| After many years of new laws that were not very | | | | boaters in the area, but generate revenue for local |
| friendly to boaters, the new governor and Florida | | | | businesses by allowing boaters more freedom to |
| Legislator are being a bit kinder. Gov. Charlie Crist | | | | anchor. We are encouraged by this law's effort to |
| recently signed a bill preventing local communities from | | | | make Florida more boater friendly than ever." |
| forcing boaters to leave an anchorage unless the boat | | | | Hopefully this will help reverse the laws in many |
| is a liveaboard vessel. The law defines a liveaboard | | | | Southern Florida communities who had very restrictive |
| vessel as one that is used solely as a residence and | | | | laws in which there was an anchorage limit of seven |
| not for navigation, one used as a place of business, or | | | | days within any 30-day period. Or the really extreme |
| one that has been declared a domicile. In addition, the | | | | law in Ft. Lauderdale that only allowed a 24-hour |
| new law prohibits local governments from regulating | | | | window for boaters anchoring there. |
| anchoring outside of established mooring fields unless it | | | | This new law follows a recent change in the law |
| is a liveaboard vessel. | | | | which will allow boat buyers in Florida to keep the boat |
| The NMMA director issued the following statement | | | | in the state for up to 6 months without paying Florida |
| "This law will not only have a positive impact on | | | | sales tax. |