What is a typical marina policy of amentites and rules?

[rhillman75]

I am just looking for thoughts. I mean no harm. This is new to us. I am going to ask this question because I simply do not know what, how to feel, or live and learn. I have spoken to several attorneys that have given mixed answers and I’m not even sure if anything can be done. Over the last 8 years we have always transported our boat from home to the lake and to back home, if we didn’t stay overnight in the resort. In 2014, we bought a bigger boat with living quarters in which we paid for an annual slip and left it in the water for the year. Everything was new to us in the beginning including life on the dock. Within a couple weeks we started to notice that numerous boaters around us indulged themselves on the weekend with heavy alcohol, narcotics, and lewd behavior well within our slip and in plain sight of our young children. We made a verbal complaint to management and they offered use to move but informed us that we would have to pay much more at what they had to offer. Reluctantly, we sucked it up and stayed. Within the first 2 months (6 weekends of us being at our boat), the bath house was constantly trashed with who knows and was so unsanitary you didn’t want to walk on the floor. We also lost the ability to use the pump out station on 8 occasions when it was out of service. We also noticed the abundance of dock walkers that didn’t have slips would come down and venture around because the security gate (key card activated) was constantly left open. In the 3[SUP]rd[/SUP] month, we came down to our boat for the weekend to find that power was shut off to the docks for maintenance. When the power was turned back on it in return popped the breaker to our shore power, fried our fridge, caused our battery charger to blow a fuse, and in a week’s time completely depleted our 3 batteries. In the 4[SUP]th[/SUP] month, when I decided to remove the boat from the slip, we found that someone had come on our boat and removed a table and 2 blow up floating chairs. We later found out that someone had boarded another boaters boat that they didn’t care for and proceeded in throwing there belongings out onto the dock in a form of hate. That person was called in for questioning by the sheriff when the owner of the boat had filed a complaint. To this date, we were never informed of the outcome, but the boater still remains at the dock and in their paid slip. The marina states to us that in contract they are not liable for anything nor the amenities they sold us on to sign up for the contract. They are not responsible for the pump out station working, the bath house being able to be used, the security gates being closed at all times, any act of power interruption, or any case of theft or vandalism. So with that said, am I to walk away with “I made a mistake on what I expected” or is this the universal “protocol” that all marinas follow? I know boaters are there to have a good time and do as they wish, so could be a little more private as to their actions, but I do get the irresponsible part. But why would a marina offer an “amenity” as a sales tactic, but not have to provide it on a semi-usable occurrence? As far as the theft, they simply state they are not liable for it. Although, in their policy it states that lewd behavior, vandalism, and theft are not permitted. What are your thoughts?

 

[aspeck]

I do not have extensive knowledge of how most marina's work, but I did work at one for a number of years. I can say that the "non-liable" policy is probably pretty standard. For the damage to your boat from the power surge, was that from the maintenance, or from the power company? There is no way you can be sure, and that would fall under your insurance policy if you have one. The theft, the same thing. Your insurance company can deal with the theft.

As for the behavior at the dock, the bath house, the pump station, etc, that is uncalled for. It is hard to believe the marina is tolerating that behavior. The marina I worked for never would have let that slide. I would not tolerate that, but the only recourse you might have is taking your business elsewhere, as that seems to be the clientele this particular marina is going after. Do yourself a favor and find a different home for you boat. One where the boaters respect themselves and each other. It is one thing to have a good time, it is another to indulge in illegal activity, and to be offensive to those around you. Alcohol and drug abuse and boating do not mix ...

Those are my thoughts.

 

[GA_Boater]

If you do decide to move to a more expensive slip away from the debauchery, the other problems remain - Lack of security and poor maintenance of the facilities will continue. Marina management only wants your money - Take it somewhere else!

 

[tpenfield]

Sounds like you need to move to a more expensive 'neighborhood' . . .

 

[redneck joe]

find another marina.


While we had plenty of booze and late nights we also had good owners who would talk to us the next day if we went too far and we would tone it down. It helped the owners live on board at the marina.

 

[shrew]

There are good neighborhoods and bad neighborhoods. This applies to marina's as well. The marina is not really responsible for any of what you mentioned. If they have rules, there is no law that says they are compelled to enforce them. I would look for another marina and expect to find higher slip fees at nicer marinas.

 

[hungupthespikes]

Time to move on. Just like buying a house, you need to check out the neighborhood at night/weekends. Lots of options around here and none would put up with the problems you have experienced. Of the three I've stayed at all had very good security. Guards in uniform, some in their police uniforms picking up extra income.
Yes you can party hardy, but nothing that got out of hand or spilled out onto the dock and definitely not going to effect the facilities in any negative way.
Find the right one and your wife and kids will spend the summer at the boat.
huts