Florida boats

Ross · Mar 1, 2008

The other factor that affects everything in the south

is the absence of prolonged cold weather. Mold and mildew grow year round and need only a week or two to take over. High relative humidity and warm temperatures are all you need. From all that I read here ventilation is not a first priority on most boats. Once a boat starts to stink and look cankered it is hard to stay in love with it, so it gets neglected. After a time or two the boat has to be practically gutted in order to clean it up. Why go to all of that work when you can get a nice one for 275 per month?

Stu Jackson · Mar 1, 2008

We have boats in the water here all year round, too,

and I'd guess the percentage of stupid owners is about 50%. By stupid owners, I mean the ones who's first priority is basic neglect. This includes trashing all the way to basic irresponsibility in never visiting the boat. I keep wondering how they made the investment and then chose to ignore it, and still pay slip fees!!!Because of the rain during the winter months the dirt doesn't get too much of a chance to get started, but my neighbor's nice (used to be) Pearson 35 is starting to grow moss on the north side (my side!) of his hull. I hose it every once in a while when the rains stop, if only to keep up the neighborhood. Really disgusting waste of $$.

Ross · Mar 1, 2008

Stu, It starts out with I am going to love boating

and keeping the boat shiney. Then it becomes, this week we can go visit my brother. Then you get we'd go down to the boat but it is too (Pick one) hot, cold, rainy, windy. There is a football game that I can't miss. I didn't know boating took up so much time.

TimCup · Mar 1, 2008

Higgs, I agree...

the weather has some to do with it. I think it might be too good! We get so many nice "boat" days, we take it for granted. I think I'll golf today, take out the boat next week. Or next month. And soon, it'll be too hot to work on the boat.Of course, we ain't much for cold! Today is 73 degrees with 15 knots, and if I went out, I'd need my foulies! That water temp is down to 68!Seriously, I know at our marina half the boats haven't seen use in 6 months. It's a shame. They recently changed the bylaws (city marina) so that the slip doesn't go with the boat. Alot of the older junk is owned by people that want the 2 parking spaces downtown that come w/ the slip. Great location. The city wants the junk out. They figure if people can't offer the slip, they won't keep paying for the slip.

Stu Jackson · Mar 1, 2008

Move it or lose it

I'm torn about this concept. Tim wrote: "They recently changed the bylaws (city marina) so that the slip doesn't go with the boat."Of course, the law was passed by landlubbers. Not a good start.Last year. Latitude 38 wrote a bit about their idea of something similar, that people who don't use their boats should have some way for the marina denying continuing slip availability since slips are becoming harder to come by, due here in part to the no-growth concerns of marina builders, rather than the condo-ization I've read about in Florida, which is taking slips away. Same result: more boats, less slips.We want to grow the sport, but are starting to deny the availability of slips. Sounds pretty rotten to me.But I understand why some communities want to do that. Problem is you just can't legislate behavior, so the end result of this new law described by Tim will be EXACTLY the opposite of its intent: instead of moving boats along, people will KEEP the boats and the slip EVEN LONGER. Nuts.I am concerned about my rotting slip neighbor's unused boats. I am also concerned about big government trying to do things that end up doing the opposite of what is intended. The difficulty with basing slip availability on use is who "sets" and "manages" the process. One weekend out of six months or every weekend? A new Water Gestapo for enforcement, or marina managers who have more than enough to do already and who would clearly NOT like to see empty slips?We keep our boat up and use it. Many, many more don't. As long as they pay their slip fees, why should they get hassled? Ever have a neighbor who didn't mow their lawn? It's easier, because at least you sometimes see your un-mowed lawn neighbor, but we never see the cretins who don't use their boats and let them rot.Any ideas? Anyone have any experience with this issue?

CharlieCobra · Mar 1, 2008

Up here where I'm moored, they'll kick you out

if your boat goes to crap. Of course, the part of the marina I'm in is privately owned with an association but it works. You let the boat go to hell or disrupt the peace, you are GONE! I like it that way. There ain't no junk here.

