, and he told me he's only vaguely aware of this, and nobody has approached the city over our crossings, although we will be expected to pay for the safety upgrades!

When it comes to Google, let me repeat what our City Attorney reported in our City Hall meeting "they (being Chinese government) have purchased keywords and blocked them, which is why it's so difficult to get information from the internet". When it comes to Nicaragua, the word I'm hearing from those in Nicaragua, is that Chinese people have come into villages with police and have attempted to force people off their property, and there's been violence. Now if you wish to believe the spin of China and Daniel Ortega, you are free to do so.
Don't be like a teenager and be missing the whole point by looking at your cell phone for confirmation, when a person is standing in front of you, giving first hand information.
pay attention to the subject at hand: All Aboard Florida is the ruse, Not All Aboard Florida has the facts.

The why I'm so up on this, is that I own property in N. Miami, North Miami Beach, and St. Lucie Village all east of the the tracks, and one can't go anywhere without crossing them, or hearing their horns. The traffic in Aventura comes to a standstill for 30 minutes after a train has passed now. These tracks cut through residential neighborhoods, golf courses, State Park, several nature preserves, slice through dowmtowns with outdoor restaurants and bars nearby, and cut off the waterways at 3 points. MANY marinas are next to these tracks.
I don't think snowbirds will b wanting to listen to the horns of 50 or so trains a day, 24 hours (the freights run at night now) do you? I have some "skin in the game" as does every resident for over 200 miles.