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Snowbird Boating in Aventura: Your Winter Season Checklist

By Scott Blaine Hoffman · November 13, 2026 · 5 min read

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Every November the Intracoastal around Aventura gets busier. Seasonal residents come back to their condos, boats come south on the ICW or on a truck, and the winter boating season starts in earnest. If you are one of those snowbirds, or you are helping one get set up, this checklist covers the paperwork, the rules and the local habits that matter most between now and spring.

1. Registration: the 90-day clock

Florida honors your home-state (or Coast Guard documentation) number for a limited time. According to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, owners of out-of-state vessels must record their number in Florida before operating, using or storing the boat on Florida waters beyond the 90-day reciprocity period.

If you plan to stay longer than 90 days but intend to take the boat back home, Florida offers a sojourner registration. You apply at a county tax collector's office (for Aventura and Sunny Isles, that is Miami-Dade; for Hallandale, Broward) with:

• Form HSMV 87244, Application to Register Non-Titled Vessels
• A copy of your current out-of-state or Coast Guard registration
• The registration fee (amounts vary by boat length, so check with the tax collector)

You receive a Florida decal and keep your home-state number. If you are moving to Florida permanently, the process is a full Florida title and registration instead.

2. Boater education card: check before you run

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) requires anyone born on or after January 1, 1988 to carry a Boating Safety Education ID Card (plus photo ID) to operate a motorboat of 10 horsepower or more. For visitors, the options are:

• Out-of-state card: FWC lists proof of a NASBLA-approved course or equivalency exam from another state, plus photo ID, as an exemption for nonresidents.
• Temporary certificate: available from FWC-authorized vendors and valid for up to 90 days.
• New purchase: if you just bought the boat, you are exempt for 90 days with the bill of sale aboard.

3. Manatee season starts November 15

Manatees move into warmer, protected water as the bay cools, and seasonal slow-speed and idle zones take effect. Statewide manatee season is generally reported as running November 15 through March 31, and several zones along the Intracoastal between Haulover and Hallandale are seasonal. Signs on the water are what count, so read every one. Our guide to Miami-Dade manatee zones explains the sign types and where to expect them.

4. Book your winter slip early

Seasonal demand is real here. Many Aventura and Sunny Isles condo marinas are reserved for residents, and transient space fills up from December through the boat show. A few places to start:

• Bill Bird Marina at Haulover Park for quick inlet access
• Loggerhead Marina Aventura and Hi-Lift Marina for dry stack options
• Hallandale Beach City Marina just north of the county line

Browse all options on our transient slips page and dry stack storage page, or check private owners on slips for rent. If you own a deeded or condo slip you will not use this winter, list it for rent while seasonal demand is high.

5. Get the boat ready after the trip south

Whether it came down the ICW or on a trailer, give the boat a once-over before the first run:

• Check safety gear against Coast Guard requirements: life jackets, throwable device, fire extinguisher date, sound signal and flares.
• Inspect the trailer bearings and lights if it was hauled; long highway runs are hard on them.
• Confirm your insurance covers Florida waters and the dates you will be here. Many policies set navigation limits or seasonal conditions, so read yours or ask your agent. BoatUS offers boat insurance and on-water towing memberships worth comparing.
• Restock consumables and spares; West Marine is handy for filters, zincs and safety gear.

For hands-on work, see our marine services directory and boatyards.

6. Winter weather is different, not easy

South Florida winters bring cooler, drier air, but they also bring cold fronts. A front can swing the wind to the north and northeast and stack up steep seas at Haulover Inlet, especially when wind opposes an outgoing tide. Watch the NOAA marine forecast for the Biscayne Bay and coastal waters zones, and be willing to stay inside on the Intracoastal on a blustery day. Our Haulover Inlet and bridges guide covers the run to the ocean. Not for navigation.

Hurricane season officially ends November 30, so if your slip has a hurricane plan, now is a sensible time to review it with your marina before you settle in for the winter.

7. Make the most of the season

Winter is prime time on the water here. Sailfish season off Haulover picks up with the fronts (see our Haulover fishing guide), the Haulover sandbar is pleasant on calm, sunny days, and the Discover Boating Miami International Boat Show returns February 10–14, 2027 across Miami Beach and downtown Miami venues.

No boat yet this year? You can book a captained trip through our yacht charter directory or try a peer-to-peer rental on Boatsetter. And if you are thinking about selling before you head north in spring, list your boat for sale while buyers are in town.

Snowbird checklist at a glance

FAQ

Do I have to register my out-of-state boat in Florida?

Only if it will be used or stored on Florida waters for more than 90 days. Snowbirds who plan to return home can get a sojourner registration from the county tax collector and keep their home-state number.

Is my boater education card from another state valid in Florida?

FWC lists proof of a NASBLA-approved course from another state, with photo ID, as an exemption for nonresidents. A 90-day temporary certificate is another option.

When do manatee zones start around Aventura?

Seasonal manatee zones generally take effect November 15 and run into spring. Always follow the posted signs, since zone boundaries and dates vary by location.

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