‘Liveaboards,’ Marina Owners Exchange Jabs : Fees: At issue are increases that operators want to levy on boaters for living aboard their vessels.

Saturday at Ventura West Marina, a group of sailors will give up a day on the ocean and instead walk the docks, trying to gain allies in an escalating war with marina operators.

The “liveaboards” are protesting what many contend is an unreasonable increase in the fee they pay for the privilege of living on vessels tied up at the marina.

“I’m irritated as hell,” said Paul Bruer, a diver who lives on his boat. “I don’t mind if they raised the rents, but I feel they should put the money to use here at the marina and not just pocket it.”

The increase sought by marina operators is between 9% and 10% of the present fees, which are $90 per month for each single, $135 for each couple. Also, marina operators are seeking a hike of 5% in slip fees.

Many of the liveaboards say the increase, to be decided next week by the commissioners of the Ventura Port District, is unfair. They say maintenance at the marina should be improved first.

Across the harbor, where 60 liveaboards at Ventura Isle Marina were assessed up to 33% monthly increases in January, boaters are also facing a proposed 5% increase in slip fees.

“Every business analyzes its costs every year,” said Randy Short, who manages 700 slips for Almar Ltd.’s Ventura Isle Marina. “And it’s been a year since Ventura Isle increased its slip rates.”

Tom Kotal, manager of Ventura West’s 545-slip marina, said boaters are independent-minded and expects they will protest. Kotal said he doesn’t expect the Wednesday commission meeting to be smooth sailing.

“It never is,” Kotal said.

The rebellious liveaboards of Ventura West plan to cite what they contend is poor maintenance, and burned-out parking lot and dock lights as primary complaints.

“I do not object to an increase,” said Edward Grubb, skipper of the Great Dane and one of the authors of the petition. “But management is not spending time or money keeping the place up.”

Grubb and others interviewed Wednesday pointed to little things that add up to big headaches--the shower that periodically breaks down on cold mornings, the lack of carts to get things to and from the parking lot, the spotty janitorial service.

The fee for liveaboards--assessed on top of the slip rates--is intended to offset extra utility and maintenance costs incurred by daily use of dock facilities. It is the liveaboards who are most vocal in opposition to rate increases at the harbor and critical of day-to-day operations.

Referring to Ventura West, David Rowe, owner of the Jembach, said: “Maintenance is marginal.”

“Facilities are clean but not well-maintained. It takes a long time to get things fixed.”

Responded Kotal: “The water heater broke a month ago, and it was fixed within the hour.”

“Security is non-existent,” Connie Breedlove complained. She and other boat owners cite vandalism in the parking lot as evidence.

Part of the rent increase is earmarked for a night parking lot security guard at Ventura West, Kotal said.

The increases, if approved, mean that a couple renting a 46-foot slip at Ventura West and living aboard would pay $550 under the new rates, an increase of $34.

At Ventura Isle, across the harbor, the same couple, having experienced a liveaboard fee increase of $50 in January, would pay $578 for a 45-foot slip. Their costs will have risen $68 since this time last year.

“Living aboard a boat is not cheap,” said Breedlove, owner of the Principia, docked at Ventura West. “People think it is, but that’s a myth.” On top of the slip costs, most boat owners also carry heavy loans on their boats, she said. Also, Breedlove and some boat owners pay their own electricity costs. She said one of her recent electric bills topped $60.

Short said the monthly electric bill for Ventura Isle is more than $10,000.

Ventura Isle’s 25% to 33% liveaboard fee increase of January was a “catch-up” increase, Short said, adding that it had not been adjusted for six or seven years.

Not everyone opposes the rate increase. “It’s a free marketplace,” said John Jensen, owner of the American Dream. “They feel they should raise the rents to whatever the market will bear, and they have that right.”

“Five percent is fair,” said Chuck Jansen, owner of the Bordello, a cabin cruiser.

Ventura Harbor General Manager Richard Parsons said rate increase requests are usually granted by the commission. He said only one request has been rejected, that from a marina in bankruptcy.