Are live-aboard's really treated this way?

[Fore and Aft]

I wonder what the situation is in Queensland Australia? Our marina at Tin Can Bay has a few live aboards and you would not even know. Its all low key and the boats are all kept very tidy.
I have seen some live aboard disasters, the worst was a yacht with a domestic upright fridge on the deck and a dinghy tied alongside filled with all his extra junk......

Kenomac I think you would get a good reception everywhere with an Oyster yacht. Its a fair chance that you are not going to turn feral and start to be an eyesore. You may be annoying complaining about the lack of gold plating on the marina taps and no valet parking but you would still be welcome to grace the marina with your presence.

Cheers

[Cpt Mark]

Housing prices have skyrocketed on the west coast and suddenly everyone wanted to and still does want to live aboard. Lot of homeless people with junk boats and their issues. My marina allows 10% (it is not an actual law anywhere I know of but a recommendation by government authorities based on some number someone pulled out of their pooper shoot). But they also have a rule about how much you bought the boat for and you have to show proof. It is their way of keeping the quality of boats up. More money spent less drug, theft issues. They also want you to use your boat, not just let it sit. Of the 200 slips we have, I'll bet less than 25 boats ever leave during the year and it's the same people who use their boats. Given liveaboards a bad name.

[Smokeys Kitchen]

Originally Posted by storx

I am curious if this is how most are treated at liveaboard Marinas. I have been spending some of my free days off from work checking out local Marina's expanding out from the hospital i work at and things were going very well, most places were extremely nice about renting a slip, but the minute I mentioned liveaboard, many the attitude just changed drastically and they didn't seem so interested in showing me more or talking to me more about the Marina. I found that if i ignored the question of wanting to live aboard that i could get much better tours of the Marinas, many i come to find don't allow staying on the boat more than a few days a month overnight.

Anyways, it seems that most want around $650 to $1200 to rent a liveaboard slip, which seems very high since i have spoken to a few who said they pay in the $200-400 range to live at a Marina.

Where are you living/looking to have a slip?

[first wind]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

I'm noticing how you're slowly taking over this thread with multiple defensive posts, which illustrates very nicely to the masses why liveaboards aren't welcome in many marinas. They (but not all) begin thinking of the place (marina) as their own personal property and treating the weekenders as outsiders. The dock and boat deck becomes their personal backyard and a place to store junk, next thing you know tomato plants are being cultivated in the cockpit, their dog is pooping on the dock, and the boat becomes an eyesore.

It's no surprise marinas want to discourage liveaboards.

The live aboard guy next to me in his 40 year old junk heap in Long Beach was all bend out of shape when he got evicted after his German Shepard bit three people who were just trying to get to their boats. A tow boat had to remove his wreck because it didn't have a working engine.

Really? So, I make a few comments after I first read a thread and suddenly I’m the reason marinas don’t like live aboards (although I don’t live aboard )?

Funny

[BigNash]

Bill, thats the worst case of a boat hoarder I've seen!

[captrick2011]

One of the reasons for the no liveaboards, is the marina pays a higher insurance premiums,what we do is have a transit dock.If you tell your insurance company that you liveable they either drop you or raise the price. The other problem from the marinas point has already been stated,in twenty years of running a fuel transit dock I have seen all of the above stated problems.I live aboard myself ,the trade off is I have to be on call 24\7.I plan on retiring after 30 years at same marina and will have start paying for my slip even though I will be available for work when I am docked.

[Dooglas]

Yes, living aboard at a marina in the US always invites some specific additional rules and increased charges. Many marinas limit the number of live aboards or do not allow living aboard. That is simply true, and something you need to be aware of if you are considering living aboard at a marina. All the self righteous huffing and puffing from some here does not change the fact that this is the situation in the US and you should research your options carefully.

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by first wind

Really? So, I make a few comments after I first read a thread and suddenly I’m the reason marinas don’t like live aboards (although I don’t live aboard )?

Funny

Sorry about that, I misread your post.

[storx]

Thank you all for the replies, in regards to some of the questions asked of me....here are some of the answers..

Located: Tarpon Springs, FL

Able to relocate? Need to stay within a reasonable area of Tarpon Springs, FL at the moment, currently work at one of the hospitals, but plan to change hospitals in the near future after my contract here is done, so will be able to move and possibly match a better area with better liveaboard options in the future, since potentials for jobs are very common along the coastline as a Registered Nurse.

