Clean Marinas and Liveaboards

[stuffinbox]

I have in the last few months been docked in a Clean Marina facility and as time passes been made aware of the restrictions that go along with leasing a slip in this expanding association. I know, I read the lease agreement, and having kept boats in the area for more than 25 years I guess the mindset was that all slip rental agreements are all about the same. Wrong. I looked up the Clean Marina website and sobered up quickly realizing that my idea of "maintainance" is no longer acceptable. I have always kept a clean bilge, used pumpout facilities, and never dropped paint or chemicals in the water. I have however polished stainless, done brightwork, and hired divers to clean running gear. I am not sure in the long run if I can continue to keep my boat up to the same standards as I have in the past if I'm required to haul for the things that I normally do in the slip. As A liveaboard with the intent to go on an extended cruise I never included these expenses. There are alternate marinas in my area and when the lease is up I'll find a temporary alternative. I would like to hear from anyone else who has had to change the way they keep their vessel and how they intend to continue to live the lifestyle.

[GordMay]

Good point stuffinbox; we should always understand
what we are signing up for [for what we are signing up?].

The “Clean Marina”, and other programs, may be more (or less) stringent and onerous than we might have otherwise supposed.

The Clean Marina Initiative is a voluntary, incentive-based program promoted by NOAA and others that encourages marina operators and recreational boaters to protect coastal water quality by engaging in environmentally sound operating and maintenance procedures. While Clean Marina Programs vary from state to state, all programs offer information, guidance, and technical assistance to marina operators, local governments, and recreational boaters on Best Management Practices (BMPs) that can be used to prevent or reduce pollution. Marinas that participate in the Clean Marina Program are recognized for their environmental stewardship.

More info’:
NOAA Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management : Clean Marinas

And for instance:
The Florida Clean Marina Program
Clean Marina Programs| Florida DEP

Florida’s Clean Marina Guidebook:
http://www.dep.state.fl.us/cleanmari..._Guidebook.pdf

Clean Boating Habits:
Including
Hurricane Preparations
Petroleum Control – Fueling
Petroleum Control – Bilge Oil
Boat Cleaning - In the Water
Boat Cleaning - Exotic Plant/Sealife
Boaters Impact on Plant/Sealife
Solid Waste Management
Florida’s Clean Marinas & Boatyards
USCG Operation On Guard
“Household” Hazardous Waste Management
Fish Waste Management
Sewage Facilities Management
Mooring Field
Gray Water
Minimum Required Safety Equipment
GOTO:
http://www.dep.state.fl.us/cleanmari...itsBooklet.pdf

[jpssailing]

Its really sad . I have watched Marinas close and sell to build condos and the ones left must get any insentive to stay profitable! I own waterfront property and rent slips I am clean that is I dont alow people to throw stuff in the water period. But thats it come on. The world is getting crazy with this stuff the ones suffering are the small crusers and big companys like the one next to my property have loopholes by the hundred. So move your boat thats the great part of boating till they wreck all the fun spots there is still alot of places keep on trucking. Support global warming more areas to sail!

[Just a Tinch]

What I find truly amazing is that the EPA and all the rest think that all the environmental damage is being done by bottom paints, etc.... Seems none of the "eggheads" are around when the waterfront condo lawns are being sprayed with tons of persistent pesticides, and fertilizers being spread by the truck load....much less when city sewer plants overflow when it rains, and all of it runs directly into the water....via storm drains or creeks or rivers or canals or whatever.

I guess its easier to hang blame on people who aren't well organized to fight back.

TBT was some wicked stuff....but according to a number of sources "the jury is still out on the detrimental effects" of TBT.

[gonesail]

Originally Posted by Just a Tinch

Seems none of the eggheads are around when the waterfront condo lawns are being sprayed with tons of persistent pesticides, and fertilizers being spread by the truck load ... much less when city sewer plants overflow when it rains, and all of it runs directly into the water

you are preaching to the choir tinch .. I have witnessed a huge raw sewage leak in my area and know that it would take 10,000 live aboards to do what it did in a single day. now days the EPA just about bans everything about a boat: the fuel the paint and anything that might fall or flow out of it

[jpssailing]

Hey folks! It is like this, where can the Feds get money....... from boaters .! Who has miles of lawyers to protect them Bussneses and Condo associations. The problem is the non boaters dont see what they do as harmfull but pooping in the wateroOOoOOOOOOOOO thats not nice. The Navy and the shipping industry uses antifouling paint that will kill fish from a mile away ( kidding ) but there is no comon sense to the regs for yachtsmen now they are planning to implement the same regs that big ships use as far as wash down and overboard disposal. Check it out ! Things are getting past crazy . Its important to voice your concern to your senators and those that are fighting thease things in your area here we just kinda get lost.

