Marinas
Question:
What should I look for in a live-aboard slip?
Anne S. Paul wrote:
As to marina ideas, you will be constrained by what is available to choose from, and may not be able to invent the one you want. :) So, get a Jacksonville paper, or call up a chamber of commerce, and somehow see if the people in that area have some sort of publication about marinas. Something with a grid/chart comparing the amenities and prices. And do find out about the probability of being allowed to live aboard. For reasons not agreed to by live-aboard advocates, many many many marinas and municipalities have severe limits on the percentage of live-aboard slips allowed in a marina or area. Waiting lists abound.
Most marinas have bathrooms, not all have showers. Most have sufficient parking, not all is secure parking. Laundry facilities are nice, but I know from experience that if it is routinely busy you can toss the laundry bag into your car on the way out in the morning, stop off at a laundromat on the way home, go grocery-shopping while is is being washed, and end up home with not much time spent doing the job. A coffee shop nearby would help this process, of course.
If you ever intend to actually use the boat (and you should, to get to know it better!) out on the water, you want a slip easy to get in and out of. Again, you may not have much choice, if live-aboard slips are at a premium.
I lived aboard our 46' sailboat in San Francisco area. We had a total of 30 amps available for our entire living space. Really not a problem unless it was very very cold. We did not have a boat heater, and relied on electric space heaters. At that time, electricity at our marina was not metered, btw. Two heaters going during a particularly cold winter, and we also had an electric mid-size dorm-style refrigerator. We found out that if we used the toaster and the the 'frig cycled on that we would blow the fuse at our dock box. This assumes the lights and the stereo were also going, of course. Can be very cold outside on the dock.
New boat, new area, and we have a diesel heater on board. Also have really good set-up with two sets of two 6 volt golf cart type batteries. Good lighting, good 12 volt refrigerator. We can sit 3-4 days at anchor and still have good amount of batteries to start the engine. This is one of the "big things" you will learn about. The ability to start the engine after sitting around on batteries. We have many friends who routinely run the engine for at least an hour a day to keep up the batteries. They have freezers, and/or a less-good battery set-up.
Learn about inverters. And regulators. We can run the computer on the inverter, plus the color printer. All at anchor, without the engine running. Knowing you can do this means you don't have to fear a 110 power outage as much. One of the guys on the newsgroup lives aboard his boat in Norway. Uses his laptop or his Psion and a cell phone for most of his communications. Has an oil heater.
BTW, our microwave uses 65amps. So does a hair dryer, which we do not have on board, just know this because I wanted to test the inverter when we put it in. Microwave gets used sparingly when we are on battery power, but can be used as much as we want when underway with engine on. Oh, get a large alternator.
See, you may want just a floating home, but wouldn't it be cool if you can take that home off on a weekend once in awhile?
Gee whiz, I keep thinking up things nice to have. One thing important maybe not mentioned by anyone yet... if your shower pan drains into the bildge and not into a sump area with its own pump, change it quickly. That is, if the bilge is deep, and not shallow like on our Beneteau. Deep bilges with shower water really stink. See what you are getting yourself in for?
The Lillie Family wrote:
Slips should be easy to find with the amenities you wish. However, you may find this gets expensive. Sort of like owning the home, but leasing the property. You may want to equip your boat with an inverter to give you 110 out put, more like home.
Doug Abbott wrote:
I suggest you ask yourself the following question: What do I absolutely need that requires me to be tied to land? The biggest problem is going to be finding slips where you can live aboard. Most of the *land lovers* view boaters who live aboard with less than enthusiasm. To me, the amenities are nice as long as the price remains reasonable. Check around and find the best deal for the money.
I look for slips with a good breeze, little or no wake, easy access for sailing and getting around, and the condition of the marina. That being said, I _far prefer_ to anchor out. A proper cruising boat doesn't need to be connected to the land by umbilical. I go to the dock once or twice a month to fill up with diesel and water then head back out onto the hook. I run the engine twice a day to chill down the fridge and freezer (I have engine driven refrigeration as well as 12V), heat the water for showers and dishes, charge batteries (although I have a wind generator and solar panels) and to keep the engine in good operating condition.
