SF Bay marinas with liveaboards

[dmksails]

I'm thinking of bringing my boat down to the bay next year and am looking for recommendations for marina's that take liveaboards.

[JPA Cate]

Liveaboard slips are hard to find in the bay area; it is a place where housing costs are very high, as well. Marinas that allow liveaboards are limited to 10% liveaboard occupancy. You might want to check the archived information here on CF, there was a thread about this last year. There were hints about how to approach the marina personnel, as well.

Ann

[Steadman Uhlich]

Originally Posted by dmksails

I'm thinking of bringing my boat down to the bay next year and am looking for recommendations for marina's that take liveaboards.

Many suggestions and comments in the many threads on this same or perennial issue or question.

Take a look at the following threads. Good luck.

https://cse.google.com/cse?cx=011403...ard&gsc.page=1

[gamayun]

If you have a permanent address some place else, talk to them about their availability for a transient slip. I hear some might allow that for as long as a year. No guarantees and it helps to show up in person. If you don't have any one place you need to be located, this could work nicely for 3 or 4 months at a time at different marinas. You'd get a nice flavor of the bay region.

[markpierce]

Yeah, start as a "transient." We had one transient at Vallejo that was allowed to berth for over a year while the wife recovered from injuries.

[LoudMusic]

How long does "live aboard" typically suggest? What if you're making your way north and just want a dock for a few weeks to a month in the bay?

[snort]

Just curious about the Vallejo Municipal Marina. How was that?

[gamayun]

Originally Posted by LoudMusic

How long does "live aboard" typically suggest? What if you're making your way north and just want a dock for a few weeks to a month in the bay?

Totally transient...as long as they have slips. Some places are quite full with boats.

[gamayun]

Originally Posted by snort

Just curious about the Vallejo Municipal Marina. How was that?

I've always stayed at the Vallejo Yacht Club right next door, but the Municipal Marina looks good and it was recently dredged. If you don't have a car, it could be a little hard because that area is somewhat isolated, but Lyft is your friend there and the ferry is within easy walking distance.

[sailorchic34]

Another nice thing with transient slips is it's many times no more or even a bit less then slip and liveaboard fee. Plus it lets the harbormaster get to know you and your boat. It's actually a great way to work into a liveaboard slip.

Marina bay has a fairly low transient slip rate at 0.50 cents a foot. Actually less then slip, liveaboard fee and electric costs. Of course transients are docked on F dock, known locally as the getto and it looks it (docks are a bit rough). Though nice on land, park setting with a few restaurants in walking distance. The hood (#3 in country) is across 580. I was there 3 years and had no major issues. A Benz had it's exhaust system stolen twice and more smash and graps (a problem everywhere now).

Petaluma marina does not officially allow liveaboards, but oddly they do sometimes. They only have a part time harbor master (3 days 4 hours a day) now. They also have a slight silting issue with less then 34" of water depth at MLW in the fairways (less in some slips on A/B dock). Plus it's 20 miles from china camp/ point san pedro. San Pablo bay is a bitch to cross most summer afternoons too.. But no liveaboard fees, Not last i checked anyway...

Loch Lomond might have a liveaboard slip or two, but it's one of the more expensive ones, and you have to trudge up the narrow San Rafael channel.

Valleyjo has slips, least the last time I was by. More of a don't ask don't tell there, same as petaluma Alas the hood is across the street in vallejo Single lady clerk in the harbor office.

Of course calling nearly never works. You have to drop by, ideally with the boat for a few days.

[DennisRyan]

Another municipal viewpoint. The municipal marina in Marathon, FL will rent moorings ONLY to liveaboards. The logic is that liveaboards spend money in the local community. Restaurants, bars, liquor stores, Home Depot type stores, marine parts and service businesses, etc, etc.

This is versus boats on moorings with no one aboard = wet storage. Those boaters add virtually nothing to the municipal community.

Frankly, I think Marathon's model makes more sense for any city.

[captlloyd]

Originally Posted by LoudMusic

How long does "live aboard" typically suggest? What if you're making your way north and just want a dock for a few weeks to a month in the bay?

I would never use the words “live aboard” in a marina I was inquiring about. Transient is the word, until you and they get to know each other. You can ask about a weekly rate, and then a monthly rate. The idea is to ease into these things. It is as stated before a very good idea to do this in person and if you look like Alice Cooper clean yourself up a bit to give yourself a fighting chance. If you are not on your boat bring a picture. African Queen boats need not apply.

[akprb]

Originally Posted by captlloyd

I would never use the words “live aboard” in a marina I was inquiring about. Transient is the word, until you and they get to know each other. You can ask about a weekly rate, and then a monthly rate. The idea is to ease into these things. It is as stated before a very good idea to do this in person and if you look like Alice Cooper clean yourself up a bit to give yourself a fighting chance. If you are not on your boat bring a picture. African Queen boats need not apply.

“African Queen boats need not apply” that’s funny!

This is what I found with the perennial question “can I find a slip for my large catamaran?”

Never call ahead.

Do exactly as everyone here suggests. With the cat I would simply pull in and pirouette just off the fuel dock chatting with the attendant.

As soon as they see you, the fact that you’re calm and not hitting everything in sight they will generally (always in our case) find a spot for you.

I learned this off of West End Bahamas where I called ahead as was informed there were no slips available for a 50’ Cay with 27’ beam.

We anchored offshore (no pleasant) and took the dinghy in. The place was close to deserted. From then on I vowed to only seek forgiveness from there forward :-)

A little off topic, thanks for indulging and best of luck finding a slip!

[alansmith]

I live in vallejo. As said earlier, Vallejo has gone through a major restoration of docks and silt removal. It is quite a slug to get down to SF against the prevailing wind. Prices are cheap compared to like Sausalito. Also one of the best repair yards for DIY is at Napa Marina which is not that far away.

The entire San Francisco Bay Area is controlled by an agency that monitors live aboard spaces. I am not sure ... but I've heard... that the fines can be quite stiff for the Harbor Master if they get caught being loosey goose.

Some people play the game of moving their boats around on east bay like Richmond, Alameda, Berkeley. Etc.

[Drift Woods]

Originally Posted by DennisRyan

Another municipal viewpoint. The municipal marina in Marathon, FL will rent moorings ONLY to liveaboards. The logic is that liveaboards spend money in the local community. Restaurants, bars, liquor stores, Home Depot type stores, marine parts and service businesses, etc, etc.

This is versus boats on moorings with no one aboard = wet storage. Those boaters add virtually nothing to the municipal community.

Frankly, I think Marathon's model makes more sense for any city.

I'm at the Marathon marina now. The live aboard policy has a lot more to do with sinking boats. We drove home to Ft. Lauderdale for two days this week to take care of personal business. We had to ask our mooring neighbors to watch the boat as per the marina.