Boat in Repo Situation is Blocking My Boat in Storage

[Wildbilly]

We're in Ohio. There are 2 separate situations to further complicate the matter. Here goes...

Last fall, we stored our boat in a building across the street from the marina for the winter. The marina hauled our boat out of the water and blocked it on stands inside the building. The storage property is not owned by the marina. In March 2015, we discovered that the storage property was foreclosed and had been sold at auction to a trust.

However, for the years I have stored in that building, the everyday operations between the marina staff, marina equipment and that storage facility never appeared to be an issue. Even though we knew that the marina didn't own the storage facility, they operated as if they did. Marina staff and equipment operated on the storage property as if it were a single entity.

But that's not necessarily the problem now.

Every boat has been removed from the storage building except for 3: mine, the boat behind me and the boat in front of me which is blocking our boats from being removed from the building. The boat in front of me is a newer 40' sedan bridge, the owner is in default and the boat will likely be repo'd. The owner will not permit the marina to move his boat out of the way even though there is plenty of room inside the building to move it.

The marina won't touch his boat and no one knows who purchased the storage property.

 

[quincy]

We're in Ohio. There are 2 separate situations to further complicate the matter. Here goes...

Last fall, we stored our boat in a building across the street from the marina for the winter. The marina hauled our boat out of the water and blocked it on stands inside the building. The storage property is not owned by the marina. In March 2015, we discovered that the storage property was foreclosed and had been sold at auction to a trust.

However, for the years I have stored in that building, the everyday operations between the marina staff, marina equipment and that storage facility never appeared to be an issue. Even though we knew that the marina didn't own the storage facility, they operated as if they did. Marina staff and equipment operated on the storage property as if it were a single entity.

But that's not necessarily the problem now.

Every boat has been removed from the storage building except for 3: mine, the boat behind me and the boat in front of me which is blocking our boats from being removed from the building. The boat in front of me is a newer 40' sedan bridge, the owner is in default and the boat will likely be repo'd. The owner will not permit the marina to move his boat out of the way even though there is plenty of room inside the building to move it.

The marina won't touch his boat and no one knows who purchased the storage property.

The boat owner cannot hold the other two boats as hostage. Tell the marina to move the boat in front so you can get yours out of storage.

 

[Wildbilly]

The boat owner cannot hold the other two boats as hostage. Tell the marina to move the boat in front so you can get yours out of storage.

Thanks for the quick response, and I agree - he shouldn't be allowed to hold us hostage. However, the marina doesn't own the storage property and they claim he's not a customer. But he had to be a customer in order to get his boat out of the water. The marina owns the only hoist in the area and marina employees had to have lifted him out and blocked him up in the building.

However, the marina is now taking a hands-off approach since the sale. All of their equipment was removed from the buildings and all of the former owners equipment has been removed.

 

[xylene]

Consider getting a lawyer to assure the marina that yes, they need to free your boat whatever this guy's objection .

Consider discretely getting some moose with a sling crane or suitable equipment to relocate the offending boat.

 

[Wildbilly]

Consider getting a lawyer to assure the marina that yes, they need to free your boat whatever this guy's objection .

Consider discretely getting some moose with a sling crane or suitable equipment to relocate the offending boat.

Ha ha! Already considered that. It appears that the fellow stuck behind me has also been making calls today and the marina owner has changed his tune. He will move the boat.

 

[quincy]

That sounds like a smart move on the marina owner's part. I am happy to hear your problem has been resolved.

 

[xylene]

Once you boat is free and out of this space or in the water, consider reevaluating your home port and/or winter dry dock. If you switch be sure and let this marina know this half... bottom handling of this situation's role in your leaving.

Good luck and happy boating.