DB,
For the cheap parking places, check craigslist for your target area. I've
seen decent neighborhood dockage offered in my area since money has been
tight. Usually there are caveats about limiting overnight stays, amount of
time on boat, power, water, etc. All makes sense since these are usually
docks behind a privately owned home. Don't know if anyone is doing it for
a
few days at a time.
As for the moorings, you'll see more and more of this happening as cities
crack down on anchoring outside of designated areas.
In our area, cheap mooring would have a waiting list with the locals and
unless a number were reserved for cruisers, they'd still be out of luck.
About people spending money, it more than likely wouldn't be much unless
they happen to break down and need a service professional. I stock my boat
before I go and buy the minimum along the way. If we overnight on a dock,
we'll hit a close restaurant for dinner.

I think cruisers would tend to patronize local restaurants on days
when locals do not because they are cruising on weekdays. Such
cruisers are either beginning or ending a portion of their cruise and
will celebrate at a restaurant.
Notice I said these moorings would have a 2 week limit so locals are
not likely to use em.

--------
You're right, a lot of people make use of local restaurants but I'm guessing
not enough for the city gov't to set anything aside for them. I get the
impression that most waterfront cities are way more interested in keeping
the high dollar tax payers happy than looking after this relatively lower
end tourist market.
I've seen some cruisers anchor out off marinas and wait until the marina
closes for the day and then dinghy in to make use of showers, laundry, etc.
that were put there for the people that pay for slips and the use of the
facilities. Too many to argue the allegation that sailboaters are cheap. I'm
cheap but I still have some standards and they include not trespassing on
private property to take something I didn't pay for.

I agree, transient morrings would be great.
When we were members of Cocoa Beach YC (blue collar YC) we had 2 or 3 slips
dedicated to boats in transit and the dockmaster would allow transients to
short term in slips whose normal tennets were cruising. Some transients
abused (and were allowed to) the privilege but mostly it worked well and the
club was able to help out boaters on the move. They may still do this but I
quit a couple years ago and haven't had a boat there for 6 years so lost
track of what is going on.
Hope your multi-legged trip goes well, sounds like your off to a good start.

On Jan 14, 5:16*pm, "mmc" wrote:
DB,
For the cheap parking places, check craigslist for your target area. I've
seen decent neighborhood dockage offered in my area since money has been
tight. Usually there are caveats about limiting overnight stays, amount of
time on boat, power, water, etc. All makes sense since these are usually
docks behind a privately owned home. Don't know if anyone is doing it for
a
few days at a time.
As for the moorings, you'll see more and more of this happening as cities
crack down on anchoring outside of designated areas.
In our area, cheap mooring would have a waiting list with the locals and
unless a number were reserved for cruisers, they'd still be out of luck..
About people spending money, it more than likely wouldn't be much unless
they happen to break down and need a service professional. I stock my boat
before I go and buy the minimum along the way. If we overnight on a dock,
we'll hit a close restaurant for dinner.

I think cruisers would tend to patronize local restaurants on days
when locals do not because they are cruising on weekdays. *Such
cruisers are either beginning or ending a portion of their cruise and
will celebrate at a restaurant.
Notice I said these moorings would have a 2 week limit so locals are
not likely to use em.

--------
You're right, a lot of people make use of local restaurants but I'm guessing
not enough for the city gov't to set anything aside for them. I get the
impression that most waterfront cities are way more interested in keeping
the high dollar tax payers happy than looking after this relatively lower
end tourist market.
I've seen some cruisers anchor out off marinas and wait until the marina
closes for the day and then dinghy in to make use of showers, laundry, etc.
that were put there for the people that pay for slips and the use of the
facilities. Too many to argue the allegation that sailboaters are cheap. I'm
cheap but I still have some standards and they include not trespassing on
private property to take something I didn't pay for.

