WickedPorter
Jetboaters Lieutenant
- Messages
- 160
- Reaction score
- 124
- Points
- 162
- Location
- Polk City, IA
- Boat Make
- Yamaha
- Year
- 2013
- Boat Model
- AR
- Boat Length
- 24
The situation: My first year as an occupant in a nice covered slip + lift at the local marina. Aside from delays getting my lift in, everything has gone smoothly so far. The previous owner left a dock box, which I was happy to take over. I verified verbally that this dock box now belongs to me.
For the record ... the dock box faces my boat. I.e. the latch hardware, padlock, and box face my boat. Clarifying further: when the lid is opened, the topside of the lid faces the neighboring slip. It sits on the end of the starboard dock "finger" right next to my swim deck when the boat is in the slip. This is the "standard" for dock boxes in this marina, and dock boxes (or any bolted hardware) must be installed by the marina.
Once I was told that the dock box belongs to me when I took over the slip on April 15th, I spent about an hour removing/pitching a bunch of crap (old cracked/deflated fenders) and a ton of spider nests/bugs, and promptly filled it up with my stuff.
I get a call today (almost two months after taking over the slip) from the marina office manager stating that the box is apparently owned by the neighboring slip. The guy was wondering why "his" dock box was locked.
I believe his call surprised the office manager, but apparently he was convincing(?) because she called me with two options: 1. buy a new box from their store for $400, or 2. Buy the box from the supposed "rightful" owner who really doesn't want it anyway for $250.
I voiced my confusion and frustration, as professionally as possible. I feel pretty bad about the situation, if in fact it does belong to the slip next to me. I have invaded his space and property (and threw some of it away!) and I do not feel good about that. Regardless ... I don't feel like I should have to purchase a box that has been given to me by the "landlord," and I truly believe that it is actually my box based on the "standard installation" specifications that the marina has set. This is a marina issue to solve and I believe their ignorance in inventory should be handled at their expense. Then again, this is a marina with a tremendous monopolistic advantage; there are no other marinas on or allowed on this lake (an Army Corps lake)...
After voicing my confusion and frustration, the office manager stated that they were going to investigate further and will get back to me tomorrow.
Fun.
For the record ... the dock box faces my boat. I.e. the latch hardware, padlock, and box face my boat. Clarifying further: when the lid is opened, the topside of the lid faces the neighboring slip. It sits on the end of the starboard dock "finger" right next to my swim deck when the boat is in the slip. This is the "standard" for dock boxes in this marina, and dock boxes (or any bolted hardware) must be installed by the marina.
Once I was told that the dock box belongs to me when I took over the slip on April 15th, I spent about an hour removing/pitching a bunch of crap (old cracked/deflated fenders) and a ton of spider nests/bugs, and promptly filled it up with my stuff.
I get a call today (almost two months after taking over the slip) from the marina office manager stating that the box is apparently owned by the neighboring slip. The guy was wondering why "his" dock box was locked.
I believe his call surprised the office manager, but apparently he was convincing(?) because she called me with two options: 1. buy a new box from their store for $400, or 2. Buy the box from the supposed "rightful" owner who really doesn't want it anyway for $250.
I voiced my confusion and frustration, as professionally as possible. I feel pretty bad about the situation, if in fact it does belong to the slip next to me. I have invaded his space and property (and threw some of it away!) and I do not feel good about that. Regardless ... I don't feel like I should have to purchase a box that has been given to me by the "landlord," and I truly believe that it is actually my box based on the "standard installation" specifications that the marina has set. This is a marina issue to solve and I believe their ignorance in inventory should be handled at their expense. Then again, this is a marina with a tremendous monopolistic advantage; there are no other marinas on or allowed on this lake (an Army Corps lake)...
After voicing my confusion and frustration, the office manager stated that they were going to investigate further and will get back to me tomorrow.
Fun.
