Calling All Florida and Georgia Liveaboards

If you live on your boat in Florida or Georgia, or want to, I want to hear from you.

Living aboard your boat for more than 30 days in a calendar year is now legal in Georgia.   All you need to do is to find a certified marina and fill out a simple form.  As of today, there are five certified marinas in Georgia; Isle of Hope Marina and Bull River Marina in Savannah, and Brunswick Landing Marina, Golden Isles Marina, and Jeckyll Island Marina in the St. Simons area of southern Georgia.

Here's my thoughts, but I'd like your input as well.  

I haven't been there yet, but I've heard that Florida isn't really all that boater friendly (it's an internet thing).   The attitude towards liveaboards is that there are too many derelict boats there and so many municipalities are discouraging living aboard by passing restrictive laws.  Why go where you're not wanted?

Georgia is a place that many boaters have traditionally bypassed.   They had a 30 day maximum annual liveaboard law, and their portion of the ICW is said to be unmaintained and shallow.  That's changing.  Thanks to GAMBA (Georgia Marine Business Owners Association) you can now live aboard your boat by simply applying to do so (I hate paperwork and it's an easy process).  And talking to transients heading north, the ICW really isn't a problem if you pay attention to the few problem areas and watch the tides.

Pam and I arrived at Isle of Hope Marina in February.  We loved it here and stayed.  I was planning our trip back to the Chesapeake and in researching weather found that Georgia gets hit by hurricanes less frequently than the Chesapeake does.   It's really not much cooler on the Chesapeake than Georgia.   Why make that trip, and spend all that money on daily transient rates and fuel?  Why not stay here?

Sure, you can make the argument that the Chesapeake is a great cruising ground, and it is, but Georgia is also a lovely place.  The people are friendly and the beaches are wonderful.  If you're living aboard your boat, why go through the expense of commuting between Florida and the Chesapeake?

So my thought is to compile a list of marinas in both Florida and Georgia (now that they accept liveaboards) and compile a list of data-  rates (and whether it's based on LOA or LOD); cleanliness; present number of liveaboards; number of washers and dryers; number of heads and showers; if pet friendly and if so, is there a place for dogs to run off-leash?; proximity of grocery markets and restaurants; pump-outs at your dock?; quality of the cable TV and wifi (if available); swimming pool; if there is a liveaboard fee?; and so on.

I'm thinking of compiling all this data and posting it on a website where a liveaboard family can find it and decide where to locate.  I think it would be beneficial for not only the liveaboards, but also for the marinas.  Think of it as a dating service, sort of, in making good matches between both parties.

So if you are presently a liveaboard in Florida or Georga, or are considering doing so, either email me directly (adkdave~at~hotmail.com) or post a comment here with your thoughts.  If you were looking to live aboard in the deep south, what are you looking for?  What is important to you?  Cost?  Amenities?  A place for Fido to run?

Let me know.

Another question.  Is liveaboard/live aboard one word or two?