AGLCA Warns of Restrictive Anchoring Legislation Expected in Florida
Our thanks to Kim Russo, Director of America’s Great Loop Cruisers’ Association, for this contribution to the anchoring rights discussion began recently by Wally Moran, Anchoring Restrictions.
Right to Anchor in Florida Is Once Again in Jeopardy
As the Florida Legislative Session begins, we are once again expecting a slew of bills to be filed that call for banning overnight anchoring in specific areas in Florida. This has been an on-going issue for several years, and AGLCA, as part of a coalition formed to protect Boaters’ Rights, has been successful in keeping most anchorages open for our members. Please click below to read the history of this issue, the expectations for the upcoming legislative session, and what we need from our members to continue the fight.
Florida Anchoring Rights Details
Kim Russo
Director
America’s Great Loop Cruisers’ Association
krusso@greatloop.org
843.879.5030
Comments from Cruisers (4)
Anchoring rights, Derelict boats and Mandatory insurance—
State mandated boat insurance may seem like a good idea, on the surface, but it would make owning a boat difficult for many owners of older boats. I'm not talking about junk boats, but older boats that are in good shape, but the insurance companies don't want to cover because of their age. Boat ownership is already expensive enough and the extra costs of insurance may put many owners out of the water. What will happen to all of those boats if the owners can't (or won't) get them insured? I think they might be abandoned, making the problem worse. There are several more possible unintended consequences– losing revenue to out-of-state licencing; the bottom dropping out of the value of older boats; etc.. Maybe we shouldn't add anothernother mandate, just yet, when the ones we already have, regarding derelict boats, are not being enforced very well. This is just my opinion, but I am usually biased against more state mandated expenses and fees, especially when the result may not be entirely desirable. Thank you, in advance, for any polite responses, arguments, or rebuttals. I'd love to discuss with you.
David Burnham
It seems to me that this a statewide deadbeat derelict boat problem, and not a responsible cruiser problem. Why does Florida not have a mandatory Insurance requirement for all boats. Insurance Companies require a satisfactory survey to underwrite and insure. Therefore deadbeat owned unseaworthy boats will not be insured and then subject to arrest. End of problem for us all.
It’s not illegal to drop anchor and fish! Just make sure you have a license 😉