Nanaimo Harbor for the rich????

[Piper]

Question I'm in a debate over this one- What would the difference be sinking a ship by snake island for a reef and a smaller boat sinking and not being retrieved/

[Ahab]

Question I'm in a debate over this one- What would the difference be sinking a ship by snake island for a reef and a smaller boat sinking and not being retrieved/

I can't imagine I am responding to this! The boats that are sunk outside the harbour present no hazard for anchorage. Further, they are "prepared" (the hatches are enlarged for the safety of recreational divers). A small boat that sinks in the harbour does present a hazard for other boats to anchor and are not correctly "prepared."

[Piper]

Thanks Ahab

[Viking]

I find the world to be so over regulated today that hardly anyone can be on the right side of it all the time. I am all for alternate housing and life styles and it would be nice if we could all find a way to live rent free. None of us truly owns the water and for those who find a way to live on it for free, well power to them. Our freedoms have been so curtailed that I dont think we even think outside the box much anymore, we just get upset about anyone who found a creative solution to the roof.

Yes, many of the boaters seek an alternative lifestyle and there will always be those that oppose a lifestyle that is not like their own. Many of these people are choosing to live a style of life with minimal impact on the environment and should be left alone. Have any of these boaters tried to tell you how you should live your life?

[Viking]

If a person cannot afford the insurance, can they afford to have the vessel taken off the rocks if it drags anchor and ends up on Newcastle Island?

Yes they can!

The cost of taking a boat off the beach is simply waiting for the tide to come up and towing it off. I have been involved in a few of these and Norm out there several. Most of the time it is from boats whose owners are not available and you help them once or twice and get discouraged by the lack of seamanship to care for their own vessel. Well cared for vessels do not end up on the beach. Parts of the proposed rules are aimed at avoiding those situations by ensuring proof of ownership and regular inspections of anchoring system. Insurance isn't going to prevent owners not caring for their vessels but likely encourage it.

[Ahab]

Have any of these boaters tried to tell you how you should live your life?

Nope. As long as I pay my taxes to keep these guys in fresh water, garbage disposal, and cleaning out their holding tanks, they pretty well leave me alone. All I have to do is pay for them.

[Viking]

A letter to the Editor from Gordon Fuller, taken from his blogspot

Regarding Live Aboard Boaters in Nanaimo Harbour .

I am continually puzzled by the rational of decision making used by many of this Cities Governing bodies. It would seem that whatever vestiges of character Nanaimo possesses, they are always under attack and at threat of being eliminated.

People have lived on boats in the harbour for years and are part of the character of any harbour city. Of course we want to make sure they are not dumping waste into the harbour, what even remotely environmentally conscious person would not? If live aboard, as well as tourist, boaters are not availing themselves of sewage disposal facilities then fine them and make it a hefty one that would deter them from polluting in the future. Otherwise lets live and let live and not try to over-regulate to the point of destroying a way of life that actually adds to the character of Nanaimo and its' Harbour.

Thanks Gordon Fuller

[queen of the waterfront]

Hear Hear. Freedom is as freedom does. protect yourself and others from harm

[Smokey©]

Permits now required for long-term boaters
Port wants to combat sewage problems
Darrell Bellaart, Daily News
Published: Friday, May 08, 2009

The days of anchoring for free in Nanaimo's harbour come to an end this summer.

The Port of Nanaimo's long-awaited practices and procedures manual requires all long-term boaters to buy permits.

To qualify, boats must undergo an inspection to show they are seaworthy, have reliable motors and holding tanks to store sewage.

The contentious requirement to have all vessels insured was dropped, a step Coun. Fred Pattje said represents a "compromise" after talks with the boating community.

[Blue]

I'm glad to see that they reached a compromise on this issue. Getting rid of the requirement for insurance is not something I wanted to see, but to get other regulations in place, including the inspection and holding tank requirement, are a good step in the right direction.
The harbour should be safe for everyone to enjoy, not just those living on the water. By doing inspections and the need for holding tanks, the water will be cleaner for all citizens of Nanaimo. As a taxpayer I'm happy to see a small fee involved now, as services are used, so tax should be paid, otherwise the rest of us are paying for it.
Nanaimo's waterfront is beautiful, let's keep it clean.