Brian D · Mar 1, 2008

The marinas really don't care.

They may say they do, but just look around. At my marina, there seems to be one dock of maybe 20 boats that have not left their slips. How can I tell? Bird S*** all over the boats. Never been cleaned. Does my marina care? No, because it is a continued source of income for them. If they kick the boats out and there is no one to put a boat in, then what? I know this may sound crazy, but I don't want those boats to leave. Losing those boats means a loss of revenue which means an increase in slip fees.Now, at Camp Pendleton where I want to move my boat to, there are so many derelict boats that I wish they would be removed. That way I can get into that marina.Now, in reality, I would like to see a marina with pristine boats. I didn't buy my boat as a status symbol as many have. I bought it because of my love for the sea. To me, the sea is my last great challenge.

Rick D · Mar 1, 2008

At One Marina

... we had a tough dockmaster and gave him marching orders to inspect every new boat and 'walk all the docks' weekly. We threatened some tenants with eviction for ill-maintained boats and actually evicted a couple. Normally, what happens is the tenant has to make a decision: put some money in it, get a washdown service or sell the boat. Selling the boat was a popular decision. The downside is the attorney fees and court appearances. Oddly, it often came from those with the worst boats. Maybe it had something to do with the cost of making it saleable. Point on all this is that it IS possible to enact and enforce standards, if you have the stomach for it. And, you don't need to do it often since the word gets around quickly. RD

letterman · Mar 1, 2008

everyone is nuts, but they think they are right.

"It's my precious!" said Bilbo. That's why people let their boats go to hell. If there was a law, you know some marina's would charge an arm and leg to do service to the boat, while smiling. A while ago I toured the East coast of Fla and stopped in most every marina from Daytona south. One boat stood out, a sailboat. The Marina Master told me it hasn't left the dock in 4 (four) years, and that the guy live in Texas and pays his slip fees in advance. He hasn't been to the boat IN 4 YEARS. Nobody has. The Marina had divers check on the bottom for the heck of it and found barnacles reaching down to the bottom. The boat was in about 6 feet of water with a keel depth of 5 feet or so. Now this place didn't have a lift to remove the boat, but my thinking is this:If a marina has a lift, then the rule would be if a boat was unattended or unused for 2 consecutive months, without the owner explaining why, then it would be removed from the slip and placed on shore and the slip re-rented. The owner would then be notified and told of the situation and that he would now need to call, in advance, for his boat to be put in the water. Upon leaving, his intentions would be asked and if he was not going to use the boat, it would be removed from the water. If he was planning to use it, in the near future, then the marina would make the call and either leave it in a vacant slip or remove it. Think about it. The marina gets paid if the boat is put in a slip for the season or time frame negotiated by the marina. Month after month, they get paid, but, they don't have to touch the boat! Under my plan, they will have to touch the boat, and work to earn their slip fee. really, it's a wash. You have maybe two people getting $25/hr (they charge you that, but the workers probably only get $10-15 per hour) and it takes three hours to remove a boat. Total cost to the Marina is $225. Most marina's could do this twice a month to a boat before finally losing money. Why no one thought of this before is...well, they do only hire College Grads to run things, don't they? They must because I have been looking for a job running a marina for two years and that is what I am told...no degree..no job!

Benny17441 · Mar 1, 2008

Higgs, one of the reasons is that we have

folks from the midwest and other areas purchase boats here in Florida with the intent of coming down every winter but after a couple of years their visits become more infrequent and the boats just grow barnacles and mildew. They pay their slip fees but neglect to pay for maintenance. Yes, the fact that we keep our boats in the water all year round has to do with it. Who wants to be waxing cabin tops and topsides when you can go sailing. As far as finding nice used boats down here at least we have a rather large inventory. We had a Canadian family drive down to Tampa to look at a Catalina 30. We thought they were loolking for a boat to keep in Florida but no, they bought it and turned around and put it on a trailer for the trip home. The boat sold at a fair price, it was not a bargain but was in good condition. Now tell me that these folks could not have found a Catalina 30 back home. Florida is the 2nd or 3rd state with the largest number of boat registrations but if you added all the boats that are down here with Michigan, Ohio and New york registrations among others we probably have the most boats in our waters.

