Boaters who kept their vessels at Harborview Marina in downtown Baltimore were forced to berth elsewhere after the marina closed on Monday, March 31.
Harborview attributed its sudden closure to safety concerns. To discuss a refund, tenants can get in touch with Harborview.
Locating a new docking location
As they rush to find another docking location, life at sea will look very different for those who lived at the Harborview Marina.
The majority of Bobby LaPin’s time is spent on the water, since most people call him Captain Bobby.
We decided to live on a boat since, to be honest, it’s less expensive and offers a fantastic view. skipper LaPin, the skipper and co-owner of the charter boat firm Boat Baltimore, remarked, “You’re right on the water.”
From approximately 2015 until 2021, LaPin and his spouse resided at Henderson’s Marina in Fells Point on a 45-foot sailboat. Although the two no longer reside on the boat, they still use their “Sail Local” social media profile to promote Baltimore’s boating community.
They are also advocating on behalf of anyone affected by Harborview’s developments.
Harborview, Anchorage Marina, and Hendersons and Fells Point were the three marinas that permitted liveaboards. And now that Harborview is closing, these people who wish to live on their boat have one fewer choice,” LaPin said.
Reduced availability of liveaboards
LaPin also told WJZ that because most marinas in Baltimore do not permit people to live on their boats, there have been fewer opportunities for this practice for years.
“Our history, our foundation, is built upon the water in this city,” LaPin stated. “You know, once again, whether it’s commercial, or recreation, or liveaboards, I think that everyone should kind of have a choice and they shouldn’t be backed into the corner where they’re afraid that something they love to do, like live on a boat, is being taken away from them.”
Harborview emailed its members about the shutdown on March 14 and then posted the information on its website, stating “safety concerns.”
According to the statement, the marina “received a report from our marine engineer advising us that this decision is required because of safety concerns about the current condition of the fixed pier.”
According to LaPin, he is concerned about the marina’s future because many of his contemporaries who live in Baltimore aboard their boats have nowhere to go.
“What I do not want in the future, is that now Baltimore will be stuck right off of Key Highway, right off Federal Hill, with this eyesore of a ghost, phantom arena that just sits there with this concrete thing in floating wood, and there’s just no one,” LaPin stated.
According to Harborview’s website, you can contact their office at 410-752-1122 to discuss your refund and any relocation assistance you may require, or if you have any concerns or need suggestions for alternate dockage.
Baltimore’s Harborview Marina closes because of “safety concerns”
