primary reasons are over-
crowding of popular anchorag-
es, long-term liveaboards who
move in and don’t move out,
and irresponsible boat owners
who anchor their vessels and
walk away for months on end
or never return. Each of these
scenarios creates a cascading
set of problems that are
diffi cult to unravel.
Homeowners and businesses
along shorelines often express
displeasure over what they
consider the marginal lifestyles
of vessel owners who often
live a few hundred feet away
for months, or even years.
The boats don’t move, and it’s
assumed that holding tanks
are not maintained, which
means the vessels are sullying
the waterway and, in some
circumstances, the scenery.
In other instances, that fi rst
great day of boat ownership is
followed by the vessel being
anchored somewhere rather
than tied to a dock in a marina.
The unattended boat dete-
riorates, batteries no longer
power the bilge pumps, and the
anchor drags during a storm.
Bouncing off other boats or
docks, or laid up on the shore,
the trash is left for someone
else to clean up.
It’s no wonder states and
communities are attempting
to come to terms with these
increasing problems. Pressure
from constituents, and re-
quests from agencies charged
with keeping the landscape
and environment in order,
prompt lawmakers to make
rules to address the nuisances.
Opinions are plentiful
on whether states have the
power to regulate where boats
may anchor based on the
jurisdictional responsibilities
of the U.S. Coast Guard and
Army Corps of Engineers.
After all, America’s waterways
are held in the public trust,
correct? Perhaps, but bad
actors create many of these
issues, and reasonable
law- abiding boat owners are
left to fend for our lifestyles.
Many locales along America’s
waterfronts have come
to terms with managing
visiting and long-term boats
using mooring fi elds, creatingset-back distances to prevent
infringement on property
owners’ interests, and
assigning specifi c areas where
anchoring is not allowed
due to navigation or safety
considerations.
The ease of adventure while
on the water and appreciation
for the environments that we
visit are the reasons we cruise.
The problems of derelict and
abandoned boats and irrespon-
sible owners notwithstanding,
our lawmakers and agencies
responsible for helping to
manage these problems must
understand the nuances of the
extended-cruising lifestyle.
Therefore, it is essential that
boat owners have a seat at the
table to assist in the crafting
of regulations that will protect
us all.
Georgia might revise its
positions on some of themeasures enacted during the
2019 legislative session due to
requests from boating groups
to rethink the law. Florida is
working on initiatives specifi c
to derelict vessels, while other
states are now beginning to
look at how to manage similar
problems.
There are thousands of
anchorages, quiet coves and
creeks in America’s cruising
grounds where we can drop a
hook and never see another
vessel or hear a highway. With
this latest round of legislation
in Georgia, we are reminded
that in the future, those
valued spaces will become
even more essential to our
sailing freedoms and tradi-
tions. Responsible cruisers
should maintain awareness of
the coming changes, and offer
advice and guidance where
possible. Policymakers will
listen.A native of Virginia, Ed Tillett is
a lifelong sailor and the editor-
in-chief of Waterway Guide.STAY TUNED
As the anchoring debate
continues, you can fi nd
the latest updates at
cruisingworld.com/tags/
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