[fstbttms]

Educate yourselves, people. The State of California has a program in the works whereby marinas will be required to carry a permit regulating discharges from all sources of pollution that occur in the marina (much like boatyards are now) and from all indications it is a done deal, to be up and running by next year. What this means is that marina staff will be required to be dock-walking police, making sure that boat owners, topside detailers, mechanics, divers etc. are following whatever rules the marina feels compelled to enforce. Worst case scenario- activities like in-water hull cleaning could easily be banned on a marina-by-marina basis. Talk to your harbormaster to find out what he/she knows and let them know your feelings on the matter.

[jpssailing]

Wow , Well Im glad Im 50. Had a lot of fun and fond memories of owning boats. Glad Ill be gone when they make it completly safe and non threatining .

[GordMay]

In the Las Olas Isles area of Fort Lauderdale, several years of research by the City and County pointed to the high concentration of live-aboard boats as a major source of fecal coliform. The City passed two ordinances aimed at reducing inputs of sewage into this basin characterized by low flow and poor circulation.

The 1993 ordinance required property owners to provide access to restroom facilities for their live-aboard tenants, and/or to maintain a pump out contract with a mobile pump out operator.

When this ordinance failed to reduce the fecal coliform concentrations, another ordinance was enacted.

The 1997 ordinance required each land owner, who allowed habitable boats to moor at their docks, to have marine sanitation pump out facilities installed. All habitable boats were required to be hooked to the pumps while at the dock (whether occupied or not).

Once significant compliance with the ordinance had been achieved, fecal coliform concentrations in the Las Olas Isles began to decline.

[boatpoker]

After years of closing the public beaches to swimming, Toronto finally did some DNA testing and found that the high fecal contaimination that caused the closings were from geese. We have so many geese in parks along the waterfront that I no longer take my grand kids to any of the waterfront parks. Lets kill all the geese

[Tropic Cat]

Here in eastern Central Florida we have the same concerns. The folks on our "Marine Council" clamor about boats not using their holding tanks and flushing directly into the lagoon as a major source of pollution.

Interestingly, a recent study was done by the St. John's Water management District (the governing water agency here). The study concluded that increased pollution was the result of unrestricted real estate development before the 'bust'. Every new subdivision built was allowed to allow water run off to flow directly (or indirectly) into the Lagoon.

Incredibly, people ignore this report and target boaters instead as we are easy targets. No one in government is going to take on a Real Estate Developer (or the government agency which issued the permit) when they can point a finger somewhere else.

One more comment. You have to look around real hard to locate pump out facilities in these parts and there have been no projects specifically aimed at giving cruisers access to 'facilities'.

[Bash]

This harbor seal pup showed up in the slip next to mine a couple weekends ago, its eyes still closed and its umbilical cord still attached. My guess is that it had been born that morning. Note that its front flippers still reflect its fetal position, as do the folds on its belly.

Marinas here in California were far more toxic ten years ago than they are now, and will be even less toxic a decade hence. In my opinion, a bit of inconvenience and extra expense is worth it if makes the marina habitable for species other than just Homo sapiens.

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by Bash

Marinas here in California were far more toxic ten years ago than they are now, and will be even less toxic a decade hence. In my opinion, a bit of inconvenience and extra expense is worth it if makes the marina habitable for species other than just Homo sapiens.

Nobody debates that cleaner marinas are a good thing. It's the method by which we achieve that that we should be arguing about. For instance, if copper exceeds federally madated levels (and it does all over the state, even in SF Bay), then the no-brainer is to eliminate copper from bottom paints. But no, the State, in all it's wisdom, has said we do not plan to ban copper. Instead, we'll make the marinas and marine service providers responsible for reducing copper by reducing or eliminating services to the boater. Meanwhile, the copper still leaches out of the bottom paint 24/7 while the boat is in the marina. Go figure.

[jpssailing]

This is a hot topic . And one that reflects the typical response to a problem make a blanket ruling. As stated in other threads the problem needs to be looked at on a case by case basis. No one that I know wants to damage the planet evan if global warming will give us more areas to sail... kidding .... du thats why we go out and buy boats to be in the enviorment . But when the powers to be make general rules and pass them across the board we need to fight it. If a marina is filthy due to discharge than make those discharging libal not those that dont live aboard>........ Then how about alternative systems being made available or at least make pump outs less complicated so we can use them. Im pretty sure that folks in Rvs dont dump on the road and I have an Rv and I can find and pump out anywhere in the country within 20 miles of where I am usualy .

[stuffinbox]

I for one have seen the bays and beaches in my area turned around in the past 20 years. The fisheries management has renewed and improved redfish stock and will no doubt do the same with red snapper. But when it comes to waste management for boaters or runoff from facilities we are treated as red headed stepchildren. Slip fees certainly allow for marinas to upgrade to at the slip waste hook up or in the least poop boat service at reduced prices for members. In my marina owners just completed 50+ new 55'-65' floating slips but have so far failed to repair the damaged pump out station put out of service by hurricane Ike...it does not take too much thought to see where priorities are. The state needs to mandate that these upgrades be made for the future not paying for inspection of individual recreational vessels. If a large marina does not provide an easy access pump out station, waste oil and battery disposal, and containers for paint and chemical recycling they should be the target of law inforcement and not the boater.