Another example of the few making it difficult for the many, http://www.keysnet.com/2013/08/24/489480/key-largo-liveaboards-beg-to-keep.html . Chuck
Potential For More Regulations
- Thread starter Chuckbear
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If there were a town regulated mooring field, with rules and fees, wouldn't that separate the bad apples from the rest. The fees should cover the enforcement and maintenance - no?
I don't like rules very much but the citizen's of the town and the well behaved live a boards deserve a decent atmosphere, I think.
I don't like rules very much but the citizen's of the town and the well behaved live a boards deserve a decent atmosphere, I think.
WADR: mooring fields? Nonsense. Why would a mooring field help? It would only make $$ for the town, and anchoring is free.
The end of the story said" No vote was taken on the dock closing."
Good. I see no reason why good law enforcement can't find out who the miscreants are and deal with them. I'll bet the good skippers know exactly who they are.
The end of the story said" No vote was taken on the dock closing."
Good. I see no reason why good law enforcement can't find out who the miscreants are and deal with them. I'll bet the good skippers know exactly who they are.
You may regard it as dumb but I don't see why a town that is being taken advantage of should put up with it. They can close the free anchorage and require visiting boats to use the moorings. Moorings are less intrusive to the bottom, they can be spaced to avoid crowding problems and ensuing arguments, boats can be held to a standard of safety, and they can, and should, provide revenue to accomplish the above. Some of that revenue could be used to provide facilities.
Try bathing nude in Bahia Honda park and see what happens to you.
When I was in Key West, we met waiters who called the derelict boats "Affordable housing". That is not what an anchorage should be.
Try bathing nude in Bahia Honda park and see what happens to you.
When I was in Key West, we met waiters who called the derelict boats "Affordable housing". That is not what an anchorage should be.
I didn't say it was dumb, I simply disagreed that adding costs to folks who anchor out, just because some idiots are misbehaving, may not be the answer. Misbehaving idiots, either land-based or waterborne, should be dealt with by the EXISTING LEOs. No mooring fields are required.
Some additional input from others, who are actually not marina based (as I am and many of us here are, too: http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f57/monroe-wants-to-close-upper-keys-dock-to-dingys-110109.html
Some additional input from others, who are actually not marina based (as I am and many of us here are, too: http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f57/monroe-wants-to-close-upper-keys-dock-to-dingys-110109.html
Sooooo, they can't figure out how to keep the public out of a public park?
Does anybody else see the odd wording in that?
Does anybody else see the odd wording in that?
One way to fix this sort of situation is to require anchored liveaboards to maintain pump out logs to be stamped by the pump out operator.
The residents and tourists DON'T have to put up with poor behavior.
The residents and tourists DON'T have to put up with poor behavior.
Why is it always so much easier to paint a whole group of people with a broad brush than it is to actually arrest/cite and fine the ones that are actually causing the problem.
Aren't there already laws on the books prohibiting this behavior? Set up a satellite police station in the park with the dock. I bet the problem is solved in one night.
This is essentially the solution that was reached in Boot Key harbor or "Marathon, Fl." Before the widespread use of municipal mooring fields, the water was THICK with human excrement so thick that only a complete fool would swim in the water. The municipality took over the marina, mandated regular weekly pumpouts via two municipal owned pump out boats .... the Marathon now operates the marina at a profit, the water has cleaned up considerably, most of the riff-raff simply moved on.
Marathon is now a staging area for boats sailing on to the Bahamas and South or to Central America, .... and for Canadians and other foreign nationals - Cuba.
The moorings at Marathon are at reasonable cost, the marina rules are tightly enforced (still a bit too authoritarian for those with gilded boats) ... but it works, ...... and Marathon's commerce is increasing due to the fact that ... its a good and well run place to be either for a winter stay or to visit as a staging area / jump off area for further south.
Once you get the typical 'live-aboard' with two feet of sea life encrustation attached to the hulls, four months worth of 'trash' piled on the decks, rising crime and rampant misbehavior, using the harbor as an open cesspool .... if this happened in YOUR neighborhood, you'd demand action too.
Moorings and their cost is a small price to pay for a safe, clean and well run harbor. Marathon has already proved that principal ... and makes a handsome profit to boot in doing so.
Rich, that truly is a great story. Do you think other communities could make it work they way they did, or do you feel some communities are just trying to stick it to boaters?
Exactly
Answer, because its the cr@ppy politician trying to act like they are doing 'something'
I'd question the notion that marathon is operating at a profit. They keep closing off mooring balls due to lack of proper maintenance.
If memory serves, there is a requirement already out that requires pumpouts every week for all boats in the fla keys marine sanctuary.
Here's the kicker...some of the sewage for the keys goes to the plant in marathon where it is deep well injected. And that raw effluent is beginning to find its way back up via cracks in the rocks creating hot spots of do-do.
If memory serves, there is a requirement already out that requires pumpouts every week for all boats in the fla keys marine sanctuary.
Here's the kicker...some of the sewage for the keys goes to the plant in marathon where it is deep well injected. And that raw effluent is beginning to find its way back up via cracks in the rocks creating hot spots of do-do.
Well said Rich.
I see a lot of arguments on this subject from people whose communities already don't allow the poor behavior and wonder why they think other states should have to.
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