On a recent weekday afternoon in late April, few boats could be spotted on the Intracoastal near 17th Street Causeway in Fort Lauderdale. In mid March, Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties closed municipal boat ramps where many boaters typically launch their craft after some were holding raft-up parties on sandbars. The rules have not affected boaters using the private docks behind their waterfront homes, sparking criticism that the rules are unfair to middle class boaters.