Reviews: Lee Wenner Park Free Dock

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Lee Wenner Park Free Dock

Cocoa, FL
AIWW 897.8

Lat / Lon: N 28° 21.287' / W 080° 43.331'

3.50

(18)

3.50 out of 5 stars

Review for Lee Wenner Park Free Dock

Reviewed by: Kevin Williams, m/v Blue Tortuga, on Mar 22, 2024
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 40'
Draft: 3.5'

Rating: 5

Previous comments are accurate. Be prepared for a rolly ride if the wind is from the South at all. Solid floating dock, and it's free. The restaurant a few minutes away, Ryan's pizza and pub is a good spot. And, no visit to Cocoa Village is complete without a visit to the SF Travis Hardware store - easily in walking distance. Established in 1885, it's a crazy place words can't describe.

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Review for Lee Wenner Park Free Dock

Reviewed by: Capt Maria Langer, Do It Now, on Jan 29, 2024
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 32'
Draft: 2.5'

Rating: 5

I returned to Cocoa Village on my northbound trip, planning to anchor for a few nights and was thrilled to find a space at the dock late on a Saturday morning. The floating dock edging is damaged; be sure to put down fenders just above water level. There was just one other overnighter there when I arrived -- a sailboat that has no one aboard and seems to have been there a while. Day trippers came and filled the rest of the dock; other boats looking for an overnight spot came and left. (I recommend that if you want to stay here and the dock is full of day trippers, drop an anchor and wait for one of them to leave. Unless your boat is huge, you should be able to get in.) There was a strong wind from the south that bounced my boat and the dock around with lots of splashing, but it settled down by nightfall. I spent two nights (the limit). There's no power or water. The dock is a tourist attraction; if you're on board, be prepared to answer questions from curious strollers. Some people came to fish, but not many. I locked my boat when I left it, just in case. As I mentioned in my previous review, the town has lots of shops and restaurants and the area is dog friendly. I was there on a weekend and although there were loud events on Saturday night at a local restaurant and during the day on Sunday in the park, it got quiet at night. Note that the area is home to many full-timers out in the adjacent anchorage. There are also at least five grounded or sunken boats and I suspect other boats out there are abandoned. (This is a serious Florida problem.)

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Review for Lee Wenner Park Free Dock

Reviewed by: Captain Gene, Galene, on Jan 12, 2024
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 39'
Draft: 4.0'

Rating: 4

1 11 2024 pulled up on the dock today and stayed 4 hours. Measured 8' at the dock coming in straight form the east off ICW. Went and had lunch at restaurant and better half did some shopping after lunch. Dock is about 200' long.

1 17 2023 The free dock and dinghy dock behind it are open But rub protection is hanging. Sign up use at own risk. Unfortunately storm damage again here.You can dock here for up to 48 hours if transiting the ICW. Good amount of restaurant access here and small shops to visit. Good hardware store a block away.The small boat docks put in 2 years ago are destroyed. Park area Cocoa Riverfront park nice with public washrooms. Water is 4-6 feet by dock. Strong winds from the south could make it very uncomfortable.

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Review for Lee Wenner Park Free Dock

Reviewed by: Capt Maria Langer, Do It Now, on Dec 8, 2023
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 32'
Draft: 2.5'

Rating: 4

We were hoping to get a spot on the dock but at noon it was completely full with some boats that had been there a month or more. Apparently no one enforces the 48-hour rule and plenty of people abuse it. HOWEVER, it's easy enough to anchor in the big basin nearby and dinghy over to the back side of the dock, which has plenty of room for dinghies. There are garbage pails but I did not note any other facilities. The location is great -- walking distance to town with plenty of shops and restaurants. Dog-friendly park. We arrived on a Saturday when there was a big art show in town. It was a pleasant stop on our way south, but we did not spend the night. I would definitely go back.

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Review for Lee Wenner Park Free Dock

Reviewed by: Jason Spitz on Oct 30, 2023
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 40'
Draft: 4.0'

Rating: 3

We found several boats that had been at the dock for between a week and a month and readily shared that no one stops to check. We were also told the area at night could be "kinda sketchy" at the dock. The "long termers" said they'd watch our dinghy, but we locked it here. There was some damage to the sides of the dock. We opted to anchor out in the Cocoa VIllage Anchorage just 150 feet off the dock. There were several ICW cruisers anchored and several longer term boats. There are also several boats that are sunk in the anchorage on the south side of the power lines. The village itself has lots of events, good restaurants, pubs, breweries, and many art galleries. There's also a magic shop that's fun and a pirate's museum/store. If you're a knitter or weaver, stop by Knit and Stitch. Lot's of yarn. The village is Worth the stop!

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Review for Lee Wenner Park Free Dock

Reviewed by: Victor Vetos on Jun 23, 2023
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 36'
Draft: 4.5'

Rating: 1

Woke up to a homeless man sleeping on my deck. Restrooms were locked shut. No facilities whatsoever.

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Review for Lee Wenner Park Free Dock

Reviewed by: David Mann, Now or Never, on May 4, 2023
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 44'
Draft: 4.9'

Rating: 4

Hard to beat for a free dock. Transient traffic from the AIWW is welcome to stay 48 consecutive hours. Nice floating concrete dock. No water or electricity but did I mention it was free? The park is a block away from the beginning of a vibrant downtown. Occasional wake from a powerboat however most slow to go under the bridge and wakes are minimized. Great hold time hardware store is just a couple of blocks away. Very safe feeling area to walk.

