Published 16 years ago, updated 5 years ago

Cruising Compass report today that the City of Stuart, FL, has apologized to Vincent Sibilla after he was arrested for anchoring his yacht for more than 10 days in the City harbor. Sibilla, who sued the city last month over its anchoring restrictions, has been awarded $5,000 and a written apology from the city attorney.

This week Stuart commissioners unanimously approved the proposed settlement with Vincent Sibilla, 68, who filed suit in federal court March 3, challenging the city’s rules about where boaters can anchor. Sibilla, who lives aboard his 25-foot sloop, Morning Star, will get his $3,000.00 in attorney fees paid and the City has agreed to change its ordinance on non-liveaboard boats.

The new ordinance will define the term “in navigation” to be in line with Florida state law. The old ordinance stated that non-liveaboard boaters are no longer “in navigation” if they are anchored for more than ten days.

Captain Herman Diebler and SAMI (Sailing Association of Marco Island), are key players in the fight against unfair restrictions aimed to keep visiting cruisers away from Florida’s Anchorages. The most recent “coup” in the anchoring restrictions fight across the Nation was when they went to battle with the City of Marco Island over local anchoring restrictions. Diebler and his committee won the first-ever “precedent-setting” case against Marco Island.