Stillraining · Mar 1, 2008

Letterman

The new management at my marina has run half of the paying customers out...I'm sure you could do a better job running mine...

Stu Jackson · Mar 1, 2008

LaConner removal management

Hey, stillraining, how'd they do that? Maybe Letterman already works for them but doesn't know it?

Stillraining · Mar 1, 2008

He should put in an app.

Actually its a woman that moved up from down south from some high mucky muck Marina is what I was told...She kicked out all the liveaboards and raised the rates by 30%...that pretty much did it. Doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out she cut into their bottom line even with the added rate revinue... I kind of like Lettermans haul out idea.. Although I might be the one always gettin yanked..*cry A lot of marinas have no dry storage though or very little...What is a risk is say pulling out and then not being able to get a slip back..That is where I am at right now...Im on a waiting list with two ahead of me..I pulled out in October now the few 40' slips are gone..A guy hates to pay for both a wet and dry at the same time..

Kerry13709 · Mar 1, 2008

The difference in Florida boats and northern boat upkeep could have something to do with the fact that many are owned by out of state (ie down here northerners) owners who are absent most of the year. That being said, I am not for the "condo commander" tactics suggested for running boats out of their dockage. If all the land was not being used up to put up more housing, or other more profitable ventures, we would have more marina to select from. As it is, fewer marina are available, and it is harder to be selective about where to dock your boat. I would not be willing to evict a boater who may be on a lesser budget than me. Time normally takes care of most of the unused vessels that are being talked about. No one, even those with plenty of money, will let an unused boat continue to drain resources forever. So, let's just let time take it's coarse, and enjoy our own boats every chance we get. BTW, I dock mine behind the home of a fellow sailboater. When I purchased it some of the marinas had a three to four year waiting list.

Pete · Mar 2, 2008

I get nervous

every time I see a thread like this. Not sure what to do about a truly derelict boat but I get nervous about people talking about if you don't use the boat in a specified amount of time. Several problems come to mind like what constitutes use ?? just a visit to the boat or must it leave the slip and if so for how long ? how would this be enforced ? would you have to check in with the "marina use police" ? Suppose I go to my boat after hours and no one sees me ? If the marina pulled my boat who would be responsible for the fees and if I have paid for my slip what gives them the right to re rent it ? Will I be paid for any of the extra rental money ?? Who become responsible for any damage if done by the move ? I would think that a truly derelict boat that may be a health hazard due to bird dropping could be pulled by the marina due to health hazard or insist the owner maintain it or the marina will perform and bill for mandatory cleaning. If a boat is in danger of sinking they have the right to pull it out due safety. Not sure why a marina would want to get itself in the middle of this as they are getting paid for the rental (if not they could pull the boat for past due rental and put a lien on it). there was a person at our marina that did not move his boat for seven years but was there every week. Where would someone like him fit in these scenarios ? There was another boat there almost the same time but I never once saw the owner for five years but the boat was kept up. What bothers me the most here is someone trying to "legislate" use of my boat based on what they perceive as a standard. If I park a car in my driveway and never use it but keep it registered and washed occasionally does the fact that I don't "drive" it mean I can't have it there ? What about people who rent an apartment and never occupied it does that give the landlord the right to re-rent it ?? What about some one who buys a condo that has a garage or parking spot but doesn't have a car ? does that mean they get thrown out of it ? even thou they paid for it ?? What about someone who buys a second home and only uses it during the summer for one month ? Maybe they should not be allowed to buy it ?? or be forced to sell it if they don't use it more ?? I just see the door opening up for all sorts of "big brother" issues when we tell people how and what they need to do (unless it it a public safety issue) with personal property. You may be able to legislate what happens in a marina owned buy the local town or state but most marina's are privately owned and run so now we have added another management issue to them. The laws of supply and demand should rule here that if a marina has a bad tenet they should deal with it or risk losing the good tenets and becoming a boat bone yard. Either way it is the marina owner decision. Got to wonder how many people have complained about the boats in question to the marina owner ?? OR is this a just sour grapes because some one can't get a slip where they want ?????? I do know this I DON'T need any stinking "boat use police" telling me what and when or where I got to do something !

