There has recently been some discussion about the City of Venice in Florida taking steps to change the status of the "Free Dock" space that has been used by many a cruiser as a stopover point along western Florida to access the City of Venice. A fellow cruiser posted the email below and it provides a very erudite thought regarding the free walls and dock spaces that can be found in some places around the USA. There is a tendency for certain businesses (particularly marina's) to believe that if they remove these free docks, then they will force the travelling cruiser to come to their facility and spend money on dock space. This may certainly be true for some cruisers but for others it will not be so as they will move on (intentionally and unintentionally) to find other places to stay. This may be an economic miscalculation. Many cruisers enjoy cruising on a limited budget. This means that they must choose where to spend their budgeted resources. A free dock allows the cruiser a place to stay at reduced cost (it's not free as the cruiser still has daily costs to operate, such a fuel for a generator). The "free stay" thus allows the cruiser to spend their limited monies at local businesses such as shops and restaurants. An I do believe that by introducing a cruiser to the community, they may actually pick up business at marinas by cruisers who then choose to stay in the area. In reflection, I know this to be true. We were lucky enough to find Moores Stone Crab Restaurant a day's cruise up the ICW and north of Venice. We stayed on their dock and in exchange purchased dinners and drinks for 4 people, on two boats. The bill was roughly equivalent to what a night's cost at dockage would be. There is no doubt that without the "free" incentive to stay at their dock we would not have contributed to their economic needs. So to those communities that provide any form of assistance to the cruising boaters, I say "Thank You", Please keep up the good work and we will make a effort to return your kindness by spending a few dollars with you. Sincerely, Jim and Vaughn TWINS I would also add that we had been looking forward to stopping again at the Venice Dock on our return trip north and biking around the town! Maybe the policy should change to allow a 2 night stay...an incentive to spend more money in Venice maybe? ----- Original Message ----- From: "Rudy and Jill" <rudysechez@yahoo.com> To: <trawlers-and-trawlering@lists.samurai.com> Sent: Thursday, February 25, 2010 9:14 AM Subject: T&T: Eliminating free docks > This topic has struck a nerve in me, and has for many years. > > It is easy to say "well, I just won't stop there any more". But that may > or may not occur, either way it seems an idle threat and I suspect is of > little value when registering a compliant for several reasons... > > Chances are I will anyways; > Even if I don't, many others probably will; > Many of these areas are not conducive to anchoring; > The weather can make it happen no matter what; > Maybe they are confusing the advantages area merchants get between > offering overnight dockage with longer term dockage; > and if given enough of your time, I can probably come up with a few more. > > What bugs me so much is that I have not been able to figure out how to > voice my displeasure about this topic in a way that reflects our behavior, > and do so in a manner that will have an impact. All the complaints that > we've heard to use always beat around our bush, but never quite stepped in > it, until maybe now. > > What we do, and have been doing subconsciously when we have to pay for > overnight dockage (not to be confused with longer term dockage), is that > we have a tendency to not spend our money for other things like meals out, > entertainment and supplies. We'll pay for one or the other, but not both > unless it is absolutely necessary. > > What makes this an epiphany is that neither one of us has even been > consciously aware of it until just now, or maybe we have just not been > willing to admit it. > > For those of you whose budgets may be somewhat larger than ours, this may > be a minor thing, but not to us. But thanks to the original poster, and > those that followed, I have now been able to recognize how something like > this actually affects us. They may get our money, but they get alot less > than if they allowed us to have a free dock. > > But more importantly, this revelation also now removes the constraints > that we have imposed on ourselves, since we didn't know what to say to > those that needed it said to, at least in a manner that honestly reflected > our circumstances. But now we can do and do so with a clear consciousness. > > Gee, this site can accomplish the oddest things, and in the oddest ways. > Thanks all. > > Rudy and Jill > Briney Bug, Panama City, Fl

> There has recently been some > discussion about the City of Venice in Florida > taking steps to change the status of the "Free Dock" space... Very nicely written Jim. I also noticed the cc's. Hopefully it will have a positive impact in our favor. Rudy and Jill Briney Bug, Panama City, Fl

Cape May, NJ. We docked there a number of times until their public library changed its internet policy and began charging visitors to hook-up. Barefoot Landing, North Myrtle Beach, SC. We always stopped for a night at the free dock and spent a good amount of money in a local restaurant and many of the shops at Barefoot Landing. No more. Cocoa Beach, FL. We would stop at the free dock and walk into town to a restaurant, library, hardware store,... No more free dock, no more stopping. Venice FL. The free dock provided a welcome stop, a good restaurant nearby, and a healthy walk to food stores, pharmacy,... No more free dock, so we won't be stopping and spending money in Venice any more. There are other examples, but you get the picture. Towns that offered us "free" docking received lots of our money in return. In each case we have other options, and take them. Susie prefers anchoring to docking, but the opportunity of a "free" dock overrides her preference, and spending we'll go. Wade Ehlen

A good example of how cruising choices are influenced by available free docks is Elizabeth City, NC. EC is on the Dismal Swamp route of the ICW. An alternate is the Coinjock route. Many people take the longer Dismal Swamp route to enjoy a free night at the docks at Elizabeth City (as well as reprovisioning and dinner on shore) and the delights of the Dismal Swamp. Elizabeth City goes out of their way to welcome cruisers. They have an informal dock master who helps you tie up and direct you (or sometimes take you in his car) to local stores. In the height of the cruising season they have an informal wine and cheese welcome for visiting cruisers. They obviously "get it". I suspect that without the free docks, Elizabeth City would get much less traffic. It would be easy to cruise on past EC and anchor in the river beyond it. Venice, Florida isn't as obvous a choice as EC but it can be. Last year I avoided all of the negative publicity about Venice and bypassed it on my way south from the Tampa Bay area to Key West. Their loss. They obviously don't "get it'. David