The Bluffs Marina Jupiter: Deeded (Fee-Simple) Boat Slips Explained

This page explains how deeded ("dockominium") boat-slip ownership works in Florida, using The Bluffs Marina in Jupiter as the primary example. It is evergreen background — not a listing sheet. Slip inventory, prices, and association fees change; verify current status with the marina and your broker before making an offer.

What "deeded" actually means

A deeded boat slip — sometimes marketed as a "dockominium" or "fee-simple" slip — is a real-property interest conveyed by recorded deed. In practice this means the slip is treated like a small condominium unit: it has its own legal description, it can be sold or willed independently of any upland home, it can be insured with title insurance, and it can be held in a §1031 like-kind exchange along with other investment real estate.

Contrast that with a licensed or leased slip, which is a contractual right to use another party's dock under stated terms. A license or lease conveys no ownership interest, is terminable per its terms, and cannot be sold — only the underlying license can be transferred, if the marina permits it at all. Kyle's overview of the different Jupiter slip ownership structures covers this comparison in more depth.

The legal framework

Two statutes and one body of common law do most of the work here.

Riparian rights. Under Florida Statutes § 253.141, riparian rights are "incident to land bordering upon navigable waters," are "not of a proprietary nature," and are "appurtenant to and inseparable from the riparian land." In plain English: the right to reach the water attaches to the shoreline parcel and can't be sliced off and sold independently.

Condominium law. Florida's condominium statute, Chapter 718, F.S., is the framework that lets a marina developer subdivide dockage into separately owned condominium units — the "dockominium" model. Each slip becomes a unit with its own legal description; slip owners are members of an owners' association; and common facilities (piling structures, water and power service, ingress/egress) are governed by the association's declaration and bylaws.

Common law of docks and licenses. A dock license — the more common Jupiter arrangement — is a contract right, not a property interest, and is subject to the license terms.

The Bluffs Marina as a Jupiter example

The Bluffs Marina is the clearest local example of the dockominium model. The marina's own website describes itself as "A Private Dock-o-minium Facility", states plainly that "Our slips are 'fee simple'" with "a recorded deed," insurable with title insurance, and usable in a §1031 like-kind exchange.

The published history is useful for anyone doing due diligence. Per the marina, a certificate of occupancy was issued in 1985 for 100 boats; Phase I proposed 94 condominium boat slips, "each slip dimension having its own fee simple title"; and floating docks accommodating vessels up to 130 feet were added in 2014. A slip-owners' association exists with a monthly fee.

Two things to notice. First, this is not a marketing pamphlet — the language ("fee simple," "recorded deed," "1031 exchanges") is legally specific and can be verified against the recorded declaration. Second, "dockage up to 130 feet" refers to the physical capacity of the newer floating docks — the actual slip you buy has a specific dimension in its own deed, and it may be smaller. Read the individual slip's legal description carefully.

Other Jupiter marinas — how they're structured

Jupiter Yacht Club Marina is also individually owned. The marina site states, "All slips are individually owned," sold or rented by individual owners; there are 79 slips; the maximum length is 65 feet (slip 42 measures 75 feet); no liveaboards; and it sits about one mile from the Jupiter Inlet at 400 South U.S. Hwy 1, Ste. 5, Jupiter, FL 33477. If you're looking specifically at Jupiter Yacht Club, the on-site condo inventory is worth studying alongside the slip market — many buyers pair the two.

Loggerhead Marina — Jupiter is a dry-stack facility at 3238 Casseekey Island Road, Jupiter, FL 33477, with 257 dry-stack slips and a 40-foot maximum length. The marina's own website does not describe individual slip ownership — treat this as dry-storage/rental unless a specific slip has a recorded deed you can verify.

Admirals Cove operates a private member marina accommodating vessels up to 165 feet — see the club's marina amenity page. Whether slips are separately deeded to homeowners or held by the club is not published on the public site; confirm with the membership office.

Jonathan's Landing has a community marina; slip-ownership structure is likewise not published on the club's public pages.

Due diligence checklist for a deeded slip

Read the declaration of condominium — this is the governing document that defines what you own, what the association owns, and what fees apply.
Read the slip's specific legal description. Slip dimensions and the exact water and dock area conveyed are in the individual unit description, not just the marketing materials.
Confirm the monthly/quarterly assessments and the association's reserve position. A slip with underfunded reserves for piling, seawall, or dock replacement will assess for those costs later.
Order title insurance. One of the practical benefits of fee-simple ownership is that a title policy is available. Buy one.
Understand documentary stamp tax. Under F.S. 201.02, deed transfers in Florida carry a documentary stamp tax of 70¢ per $100 of consideration — that applies to slip deeds too.
If you're using the slip in a §1031 exchange, work with a qualified intermediary before the sale closes, not after.
Understand the airborne stuff — bridge clearances, no-wake zones, mangrove permitting rules, and the marina's own rules on liveaboards, generators, and hurricane haul-out protocols.

Why the ownership structure matters for resale

A deeded slip appreciates or depreciates as a real-property asset, with a title chain and comparable-sale history. A licensed slip has value only to the extent the license is transferable and the marina remains willing to honor it. If you plan to sell the slip separately from a boat or a home someday, the deeded structure is materially more liquid.

For sellers of upland waterfront property, whether the home's dock is deeded, riparian-appurtenant, or held under a license is one of the first questions I ask. It changes how the property is marketed, what it appraises for, and what an experienced buyer will pay. Kyle's Jupiter dock-home overview touches on this from the residential-waterfront angle.