Sad rant about suddenly losing my slip :(

[a64pilot]

I think I would put my request to stay in writing, offering to pay the difference and maybe even from a Lawyer.
I don't even know enough of US law to comment, much less where you are, but it's just possible that you may make it simply easier for them to take your money and let you stay than to evict you?
Might be worth the cost to ask a Lawyer if you have a chance or not.


Sent from my iPad Pro using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[Lizzy Belle]

Wow, thanks for the support guys!

There are so many angry and unhappy people in the marina now that we decided to go for pizza and drinks last night. That always helps, even if just for a couple of hours
Since April 1 is so close, we're only now finding out how many people found out they have to move or have other issues sprung on them. It's a big mess.

I posted about this whole mess on my blog and low and behold, the new owners responded. Couldn't get them on the phone before, now they asked me to call.

Just spoke to the manager, who repeated "everything was communicated clearly and well in advance" and he doesn't understand why we have a problem.
I explained to him that all that was communicated was a notice on a little notice board by the showers, around Christmas. Lot's of meneal tidbits and a happy "we have a new owner!", and how we could all move around between 5 marinas now. That was all.

Nothing about moving people around, nothing about the new prices -- just a happy notice. Even yesterday I had to explain to a guy who's been living here for years that he had to check his invoice to see if he could stay in his slip or not.

So I asked this manager how and when "everything was communicated clearly and well in advance". He went quite -- he didn't know. He just said "you were all told about the new ownership". Yes, we were. We were also told nothing would change for at least the first year. Doh.

He asked me why I was unwilling to move my boat. So I explained I'm not unwilling to move, but I do want to stay in this part of the marina, where the other liveaboards, internet, showers etc. are. Any slip here is fine with me.

He'll let me know Tuesday, he said. So we'll see I guess. I haven't a clue if the new owner actually thinks anything was communicated - but after upsetting so many people, at least they should have looked into that ..

Side note as to the wifi: I have a wifi antenna, when I plug it in I can see a huge list of networks since we're surrounded by apartments. None of them is open tho. The amount of data and speed I need to work rules out using my phone, sadly. Not impossible, but it would cost me about what I make

[HappyMdRSailor]

Originally Posted by goat

You make your living from the internet, may I suggest finding another marina with good wifi and palm trees

Make some lemonade girl.....

goat

I think Goat's got the right idea!

Mizz Belle...

This too shall work out one way or another... Maybe bumpy and inconvenient for a bit... but it will pass...

Here's a thought... You said there's a ton of wifi networks because of the apartment complex???

Try and locate someplace to post a note in/near the apartments that you interested in paying for somebody's wifi... if sharing it works out for both of you... You get wifi, and they get free wifi... try it out for a month and see if it works...

[Seaworthy Lass]

Originally Posted by Lizzy Belle

Wow, thanks for the support guys!

There are so many angry and unhappy people in the marina now that we decided to go for pizza and drinks last night. That always helps, even if just for a couple of hours
Since April 1 is so close, we're only now finding out how many people found out they have to move or have other issues sprung on them. It's a big mess.

I posted about this whole mess on my blog and low and behold, the new owners responded. Couldn't get them on the phone before, now they asked me to call.

Just spoke to the manager, who repeated "everything was communicated clearly and well in advance" and he doesn't understand why we have a problem.
I explained to him that all that was communicated was a notice on a little notice board by the showers, around Christmas. Lot's of meneal tidbits and a happy "we have a new owner!", and how we could all move around between 5 marinas now. That was all.

Nothing about moving people around, nothing about the new prices -- just a happy notice. Even yesterday I had to explain to a guy who's been living here for years that he had to check his invoice to see if he could stay in his slip or not.

So I asked this manager how and when "everything was communicated clearly and well in advance". He went quite -- he didn't know. He just said "you were all told about the new ownership". Yes, we were. We were also told nothing would change for at least the first year. Doh.

He asked me why I was unwilling to move my boat. So I explained I'm not unwilling to move, but I do want to stay in this part of the marina, where the other liveaboards, internet, showers etc. are. Any slip here is fine with me.

He'll let me know Tuesday, he said. So we'll see I guess. I haven't a clue if the new owner actually thinks anything was communicated - but after upsetting so many people, at least they should have looked into that ..

Side note as to the wifi: I have a wifi antenna, when I plug it in I can see a huge list of networks since we're surrounded by apartments. None of them is open tho. The amount of data and speed I need to work rules out using my phone, sadly. Not impossible, but it would cost me about what I make

Lizzy, I hope the management reconsider. There is a reasonable chance this will happen given the adverse impact moving would have on your life.
I add my support.

SWL

[valhalla360]

I'd wait to see what the manger comes back with but I would be checking on other marinas and internet options.

If they come back with no change and you can find a decent alternative marina, I would try telling them, you want to be let out of the contract because you accepted based on retaining your current slip. Not sure if it will stick legally but they might or if they see money walking away, they might decide to let you keep the slip for another year.

