Trojan Boat Forum

Last October we signed a contract for mooring space for 2022. Over the winter, Safe Harbor purchased the marina. Now, they are sending me requests that I upgrade my insurance and also a new contract to be signed. Frankly, there are clauses on the new contract that I don't like. They have been sending me rather demanding emails for a few months, but so far no consequences to those demands have been stated.

I have a meeting with my attorney in a couple weeks on an unrelated matter and I will seek counsel with him then, but thought I'd see if anyone has any experience with this situation.

There seems to be a lot of people bristling about Safe Harbor purchasing this particular marina.

Is there anything in your old contract that voids it in the event of a sale? Safe Harbor just took over Bluewater here in Hampton Va. and they have raised the rates a $1 a foot per month. ( rates based on slip length, not boat length) . Not sure what other changes they have made. Our marina has had a few calls from slip holders there, but unaware of any that have moved yet. I suspect they have a legal team that's gone over changing contracts. So it's pos.sible you could get evicted or not renewed.



May I ask what changes in the contract you don't like? I have not seen any marine contracts I do like myself. Safe harbor seems like its a lot of marketing hype

prowlersfish wrote: ↑Mon Jun 06, 2022 9:26 am Is there anything in your old contract that voids it in the event of a sale? [redacted] May I ask what changes in the contract you don't like? I have not seen any marine contracts I do like myself. Safe harbor seems like its a lot of marketing hype

Interestingly enough, there does not seem to be any houdini clauses in the old contract that allows them to get out in the event of sale ... or for little other reasons, for that matter. Then again, that company is gone ... but one would assume that the new company would need to honor existing contracts. If they do not renew for next year, that is fine with us. As far as what we do not like ... there is a clause in there about no live-a-boards. We live on our boat for a couple months during the summer. Not sure if they would jump up and down about that ... but technically, they could. Also, there is a clause about no commercial operations. We operate a small charter service ... so, that would be in violation.

Its hard to say how they would enforce the new rules and what they consider "live aboard" If you have another marina in mind, them pushing for a new contract may give a way for an early out.

our Yacht club has no live aboard clause as well but a lot of people do it. Nobody is going to complain about it though, it's good to know people are there 24x7.

In this context, could "liveaboard", be defined as a permanent situation, 12 months, or just staying on your boat for a month or two here or there. Need to find out the legal definition. I have an idea they don't want derelict junk boats being lived on causing who knows what problems.

If you have a nice boat that comes and goes then maybe that won't apply.

I was told that "liveaboard" is more than 80 nights per year.

An update.

In Michigan, boats are splashed a max of about 6 months each year ... so, boaters are not living on them permanently. Although, back in the 80s, I knew a guy in Holland Michigan that had a bubbler system and he tried wintering on his boat ... but he did it for one winter and he was done. Trudging through 3 feet of snow to get to his ice-laden boat was a challenge and a half with groceries.

Anyway, the concensus that the marina isn't going to hassle boaters who live on their boats for a few months during the summer seems to be correct.

The marina hasn't said anything else about the new contract or the requirement for increased coverage on insurance. I think they gave up. As far as I can tell, the contract I signed for this year is still valid. If I signed the new contract, they would have me by the short hairs.

Liveaboards not allowed at my marina either. I geobach, so I use my boat to stay on during the week because it is close to my work. I'm in my 13th consecutive month. No issues from my marina owners, who are aware of my situation. The point is, I have a home that I can go to, and that I receive mail at. I'm a working professional, not just some vagabond that can't find my way out of the Chesapeake. As an added bonus (to the marina), I'm not at the marina on the weekends, when demand for parking and other services is greatest.