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CaptainTurtles · 24-08-2012, 09:26

I've been throwing this around a couple of different places but it goes over the heads of most people I've told as they're not part of the cruiser life. Just wanted to vent a little here and get a little feedback, opinions, share some stories to hopefully make me feel a little better!

My husband and I are liveaboards, have been for some time. We've been at our current marina for roughly a year, and a couple of months a go we had a new owner take over the place. The previous owner didn't do a very good job of up-keeping the place so the new guy had a lot on his hands when he took over.

Owner, let's call him Bob gets his buddy who owns a boat here, we'll call him Jim, to become the marina manager. Jim moves onto his boat and begins work fixing the docks.

A couple of weeks in and Jim has finished building the first new dock, which is going to replace where our boat is. So they move this big concrete sailboat whilst the owner (liveaboard) is in work, and they move the rest with the help of the owners, and then they ask us if we could raft up to the concrete boat for the night. This is Sunday night, we move, they tell us we can go back to our spot Monday night. Fine.

Monday night the dock is in but there's no cleats for us to tie up to, or anything for that matter. So we stay where we are until they put something in for us.

Wednesday night, husband and I come home from work to see that Jim has moved his boat into our spot!! We were both gobsmacked. I should point out now, that we had the outside spot in the marina because 1. We're a 42" sailboat that can't get into the tighter inside spots and 2. We're the ONLY boat in the marina that regularly goes out. In being here a whole year not one other boat has left the marina once.

I'd also like to point out right now that Jims sailboat, is a sailboat without a mast, and as far as I know, an engine, as he hand bombed it around into our spot. That thing is never ever going anywhere.

That night was pretty heated, Jim came over to us and in his own words told us "I built that dock, I have the biggest boat, I pay the most moorage and I'm the marina manager, I'll pick wherever I want. I wanted that spot so I took it".

Phone calls and meetings with the owner followed. With a bunch of excuses like "the piling was leaning over onto his boat so he had to move it and he wouldn't fit anywhere else" and then eventually "he just made a bad call". All of which ended in us settling on the deal that he'll fix the leaning pilings within a month and will move back to his spot, and we'll get ours back.

And I'd also like to point out that since then, we've had to squeeze in and out four times for weekend trips. Barely making it in and having a bit of luck as two other boats were out (from the marina next door) allowing us more room to manoeuvre, both of which are back now, though. We were also kind enough to move again for them to bring in another new dock, and ended up rafting onto Jims boat for a night.

So, the month is up in a couple of days and they haven't even looked at the pilings yet. Jim is too busy fixing up his mighty Titanic to even be fixing the docks like he's paid to do the last two weeks, and my husband and I are busy looking for a new marina as it's clear Bob and Jim aren't going to keep to their words.

Sorry for the length, I tried to keep it as short and to the point as possible. What do you guys think? Is it just us or is this completely disregarding any kind of boating etiquette? Of which, by the way, Jim has none.

Jetexas · 24-08-2012, 09:35

My marina hasn't repaired the docks that got messed up in Hurricane Ike three years ago. They now only clean the bathrooms once a week. I've had three sets of zincs burn off since January because they won't fix the shore power.

Sadly, when I looked at the one down the road to move, it was just as bad.

I've seen very few marinas managed well.

Cheechako · 24-08-2012, 09:40

THAT'S A PRETTY RUDE EXPERIENCE FOR SURE... I would be pissed for sure... down here you rect an actual slip number.. not so up there? If they leased you an actual slip number, take pictures, while you are looking for another marina, just stop paying moorage...?

ohdrinkboy · 24-08-2012, 09:41

Might be bad etiquette, but chances are if you stay your life will be made difficult. I'd move on and not look back. OR suck it up and not complain. You might be able to win your old spot back, but long term you will lose the war of frustration that Jim will heap on you constantly.

bloodhunter · 24-08-2012, 09:50

Hey Cap,
Think you're wise to move since even if you get your spot back you'll never get much joy from the marina management.
Don't know how the rules are in Vancouver but here in the Chesapeake I have contracted for slip F8 at my marina and unless I agree to move that slip is mine.
Before we bought Enchantress seven years ago, we had a Tartan 37 at the same marina but in a smaller slip with a narrower fairway for getting out. exciting Getting our 46-foot Enchantress in and out of the slip was very exciting, especially for the boats on the other side of the fairway. But there were no bigger slips available just then and as Bob, the marina manager, explained he couldn't just move the boats without their woeners' agreement. Fortunately the next season a much bigger slip opened up and we've been there ever since.

