Looking for Ft Lauderdale Marina/yard recommendations

Hi All,

Brand new to this site so hope I have posted this is the right area.

If all goes well with the pre-purchase survey we will soon be the proud owners of a 52' Defever (long distance cruiser). she is currently up in the Stuart area, plan is to bring here down to the Ft Lauderdale area and find an affordable yard and marina to keep her there for a couple of months for bow thruster install, bottom job, electronic upgrades, Galley appliance re-fit, increase the master from queen to king and replace the master tub/shower arrangement with shower only. So lots to do. Eventually we will bring her down to the Cayman islands where we are based as a live aboard with a plan to island hop over the next couple of years. (have to wait for a weather window Jan-March is a no go through the Florida Straights )

Anyway back to the original point of the posting, can anyone recommend good affordable yard/marina where I can keep her for a couple of months whilst I get the work done. I am assuming as the boat capital of the world I will find the boat fitters and engineers that I need. I will be checking those out next week at the boat show.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

Rgds Graham.

BandB might be able to recommend something but I suspect you will save some big bucks if you have the work done in Stuart.

I suspect you will save some big bucks if you have the work done in Stuart.

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So true. But if it needs to be in the FTL area, first why don't you define "affordable". Everywhere there is affordable to someone.

I liked being up the New River at Marina Bay or Yacht Haven. There are a bunch of good yards up there in the neighborhood which accomodate some DIY and contractor work if you have to have the boat out of the water or painted. With proper insurance, the marinas allow other kinds of work to be done. You are in the midst of all the marine supply industry there along marina mile / SR84; the literally nothing that can be done to or put on/into a boat for which there are not several suppliers.

My second choice would be in Dania, for many of the same reasons.

Thanks for the recommendation George. Your right affordable is a broad statement - looking in the $12.00 to $17.00 a ft /month range for a slip for a couple of months.

Grahambda said:

Thanks for the recommendation George. Your right affordable is a broad statement - looking in the $12.00 to $17.00 a ft /month range for a slip for a couple of months.

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Afraid you just eliminated Fort Lauderdale marinas. If you want work done, some of the best yards around are in Stuart. There are many good yards all along, in West Palm and Fort Lauderdale, but the $12-17 doesn't get them. I found Billfish at $0.90 per day so $27. You might try Lighthouse Point. I'll ask around and see if I find anything cheaper.

Also, now is not the time to move. FLIBS about to hit. No available spaces. Then after FLIBS you're into prime season so be prepared for very few discounts.

There are sites with individual slips here and there. Some are worth at least checking. However, most of these won't allow liveaboards.

https://dockandslip.com/results/FL

Dock Search - Boat Docks for Rent or Sale, Slips, Dock Space Rental / Sales, Marina Rental

Thanks BandB, we are not in real hurry thinking the back end of November and then through Feb and hope for an early weather window to head down and around Cuba. But point taken it will still be peak season.

I'll check out the links posted.

17 bucks in prime season? Ain't gonna happen. Didn't in the depths of the recession, so won't now. One thing you have to take into account is the incredible access to marine goods and services, which will save a lot of time, hassle and expense in and of itself. To my mind after a few years of experience there, that is and was worth 5-7 hundred bucks a month right there.

Playboy Marine Dania Beach ?

Hi, anyone had experience (good or bad!) with Playboy Marine for haul out and yard work?

Do It Yourself Boat Repair Facility in Dania Beach - DIY Boat Maintenance Yard | Playboymarine.com

Grahambda said:

Hi, anyone had experience (good or bad!) with Playboy Marine for haul out and yard work?

Do It Yourself Boat Repair Facility in Dania Beach - DIY Boat Maintenance Yard | Playboymarine.com

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In General, Dania Beach is less costly than Fort Lauderdale but still not in the range you quoted. As a haul out DIY facility I've heard no criticism of Playboy other than certain times you might not be able to get hauled or launched immediately when you want. Playboy is not a marina.

Royale Palm Marina, across from them, is among the lower priced marinas.

Now, on up the Dania Cut off, Thunderbolt may have the lowest priced slips you'll find. Then on up, if you can get there, you have Anglers Avenue and Banyan Bay. i don't know if any of those might accommodate you, but they have the lowest prices in the area. I'd just make some calls and find out. I know nothing about those.

Playboy's a good no nonsense no games DIY yard. They haul clean and block and maybe you have to buy paint and zincs. Subs are in and out, might have to show insurance.

Grahambda said:

Hi, anyone had experience (good or bad!) with Playboy Marine for haul out and yard work?

Do It Yourself Boat Repair Facility in Dania Beach - DIY Boat Maintenance Yard | Playboymarine.com

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Back up North may be the only option - sigh ...

Well this is a lot harder than I thought, trying to coordinate the vessel surveyor, engine surveyor and getting a haul with a reasonable slip for post close re-fit is turning out to be major challenge. Cant get hauled on a Saturday , all the yards are jammed with post hurricane repairs, FLIBS impact, no yard space for 4-6 weeks and every marine contractor i have reached out to for re-fit work cant even look at me for over a month then B level slips averaging $20-25 a foot with not a discount in sight. Only reasonable priced slips are private attached to a home with no access for re-fit work whilst in the water. So having to look North of WPB up to Stuart to find a yard that can haul me me out (53 Tonnes) with 3 weeks notice and yard space for a couple of weeks.

