Why Do Marinas Seem to Hate Liveaboards?

[Tampabayfireman]

Ok so in the marina we are in there are 650 slips and 750 residents on around 400 boats. So yes some places like liveaboards.

[SailingFan]

Well, if the second address is the key, I am going to keep that thing and ensure that my mail keeps going there even if I am "away on vacation" for a while...

[KJB]

Originally Posted by scarlet

What about "don't ask, don't tell"?

We were recently interviewing marina's in the Florida panhandle. One of the marina's that we really LOVED had a "no live aboard" rule. So, I probed them..

Me...."what if we were here.. A LOT?"
Marina rep.. "oh.. we love it when people are here a lot"..
Me... "well.. what if we were here so often that it would almost seem like we were ALWAYS here?"
Marina rep.. "we've never kicked out a slip holder for being here too often".

So, what we plan on doing.. is getting a slip.. living aboard. Keeping our boat in pristine shape (as we do with all of our possessions)... Not telling anyone we are living aboard... If they ask... we just really like to spend a lot of time here... If they push it, we will just show them proof of permanent residency on land.. (my folks home will be our permanent residence)..

So.. this is our plan... not sure what will happen if someone presses the issue... Anyone do something similar?

When we first moved aboard, we lived under the the "don't ask, don't tell" clause for a year, until we were able to secure a live aboard spot. The marina we were in was always kind to us, and knew we were there. I know it didn't hurt that we were good citizens there.

We came in as transient live aboards, and then just kind of stayed.
There were many others doing the same thing.

[Hudson Force]

We find that it is very common for marina management to state that they do not accept liveaboards, but when we arrive as transient cruisers, they will continue accepting our monthly fee for as long as we stay.

[sailorboy1]

I'm starting to think that it isn't liveaboards that marina don't like, it's long term pricing. I tried to get a slip for a month but all I could find were ones for a week. The week rate of course is almost the same as the monthly rate. Marina don't what long term low rate boaters, they what short term high rate ones.

[rwidman]

"Why Do Marinas Seem to Hate Liveaboards? "

If you want to know the answer to this question, you have to ask marina owners and managers. As boaters, we don't know the answer.

I do know this: My marina's operating permit from the county specifies no sailboats, a height limit of 14 feet and no liveaboards.

I suspect the height limit is because of a drawbridge that they would rather not have to open any more than necessary because it's on a heavily travelled highway.

A couple bought a boat that was docked in the marina. They asked to keep the slip. Then, they moved in, parked three old vehicles in the already too small parking lot and exhibited some of the bad behavior mentioned in previous posts.

After about a month, the manager told them they had to leave and they eventually did.

Remember, the marina was risking trouble by letting them stay because of the operating permit.

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by Hudson Force

We find that it is very common for marina management to state that they do not accept liveaboards, but when we arrive as transient cruisers, they will continue accepting our monthly fee for as long as we stay.

That is because you are cruisers and not liveaboards, you will continue to cruise and they know it. It may seem to be a small difference but it is I believe the difference.
There is now what appears to be an abandoned houseboat on my dock, it used to have a liveaboard in it, but has for several months had a for sale sign on it. While it does have twin Honda outboards, I have never, ever seen it move or the engines run. We only got a pump out boat this year, before then we all went to the dock and pumped out, except this houseboat never moved It very plainly is never intended to be moved, and that is what I believe the difference is, a liveaboard is a non boating type that lives on a boat, and has no intention on ever moving it, but does for whatever reason desire to live in the marina

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

I'm starting to think that it isn't liveaboards that marina don't like, it's long term pricing. I tried to get a slip for a month but all I could find were ones for a week. The week rate of course is almost the same as the monthly rate. Marina don't what long term low rate boaters, they what short term high rate ones.

If they can keep the slips nearly full then they would be foolish to rent a slip for X when they can get 4X for the slip or nearly so. I would assume though if you came through in off season, you may well get a monthly rental.

