Why Marinas Hate Liveaboards - Part II

[crashkahuna]

Here in Hawaii the state marina at Ala Wai is now doing something right IMO by requiring a basic inspection at no charge (mainly nav lights and flares) of all boats yearly and a buoy run where the boat has to go out channel and return and proof of liability insurance. Liveaboards are allowed but no stuff on docks like bikes. On the older non-floating docks people were allowed to build some pretty extensive lanais in front. There are a lot of old boats in this harbor (mine included) and some not looking real good but hopefully at least basically seaworthy.

[MoonlightShadow]

The worst looking thing about my boat is the owner. When he pops his head out of the hatch, it seriously diminishes the aesthetic appearance.

[Bergovoy]

Originally Posted by crashkahuna

Here in Hawaii the state marina at Ala Wai is now doing something right IMO by requiring a basic inspection at no charge (mainly nav lights and flares) of all boats yearly and a buoy run where the boat has to go out channel and return and proof of liability insurance. Liveaboards are allowed but no stuff on docks like bikes. On the older non-floating docks people were allowed to build some pretty extensive lanais in front. There are a lot of old boats in this harbor (mine included) and some not looking real good but hopefully at least basically seaworthy.

ala wai mai allow liveaboards but it is a three year wait...

[swagman]

Originally Posted by terabika

Back several posts someone had one about regulations and it AMAZES me that people care aboout folks hanging clothes out! I am no enviro nut but jeeze folks, hanging clothes out is such a peviel thing to go on about. If Global warming an dpolution and all that is SO important, and we cannot even modify our lives enough to hang clothes out to dry, we would surely be doomed...if global warming were true ;-) Personally, I find looking at obese people far more objectionable..of which we had the highest rate here in USA..now overtaken by the brits.SOLAR POWERED CLOTHES DRYERS (clothes lines for you who went to government schools and need help figuring it out) FOR ALL!! CHEERS!

Certainly seems to be more wider people around today, but from Most Overweight Countries - Obesity Rates By Country seems it is Mexico now in the lead.

Mexico – 69.5%
U.S.A. – 68%
New Zealand – 62.6%
Australia – 61.4%
U.K. – 61.4%
Ireland – 61%
Iceland – 60.2%

Cheers
JOHN

[Inkwell]

A pink gin sounds good.

[trinescape]

Iam the secretary of a club and i can tell you the main problem we have is the junk some not all liveaboards accumilate on and around there boats if they took pride in there boats and there pontoon then i couldnt see any issues with liveaboards but like the saying goes it only takes a few rotten apples to spoil the barrel which in our case the future possible banning of liveaboards from our marina, which i personally feel would be a bad thing as there presence often halts theft and vandalism - andy

[MoonlightShadow]

Awww Swagman, that's burst my buble again.

As a live-aboard who is slightly overweight (he emphasises: slightly ), I have not found too many problems from Marinas. As long as you keep your head down and don't clutter the place with junk, they seem OK. No-one has actually ever asked me if I am a live-aboard in a marina, but thats usually because I dont stop too long in the same one. My home berth is a small affair with about 30/40 boats and there are four live-aboards at present. No one seems to particularly care if you are a live-aboard here, but they probably would if we started doing anti-social things like hogging the facilities, making a mess of the place and cluttering it up with stuff. We all get on fine together.

If you stood at the head of our pontoons, and looked at all the boats, you would not be able to see who the live-aboards are - I think that is perhaps the key to the issue.

[MoonlightShadow]

Originally Posted by Inkwell

A pink gin sounds good.

LOL. Sorry, don't have any aboard.

[Bergovoy]

the hanging to dry out clothes probably isnt the issue it is the hanging and leaving things out 24/7.. rugs, blankets, tarps, under garments....

again, the point that is constant is the consideration to those around you... you may not care if you look at somones junk flying, but they may not like looking at yours...

