More Georgia Law

[Rhosyn Mor]

am interesting discussion;
Private marinas should have the right to allow or disallow liveaboards as they choose. My personal view is that if one lives in a country (State in the US) where living aboard ones' vessel is considered illegal, and one wishes to be a liveaboard, then perhaps moving to an area which allows such practices is the best thing to do.
If we as a community think that we have any economic clout whatsoever then we should put that clout to good use, if we have no clout, then there is little that can be done. Historically sailors have refused ( perhaps disinclined is a better word) to band together to fight for the good of all sailors. Until such time as that occurs we will not have the political clout that other groups may have. The one major recourse we have is to take our business to a place that welcomes us.

[Captain Bill]

I just looked up the GA liveaboard law and it is even worse than I had understood. First the 30 days is in a year, it doesn't have to be consecutive days, so someone spending the night on their boat 16 weekends a year would be in violation. There is also no provision for the 30 days being in GA waters, so a cruiser passing through GA is in violation if they have been on board their boat more than 30 days in the past year. The state says it is enforcing the law on any boat not anchored in a designated anchorage as well as in marinas. Is anyone aware of an officially designated anchorage in coastal GA?

This law would seem to violate federal law in the same way that the Stuart Fl anchoring law did before it was overturned. I suppose they'll eventually get around to screwing with a lawyer on his boat and then it will go to court and be overturned.

[VERTIGO]

Dear Sir,
I am writing in regards to the “No Liveaboard Law” for boat owners in GA. Currently states that you cannot live on a boat for more than 30 days out of the year. Under the current law I cannot even spend every weekend on my boat in GA.
I do understand the initial intent of the law to get derelict boats out of the GA waterways but believe this law grossly missed its intended mark. I am currently Active Duty Army and working towards my retirement dream of sailing on a live aboard with my family. The “ideal” situation would be to purchase the boat 2 years prior to retirement to learn and get the feel of being a liveaboard. If I live at a Marina, I use all proper facilities at an accredited Marina should I be a criminal. Is this a criminal act? My family consists of Myself, Wife and one Son, combined household income of over $100,000, we currently contribute a lot to the State of GA and would like to continue to be a law abiding citizen in this State.
There are several Cruising forums on the internet that discuss this issue and 99.9% are great law abiding people that in the end find GA to be “hostile” towards their community and so chose to just bypass it as a state of protest. These are not criminals or “bums” most are either retired or have saved a long time to live a dream and would contribute Millions towards the economy each year. Look towards SC or FL or for that fact any Coastal State in America other than GA as prime examples, are cruisers ruining their States or Coastal waterways? If “we” are the only State with such a law are the other States wrong and GA has it right?
I am not a fan of people who put forth a complaint without a solution. To me it is very simple: If a boat is going to be in GA waters more than 30 days out of the year it must slip in a Marina. Marinas must have proper facilities to have liveaboards stay at them. I boat a lot in Savannah now and can tell you that the people you chase away are not your problem boaters. If you allowed liveaboards it would financially benefit the State and be a direct financial contributor to solving the derelict boat problem you currently have.
I will not break the law, but will move forward with my plans. If need be I will put in a transfer and move my family out of the State so I can live out our retirement plans without becoming a criminal. A simple rewording of a Law could bring in as well as keep Millions in the State of GA.
Very Respectively,

[Mule]

Now send it to all the newspapers in GA and try to get on TV. Politicians only respond to public pressure. BTW what in the hell are the marina associations, boat brokerage, boat dealers, marine supply and their trade associations doing about this situtation? It is their bread that the butter is being withheld from. Send that well written post to the aformentioned also.

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by VERTIGO

Dear Sir,
I am writing in regards to the “No Liveaboard Law”

EXCELLENT idea, and letter!
I suggest you edit for punctuation.
Don't follow my example, but add "some" commas, etc., where appropriate.