So any ideas/suggestions for the Stuart area? (i have given up trying to find any deals )

Thanks in advance.

If you're willing to go north, can't help you with Stuart, but Ft.Pierce City Marina fits your specs easily and Crackerboy boat yard is a great DIY and general purpose yard.

http://www.crackerboyboatworks.com
http://www.fortpiercecitymarina.org/

Grahambda said:

Well this is a lot harder than I thought, trying to coordinate the vessel surveyor, engine surveyor and getting a haul with a reasonable slip for post close re-fit is turning out to be major challenge. Cant get hauled on a Saturday , all the yards are jammed with post hurricane repairs, FLIBS impact, no yard space for 4-6 weeks and every marine contractor i have reached out to for re-fit work cant even look at me for over a month then B level slips averaging $20-25 a foot with not a discount in sight. Only reasonable priced slips are private attached to a home with no access for re-fit work whilst in the water. So having to look North of WPB up to Stuart to find a yard that can haul me me out (53 Tonnes) with 3 weeks notice and yard space for a couple of weeks.

So any ideas/suggestions for the Stuart area? (i have given up trying to find any deals )

Thanks in advance.

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I don't know the nature of your re-fit work to discuss intelligently perhaps the best solution. What do you intend to have done?

Anyone in South Florida who can help y ou in less time than you just described I wouldn't trust, because all good yards are covered up.

Deal with the survey first. Then around Stuart many good marinas and good service facilities. Sailfish now has a Stuart facility. ACY if major work is great. Hinckley is good. Whiticar I've heard nothing bad about but not personally familiar. I don't know anything about A & J.

However, do not expect them to jump in and do your work quickly. The boats they're working on were already scheduled. The place that does the haul out for the survey does not have to be the place you store the boat or get the work done. It may be a smaller yard like A & J can do that, then you worry about scheduling the work, once you know what needs to be done. If it's not immediate needs then schedule a month from now and enjoy the boat in between.

caltexflanc said:

If you're willing to go north, can't help you with Stuart, but Ft.Pierce City Marina fits your specs easily and Crackerboy boat yard is a great DIY and general purpose yard.

Cracker Boy Boat Works
http://www.fortpiercecitymarina.org/

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I forgot about Cracker Boy and for DIY I'd definitely recommend. For just docking, can't beat Fort Pierce although I've heard of some impending gang type gathering this spring of people in boats.

Not as nice as Fort Pierce City Marina but there is also Harbortown which is adjacent to Whiticar and across the creek from Cracker Boy and Taylor Creek.

Most boat yards in FL probably are backlogged with Irma related work. In addition, the snow birds are starting to arrive with their associated work.

Most of the items on your work list seem like they are vanity related and not that critical. Could you wait until spring to have it done if the yards are backlogged for the immediate future?

Donsan said:

Not as nice as Fort Pierce City Marina but there is also Harbortown which is adjacent to Whiticar and across the creek from Cracker Boy and Taylor Creek.

Most boat yards in FL probably are backlogged with Irma related work. In addition, the snow birds are starting to arrive with their associated work.

Most of the items on your work list seem like they are vanity related and not that critical. Could you wait until spring to have it done if the yards are backlogged for the immediate future?

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You'll save money doing it at a yard's convenience. Especially on things like bottom paint and thruster. Right now is just the absolute worse time. Everything has come together. Irma, start of the major boating season and FLIBS. Now, in Stuart there is less pressure from those than in Fort Lauderdale. I believe in planning but you haven't had the survey yet. Don't be so headstrong that you don't listen to what comes out of it. For right now, just arrange the survey haulout and trial. If you end up then with a deal, arrange the service.

Wait and see..

Thanks all, she had a survey last year but this one is pre-purchase so far more detailed. You are right need to see what they find you can be sure there will 50 recommendations a few must do now and others not so urgent. Most of the must haves on our list are needed for full time Live aboard comfort and to get her ready to move down to Cayman when we find a weather window this time of year. Cayman has limited options and skill levels for a fit out so makes sense from both a cost and quality of work to get them done in FL.

One of bigger more expensive decisions is the bow thruster install, read many a thread on that one, but as most of the time it will just be my wife and I handling the boat - anything that helps keep the stress level down during tight docking in the islands could be a marriage saver!

Ill come back and post an update after the survey , thanks again for all the input.

Also heard that many charter yacths are in for service,refits and have cancelled charters this year due to the stroms that hit the crusing areas. I've used Playboy Marina/ yard for years and never had a problem with them or contactors. They have cleaned up their act and like said ,a no non- sense yard. Do it yourself or contactors.

I thought bow thruster was expensive then looked at stabilizers!

So found what we thought was the ideal boat for us in great condition but we overlooked what we initially rated as “must haves” for our passage making through the islands.. that of a bow thruster and stabilizers. The condition and layout of the boat caused a premature repriotization of needs.

At FLIBS this week and can’t find a stabilizer solution for less than 60k-70k add to that a bow truster and we are at close to $90k before we look at any internal retrofits. Thats the low end don’t think about a Seakeeper which would be 90k for the gyro alone not including installation.

Sigh... our budget just got blown out of the water. Back to drawing board and boat hunt.