[cuthbert]

Originally Posted by Randyonr3

.. Many liveaboards like to make the dock their home and in the process, collect crap.... out to the parking lot around the second car that dosent run....

I live aboard part time half a year (was full time) and think that it really is the parking lot that defines eyesore, taking liberties etc.

My definition of a crap boat may be someone elses seasoned traveller. So I'm always mindful that there may be a reason that the wind generator is running noisily when shore power is present or how someone can be in a slip and never move yet never need a pump out (some boats must have REALLY BIG holding tanks). It may be that many owners are PhD candidates in material science and are conducting a long term study in stanchion rusting due to the abscence of 30 mins with polish twice a year. Many of these things elude my sensibilities and thats part of the joy of the sailing life, but the parking lot I can measure objectively. If POS cars are parked in a prime spot and never move, never cleaned, just an eyesore, I have a fair idea of the character of the owners and the marina, so does everyone passing by who knows nothing of sailing.

P.S. Pet peeve, (most notable in southern california) guys in the washroom shaving who run leave the water running all the time while carefully getting the grooming just right. What is that about? Compensating for finite supplies on board? Arrrgh!

[terabika]

If you didn't have time/$ to do it right in the first place, when will you get the time/$ to fix it?"

I do not care about that, All I know is I am going sailing nowinstead of $$/time later...even if ... Just teasin :-)....although there have been times when I have jury rigged some beautiful things to get "out there"..and I have yet to be severely bitten in the backside for doing so...besides, whilst "out there" there are many times when being able to "improvise" comes in quite handy :-)

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by cuthbert

P.S. Pet peeve, (most notable in southern california) guys in the washroom shaving who run leave the water running all the time while carefully getting the grooming just right. What is that about? Compensating for finite supplies on board? Arrrgh!

I've seen (on multiple occasions) guys going about their ablutions in the marina restroom while completely nude. That's going a little too far, IMHO. You may liveaboard, but this ain't your bathroom at home.

[clsailor]

As a live aboard and a marina manager I can see both sides of this question. Most marinas are leery of liveaboards because they feel that they are the bottom feeders of the marine life. They do not take
care of their boat and expect the management to provide everything for them. They think that they are not responsible for their own lives. As a manager of a marina that encourages liveaboards we pre-screen all applicants to make sure that they are not the former. The owner of this marina feels that responsible liveaboards are a benefit to the marina and advertises this in his brochures. This is the same in any community.

[ReMetau]

We have been living aboard in Florida going on 6 years now, and we find that most marinas that allow liveaboards do screen. We try not to spend too much time at any one marina since we like to move and cruise. When looking for a marina, we often will show up in person instead of calling around.

Originally Posted by clsailor

As a live aboard and a marina manager I can see both sides of this question. Most marinas are leery of liveaboards because they feel that they are the bottom feeders of the marine life. They do not take
care of their boat and expect the management to provide everything for them. They think that they are not responsible for their own lives. As a manager of a marina that encourages liveaboards we pre-screen all applicants to make sure that they are not the former. The owner of this marina feels that responsible liveaboards are a benefit to the marina and advertises this in his brochures. This is the same in any community.

[callmecrazy]

Originally Posted by clsailor

As a live aboard and a marina manager I can see both sides of this question. Most marinas are leery of liveaboards because they feel that they are the bottom feeders of the marine life. They do not take
care of their boat and expect the management to provide everything for them. They think that they are not responsible for their own lives. As a manager of a marina that encourages liveaboards we pre-screen all applicants to make sure that they are not the former. The owner of this marina feels that responsible liveaboards are a benefit to the marina and advertises this in his brochures. This is the same in any community.

this is truly a pathetic way of thinking... I guess if one or two people do something, then "they" all must do the same thing, right?

I understand screening people to meet your social qualifications, thats your prerogative... but you are clearly defining "liveaboards" as a single class, or social group that should not only be judged, but monitored for acceptance... It's not about being "bottom feeders", it's about not making as much money as your greedy palms would prefer. You are the problem.