Why Marinas Hate Liveaboards - Part II

[Captain Bill]

Originally Posted by eyschulman

What about a real estate tax on liveaboards same as home owners have to pay? Maybe based on reverse value of boat with a big bump up for floating junk that may well cost state money if abandoned or sunk at mooring or dock.

In North Carolina we pay property tax at the same rate as real estate on our boats wether we live on them or not. Are you proposiing that liveaboards should have to pay tax above and beyond what everyone else has to pay. I know Florida doesn't have personal property tax on boats but most other states do. I don't see where the locals have any complaints. In New Bern there was a marina just outside of the city limits that I had my boat at. At the end of the year I had a major surprise when I recieved a tax bill from the city as well as the county. It seems that the City had annexed the marina and all the boats located therein. The boat owners were never notified about the annexation because they were not "property" owners. I actually paid more tax on my boat that year than on my house and the house is worth more. I don't think you can make a blanket assumption that liveaboards do not pay their share of local taxes.

[eyschulman]

While there is some tax on boats in my state it does not account for the live aboard who buys a delapadated boat for very little money and almost no tax value and camps out-I believe this encourages floating wrecks .

[kismet]

where are poor people going to go..Haiti?

[bobfnbw]

Originally Posted by gjberta

The marina usually provides some form of portable pump-out device; I heard that where you are they have a nice one on wheels, so you just wheel it up to your slip when you need to and then it gets dumped in the municipal sewers system....

You must know the "Margroy"??

Joe, checked out your site, just wanted to say that your dog, Tiger, is beautiful. Haven't had our Rott out on the boat yet.. hope he takes to it like your's seems to.

Bob

[Morganministry]

Originally Posted by gjberta

Well, quite frankly I can’t blame them for trying, and some are very good and responsible people, but any boat that is not insurable, or can not or is not seaworthy enough to operate under its own power (can not fulfill the simple premise of what maritime law considers “navigation”), should not be rented a slip. Marina owners need to wake up to this and not just disallow liveaboards as undesirables across the board!

oh man.... Now where are we going to put the house boat.

Scott

[gjberta]

Originally Posted by SabreKai

Our clubs annual meeting is on the 9th of february, and one of the items is a bylaw change where the wording for accepting liveaboards will be changed from "the board will accept up to 6 liveaboard applications..." to "the board may accept up to 6...."

Anyway, that one person has queered up living aboard for any one else. I'm one of those who as been working toward being able to liveaboard and now it appears that that will be not happening. I'll be going to the AGM but I doubt theres much hope. Changing that one word means that they will no longer allow liveaboards. Its just a simple way of allowing the board to say no.

Needless to say, I'm very annoyed. Sabre

It's always that one axxhole in the crowd…..

The clubs in my area that allow liveaboards are doing the same, trying to get away from it, and the ones that are still allowing it require a certain number of years (2-3) under full membership before granting liveaboard status. Not a bad thing, as the members get to know you first.
Maybe your club will allow you, after all they could have just do away with it all together instead of just changing the wording – that tells me they still want liveaboards….

[gjberta]

Originally Posted by bobfnbw

Joe, checked out your site, just wanted to say that your dog, Tiger, is beautiful. Haven't had our Rott out on the boat yet.. hope he takes to it like your's seems to.

Bob

Thanks Bob, I'm sure your Rott will get in the groove - they all love doing what the rest of the family does....

[clsailor]

My wife and I live aboard our sailboat at a small marina (35 slips) on the Chesapeake Bay. There are 5 other live board's in this marina. We keep our boats neat and tidy, docks clear of stuff and help out around the marina when needed. The marina charges us an extra 30 dollars per month for each person as we shower, wash clothes, and use the facilities more than the weekend boater. But we provide 24 hour security so it works for all of us especially since the owners live away from their marina.

[eyschulman]

While I am against the floating wreck live aboard as I would be against living next to some one on land in a delapidated home. I do prefer to have my boat on a dock with responsible live aboards and that I do not not measure by the worth of their boat but by the care it is given and the general resonsibility of the owners. Some of our harbours are becomeing floating shanty towns. At a commercial dock that I have to pay for I am not pleased to have the risks or eye sore of a hazardous wreck alongside. I also have no objection to working boats as neighbors so long as the occupants are friendly and good neighbours. Basicly I think the standards for living on boats as neighbors should be the same as on land.

