Is it right and fair to live aboard a vessel that cannot navigate?

[Jammer]

For over 100 years there have been those who live aboard boats that have no means of navigation. Shantyboats, "Boathouses," liveaboards, etc. In many cases the inhabitants are poor or marginalized individuals and families.


The present-day situation may involve an older power yacht with runout engines or a sailboat with an inoperative or missing rig (and no usable auxiliary). There are borderline situations where a boat can perhaps navigate under extreme unction, runout engines temporarily brought back to life, outboards fitted on ersatz brackets, vessels towed by their own dinghy.


Are these people misusing the marinas, moorings, and anchorages? Or do you see them as fellow (but infrequent) travelers? Do they appropriate an unfair share of limited mooring space? How much navigation must a vessel be capable of to be "OK" in this regard? What of those individuals who have retired from cruising simply by remaining stationary?