Nanaimo Anchoring Fees !

[Brent Swain]

Few moored out, back when moorage rates were reasonable. The real estate industry is largely responsible for that.

[Brent Swain]

Yesterday, I was talking to a friend who knows enough about the law to have sued a large corporation , representing himself ,and won. He said that when they were considering charging anchoring fees in Pirates Cove marine park, he warned them that charging a fee for it's suitability as an anchorage meant they would also be assuming liability for any problems that occur in the anchorage. They quickly dropped the idea
Thus if you foul your anchor in Nanaimo , the Harbour authority would be liable for the costs, as by charging a fee, they were assuring its suitability as an anchorage . If you lose your anchor, bust your windlass , bow roller, winch , injure yourself trying to get it unfouled, drag anchor, etc , then you can simply hand the Port Authority the bill ,with the suggestion that they would be wise to make an out of court settlement ,rather than incure the cost of their lawyers, your lawyer, the court , and have to pay the works anyway in the end.
Should anyone ding a prop or bend a shaft from hitting a log ,after having paid the fee , the port would be liable.
Should anyone die as a result of having been forced into the ranks of the homeless , by the Port having forced him off his floating home, a wrongful death suit could send a multimillion dollar message to them, and will put the idea of any port assuming the liability that anchoring fees bring with them, to rest, for along time to come. Perhaps we cruisers should begin to look at this option for putting a stop to anchoring fees everywhere. Perhaps such a successful law suit would kill the issue.
The Town of Ladysmith BC is talking about charging anchoring fees. The sickness is spreading. Send them an email or phone call.
Fees are an attempt to get the not so rich out of the way of the rich. Which are you?

[Brent Swain]

The Nanaimo Harbour Authority has begun randomly towing boats from the anchorage, and charging skippers ransom to get them back. If you anchor in Nanaimo this summer ,and head for the pub or a stroll , you may find your boat gone by the time you get back, and have to pay a ransom to get her back.
Something to think about before visiting "Friendly" Nanaimo.

[RHough]

Originally Posted by Brent Swain

The Nanaimo Harbour Authority has begun randomly towing boats from the anchorage, and charging skippers ransom to get them back. If you anchor in Nanaimo this summer ,and head for the pub or a stroll , you may find your boat gone by the time you get back, and have to pay a ransom to get her back.
Something to think about before visiting "Friendly" Nanaimo.

Cite or it didn't happen.
I cannot find a report to verify that any boats have been towed "randomly".

I seriously doubt that anyone away from their boat to go for dinner and drinks at the dinghy dock would return to find their boat towed with no warning.

In 13 pages you haven't mentioned that the responsible boaters formed Nanaimo Harbour Boaters Community (NHBC) and have worked with the HA to make things work.

Seeing the changes coming, some boaters worked cooperatively with the port to make the new rules workable.
The regulations took effect in July and most boaters are in compliance. Others have left the harbour. Enforcement officers started visiting the handful of remaining vessels on Tuesday.
Some boaters who are now in compliance with the rules say the Port Authority should have acted sooner,

more ...

$1 per foot per month? That fee probably doesn't even cover the costs to collect it. It sure as hell is not enough to pay to tow boats or to dispose of derelicts. If you want/need to anchor for a few months to work, $30-50 per month to anchor is not a deal breaker.

Any boat that can pass a CG inspection and has an Transport Canada approved MSD should not have a problem.

While it may not be an ideal solution, rather than bitch about it for pages on end, why not suggest a workable alternative?

I am much more upset about my tax dollars being spent taking out other people's trash than a simple anchoring fee. As you point out, everyone that buys $200 of taxable goods has paid $30 into the system. Perhaps accepting HST receipts in lieu of anchor fees would serve as well?

These whingers are bitching about the cost of simple liability insurance. If they can't afford liability insurance what are they going to do if they damage my boat or a public dock.

To put it into perspective; If you don't have all your paperwork in order and proof of insurance, you don't get cleared into Mexico AT ALL. Why should it be any different for locals in Nanaimo?

If the situation wasn't out of control to start with there would have been no motive for the change.

Randy

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by RHough

Cite or it didn't happen.
I cannot find a report to verify that any boats have been towed "randomly"...

... In 13 pages you haven't mentioned that the responsible boaters formed Nanaimo Harbour Boaters Community (NHBC) and have worked with the HA to make things work ...

Thanks, Randy.

[highseas]

I'm sure many budget conscious boaters look forward to paying $ to drop the hook.Paperwork and insurance is a given,but don't know of anywhere in Mexico where you pay to anchor.