[SabreKai]

I received an email last night from the BOD of our Club. The agenda item concerning liveaboards has been removed, being of insufficient merit and not having been published in sufficient time to meet the requirments of the bylaws.

So it appears we've dodged the bullet on this one for now. But I can see it coming back in the next meeting in the fall. In the mean time I've spoken to one of the liveaboards, and found out that they are subject to a slew of rules which effectively make them second class members, depriving them of access to facilities that they pay for as full members. I intend to go to the meeting and see whats going on. Maybe it's time I bit my tongue and got involved in the politics.

Sabre

[sneuman]

Originally Posted by SabreKai

I received an email last night from the BOD of our Club. The agenda item concerning liveaboards has been removed, being of insufficient merit and not having been published in sufficient time to meet the requirments of the bylaws.

So it appears we've dodged the bullet on this one for now. But I can see it coming back in the next meeting in the fall. In the mean time I've spoken to one of the liveaboards, and found out that they are subject to a slew of rules which effectively make them second class members, depriving them of access to facilities that they pay for as full members. I intend to go to the meeting and see whats going on. Maybe it's time I bit my tongue and got involved in the politics.

Sabre

My guess is that the issue will be tabled until the economy turns around. Liveaboards may be a nuisance, but they are reliable $$s. They stay when others cut back and sell out or put up on the hard for a season or two. In my short time being a liveaboard (almost 3 years), I have seen the attitude toward us steadily improve in that time period. I suspect its inversely proportional with the econ stats.

[terabika]

Back several posts someone had one about regulations and it AMAZES me that people care aboout folks hanging clothes out! I am no enviro nut but jeeze folks, hanging clothes out is such a peviel thing to go on about. If Global warming an dpolution and all that is SO important, and we cannot even modify our lives enough to hang clothes out to dry, we would surely be doomed...if global warming were true ;-) Personally, I find looking at obese people far more objectionable..of which we had the highest rate here in USA..now overtaken by the brits.SOLAR POWERED CLOTHES DRYERS (clothes lines for you who went to government schools and need help figuring it out) FOR ALL!! CHEERS!

[terabika]

The reason people live aboard those "wrecks" is that they cannot afford anything else. So they should have to go live out of sight in the woods?. Taxing them will not help. If they are deprived of that little which they have, they wil just get into public housing supported by our taxes. Let people be. I think a shiny new mega yatch is far uglier, due to it's concomit rape of the planet for resources , than an old boat someone is making some attempt at recycling/reusing. Maybe if folks pitched in to help them paint it etc.
I just saw a bit about big (60ft plus) catamarans. I think THOSE should be outlawed as they use up so many resources. Twenty years ago, most circumnavigations were in boats a tad over 30'... They dont need all that. The resources to build one 70 footer could probably build 4 32footers...judging buy wieght...wait. Not really into outlawing anyonthing but I feel the case to outlaw supersized yatchs is better than that outlawing "wrecks"...and please define a "wreck"?? I had one and it sailed...no motor. It was rough looking . Now I am building a cat of my own design using renewable resources mostly (plywood).
Cheers!

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by terabika

Back several posts someone had one about regulations and it AMAZES me that people care aboout folks hanging clothes out ...

It is actually illegal, in some communities the USA & Canada, to hang your washing outside to dry.

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[MoonlightShadow]

Originally Posted by terabika

Personally, I find looking at obese people far more objectionable..of which we had the highest rate here in USA..now overtaken by the brits.

At least we Brits are a World Leader in something again! Wooohoooo!!! Shame it's fatness.

Hanging things out to dry is quite common here. After a few hours in the North Sea everything is usually wet/damp this time of year. First thing hanging on the boom is the sleeping bags. Then towels hanging over the guardrails. I shudder to think that could be illegal. But, I can imagine some of the more "up-market" Marinas where it would be frowned upon. But their boats hardly ever get wet or leave the slip - when the owners do visit, they spend most of their time entertaining friends with Pink Gin and Champagne on the quarterdeck - perish the thought of hanging out your washing alongside them.