I agree, transient morrings would be great.
When we were members of Cocoa Beach YC (blue collar YC) we had 2 or 3 slips
dedicated to boats in transit and the dockmaster would allow transients to
short term in slips whose normal tennets were cruising. Some transients
abused (and were allowed to) the privilege but mostly it worked well and the
club was able to help out boaters on the move. They may still do this but I
quit a couple years ago and haven't had a boat there for 6 years so lost
track of what is going on.
Hope your multi-legged trip goes well, sounds like your off to a good start.

"Frogwatch" wrote in message
...
On Jan 14, 5:16 pm, "mmc" wrote:
DB,
For the cheap parking places, check craigslist for your target area.
I've
seen decent neighborhood dockage offered in my area since money has been
tight. Usually there are caveats about limiting overnight stays, amount
of
time on boat, power, water, etc. All makes sense since these are usually
docks behind a privately owned home. Don't know if anyone is doing it
for
a
few days at a time.
As for the moorings, you'll see more and more of this happening as
cities
crack down on anchoring outside of designated areas.
In our area, cheap mooring would have a waiting list with the locals and
unless a number were reserved for cruisers, they'd still be out of luck.
About people spending money, it more than likely wouldn't be much unless
they happen to break down and need a service professional. I stock my
boat
before I go and buy the minimum along the way. If we overnight on a
dock,
we'll hit a close restaurant for dinner.

I think cruisers would tend to patronize local restaurants on days
when locals do not because they are cruising on weekdays. Such
cruisers are either beginning or ending a portion of their cruise and
will celebrate at a restaurant.
Notice I said these moorings would have a 2 week limit so locals are
not likely to use em.

--------
You're right, a lot of people make use of local restaurants but I'm
guessing
not enough for the city gov't to set anything aside for them. I get the
impression that most waterfront cities are way more interested in keeping
the high dollar tax payers happy than looking after this relatively lower
end tourist market.
I've seen some cruisers anchor out off marinas and wait until the marina
closes for the day and then dinghy in to make use of showers, laundry,
etc.
that were put there for the people that pay for slips and the use of the
facilities. Too many to argue the allegation that sailboaters are cheap.
I'm
cheap but I still have some standards and they include not trespassing on
private property to take something I didn't pay for.

I agree, transient morrings would be great.
When we were members of Cocoa Beach YC (blue collar YC) we had 2 or 3
slips
dedicated to boats in transit and the dockmaster would allow transients to
short term in slips whose normal tennets were cruising. Some transients
abused (and were allowed to) the privilege but mostly it worked well and
the
club was able to help out boaters on the move. They may still do this but
I
quit a couple years ago and haven't had a boat there for 6 years so lost
track of what is going on.
Hope your multi-legged trip goes well, sounds like your off to a good
start.

Someone asked about cruising plans. My intention is to go to Lake
Okechobee and get her hauled and bottom painted and look into keeping
her there for hurricane season after June.
After being painted, will go to East coast and hop over to West end
bahamas. There I will turn her over to my daughter and her bf so they
can sail the bahamas for a month as a gift for her just graduating
with her BS in biology. I will then fly home and wait till they are
done and will then fly back and sail her more in the Bahamas before
returning to Okechobee for the hurricane season.
All of this is possible only because I am cheap and my 29 year old 28'
boat was paid for many years ago. If something happens to her, it is
no big deal as she is insured for liability (only) and after building
4 smaller boats I am looking for a reason to build a larger sailboat.
If nothing happens to her, I will continue using her for cruising the
next year to Dry Tortugas and maybe over to Belize.
I've spent some time making her into my perfect cruising boat, or as
well as I could do with an older production boat. She is a 8.5 m S-2
so is well built and I have replaced all her standing rigging, sails,
etc and installed a larger engine for cruising.
-------
Cool. Great gift for your daughter.
As you wrote in a previous post, the best boat can be one that's paid for! I
sure enjoy not writing a check for mine each month.

On Thu, 14 Jan 2010 14:11:01 -0500, "mmc" wrote:

For the cheap parking places, check craigslist for your target area.

What he said.