[a64pilot]

Did you Let him know that you would pay the extra price they want for the slip? It's the Wifi you need to work, and without it, no work?
The fact that your working, willing to pay, will I think hit a cord.


Sent from my iPad Pro using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by HappyMdRSailor

...

Here's a thought... You said there's a ton of wifi networks because of the apartment complex???

Try and locate someplace to post a note in/near the apartments that you interested in paying for somebody's wifi... if sharing it works out for both of you... You get wifi, and they get free wifi... try it out for a month and see if it works...

Great idea.

Make sure and use a 5ghz connection (preferably AC), since a lot of traffic in one place will be causing interference problems, on top of your other problems. For that you might need to buy the apartment-dweller a router, but that's a small price methinks.

Sent from my SGP521 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[Lizzy Belle]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

Did you Let him know that you would pay the extra price they want for the slip?

Yes, but they didn't even bother to give me a quote, they just said "these are the new rules, they are not up for any discussion".

Anyway, been talking to a few other liveaboards and I have found a solution that would make 2 currently very unhappy people (me and another liveaboard) very happy. Now we just have to convince them to accept it ...

The problem with finding a new marina is that very, very few allow liveaboards. And our new owner now owns 3 of them ... There aren't many places for us to go, sadly.

[sailormed]

Originally Posted by Lizzy Belle

Y........ and I have found a solution that would make 2 currently very unhappy people (me and another liveaboard) very happy. Now we just have to convince them to accept it ...

Putting 2 small boats in 1 slip for a big boat ??/

[Lizzy Belle]

Haha! We've actually done that once during winter Funny but also a little inconvenient, 3 boats in a 2 boat slip

The other guy has a huge boat, and he needs every inch of room he currently has to get out of his slip. He needs the slip across from his (currently empty) to get out of his.

So he was hoping I'd be willing to take that slip (which is only a few slips down from my current one) cos with me in there, he should have just enough room to manouvre. And I have no problems moving my boat a little to give him some more room (if only cos he can crush me haha). Anything bigger then my boat, and he's locked in ....

And I just learned that the smaller boats (6-9 meter) that are there can stay, so there is no reason why they wouldn't allow me to take that slip, as the whole new "minimum 13 meters" reason fails for these slips.

[Ribbit]

UGH! Bad news, sorry to hear it.

"Vodafone sells 3G unlimited prepaid internet access on your cell / mobile phone for € 9,50 / month. It’s called “Zorgeloos Internet”, which translates into “Carefree Internet”. "

3G prepaid internet access in Holland | The Laptop Junction

Would a 3G connection tide you over?

PS. Just catching up with the thread, and just a +1 for goat's idea. Sunshine, cold drinks, cheaper living, great wifi connection . . .

I think you'd be spoiled for choice tbh.

PPS With the money you save, if you don't have one already, get a spare laptop for work . . . .

PPPS. If you haven't got a spare, if you are anywhere on my way back from America, I will have an upgraded Asus Netbook on board that's hardly used. 2gb ram, fast 500gb hard drive, been great backup for me, but I am getting a new laptop in USA and won't need it then. If you make it to Cape Verde on your way to the Caribbean, I can drop it off with you. First EU waters I stop in, will be UK (to get the VAT paid). I think you are being given a hint to take LB to the Caribbean . . .

[Lizzy Belle]

I use, on average, 35GB / week, just for basic work. Which is why I opted for the wired internet here.

And yes, moving to where there be coconuts would be great, but being a single mom I have to wait a little longer before sailing away ... My kid is an adult now, living with his father, but due to a lot of issues I'm not posting on a public forum, I need to stick around and help financially and other things.

[Ribbit]

Originally Posted by Lizzy Belle

I use, on average, 35GB / week, just for basic work. Which is why I opted for the wired internet here.

And yes, moving to where there be coconuts would be great, but being a single mom I have to wait a little longer before sailing away ... My kid is an adult now, living with his father, but due to a lot of issues I'm not posting on a public forum, I need to stick around and help financially and other things.

Ahhh 'nuff said.

I hope it all works out well anyway.

[s/v Jedi]

You can take your wired internet and connect it to an Ubiquity locoM5 and point that to wherever you end up and have another M5 that will give you an Ethernet port again.

[Lizzy Belle]

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

You can take your wired internet

No, I can't

The cable is connected to a box on the dock, each slip has one. You plug in for electricity & internet.

Where they're sending me, there is no internet available. Nothing to connect to. See pic: the wired network runs from the office (red marker) along the jetty.

Everything on the left side has one entrance (!) and is just one long, long jetty. It's connected to land with one gangway (near the office).

The one jetty on the right is separated by bridges, and has it's own entrance and access system.

They can't figure out how to wire that part of the marina and connect it to the network since it's set apart from the rest of a marina - separated by water:

A - current slip
B - new slip
Green line: slips which can plugin to wired internet

So when I leave my current slip, my cable is unplugged and they disable wired internet until whomever gets that slip pays to activate it. He then plugs in his cable.

That whole U-shaped bit around my current slip is where most liveaboards are.