It’s boat show season in South Florida, and if you’re thinking about buying a boat, there’s another important question to consider: Where are you going to keep it?
For many boat owners, having convenient access to their boat is a big part of the South Florida lifestyle. From Fort Lauderdale and Pompano Beach to Lighthouse Point and Boca Raton, our extensive network of canals, waterways, marinas and yacht clubs provides a wide variety of waterfront real estate and dockage options.
Depending on the size of your boat, your budget and how quickly you want to reach the ocean, there are several different ways to approach your property search.
5 Ways to Keep Your Boat Close to Home
1. Single-Family Homes with Unrestricted Ocean Access
For owners of larger yachts, sportfishing boats and other vessels requiring significant clearance and/or deep water, a single-family home with unrestricted ocean access is often the preferred choice. These properties typically provide private deep-water dockage with no fixed bridges between the home and the ocean. Fort Lauderdale, Pompano Beach, Lighthouse Point and Boca Raton all offer a strong selection of single-family waterfront communities with direct or unrestricted ocean access.
These are some of the most expensive waterfront properties in our market, so it is important to know your vessel and its specific requirements before you begin your search. Water depth, canal width, property setbacks, electrical and water requirements, and seawall and dock condition should all be considered when shopping for an ocean-access home.
Location also matters. Properties with convenient access to Port Everglades, Hillsboro Inlet or Boca Raton Inlet can significantly reduce travel time between your home and the open ocean. If keeping the trip to the inlet within a certain time frame is important, consider making the trip yourself during manatee season, when seasonal slow-speed and no-wake zones can significantly affect travel times.
2. More Affordable Single-Family Waterfront Homes
You don’t necessarily need a luxury waterfront estate to keep a boat behind your home. More affordable waterfront homes can often be found on waterways located behind fixed bridges or farther inland from the Intracoastal and ocean. Single-family homes in this category can provide an excellent combination of waterfront living, private dockage and value.
With the popularity of smaller vessels such as center consoles in South Florida, many boat owners can comfortably live behind a fixed bridge, provided their boat has adequate clearance at high tide. Knowing your vessel’s clearance requirement is crucial. Bridge clearance gauges and nautical charts are useful starting points, but they should not be your only source of information. Before purchasing a property, physically verify the bridge clearance under high-tide conditions and make sure you have a comfortable margin. Cypress Isles in Pompano Beach offers generous waterfrontage behind a fixed bridge and includes the subdivisions of Cypress Harbor, Garden Isles, Cypress Lakes and Snug Harbor.
If you own a larger vessel that will not clear the lower fixed bridges, there are still more affordable Fort Lauderdale neighborhoods to consider. Many of these properties are west of downtown along the New River, where the primary tradeoff is a longer trip to the Intracoastal and ocean. Lauderdale Isles, Shady Banks, River Oaks and Riverside Park all offer more affordable waterfront options with very few bridge restrictions. Lauderdale Isles does sit behind the I-95 bridge, but with approximately 55 feet of vertical clearance, it can still accommodate most larger vessels.
3. Luxury Condos with Marinas
Another increasingly popular option combines luxury condominium living with access to a full-service marina. Developments such as St. Regis Residences Bahia Mar and Pier Sixty-Six Residences offer buyers the opportunity to enjoy the amenities and convenience of a luxury condominium while keeping a yacht in the onsite marina.
This type of property can appeal to buyers who want a newer luxury residence and marina access without the maintenance responsibilities that come with owning a single-family waterfront home. As with any marina property, slip availability, vessel-size restrictions and ownership or lease arrangements should be investigated as part of the purchase process.
If you prefer a more boutique luxury building with a deeded or assigned boat slip, Fort Lauderdale offers a number of additional options. Many of these buildings are located along the Intracoastal Waterway or on Hendricks Isle and Isle of Venice in the Las Olas Isles area. Depending on the building and marina configuration, these properties can accommodate everything from smaller recreational boats to larger yachts.
4. Condos with Boat Slips
There is also a more affordable condominium option for boat owners. Throughout Fort Lauderdale, Pompano Beach, Lighthouse Point, Boca Raton and other coastal communities, many established condominium buildings are located along canals and waterways and offer private boat slips or small community marinas. For buyers who want convenient dockage without the cost of a luxury marina development, these properties can offer excellent value.
Some slips may be deeded to individual units, while others may be assigned, leased or controlled by the condominium association. Boat-size restrictions, bridge clearance, water depth and marina rules can vary significantly from one building to another, so the details of the dockage should always be reviewed carefully before purchasing.
5. Yacht Clubs and Private Marinas
You don’t necessarily have to live directly on the water to keep your boat close to home. Private yacht clubs and marinas can give buyers much more flexibility when choosing where they want to live. Our local area includes several well-known yacht clubs, including Lauderdale Yacht Club, Coral Ridge Yacht Club, Lighthouse Point Yacht Club and Royal Palm Yacht & Country Club in Boca Raton.
For some boat owners, this can provide the best of both worlds: the freedom to choose a home or condominium based on lifestyle, location and value while still enjoying convenient access to their boat and a boating-oriented community. Yacht clubs can also provide an active social environment and valuable networking opportunities, particularly for residents who are new to the area.
Membership requirements, slip availability, waiting lists and vessel-size limitations vary by club, so marina access should always be investigated separately from the real estate purchase.
Contact Us For Information About Local Yacht Clubs
Finding the Right Property for Your Boat
No matter which option you choose, the most important starting point is understanding your vessel—or the vessel you may want to own in the future. Length, beam, draft, bridge clearance, water depth, dockage requirements and travel time to the inlet can all affect which properties and communities will work for you.
It is also important to think beyond your current boat. A property that works perfectly for a smaller vessel today may become limiting if you decide to move up to a larger boat later.
If you are considering a waterfront home, condo with a boat slip, luxury marina residence or yacht club option, we can help you narrow the search to properties and communities that fit both your boating needs and your real estate goals. Contact By The Sea Realty to start your search.
