Why Do Marinas Seem to Hate Liveaboards?

[Brav]

I don't own a boat yet, but have been planning.

I searched locally in So-Cal, and some marinas clearly state they can only accept so many % live-aboard, and the primary reason I found was due to zoning. If the marina is not zoned for Residential, then they can't have very many liveaboards, and is completely out of their control. Wait lists are available. I suspect that most cases are similar, maybe some having preference of the owner (private, city, county, etc?).

[AmericanVagrant]

Originally Posted by Brav

I don't own a boat yet, but have been planning.

I searched locally in So-Cal, and some marinas clearly state they can only accept so many % live-aboard, and the primary reason I found was due to zoning. If the marina is not zoned for Residential, then they can't have very many liveaboards, and is completely out of their control. Wait lists are available. I suspect that most cases are similar, maybe some having preference of the owner (private, city, county, etc?).

From what I understand, that cap you're referring to is statewide. I've never come across a marina anywhere from SD to the Bay that doesn't have a limit of 10%, some zero. There are however certain marinas that are more inviting to sneak-aboards than others (for example Leeward Bay Marina in Los Angeles)....even more so if you're willing to live on a mooring ball (for example America's Cup Harbor in San Diego).

Docktown Marina in Redwood City is finding out the hard way the repercussions of lax enforcement policies. They are being shutdown after residents of a newly built condominium complex took them to court. The argument? Exactly what you said, that land isn't zoned as residential. They won, and now the residents of Docktown are being forced out.

Docktown is home to some "boats" which are literally houses built atop floating platforms. It's actually a really cool community, a shame to see it go...but with that said, it's not hard to see why:


Save Docktown Marina | Redwood City, CA 94063

[S/V Elusive]

Originally Posted by AmericanVagrant

From what I understand, that cap you're referring to is statewide. I've never come across a marina anywhere from SD to the Bay that doesn't have a limit of 10%, some zero.

There are THREE Marinas in SoCal (that I know of) that support a live aboard rate of 50%+. Two in San Diego (actually Chula Vista and National City), and one in Ventura Harbor.

I live in the one in Ventura Harbor. I've now lived aboard for 20 years on this boat. I can't imagine any other way of life. STILL have too much 'stuff' on board and hardly ever take the boat out. --- Never found the right lady to go cruising with and probably won't.