letterman · Mar 3, 2008

interesting

Sure, find me a marina managers job. Love to make it work.I got a kick out of Pete's response so I will address them.What constitutes use? ANS. ///You get a gate card. It registers every time you enter and leave a marina That gate card says how many times you were there? It doesn't care what you did, just that you were there.///If the marina pulled my boat who would be responsible for the fees. ///You already paid the fees! /// If I have paid for my slip what gives them the right to re rent it? ///You're new contract. You don't "own" the slip no matter what anyway! You don't use the boat, you lose the "right" to have it in the water TILL such times as you use the boat again!///Will I be paid for any of the extra rental money ?? ///Moot point. Again, you don't "own" the slip, ever. Never did unless it's a condo. Besides the rental covers the hard time.///Who become responsible for any damage if done by the move? ///Same as always! The marina, however, they will take lots of pictures beforehand. And you sing the agreement to have them remove it if you don't use it for a time frame./// There was a person at our marina that did not move his boat for seven years but was there every week. Where would someone like him fit in these scenarios? ///He uses his boat as verified by the gate card usage. Nothing happens to him.There was another boat there almost the same time but I never once saw the owner for five years but the boat was kept up. ///If the gate card showed he was not there, and that someone else was keeping up the boat, it would be removed from the water./// What bothers me the most here is someone trying to "legislate" use of my boat based on what they perceive as a standard. If I park a car in my driveway and never use it but keep it registered and washed occasionally does the fact that I don't "drive" it mean I can't have it there? ///Funny you should mention this. In Cleveland, you have to have current plates on your car. If not, you get fined, then the car is towed at your expense. This is in Cleveland proper.///What about people who rent an apartment and never occupied it does that give the landlord the right to re-rent it?? ///Different story, but what if there was a housing shortage? Don't use it, you lose it. When you come back, you get a trailer, I suppose. What about some one who buys a condo that has a garage or parking spot but doesn't have a car ? does that mean they get thrown out of it ? even thou they paid for it ?? What about someone who buys a second home and only uses it during the summer for one month ? Maybe they should not be allowed to buy it ?? or be forced to sell it if they don't use it more ?? ///OK, now you are shooting at anything that moves. Keep it to the boats. /// The laws of supply and demand should rule here. ///Now you got it...the supply is the people that want to use their boats, but cannot because they can't get a slip. Or, the State that needs to address derelict boats. Hey! That’s how this got started!///that if a marina has a bad tenet they should deal with it or risk losing the good tenets and becoming a boat bone yard. Either way it is the marina owner decision. Got to wonder how many people have complained about the boats in question to the marina owner ?? OR is this a just sour grapes because some one can't get a slip where they want ?????? I do know this I DON'T need any stinking "boat use police" telling me what and when or where I got to do something !///Nobody is "boat police". You have a contract now. It most likely has terms of time on it, as well as a few other restrictions. This is just another restriction based out of necessity, need for space or to address junk boats, and need to get unused boats out of the water. Unused boats are usually a hazard. Can't tell you how many lines I replaced and the owner never knew. In a storm, those boats always break free and hit guys like me.///

Florida boats

higgs

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Ross

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Stu Jackson

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Ross

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TimCup

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higgs

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Stu Jackson

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CharlieCobra

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Brian D

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Rick D

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letterman

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Benny17441

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Stillraining

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Stu Jackson

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Stillraining

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Kerry13709

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Pete

higgs

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higgs

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letterman

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