I get TV and radio on the hook. I can use my cell phone to voice and data on the hook. I can choose my perfect location on the hook. I can choose my neighbors on the hook. I can save _lots_ of money by staying on the hook. If I need to go to shore there's always the dinghy.
Mark Fay wrote:
I can't stress enough to shop around before you settle on the marina you intend to make your home. We were in two before our number came up on the St. Pete waiting list. We waited from March to June. First one was great but to expensive, second on was a regular Payton Place dump, but cheap.
Louise Coulson wrote:
We're still working - not - cruising liveaboards (kids in college), so live in a marina. Beyond all of the obvious, which you will hear from everyone, I look for other live aboards and check the attitude of the marina.
We moved this year (after waiting for the slip for 2 years) and I simply can't believe the difference in our life. The owners of this marina seem delighted to have us aboard -- beautiful marina and a real welcome mat.
I've been working aboard for 7 years and find the space requirements a little tight at times, but have a land-based partner who does store some of the larger items. Last year sometime I had an article on Working Aboard published in Living Aboard. I can dig it out and send a copy if that would help. (Robert's Note: Louise sent me a copy of the article…it's very informative. It's also copyrighted, so I can't publish it here).
You've got a great attitude and seem willing to make changes and take a risk. Best of luck in your search for a boat!
Tracy Watkins
wrote:
The most important consideration in finding a marina is liking the people and the environment there. While most marinas have showers not all will have telephone connections (critical in your case) and many marinas are notorious for having questionable electrical supplies (another key for you). This is easy to check by asking the folks on the dock if they are happy with these services, that will also give you a flavor for the personality of the facility.
Stuart Jantzen wrote:
It is possible to find marinas with all the facilities you mention. Remember the more facilities the more you pay. Most marinas charge by the foot so a 40 footer would cost more in the same marina than a 20 footer. With "Jantzen's Joy" you would need 110V power and water. Washer/dryers are available at better marinas. One item you have to look for is facilities to empty you toilet holding tank otherwise you have to use on shore facilities or a porta potty. "Jantzen's Joy" comes with both a fixed latrine system and a porta potty.
What I
decided (1998):
Since posting this question, I have done a lot of research into liveaboard slips. Unfortunately, few marinas allow full-time liveaboards to lease slips because of local and state regulations. In fact, the State of Washington is trying to ban the lifestyle altogether (http://www.liveaboards.org/). If you’re looking for a liveaboard slip, my suggestion is to get on the phone and start calling marinas in your area. They’ll point you in the right direction.
I was very fortunate to find a liveaboard-friendly marina in Jacksonville, Florida.
The Ortega River Boat Yard (904-387-5538) charges
$8.50 per foot for liveaboards, plus $60.00 for electricity. They have showers and laundry facilities on-site.
ORBY, in fact, encourages liveaboards...they have more than 60 of us. The really cool thing is that a certain community develops within the docks. My next-hatch neighbors are from Canada and they’re here for a couple of months and then they sail off for the Caribbean. He teaches geography, and she’s a professional singer. The couple at the end of the dock built their own 51’ yacht. They rebuild houses for a living. Two boats down is a retired man from Queens, NYC. He speaks fluent French and travels whenever he gets bored with one particular place. There’s a mason worker six boats down. He’s my age (and a good drinking buddy). He’s from Whales, and lives on his boss’ boat rent-free in exchange for keeping the vessel in ship-shape. There’s also a couple from Alaska who fly down to Florida to spend their winters here.
The communal aspect of life in a marina appeals greatly to me. I enjoy watching boats being hauled from the water to have a new barrier coat applied. I’ve made friends with most of the dock workers, and I’ve learned a lot about their various trades (which, of course, will come in handy as I maintain my own boat). I also enjoy sharing a glass of wine with the true "cruisers" who only stay for a short time. We exchange stories over a drink, and they sail to every point imaginable. They’re quickly replaced by new people with new stories and new, exciting destinations.
