Liveaboard: who's making these rules?

[sailorboy1]

I recently stayed on board 5 months at a “no live aboards allowed” marina. It really comes down to the marina manager and boater responsibility.

Of course while I have lived full time on my boat for over 4 years, I am not a live aboard. I am a cruiser who has stopped a while at a location.

[sailjumanji]

For ten years we had our cat at two different, very nice private-owned marinas that allowed liveaboards. I got to know many of them and those were really nice people. Some had plans of cruising adventure, others were basically floating apartment dwellers. And there were a minority that had boats that were not seaworthy, had trash covered finger docks, air condition ducting strewn across the deck, the dog crap, etc. Albeit there were rules against this, in one of the marinas the owner instead decided to end all liveaboard leases. Basically not worth the headache of enforcing rules, extra bathrooms, trash pickup and parking, etc. Both were private marinas - so you cant blame the prohibition on government.

[SalingSue]

Originally Posted by psk125

Supply and demand. People are willing to pay more for nice slip space with pretty boats instead of run-down docks with tired derelicts.

Most of the really iffy boats I see are the ones bought by some non boat type, doesn’t set foot but a few times a year, who just keeps paying the slip and a small reef starts to form on the bottom, these are also the boats that tend to cause issues during storms, or catching on fire, etc.

[kchace]

In the NE where I boat many (most?) marinas do not allow liveaboards at all.

Ken

[Alawaiorion]

Here in Hawaii there is the same rule about number/percentage of liveaboards. Yes it is a problem when people think it's a cheap way to live and make it difficult for the rest of us. As others have said the infrastructure (parking, showers, bathrooms, pump out, security, etc.) are more utilized by liveaboards and so there has to be a limit as to the number of liveaboards. Over the years I have seen when the harbor master turns a blind eye to "sneak aboards" the derelicts increase in numbers along with the crime. Currently the harbor is strict and the atmosphere is so much better.