[lorenzo b]

Boats require a great deal of attention and money to maintain if they are to remain viable and useful as boats, that is to say a vehicle for getting from point a to point b across water in a hopefully pleasant manner. It has been suggested that it costs about 10% to 20% of a boats value to properly keep it up on a yearly basis. So if you have a boat valued at $100,000 you can expect to spend at least $1000 a month on upkeep. Ask around if you don't believe me.
People who live on boats at marinas mostly do so because they think it's a cheap way to live. Rentals at marina slips are nowhere near the rent on an apartment in the condos across the street from the marina. The problem is that people so cheap that they choose to live in 150 sq ft of space with 5' headroom, no windows or heat, and a bathroom and kitchen you can barely squeeze into are also too cheap to haul out their boat, paint it, and do all the other expensive tasks necessary to maintain that boat. After a few years of this the repair bills far exceed the value of the boat, the people who saved all that money just walk away leaving a piece of trash at the dock.

[VERTIGO]

do so because they think it's a cheap way to live

I completely disagree, there are those yes, but I think the person that buys the $100,000 boat is a poor example. Maybe a person that buys the $2,000 boat that was never meant to be a liveaboard. I also think that would be the marina's call as to allow a substandard boat docked as a live aboard, I think that was a horrible generalization.

[VERTIGO]

GordMay I knew I was never going to be a writer, I already sent it, but will touch it up before sending it to any others. Thanks

[lorenzo b]

I'm really discouraged y'all ain't rising to de bait.
Some people fish with dynamite.

[Vasco]

I try to skip Georgia in my boat although I have met some very nice shrimp fishermen there and the marina at Brunswick is very nice. ICW is too windy there.

[Rayallyn]

Trying to get people wound up is not always a good thing. Many of the less than 25,000/year folk have dreams of getting out of this crappy system they are locked into. I am not threatening here but that stick of dynamite might somehow find it's way under your boat.
My grandfather tried to stop the wealthy from taking over the fishing docks for a yacht club and someone wired dynamite to the ignition system on the family fishing boat.

[bstreep]

I'm sorry you already sent it - I'd REALLY push the "Active Duty Army" thing - serving our country and all. That one ALWAYS works.

BTW, thanks for your service.

[lorenzo b]

Yo Rayallyn
I didn't mean to get you all riled up by suggesting that all people who live on sailboats are cheap hobos and I'm sorry if you took it that way. My people are German and we are often misunderstood and maligned. Sometimes just in casual conversation folks recoil from me. Was it something I said? My body language? Maybe it has to do with the lack of vegetables in the diet or growing up playing with sharp sticks. Seems like I'm always trying to explain myself and apologizing.
Not having been born in this country and being a naturalized citizen, I am perplexed when native born Americans rail about the lousy system and how bad things are. Have you traveled much in the third world? I highly recommend it. Try taking your $25000/yr to India or Guatemala. I myself am hoping to return to Indonesia and settle down if my boat gets me that far, it's the most amazing place I've ever been.

[Rayallyn]

loreno b,
Relax, figure I'd get at ya rising to the bait post. Though the dynamite thing really did happen. Don't think the wealthy yachters had anything to do with it. It was more like a developer with ties to the mob or something. Anyway, the wires were very well exposed and easy to spot as soon as you stepped onboard. Gramp moved the because I was ready to start WIII and figured I'd end up dead or in prison.

[VERTIGO]

STATE OF GEORGIA

OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR

ATLANTA 30334-0900

Sonny Perdue
GOVERNOR

August 24, 2009

Dear Staff Sergeant Stephens:

Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts regardingGeorgia law pertaining to derelict boats. I appreciate your concerns.

So that this situation can be addressed to your satisfaction, I encourage you to discuss your ideas with your state legislators. Should you need their contact information, it is available from your county board of voter registration.You can look up any bill under consideration by the Georgia General Assembly by going to the legislature's website at http://www.legis.ga.gov/.

The members of the General Assembly in your district can actually sponsor or vote on legislation on your behalf. When such legislation reaches my desk for signature, I will give very careful consideration to the concerns you have voiced.

It is always good to hear from my fellow citizens, and I appreciate you making me aware of your interest in this matter.



Sounds like a general blow off to me, still putting out more letters though. Will post as I recieve responses.