Life with my fellow liveaboards is truly fantastic. Just today I awoke and my next hatch neighbors invited me over for coffee and muffins. They’re French, and we talked about literature and politics as we looked over a rising sun on the St. Johns River. What an experience!
Thoughts
from 2000:
Last summer, I decided to leave my marina and move Candide to St. Augustine, Florida (about 50 miles to the south). I quickly learned the difference between those yards that welcome liveaboards and their lifestyle versus those who are only interested in making money.
St. Augustine, as you may know, is the nation's oldest city. It was founded in 1521, and is a very popular area for "transient" boaters who are merely passing through the area on their way north or south. The City Docks charge by the foot for these boats on a daily basis, and they can make a TON of money by keeping boats moving through (most marinas give price breaks for boats staying for a week or a month). The City Marina allows boats to stay for a maximum of only three days!
Knowing this, I found a place around the bend (about two miles from the City Marina) called Oyster Creek Marina. I was very impressed with their all-new docks and facilities. The people seemed nice enough and I looked forward to spending several months with them.
Then the problems started. First, they were charging $10 / foot for liveaboards. I knew this in advance, and I didn't particularly have an issue with the price. I became very irritated, though, when the management tried to convince me that Candide is 50' long...not 38'! "You have a big bowsprit and stern pulpit," I was told.
Had I been on a wharf, taking up 50' of space, I would have understood their point. But Candide fit perfectly into the slip they had assigned to me...and I didn't feel that an extra $120 per month was a fair price to pay for a bowsprit. Eventually, we settled on 42'.
The second problem followed a month later. I went to pay my rent and the management said, "We noticed that you are using an air conditioner at the marina. We have to charge you $100 for electricity."
Well, I was flabbergasted! My parents live in a three-bedroom home in Florida and don't spend that much to keep it cool during the summer!
Now I knew for sure that I was getting screwed by this marina. People who know me will tell you that I don't take getting screwed lying down! I promptly called my attorney, who informed me that it was illegal, under Florida law, for the marina to make a profit on the use of electricity. His suggestion was to demand that an electric meter be installed. I was told by management that none were available.
I called Florida Power and Light to complain, and they had a brilliant suggestion. They suggested that I use the meters on my boat to estimate the electricity that I consume on a monthly basis. I could then pay the marina for the standard kilowatt hours charged by the electric company.
It was quite obvious that this marina was only interested in taking as much of my money as I'd let them. So, I did what every liveaboard has the power to do...set sail for Ortega River Boat Yard, where I knew I'd be treated more like family.
Thoughts
from 2003:
For several months, I
had been having some minor problems with ORBY. The
fact is, it's a full-service marina. This means that
boats are constantly getting sanded, painted, re-fiberglassed...you
name it. The yard is, quite frankly, a mess even in
the best of times. In many ways, living in a
full-service marina can be like living next door to a
factory. It can be noisy, polluted, and perhaps even
dangerous at times.
I had been living in
this marina off and on for over four years. I got
along with most everybody and could deal with the working
nature of the marina. Eventually, though, I grew
tired of the whole situation. I longed for clean
bathrooms, grass lawns, clean parking spaces, and docks
that weren't a hazard to walk on. So, in September
of this year, I cast the dock lines from ORBY and moved up
river to a new marina.
This new marina has
everything that I wanted. There are only about
fifteen people who "spend significant amounts of time
aboard their boats" (there are no liveaboards
here...but the owner of the marina lives aboard two boats
down). This means less waiting time for the showers,
and I can almost always find a convenient place to park my
car (though the parking lot does tend to get full on the
weekends). The owner takes great pride in the
marina, and there are a ton of personal touches that makes
the place a very attractive home. The grounds are
kept in immaculate condition. The place is actually landscaped
with various bushes, plants, trees, and even grass!