What boat do i have? Currently, I don't own, I am doing the research now to determine if its feasible for me and which type of boat would best fit my goals.

What size boat? Right now I'm still deciding, but I'm leaning at the 35+ ft range

[SV Siren]

In my limited experience seeing and dealing with live aboards, being mostly based in Michigan, these posts are spot on.

If you are looking for something close to Tarpon Springs, I spent some time at Twin Dolphins Marina in Bradenton, as a short term live aboard, after buying a boat that was slipped there. There were several others who were long term. Great place, nice facilities with showers and a pool. It was right downtown, you could walk to shops and restaurants, and parking was right there. There are no junk heaps there, and rent was $900 a month for a 50'er, everything included. I believe there may have been a waiting list..FYI.

[taxwizz]

A boat makes a great summer cottage.
It is even close to the water.

[Dockhead]

"Live aboard" means very different things, to different people.


For some people, it means being a boat bum -- a person who lives on a boat because he's lost his land housing. The boat is just one step away from being under a bridge. And the boat looks like that, and might even be unseaworthy or even incapable of movement.


Who wants that in his marina? I wouldn't. So you have to understand the caution of marina owners about "living aboard". If you're like SailorBoy, not "living aboard", but cruising full time, and moving slowly from place to place in a seaworthy and neatly kept vessel, then you're likely to be welcome everywhere.

[MrWesson]

Originally Posted by SVRocinante

Thanks for the recommendation & link MrWesson.
Quick question if you don't mind; looking at the charts, I'm seeing very thin water (for us) some sections of 4-5' on approach to the channel - is that correct from your experience or am I reading it wrong?

Thank you!

There's a clearly marked channel through the river over 12' at all times. I'd say the average is around 17'.

The approach starts about 3 miles from the mouth of the river(center and furthest point down in the picture). I would never attempt to cross the flats even at high tide and I only draft 3'.

[SVRocinante]

Originally Posted by MrWesson

There's a clearly marked channel through the river over 12' at all times. I'd say the average is around 17'.

The approach starts about 3 miles from the mouth of the river(center and furthest point down in the picture). I would never attempt to cross the flats even at high tide and I only draft 3'.

Thank you MrWesson!
I made the mistake of looking for the marina using Active Captain and was looking at their chart, not my Navionics charts!

Thanks again for the clarification and the screenshot!

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by Skip A

I guess we are just lucky in Brunswick, GA. Besides the great treatment from our marina staff (Brunswick Landing Marina, https://brunswicklandingmarina.com/ ) we have three lounge areas with cable TV, two nice laundry rooms, bath houses with multiple showers, a boatyard with lift, free beer and wine during "Happy Hour" at the Yacht Club, plus a bunch of other great live-aboards to associate with.



Not only is the marina great, the town of Brunswick welcomes boaters with food discounts, a farmers' market next to the marina, and a monthly "Old Town" open house for the establishments downtown, with many offering free wine and snacks. We aren't considered "Sailor Park Trash", we're treated like residents of Brunswick, GA, because we are.



I don't work for, nor am I a paid spokesman for the marina.

Brunswick is an anomaly.
The owner determined some time ago to cater to “Cruisers” and has made good money doing so, were it not for the Cruisers that come and stay awhile and later depart, he couldn’t even fill half that Marina with only local boats, there just aren’t many local boats.
He also makes good money off of selling power, which if your not onboard, you don’t use much at all.

I know there are some long term residents at BLM, but they are out numbered I believe by the Cruisers that stop and stay awhile, but eventually move on.

Panhandle of Fl has no problem with “live aboards” but usually does charge $100 or so extra for you to live aboard, covers water usage etc.

However go even as little South as Clearwater and ask about live aboards, and you get a shocked answer. I asked and was told that “We aren’t that kind of Marina, we don’t allow those types in here” then the conversation immediately shifted to the derelict boats in the anchorage and how they would sneak in in middle of the night and leave their trash in the dumpster and take showers etc.
Whole Southern part of Fl, the term live aboard means your that guy anchored out in the 30’ old boat under the bridge that never moves, and they think your either an alcoholic or drug addict.