Overly Strict Marina Rules? Or Am I Just New to "Premier" Marinas?

[Lake-Effect]

Originally Posted by AKA-None

Are those [common courtesies] too hard to figure out?

... yes, if this thread is any indication.

I'm a DIYer, and I belong to a club that allows DIY, except for some activities in the slip itself. We have a work dock for pumpouts, fuelling, and other work. Last year a member, tweaking his rigging in his slip, dropped his mast by accident, and it missed hitting our boat, directly across from him, by 2 inches. There are pictures.

I'm still thinking the OPs marina is being reasonable In terms of protecting the majority of their clients.

[gittist]

Sounds like a few Home Owner's Associations (HOA) I've heard about.

[AJ_n_Audrey]

Is the marina in Florida, by any chance? I'm in a very nice marina in North Carolina, and there are no such rules, though about four years ago they kicked out all the liveaboards. My advice is, stay low key with your work on the boat, and see if anyone says anything. If not, all is well. Otherwise, I guess you'll need to anchor out to do work or find a new marina.

[SailingOblio]

There is nothing worse than coming back to your $300,000 sailboat to find your neighbor has dusted your deck with fiberglass or teak. I had a commercial fishing boat drop rusty crap on my deck after a blow. It stained my deck.

[gonesail]

we have a big powerboat at my dock .. they go fishing .. the crew mill about at 3:00 in the morning and start engines soon after that. big engines. if you were asleep .. you aren't anymore. but they leave quickly and are good folks so nobody complains.

[Rumrace]

I think the amusing part is business men playing marine mechanic. They don’t have the tools skill set and their return on investment is better off with professionals.
Yes we maintain coddle our machines. We touch up the teak polish glass etc. It’s the guys that take it too far at the dock.
Boatpoker told me not to toss my air conditioning that it probably just needed parts. It’s under the dinette sucks up tons of space. Seems someone stuffed something in there and broke a connector on a pipe.
Snuck the parts in the boat during the middle of the week. Was a cold miserable week and my teak is faux. I’m sure I broke the rules. I had a friend of a friend check it out and charge it. I think another rule “no unauthorized yada yada “
For Sale signs are a Nono.
Surveyors always check into the office.
When you rent space you are legally obligated to provide security and safety. Anyone with a power tool on a dock puts this at risk.
My son called me asked if I had big pliers to take a collar off a Toyota gas tank fuel pump of hit it with a big screwdriver. I told him to push down on the pump and turn the collar by hand. I would not like to know it was okay for my son to work on a boat motor near my boat. Hit a gas tank with a screw driver.

[billdomb]

Got one thing for that snooty-tooty marina:

Up yer hose with a rubber nose.

Sayonara and don't git any on ya.

[chasfgr]

The answer is to not use a marina.


They are becoming boat parks for landlubbers and an increasing number will not let you work on your boat.


Vote with your keel, find a small yard, which allows some latitude, but eschew marinas (unless you have bottomless pockets.

[rslifkin]

Originally Posted by gonesail

we have a big powerboat at my dock .. they go fishing .. the crew mill about at 3:00 in the morning and start engines soon after that. big engines. if you were asleep .. you aren't anymore. but they leave quickly and are good folks so nobody complains.

That's always a challenge with early departures. Even with a quiet boat it's hard to be quiet enough early on an otherwise quiet morning. Pretty much the best you can do is to talk quietly and try to avoid needing the engines above idle for maneuvering.

As far as everything else, my marina/yard is pretty reasonable. Don't make a mess of any of their stuff (ground, docks, etc), don't make a mess of anyone else's boat, contain sanding dust, no open flames and be reasonable with noise. Within those bounds, work on what you want either in the water, in the yard, or even in the big storage building.

[Carlr]

Simple reply…personally I would not want to be docked next to or near a boat being worked on. I like to enjoy my own boat even when not traveling. The noise and other disruptions would chase me out.

[Martinini]

MARINA'S DO WHAT THEY WANT WHEN THEY WANT! No one regulates marina's in the USA. That is a Fact I learned the hard way.

[Nani Kai]

There are marinas out there that will let you work on your boat as long as you respect their facilities and show consideration for your neighbors.

Don't know where you are located in Virginia but Deltaville, VA has a number of marinas and boatyards that are cruiser friendly. In fact the entire town is supportive of mariners of all stripes. Great hardware store there as well as a West Marine. Also a number of professional repair facilities and manufacturers reps for repair, parts and consultations.

If you can get your boat there you will find a different welcome.

Good luck.

[Ndavies]

Unfortunately its a sign of the society we live in - give an inch and many will take a mile. its way easier to enforce "no boatwork".

[PirateBarnabus]

The marina that I'm currently in has just introduced an awesome policy.

"No kids and no dogs"

Life is good guys, life is good.

[Mike OReilly]

Given some responses here, some seem to want a "mandatory sailors' whites" proper yacht club. While others (me included) like a more down-and-dirty yard.

Good thing there's a range of places out there. Although, for the record, it's all pretty much "down and dirty" in the places I've mostly gone.