At ORBY, one had to use old charcoal-fired grills to cook
out. At the new marina, they supply gas
grills! All it takes is the touch of a button, and
there are instant flames!
There are three showers
here, and each has a large vanity with...now get this...flowers!
OK, so they're fake flowers, but come on! In
all my years of boating, I've never stayed in a marina
whose owner takes enough pride in the place to spruce up
the bathrooms with flowers. Another great thing
about the bathrooms at this marina is that they have
"reading baskets." These are simply large
wicker baskets that hold various sailing magazines,
newspapers, books, etc. What more can a man ask for
while spending time on the Great White Throne?
The marina sports a gazebo
that serves as the center of marina life. At least
twice a month, the marina hosts parties that are attended
by 20-40 sailors. Usually, food and drinks are
served and there's some sort of organized talk about
sailing. Perhaps folks describe a recent trip to St.
Augustine...or to the Bahamas. Or, maybe there are
several people who want to get together for a sail the
following weekend. In any case, this community is
very focused on sailing. NOT power-boating.
Sailing! In fact, there are only about three
power-boats in the entire marina! As a guy who lives
aboard a sailboat, I truly appreciate the sailing-centric
nature of this marina.
While this marina is
considered "full-service," all of the work is
done behind an eight-foot privacy fence so that the boat
owners never see other boats undergoing repair. This
means that my car won't get covered with over spray from
boats being painted, I won't have to dodge masts and
rigging that have been left laying around the yard, and I
don't have to listen to the pounding, grinding, and
sanding that takes place every day in any working
marina!
I'm much happier
here! I suppose the best way to summarize is to say
that ORBY is like a low-rent apartment. The staff
can be sultry at times, the neighbors sometimes have
questionable legal status, and some of the facilities are
falling apart. My new marina is more like an
"upscale" apartment complex. The staff are
more professional, the facilities are maintained
perfectly, and the marina abounds with small details that
make the place "homey."
Now mind you, I've had
to adapt a bit to this upscale marina. At ORBY, I
couldn't care less if my dock lines were neatly arranged
into a "Flemish Coil." I often left cans
of varnish on the docks (along with mixing sticks and
brushes) for weeks at a time. Hell, my dinghy sat on
the end of the dock for months! This was the norm
at ORBY...pretty much, do whatever the hell you wanted and
nobody complained because they were all doing the same
thing! This results in a public-housing-like
atmosphere. It's not exactly a place where you can
take pride in the appearance of the place.
Now, I carefully coil
the dock lines every time I return to the slip.
Nothing is ever left on the docks for more than a few
hours while I'm working on the boat. I scrub the
decks every two weeks. I actually put up Christmas
lights this year because most of the boats at the marina
had them! I never leave anything in the cockpit (at
ORBY, Candide always had several empty beer bottles, a bag
of trash, and maybe a bra or two in the cockpit).
I've had to give up skinny-dipping off the boat with my
friends during warm weather. No more pissing over
the gunwales whenever the need arises.
I live the "clean
life" aboard now. I take pride in the fact that
there are many fine-looking boats at this marina that are
lovingly maintained by their owners. Candide has
joined their ranks. I guess this is the price to pay
for living in an "upscale" marina.
Perhaps you've got a
couple of questions about my new pad. I can only
tell you that the cost of this marina is approximately $20
more per month than I was paying at ORBY. Well worth
it, in my opinion! Unfortunately, I cannot divulge
the name or location of this marina. As I mentioned
earlier, this marina does not allow
liveaboards. If I mentioned the name in a public
forum (and how much more public can one get than the World
Wide Web?),
I'd soon find myself booted out of this place!
My advice is to find a
marina that allows liveboards. Take whatever you can
get! After several months, you'll start hearing
through the grapevine which marinas will accept
liveaboards...regardless of their official policy (or even
the law)!
Please
drop me a line at:
robert@sleepingwithoars.com
©
2007 by Robert Doty
