The controversy over "Captain Jay" continues

[Rakuflames]

I've heard these kinds of comments made in town, even in boating organizations:

Gulfport's Photo of the Week: "Freeloaders" Statement - Gulfport, FL Patch

[Pete7]

Can't help but feel that characters like Capt Jay are going to spoil it for everyone else, even after all the hard work put by an army of volunteers to help him out.

Perhaps it will take regulation and permits to acheive a sensible standard of behaviour of yachties to all those who live nearby.

Pete

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by Pete7

Can't help but feel that characters like Capt Jay are going to spoil it for everyone else, even after all the hard work put by an army of volunteers to help him out.

Perhaps it will take regulation and permits to acheive a sensible standard of behaviour of yachties to all those who live nearby.

Pete

There's one issue here that sticks in people's craws. Florida does not have an income tax. Its major sources of income are hospitality taxes -- high taxes on places like hotels; property tax; and sales tax.

I live in a marina and pay rent, so I pay property tax indirectly. In addition, I get hit with the hospitality tax. I don't think that's right (how can I be both resident and visitor?) but that's how it works. But the people who live "on the hook" pay no property taxes at all. Others sometimes see that as a "free ride."

And unfortunately there's no way to know who is "hanging his transom out" for his "morning constitutitional," as a post that was here but disappeared so colorfully put it ... but we're all painfully aware now that "cap'n Jay" did not have facilities for himself on his boat and clearly did not handle animal waste responsibly either. But many locals believe this of *all* live-aboards.

I guess the Coast Guard actually has the responsibility for checking boats' sanitation systems, am I right about that? But they seem to be universally resented when they stop a boat, and I know a police officer can't pull my car over and search it just because he or she feels like it.

I don't know what the solution is, but I know that feelings are running high in Gulfport. Reports of the state of "captain Jay's" boat confirmed the critics' fears.

[Pete7]

Similar to the diving world but attitudes have thankfully changed in many places with sayings like:

"Leave only bubbles and take only photographs"

Pete

[sailorboy1]

I don't undrstand the connection between the photo and "Capt'n Jay"

[Pete7]

I think it's one of the locals showing a bit of sarcasm but its painting all those anchored with the same brush.

Pete

[zeehag]

sounds like a very boater unfriendly town. not likee anchoring--change the laws, just as all the lil municipalities are changing federal laws at their own whim and for allegedly ridding the bays if derelict boats and folks receiving limited incomes.
tis only a few ruin it for all

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by Pete7

I think it's one of the locals showing a bit of sarcasm but its painting all those anchored with the same brush.

Pete

That is a common belief in Gulfport, that all live-aboards out in the bay have living habits similar to "captain Jay's."

[zeehag]

by continuing to focus attention on the man, you are legitimizing his mission. there is no controversy here--there is just a guy who cannot afford to live. you dont know his situation or from where he gets dough or even if he does. why do you legitimize the focus on on eindividual.
what is it YOU want to have done about the alleged problem of folks on boats not able to make a living on their retirement or disability funds???

[Dulcesuenos]

Fwc handles accidents and wildlife investigations, CG should be handling sanitation and environmental but unfortunately its not glorious enough to make it into the headlines or be on their new show coming out. So like so many other things they rarely make point of checking sanitation systems . I for one did not help remove the boat I am thankful there are those who will help "sailors in a predicament " Jacka$$ jay is not a sailor and the best way to have handled his situation would have been imho a dumpster. How long now until none of us can be allowed no more than a few nights stay on the hook anywhere due to pieces of crap like him

[Dulcesuenos]

Originally Posted by zeehag

sounds like a very boater unfriendly town. not likee anchoring--change the laws, just as all the lil municipalities are changing federal laws at their own whim and for allegedly ridding the bays if derelict boats and folks receiving limited incomes.
tis only a few ruin it for all

this used to be a very "Boater friendly" town at one point I think that's the controversy here.

[Bluewaters2812]

Originally Posted by Pete7

Can't help but feel that characters like Capt Jay are going to spoil it for everyone else, even after all the hard work put by an army of volunteers to help him out.

Perhaps it will take regulation and permits to acheive a sensible standard of behaviour of yachties to all those who live nearby.

Pete

I don't know who "Captain Jay" is but I have the distinct impression he deserves to be castigated for what is said he has been doing. I do have a concern and this is conveyed in the response I posted on Gulfport patch:
Gulfport's Photo of the Week: "Freeloaders" Statement - Gulfport, FL Patch

[Bluewaters2812]

Originally Posted by Pete7

I think it's one of the locals showing a bit of sarcasm but its painting all those anchored with the same brush.

Pete

I agree with you Pete. There are paedophiles in Gulfport but that doesn't make everyone there a paedophile.

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by zeehag

by continuing to focus attention on the man, you are legitimizing his mission. there is no controversy here--there is just a guy who cannot afford to live. you dont know his situation or from where he gets dough or even if he does. why do you legitimize the focus on on eindividual.
what is it YOU want to have done about the alleged problem of folks on boats not able to make a living on their retirement or disability funds???

I live here, and there is most definitely a controversy. And, he is not just a guy who "cannot afford to live." You don't know who I am, or who I know, or what they have been through, but suffice it to say that I have known other people who anchored out because it was all they could afford, but they disposed of their personal waste appropriately, their boats did not have rats, and they did not leave animal waste on deck or neglect animals in other ways.

What I did for one such person was show him how he could use his boat knowledge to improve his situation.

One does not have to have a lot of money to pick up their dog's poop and dispose of it properly when they come ashore. There are bins all over town just for that.

This isn't about me. It's about a boat-related problem, and where this is playing out is clearly similar to how it is playing out in other places, although that post has already been pulled (I didn't see anything wrong with it, but I'm not a moderator).

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by Dulcesuenos

this used to be a very "Boater friendly" town at one point I think that's the controversy here.

In fact the town's logo includes a sailboat, and it has a large, well-run municipal marina as well as two "yacht clubs" (I use quotes because they aren't the upscale organizations one often thinks of as a "yacht club").

I don't know what the answer is. The Coast Guard gets no funds from this town and the only motivation they have to check the boats is that it's supposed to be within their scope of actions. And, unfortunately, in the past law enforcement has often included the police knocking on people's boats at 3AM for no discernible reason -- as I say, something it's illegal for them to do on the roadway.

Jay's isn't the only problem boat.