[CatCouple]

it seems based on our research so far that there are 3 categories:

Long term cruisers who turn up at a marina for a week to a couple of few months and seem welcomed.

Over-winterers who hole up for the off season to avoid the bad weather before cruising again in the Spring. This is pretty common in Southern Europe and again welcomed by marinas as they are spending money in the down period. It seems non existent in PNW or Northern USA , probably too cold for most and the owners go back on shore. I cant find any overwintering communities in PNW so far.

and then Liveaboards!!! I will never again use that term to describe us! you might as well ring up and say you are trailer trash crack addicts looking for somewhere to cook Meth!

[Paul Elliott]

Originally Posted by CatCouple

it seems based on our research so far that there are 3 categories:

Long term cruisers who turn up at a marina for a week to a couple of few months and seem welcomed.

Over-winterers who hole up for the off season to avoid the bad weather before cruising again in the Spring. This is pretty common in Southern Europe and again welcomed by marinas as they are spending money in the down period. It seems non existent in PNW or Northern USA , probably too cold for most and the owners go back on shore. I cant find any overwintering communities in PNW so far.

and then Liveaboards!!! I will never again use that term to describe us! you might as well ring up and say you are trailer trash crack addicts looking for somewhere to cook Meth!

At the city-run marina here in Friday Harbor there are plenty of liveaboards. I don't know the percentage, but it seems pretty high -- I know at least four personally and those are just the ones that are near my boat. These liveaboards are there with the knowledge and permission of the marina, and from what they tell me the marina is happy to have them. I'm glad to have them too -- they are friendly and helpful people, and know how to contact me if they see or hear anything questionable going on aboard my boat.

The liveaboard boats are reasonably well-maintained. They aren't the most pristine boats in the marina, but they are generally kept in good condition. There are lots of non-liveaboard boats that aren't as nice.

[Sidney777]

More than one marina if Florida has told me that marina does not have a Land Lease for the land under the water. And, if they allow live-aboards the marina is in VIOLATION of Florida state laws (and or county laws)..... Also was told it costs money,of course, to lease the underwater land.

[Sidney777]

Florida; "Sovereignty of Submerged Lands". Florida department of environmental protection agency. You can see all the laws, costs to lease, & penalities. "Use of State owned land". It says this goes back to 1845.

[a64pilot]

The problem with labels and stereotypes is of course they don't always fit.
Unfortunately though calling yourself a liveaboard has to some become become a not so good a connotation.
I guess saying we live on our boat makes you sound less prosperous that we are cruising in our Yacht?

[a64pilot]

First time I visited the city Marina in Clearwater I was talking to the Dockmaster and I asked him how many liveaboards they had, he was visibly insulted, he wasted no time in telling me that they aren't that kind of Marina.
He said that there were some of those kind of people over by the bridge at the other Marina, but they didn't allow that sort of thing here.
What we may call derelict boats, he thought of as liveaboards.

[TJ D]

Trailer-dwelling, crack-addicted meth cooks! That's us!

Seriously, I think that you are actually on to something here. We learned long ago not to use the term 'liveaboard'. It seems to instantly turn one into a second-class citizen in many (not all) US marinas.

I think that a look around Boot Key Harbor, for example, or the homeless encampment/anchorage off of Sausalito sort of helps to understand how this perception could happen.

These days, when we're in the US, we always tell them we're cruising, and that we'll be aboard full time while in the marina. We have never had a problem, but we also don't stay all that long in most places. 4 months is probably our max in the USA to date since we left our actual liveaboard slip in Seattle in 2009.

Presentation helps, too. Show up with a tidy boat, without crap all over the deck, and the reception is better. If your boat resembles the Clampett's (Beverly Hillbillies) vehicle, well, it's a bit harder to get a pass on staying on board.

If you arrive with potted plants on the aft deck-forget it....

But, you're right. It's best not to say liveaboard. Interestingly, no place else in the world that we've been to really seems to care that much if you live on your boat or not. It seems to be a mostly N. American phenomenon.

Apologies if this has already been covered.

TJ