Tropical Disturbance in Australia-The Death of the Venus

Here- anchored boats have to have a permit to stay in city waters.

It's on the books that untended boats can be tagged for owner action.
Failing action- the boat is tagged each day for a $100 dollar fine.
If the boat is not dealt with it is impounded and hauled by the yard where my shop is which holds a contract to haul and impound for the city.

It's a trap for the folks with no means and sloppy handling of their boats.
Many cannot afford to pay off the fines, hauling/storage costs.
The boats just get left in the yard and are part of the steady stream of cut up hulls each year.

I watched the city action develop over a period of 20 years or so.
It's restrictive to all of our access rights to the waterways but came in response to many specific instances of boaters disregarding simple seamanship.
The city had to enact ordinances to enable a legal response to problem boats- now that the rules are on the books, they apply to all.
Fortunately we have harbor master who applies a fair hand to the boating scene. In future, the ordinances could be used to shut down use of the waterways here is the city choose to do so.
I haven't boated in Florida, but here tales of how difficult the cruising scene is their due to similar city actions on controlled waterways.

 

The local shipyard is completely full of fleabags seized by the port authorities. They must waite a certain length of time before they chain saw them up and dispose. Even this is very expensive for the local authority.

All boats should be required to purchase a cruising permit and a bond that can be claimed by the port authority when they must act.

To many fleabags carry no insurance or flaky insurance. One scam is to purchase insurance... gain access to the port or haul the boat, cancel the insurance then abandon the boat.

 

Michael,

Again, I hate those who are predators upon the system.

But, that is what Socialism is and breeds. And you live in Spain.

And in Spain, why not do as the Spaniards do?

 

I disagree in that some yacht owners are just leaches on society, in situations like this. Mooring tackle can part, even on the best kept yacht. Mother nature has repeatedly proven to overwhelm the best engineering money can buy. Yes, some do seem destined to have their yacht on the rocks, but this is more from being unaware of the forces involved, than their uncaring nature. I've seen many yachts damaged or ruined, from no fault of their own. I replaced the masts on a ketch last year that were torn off, when it was stuffed under a bridge. The owner was very diligent and careful, but had another yacht break free and back down on him, gathering his and a few others up in the process and piling up under a bridge, during a storm. You can do everything right and still end up with the fuzzy end of the stick anyway.

 

What has socialism got to do with the problem ?????????

Boat space is hard to get in all areas of the world, no matter what the politics are.

As the 'good book' says "The poor are always with us", and just as much so on the water as off it.

It sounds like many of the authorities have found a fair and effective system. No need to get all moralistic about it.