Bash · 24-08-2012, 10:04

I can't imagine why you'd want to stay in a marina where no one else sails.

WebWench · 24-08-2012, 10:06

Sounds like a bad situation going on at that marina....you will be better of getting out of there if you can. Do you have a long term contract?

Unfortunately when the owner does not exercise control and fairness when it comes to his employees it usually leads to a mass exodus with the business suffering. Seems like they have forgotten that the CUSTOMER is king!

BouyCall · 24-08-2012, 10:44

Whats a set of zincs and wat happened to them

CaptainTurtles · 24-08-2012, 10:49

Thanks for the replies everyone.

The slips aren't numbered/marked or anything there's no contract to say "Slip B1 is ours" and it's just a month to month payment thing, so once we find a new place, we can skee and daddle. My husband has mentioned withholding some payments until it's fixed, he was especially pissed at the fact we were rafted up for four nights for these guys whilst "Jim" was stealing our spot. I asked him not to bring that up YET, I just think that things could get even uglier when money gets involved. Once we have another marina lined up I'll let the hubby loose to say whatever he wants!

We're on a couple of waiting lists and one is sounding very promising that we'll hear back from next week, we've even contacted the marina next door and are waiting to hear back, wouldn't that be a kick in the teeth for Bob?

And Bash, yes it's pretty strange. 8 powerboats, a houseboat, one other sailboat and then Jims mighty Titanic. Boy you guys would get a kick out of that boat..

Celestialsailor · 24-08-2012, 12:34

Reminds me of Moss Landing, Ca. I came in one time to find a fishing boat in my slip. The policy of the harbor was if that happens to move to another slip. Hence there were always people in everyone else's slip. I was pissed and moved his boat 2 slips over to an end-tie. The harbor rat came zooming up in the harbor boat screaming bloody blue murder. I moved on within a year.
I would drop a dime on the EPA. Osha, and the fire department for various non-conform if you see any. Anonymously of course...and just before you leave. The new owner has not figured it out yet that the Titanic is a deodorant from other would be lease holders.

**Hudson Force** · 24-08-2012, 12:58

We were long term liveaboards at a marina years ago that was sold and the new management was offensive to the slipholders. People left in droves; the marina lost money for about a year before they sold again; the new owners brought back a rapport that allowed for some recovery, but it's still far from full. Bad management usually fails.

**Dockhead** · 24-08-2012, 13:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bash

I can't imagine why you'd want to stay in a marina where no one else sails.

+1

And the whole story makes me glad that I'm not in a marina at all anymore.

When I was in a marina, however, like other posters here, I had a contract for a specific spot, and such shenanigans would have been a violation of the contract.

mrohr · 24-08-2012, 13:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by CaptainTurtles

Thanks for the replies everyone.

The slips aren't numbered/marked or anything there's no contract to say "Slip B1 is ours" and it's just a month to month payment thing, so once we find a new place, we can skee and daddle. My husband has mentioned withholding some payments until it's fixed, he was especially pissed at the fact we were rafted up for four nights for these guys whilst "Jim" was stealing our spot. I asked him not to bring that up YET, I just think that things could get even uglier when money gets involved. Once we have another marina lined up I'll let the hubby loose to say whatever he wants!

We're on a couple of waiting lists and one is sounding very promising that we'll hear back from next week, we've even contacted the marina next door and are waiting to hear back, wouldn't that be a kick in the teeth for Bob?

And Bash, yes it's pretty strange. 8 powerboats, a houseboat, one other sailboat and then Jims mighty Titanic. Boy you guys would get a kick out of that boat..

You are correct,wait until you have a new location before getting into a major hassle with the marina; there is a saying in Africa : "one does not insult the crocodile until one has crossed the river! Cheers.