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Review for Lee Wenner Park Free Dock

Reviewed by: Chris Ensing, Pau Hana, on Mar 3, 2023
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 31'
Draft: 3.4'

Rating: 1

Easy to get into, good floating T dock. Slips were destroyed and not useable. Tough overnight with a E SE wind which we had and made for a rough evening until the wind clocked around from the west. No water or electricity. Short walk to Cocoa Village and plenty of places to eat & shop

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Review for Lee Wenner Park Free Dock

Reviewed by: Bret Butler, Lucy 2, on Feb 9, 2023
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 43'
Draft: 4.0'

Rating: 4

We draw just under 4 and had no problem getting in and out. There were 4 other boats there but we were able to squeeze in between two of them. Kind of busy all night with persons walking on the dock and cars moving in and out of the parking lot all night. Great little town to explore with what I would say is probably the best stocked hardware store on the east coast just one block west of the marina.

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Review for Lee Wenner Park Free Dock

Reviewed by: Virginia Preuss on Feb 7, 2023
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 38'
Draft: 6.0'

Rating: 5

We draw 6 feet and our depth sounder is recently calibrated. We found 6.8 feet at the dock, at MLLW +.7 per Navionics, 35 feet from west end of dock (2nd boat in). Really enjoyed the town and restaurants.

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Review for Lee Wenner Park Free Dock

Reviewed by: James Newsome, CaiLeigh Anna, on Jan 9, 2023
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 34'
Draft: 5.8'

Rating: 4

Cocoa Village, FL

897.9 StM
Cocoa Village, FL - Located south of Hubert Humphrey Memorial/Merritt Island Bridge (Florida Highway 520) in the Indian River directly on the ICW, the Riverfront Park and Lee Wenner Park, amenities include a pavilion, grills, picnic tables, restrooms, playground, two water overlooks, and boat ramps. The parks are connected by a paved boardwalk and provide easy to the city center with shops and restaurants. Reopened in 2020, the city offers a 250-foot T-dock with free overnight docking for up to 48 hours per 30 day period, 14 floating day slips for boats with an eight hour time limit. Dinghies may dock on the back side of the T-Dock. Depths of 5-1/2' to 6' with mud bottom are reported at the docks.

Per the City Information Officer on Jan 08, 2023 "The 14 floating day slips were damaged beyond repair during the last two hurricanes (2022). Those are the only amenities that are currently not available."

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Review for Lee Wenner Park Free Dock

Reviewed by: David Fuller on Dec 19, 2022
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 43'
Draft: 4.0'

Rating: 4

The main free dock suffered some minor damage in 2022 hurricane season. There are now signs posted to use the dock at your own risk. The obvious damage seems to be the rubber bumpers along the edge of the dock. Some are missing, some are hanging into water, some are still in place.

The bathroom directly across from the dock in the parking lot is closed. However, if you walk towards the Village, there are two public bathrooms that are open from 8 am to 7 pm.

The slips and dingy dock suffered grave damage and are unusable. They are currently blocked from entry by water.

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Review for Lee Wenner Park Free Dock

Reviewed by: Heath Phillips, Philyria , on Dec 18, 2021
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 35'
Draft: 6.0'

Rating: 5

I have landed my dinghy here a couple times for fun. The docks are exceptionally nice, and floating. They can get pretty busy during the "Great Migration", and it is not uncommon for multiple boats to raft together. The location is excellent. You are right in the heart of Cocoa Village, and there is a lot to see here. The area is heavily trafficked, so make sure to bring valuables with you, or keep boat/dinghy locked.

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Review for Lee Wenner Park Free Dock

Reviewed by: Hubert Hopkins, Aurora, on May 26, 2021
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 42'
Draft: 4.0'

Rating: 3

This is a very nice town dock with room for four or 5 boats on a nice long dock. It can be exposed in some winds. The ONE big problem is that the pier does not have water or power available. It's a brand new dock with 50 Amp power and water but is unavailable except for special events. This is a serious waste of money to have such a nice public facility and then not utilize it. I can understand the issues of collecting money, responding to problems, and maintenance. It's what happens when you build a town dock. Just be aware there is no power or water at the dock. The dingy dock is nice with easy access. The Village is a great place to visit.

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Review for Lee Wenner Park Free Dock

Reviewed by: Colleen & Paul on Jan 8, 2021
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 36'
Draft: 6.0'

Rating: 5

Great dock in the heart of sweet Cocoa Village. Protected from the north. Bumped sandy bottom with our 6' draft but managed to tie up. No amenities but not expected...it's free. Safe area, had past issues but not any longer. Close to restaurants, hardware & stores.

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Review for Lee Wenner Park Free Dock

Reviewed by: Tony Anania, Laura Jayne, on Aug 23, 2020
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 60'
Draft: 6.0'

Rating: 1

The Cocoa Village docks have been rebuilt and open as of July 2020. A 275’ floating concrete T-dock allows ICW cruisers 48 free docking. Dinghy docking is allowed on the back side. There are also 8 floating finger day docks, with close access to the Village restaurants and shops.

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Review for Lee Wenner Park Free Dock

Reviewed by: Cindy on Feb 3, 2020
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 40'
Draft: 5.0'

Rating: 3

No free dock yet. We anchored south of the power cables, southwest of the bridge. There is a work barge, but we did not even observe any pilings going in yet. Still, it is easy access to town. We tied the dinghy up to the park boat ramp dock. There were no other dinghy docks that we could see.

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Review for Lee Wenner Park Free Dock

Reviewed by: Bruno, ORPAO, on Dec 8, 2018
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 45'
Draft: 4.0'

Rating: 2

The debris of the former free docks have been removed. 3 little slips are available where you can tie up dinghies. Noisy anchorage due to the traffic on the bridge and local airport but better than nothing.

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