Older / Smaller Boats 'Not Welcome?'

[cantxsailor]

I have been looking for a new slip for my boat since the City of Baytown TX has not seen fit to rebuild our old home since hurricane Ike last year.

There seems to be a new twist to this endeavour beyond price and availability.

Several of the marinas I've contacted have told me that boats under 27ft and/or older than 1985 are not really welcome and have to have the approval of the dock master before they can be slipped.

Perhaps I have been living in a cave somewhere and missed the shift in the universe but I have to ask "Is this the new norm"?

I have been seeing new rules like no livaboards less than 40ft.
As long as I'm not abusing the marina or its rules and am paying my fees and keeping the boat in good condition what is up with these new restrictions. Perhaps a whole new level of classism?.

I have noticed a shift to larger slips being newly built but this is the first time I've even heard of this kind of thing as to smaller boats........m

[jm21]

They renovated the Marina near where I live and the smallest slip is 36'...

I believe the smaller boat owners are more likely to fail to pay rent.

[Solitude]

Hmmm.... I have heard that they don't want small livaboards at some marinas. The thought being....

Small cheap livaboards= limited funds and poor upkeep and ownership

I dont agree

In Vancouver they cleared out False Creek of anchored boats staying longer than 2 weeks because there were too many "junkers "will people living on them. Too many tarps and wood stoves and such.

I met a cruiser that had dropped a mooring bouy in Port Moody for his 30+ sailboat (not livaboard) he'd been there 10 years but now there is a new housing developement near the beach and the laywers are contacting him to move.

[michaelmrc]

such a stereotypical load of crap. being a small boat liveaboard my boat is always kept in great condition. i have seen more than my share of large boats that are complete junkers derelicts anchored out practically sinking even at my marina now there are a couple of liveaboards that are on 37-45 ft boats that have never left their slip in the year ive been there. one liveaboard was on his 40 ft pwr boat whos engines didnt run. when he left this year had to be towed out. i choose to live on a small boat not for financials reasons as i have a good career but because im tired of society telling me that i have to keep up with the jones's.

[Ocean Girl]

Waterford allows 30 ft live aboards. They even allow me to rent a 40 ft slip (though I am 33 LOA),very friendly and the best hurricaine protection. Pricey, but you save in the long run, just ask all the people who lost their boats in IKE.
Erika

PS
I heard South Shore is good too.

[Fishspearit]

It may be that it's not so much an issue of classism, but a marina trying to establish a more practical business model. A lot more are starting to charge by the slip, not by the foot of boat length in the slip. If they have a slip capable of renting to a 40' boat, they lose (the opportunity of) money by putting your 25' boat in there and charging you almost half as much money. I've seen an increasing number of places that try to rent the slip at a fixed cost, no matter what size boat you have.

[michaelmrc]

thats how our marina is. my boat is 27 ft but im in a 30 ft slip so i pay for a 30fter.

[Solitude]

At mine its what ever is longer the slip or the boat.

[sarafina]

All of the Bay Area Marinas we looked at had set footage for dock rates. If they only had a 40 foot slip and we had our little 28 foot tsunami we were going to have to pay the 40 foot rate. Curently we pay for 30 feet, which isn't too bad, only two extra feet.

They also had mobility requirements, as in you had to move in under your own steam, no tow ins. Many of them stipulated the boat must leave dock quarterly. I can't say how effectively that is being enforced.

Many of them noted limited size liveaboards, 30 foot or more, and most had no live aboards allowed, or none currently available. The SF Bay has some regional environmental board that has decided liveaboards are bad for the bay. Hence all the *sneakaboards* we see.

At our marina there are a heartbreaking number of boats that have not moved in YEARS. some of them ten or more... just derelict. We met one of the owners for the first time yesterday two slips down, an old wooden power cruiser that is rotting away. he brought it in in 2002 as a *project* that he has never started. and clearly never will, as it looks to only be good for salvage at this stage. He spoke about his attachment to the boat like it was some kind of badge of honour, and made some offhanded reference to a quote about "How many different definitions of 'cruising' there are".

We just smiled polietly and moved along the dock, but after I couldn't help commenting "gee, do you think SINKING is another definition of cruising? After all at least it would show MOVEMENT!"

[OceanBound]

Just move to Australian noone cares how big or small your boat is.

I have a 8.5mtr boat and keep it in a 12mtr marina berth and still only have to pay the 8.5mtr rate......What a great country I live in

[delmarrey]

Originally Posted by Solitude

I met a cruiser that had dropped a mooring bouy in Port Moody for his 30+ sailboat (not livaboard) he'd been there 10 years but now there is a new housing developement near the beach and the laywers are contacting him to move.

Yep! And some day only little girls will be riding horses.

It's been happening for a while. In Marina Del Rey they're tearing out the smaller slips to build bigger ones. And the new marina in Everett , Wa is for 40'+ slips only. As well, they're tearing down the old repair facilities and putting in condo's. Although, they did build a new repair facility over at the new marina. But I'm sure a haul-out is more expensive.

[Solitude]

Originally Posted by sarafina

At our marina there are a heartbreaking number of boats that have not moved in YEARS. "

Yes its frustrating to see some of the boats. There are a few nice dingys sinking into the water as well. It makes you wonder what the story is behind them...

Has anyone contacted an owner abot purchasing one before.. Maybe we should start a thread. Pictures of derelict boats in my marina...

[sarafina]

Originally Posted by Solitude

Yes its frustrating to see some of the boats. There are a few nice dingys sinking into the water as well.

hullo.... I bailed one out this morning that was within an inch or so of going down... the rain filled her up last night... the powertools he had stashed in it must be toast. coulda used that orbital sander...

[zeehag]

the trend seems to be toward the larger boats as they will be more money for the marinas---the smaller ones are allegedly trailerable and therefore not desire-able---they want megas lol.....so smallest i have seen coming is 35 ft.....they donot want old boats as the old boats allegedly look badly kept....lol.......go figger.....

[jm21]

I looked into some slips at the Bremerton Marina (36'+ only) and there were 40 foot slips cheaper than most of the smaller slips. I don't know if it's a better view or what...

Here in WA, from what I remember, if the marina is on land leased from the state than there can only be a certain percent of the slips as liveaboard. I think around 10% or so.