[Brent Swain]

Definitions "Responsible" = "Rich"
" Irresponsible"="Not so rich"
The solution? Go back to the way things have been for the last century.If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
$1 a foot is temporary , until it becomes accepted, then it will be raised drastically, and applied to far more anchorages.
When the private insurance companies refuse to insure a boat over a certain age they, private corporations, decide who may or may not cruise.
What do you do with a boat you are not allowed to use? Abandon it. Where ? Nanaimo would be a good first choice. That should solve the abandoned boat problem! Duuhhh!!!
The people who told me about boats being towed away are not liars.

[Stillraining]

Originally Posted by highseas

I'm sure many budget conscious boaters look forward to paying $ to drop the hook.Paperwork and insurance is a given,but don't know of anywhere in Mexico where you pay to anchor.

Its coming...

[IdoraKeeper]

Okay- Given the depredations of the real estate industry and the potential of having my boat towed away while I am pursuing my Labatts-- How are we going to find out what is going on in Nanaimo? This reminds me of the days in my childhood when Ganges was taken over by roaming motorcycle gangs. Have my dear friends in BC succombed to some kind of nuclear frenzy? Are they acting like their poor neghbors to the south? BC is supposed to be a refuge from madness.

Todd

[Stillraining]

We need a town hall meeting...anything else is just counter productive....no way will a total or even a large boycott happen at a grass roots level Im afraid. People are to mobile, on to short of vacation and just don't give a rip...The "here's my 10 bucks don't have the time to argue see ya later" attitude...

Life is short that's what politicians/bureaucracy bank on.

[Solitude]

Originally Posted by IdoraKeeper

having my boat towed away while I am pursuing my Labatts--

Todd

You don't drink Labatts when your here visiting! Do you?

From every Canadian I apologise....

[rallyman1122]

Originally Posted by Brent Swain

A friend told me that the visitors dock , usually crammed with visiting boats, this time of year, is virtually empty. I wonder of the merchants, who make $millions per year off visiting boats, are getting a little upset yet.

Originally Posted by Brent Swain

The people who told me about boats being towed away are not liars.

Originally Posted by Brent Swain

A friend, who was running a marina with liveaboards ,was harassed by the city of New Westminster to ban liveaboards . He said ' Liveaboards are my security guards . I moor them strategically, so they will notice anyone on the docks. Does the city plan to hire people at their expense, to do the same if I ban liveaboards?"

Originally Posted by hummingway

The head Conservation Officer for a particular district in BC - I won't mention which since I'm talking out of school - once told me there is a law which permits CO's to enter your house at anytime.

Originally Posted by Brent Swain

There are rumours of a tug, which went missing several years ago, having been sunk by a sub from the testing range.
A freind of mine had the bottom of his boat torn out by a sub from the range , who's crew had been drinking heavily before leaving port. He was picked out of the fridgid water, clinging to a propane bottle.
It took many years of court battles and delaying tactics before he got any compensation.

Originally Posted by Brent Swain

A mountie, who used to work in the area, told me they often blow holes in their own boats when the torpedoes go awry. How many leave the range, and become a threat to any boats in the area? They will never say.
Best avoid the area, by sailing due north from Silva Bay , or south from Sechelt, passing well east of the area.

Originally Posted by Brent Swain

The same ex mountie told me that when the first two new 800 hp engines arrived for the RCMP catamarans, the cop below him stole them and sold them.He wanted to charge him, but was blocked

Originally Posted by Brent Swain

Yesterday, I was talking to a friend who knows enough about the law to have sued a large corporation , representing himself ,and won.

Anyone notice Mr Swain has a lotta friends that can tell him things but can never cite any references or sources other than his "friends"

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by rallyman1122

Anyone notice Mr Swain has a lotta friends that can tell him things but can never cite any references or sources other than his "friends"

✓ Indeed, I have. Unfortunately, a not uncommon phenomenon.

[Brent Swain]

Therefore anyone who doesn't have documentation in his back pocket proving it, should regard the holocaust as having never happened?
I've seen police retailition campaigns against people who say what the mounties don't want them to say. I wouldn't want to impose them on any of my friends. Is that why you are asking for their names?

[ahnutts!]

Originally Posted by Brent Swain

Therefore anyone who doesn't have documentation in his back pocket proving it, should regard the holocaust as having never happened?
I've seen police retailition campaigns against people who say what the mounties don't want them to say. I wouldn't want to impose them on any of my friends. Is that why you are asking for their names?

The holocaust? Really? Come on Brent I think its quite a stretch to compare the comments posted above to holocaust denial.

So the mounties are checking the Cruisers Forums looking for names? Wow, I never would have guessed. I better pay my parking tickets.