Boaters Stay Active

St Petersburg, Florida

At the Harborage Marina in St. Petersburg, Fla., assistant dockmaster David Dabney said, “Our high and dry (rack storage facility) has been even busier than usual.” We’ve been launching in and out.”

Additionally, with gas at $2.69 a gallon for rec 90 and $1.99 for diesel, fuel sales have been brisk.

The marina has racks for about 400 boats and can accommodate a cruiser up to about 40’ long indoors. In the water, The Harborage also has about 400 slips and can handle a vessel up to 250 feet long. Recently Dabney said that the facility has also been getting inquiries for long-term moorage and slips from captains of yachts that had wanted to head to the Caribbean but were turned away.

The Harborage Marina also has many long-term liveaboard slip renters, so Dabney said he sees the business staying open even after the mayor of St. Petersburg has asked citizens to shelter in and stay home.

“We’ve dropped our staff hours and are trying to limit people in the office,” he said.  “But we’re trying to stay open during the crisis as long as we can.” 

Maximo Marina, which is near the north end of the Tampa Bay Skyway bridge, is staying open and has published rules on sanitation and social distancing between staff and slip renters – otherwise, it is business as usual.

Sarasota

A couple of hours south on the Sunshine State’s west coast, Marina Jack in Sarasota, Fla., has also been busy. “We were super busy as far as gas sales go,” Kyle Vernon, the marina’s assistant general manager, said yesterday. “A ton of people have been out on the water. Marina Jack’s price for 90-octane gas is $3.90 per gallon.

Marina Jack has 295 wet slips and 88 moorings, but no rack storage. The facility is part of the Suntex family of marinas and has implemented distancing guidelines. Only tenants can use the on-premises restaurant and showers and the marina is currently not offering pumpouts. 

“We’re doing everything we can to stay open,” said Vernon. “Boating is still a good activity for people to get and do and we’re trying to make sure we can help people get out and do that.”

On the Florida East Coast

Across the state in Vero Beach, Fla., the city marina has also been busy with fuel sales, according to dockhand Aaron Nichelson. “The weekends have been crazy here,” he said. Vero Beach City Marina has 90-octane ValvTect marine fuel that is selling for $3.30 a gallon.

He said that many of the boaters have been families and that they are observing social distancing while in the marina and out on the water. The facility also has a launch ramp and business is a 50-50 mix between marina customers and trailer boaters. The marina has 108 wet slips and rack storage for approximately 55 more. 

In the Florida Keys

Monroe County, Fla., which includes the Florida Keys, might be the place to ride out the coronavirus for those lucky enough to be down there. State officials have closed off US1 to non-residents and those who are allowed to enter the area for work.

Key West Bight Marina in Key West is open to local patrons and has gas at $2.89 per gallon and diesel for $2.53. Dockmaster Prince Rengiil said that locals are still heading out on the water. “It’s a self-quarantine thing,” he said. “The locals know how it is to be isolated and they’re very protective of each other.”

The marina is home to 200 boats in the water and the fleet is made up of some charters, commercial anglers and regular customers. Charters aren’t running, but customers who made long-term reservations months in advance are staying put.

Key West Bight Marina has restrictions in place for transients who come in from other areas. “We have a few sailboats coming into the country from other areas,” said Rengiil. “We only allow them to get essential items and they have an hour to go through the stores.”

Florida Overview

From place to place in Florida, there may be different restrictions, but as of Friday, March 27 when we made our spot checks, the biggest take away is that as long as boaters behave responsibly, they can still get out on the water. Some state park launch ramps have been closed, some due to careless boaters not practicing social distancing, and some which seem to be arbitrary.  As of Friday, the state’s governor had not ordered citizens to self-quarantine, however certain counties in the state have.  

As the temperatures increase moving up the East Coast and across the country, families should take advantage of their opportunities to get out on the water, so long as they practice social distancing.