Liveaboard Fees - again

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

Yes, I’m bored as well

But to do as you say would require a more intricate and detailed infrastructure for measuring exact usage. This would drive the costs higher compared with applying simple, but arbitrary, rates.

So yes, it would be more fair, but everyone would likely be paying more. Sounds a bit like cutting off your nose to spite your face … but it would be “fair(er)."

Funny that even the backwoods of the Bahamas has marinas that can manage to have metered power, water, and trash disposal.

In the US I've seen the same plus having totens you have to buy to use for the showers. And this was at an expensive marina.

[wingssail]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

the only "fair" way is a pay for the slip you take up and for each service you use

YES!

But as many have said, marina's have no interest in fairness, only how much they can get away with and some think that if you even raise this issue they just want to get rid of you. Nice folks.

[wingssail]

Originally Posted by redneckrob

...If you're restricting your comments to only publicly owned marinas then certainly you have every right to demand the elected officials be held accountable for explaining their decisions...

...I would fully agree that I wouldn't, if I owned a marina, justify live aboard fees based on it costing the marina more. I'd justify it, as I did in my post, as basic micro, and as long as there are more people looking for slips then there are slips in desirable areas, slips are priced based on that demand and cost has nothing to do with it...

Then we're in agreement.

[john61ct]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

So how far have you moved to know what options are available in various areas?

Of course you don't move before you have all the information you need.

There are so many ways you can gather it too, modern times and all.

[john61ct]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

I already have said the fee is "because they can".

I really can't understand why you are obsessing about that point.

Yes it's true.

But it is not important.

Your parents did you no favour raising you to think there is much "fair" in the world.

[Capt Phil]

We lived aboard in a private marina in San Diego for over 10 years on two different boats and became good friends not only with other live aboards but the marina owners and staff. There were a number of rules that we found hard to live with at first but when they were explained to us, they did make sense.
We ran a delivery business out of both boats and never had a problem. We used an off site mailing address but used the marinas physical address for everything else, including government communications( my wife was applying for US citizenships the time so having a physical address where we lived was a necessity).
I don’t recall what the upcharge was for liveaboard status but it was nominal.
I recall having a discussion with one of the marina owners on the subject and remember him saying that live aboards provide security to the other live aboard as well as the facility as a whole and was very much in favor of them. He was a real nice guy but noted that responsible live aboard were difficult to find and the marina owners association to which he belonged were, as a group, not in favor of allowing live aboard.
Sound like a few bad apples were spoiling the life style for the rest of us!
Although we moved shoreside a few years ago, we still have many friends who we met living aboard that we still socialize and stay in touch with to this day.
My advice is to live responsibly, be courteous and help out marina owners where and when you can... it really paid dividends for us in the long run.

[redneckrob]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

Damn, let me just roll on out of here to the place that that doesn't charge the fee.

The point is NOT whether some places don't charge the fe, it's what is the fee for? So far it isn't for:

- extra electric
- extra water
- extra service
- extra amenities or service

near as I can tell it's for
- some extra trash (trash is empty on Friday and full on Monday morning so who really is putting in most of the trash)
- walking on the dock boards more often

I already have said the fee is "because they can". Some far lots of people have come on posted with the empty storyline that is given, but it never really holds up.

Actually lots of people have said that "because they can" is the basis for all economics and no other reason is needed. That last part seems to be what you're unable to accept, no other reason is needed!

[sailorboy1]

I'm glad the thread is finding a true internet forum purpose of allowing people to argue a non winnable question. Even if only to agree, but doing so in some superior manner.

[Belezar]

So Sailorboy1, I assume you resent taxes for schools if you don’t have kids and for roads you don’t drive on?

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by Belezar

So Sailorboy1, I assume you resent taxes for schools if you don’t have kids and for roads you don’t drive on?

I completely fail to see the topic link. Are you just t-wording?

You don't need to respond to me as I'm not going to see it.

[Dignity too]

we have the same in some marinas here in the UK, less so in Europe, but its down to greed, shareholders and profit.

[TCM1968]

My problem is not with the live aboard fees, it is with the narrative that live aboards are undesirable users of marina facilities, or sub par humans with trashy boats and therefore the fee is imposed in an effort to discourage them from renting a slip in that particular marina. This makes absolutely zero sense. Why in the hell would I want to discourage the customer that is willing to pay as Sailorboy had previously mentioned up to 40% more for the same slip than the weekend user. Because of the added burden to staff??? If I'm paying staff x$$ for x hours of work a day you would think I would prefer to have my slips filled with boats that pay less for the space because that will allow my staff to sit on the asses more during the work day??? The real answer to the fees certainly do not have anything to do with added burden on facilities and or staff, they are simply because they can. And they can because live aboards are the ones more likely to accept the added costs, although not without complaining about them on the internet. Because quite simply they live on their boats and they typically require or just want more amenities where they stay. Or as in my case and contrary to the false stereotype of live aboards being broke homeless people, I have a job and am just as limited to where my boat is as anyone who buys a house near where they work. As far as the people who just pay to basically store their boat and use it occasionally they would be more apt to move their boat elsewhere if saddled with the extra cost for amenities they don't much use anyway.

Those that complain about marinas where live aboards have unseaworthy boats with laundry hanging all over the boat etc, etc, etc... are blaming the wrong group of people. Those people are there because those marinas don't have rules or don't enforce them. Blame the marina owners not the users, or do as others have advised the live aboards who don't like the added fees and move somewhere else.