Hobos Afloat

[Blue Crab]

Originally Posted by Kettlewell

I've studied Florida's boat issues a lot, and the vast majority of boats left at anchor are actually not homes for anyone but just boats stored by someone living ashore who wants cheap storage for a project. The "hobo" living aboard gets all the blame for what is actually a problem caused for the most part by citizens of the community, paying their property taxes and what not, but not taking care of their boats.

Yup, same here. As I mentioned earlier, of the 19 boats in the Town Creek anchorage right now, only three are occupied. And while on the cluttered side, the 3 wouldn't cause real concern anywhere beyond the sewage issue. Of the other 16, 5 are already on the beach for good, the last 11 are waiting for the next storm. They all do go on the beach and a day or two later, get towed back out. The beached boats were all derelicts occupied by "bummish" guys before abandonment.

[Kettlewell]

For the record, in 35+ years of cruising I have never been run into by a dragging "bum" boat, but I have numerous times been hit by boats worth much more than mine, in several cases causing damage that the owners of the big boats refused to do anything about. And I have helped rescue many more dragging craft, in many cases more valuable than mine. The dragging bum boat phenomena people worry about is pretty rare in my experience.

[Blue Crab]

We had a ~60' transient powerboat pull the Town Creek dock apart awhile back. As boat and dock headed for the beach, it pretty much took all the moored boats with it. No bums to blame for that one.

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by boatsail

Why is he homeless, but a cruiser who moves not homeless?

Just saying, we don't call a cruiser homeless.

That's the part that doesn't make sense to me. Clearly he isn't homeless. I don'r think he has AC, but I grew up without it not only in Florida but in an area that could get horrendous heat waves, far worse than any Florida summer. I'm not saying the guy is nefarious in any way. He probably saw no reason to explain that bureaucratic decision, but I'm curious about it.

[nimblemotors]

Originally Posted by rebel heart

4 knots of current, crap visibility, and probably 20 of these gems laying about in a busy bay. Hauling up anchors isn't a joke either, especially in current and chop which is normal here.

It is the kind of thing one must adjust to in Mexico. In the US, you expect some government agency will come and fix/repair/correct things.
But there is no such thing, there are no taxes collected to pay for it/them.

But the funny thing is that things still work okay like this.
Individuals must take it upon themselves to fix something if important to them,
and/or find others to assist.
While not ideal, I much prefer this environment to the nanny/police state of the US,
and having to working 1/3rd of your time to support them (i.e. taxes).

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by nimblemotors

It is the kind of thing one must adjust to in Mexico. In the US, you expect some government agency will come and fix/repair/correct things.
But there is no such thing, there are no taxes collected to pay for it/them.

But the funny thing is that things still work okay like this.
Individuals must take it upon themselves to fix something if important to them,
and/or find others to assist.
While not ideal, I much prefer this environment to the nanny/police state of the US,
and having to working 1/3rd of your time to support them (i.e. taxes).

Who in the US expects that? Not anyone I know.

[sailorchic34]

Originally Posted by Rakuflames

That's the part that doesn't make sense to me. Clearly he isn't homeless. I don'r think he has AC, but I grew up without it not only in Florida but in an area that could get horrendous heat waves, far worse than any Florida summer. I'm not saying the guy is nefarious in any way. He probably saw no reason to explain that bureaucratic decision, but I'm curious about it.

From the viewpoint of most city governments, leastwise the ones I know, all anchor outs are homeless. Full time cruisers would be in that classification, but since they move about, the city governments think they are land dwellers on vacation.

All the anchor outs in Richardson bay off Sausalito are considered homeless. It's that no fixed address thing.

[boatsail]

So if I own a house in town and anchor next to them(the homeless) every single day, it's ok, because I'm a guy hanging out on my boat spending most if not all of my time there, but I have an address, so it is ok?

[Kettlewell]

When my son was born (20 years ago) in South Carolina the social service people showed up one day in our marina to check on our "household situation." I asked why, and they said it was routine if someone didn't have a street address. It is getting more and more difficult to do things like get a drivers license or vote if you don't have a regular street address. In the minds of some land-bound bureaucrat many liveaboards are considered homeless, I'm sure.

[Bash]

Originally Posted by CaptForce

We display anchor lights at night.

There it is: the great delineating line between the real sailors and the rest.

[Boatguy30]

In St Augustine, you can't get the resident liveaboard mooring rates unless you also own property in the county. A strange wrinkle as they stole almost all the good anchoring areas in town limits for moorings. If you've been living aboard here for say 20 years and want a mooring you're a non-resident unless you have a property on shore.

[sailorchic34]

Originally Posted by boatsail

So if I own a house in town and anchor next to them(the homeless) every single day, it's ok, because I'm a guy hanging out on my boat spending most if not all of my time there, but I have an address, so it is ok?

That is it exactly! Your not homeless if you own a home on land. Even if you don't live in it most of the time.

[Blue Crab]

Originally Posted by Boatguy30

... St Augustine stole almost all the good anchoring areas in town limits for moorings. .

Originally Posted by Rakuflames

Exactly. Choose where you anchor.

Oh wait...

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by Group9

I just came back two years ago from a year long sabbatical on my boat, where I was constantly being questioned by people, who seemed indignant that I was sailing while they were working.

One of my goals in life is to make a bunch of people indignant for the same reason.

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by CaptForce

My viewpoint, and not to be proposed as what should be acceptable by all, remains centered on safety and availability of anchorages. I have no concern for taxes paid or disabilities,- boom tents or plots of sod,- type or age of vessel, - or even frequency of sailing or motoring from one place to another. My only concern is that the vessels and their owners should not risk others. This means proper anchoring or mooring, a good visable anchor light and a degree of upkeep that keeps the boat from breaking apart, sinking or being abandoned. These are the things that allow for me to welcome my neighbors in the anchorage.

Yep.

What is happening here is different definitions of a bum. It is a pretty wide grey area between the black and white ends.