Berth Layup · 2026-10-21 · 7 min read

Marina liens and storage yards: when the record decides who pays

Summaries are for operators, not legal advice. State lien statutes differ; read the linked materials.

Layup and storage disputes often look like charter fights with slower clocks: what was on the hull at intake, what work was authorized, and whether the yard can prove the balance before selling or blocking launch.

In re City of Riviera Beach (marina lien sale challenge)

S.D. Fla. · admiralty · vessel sold at lien sale

Outcome (plain English): Eleventh Circuit addressed whether a municipal marina followed federal lien-sale procedures when owners challenged the sale of vessels for unpaid dockage and storage.

Without a packet: Owners argue they were never given proper notice or a fair picture of pre-sale condition; yards argue paper ledgers without photos.

Berth-shaped fix: Fall layup intake with zone photos and a signed receipt timestamp supports the condition story before lien notices go out.

Robbins v. Fabri (storage and repair lien context)

Florida district court · vessel repair and storage charges

Outcome (plain English): Court sorted which storage and repair charges were provable against the vessel where the owner disputed work performed without clear authorization.

Without a packet: Verbal OK for extra work without a dated addendum or photo of the damage that triggered the work order.

Berth-shaped fix: Tag new damage at spring commission against fall intake compare · export one PDF for the yard file and the owner.

Operator takeaway

Pair this brief with winter storage pre-existing tags and layup insurance chronology when the fight is storage, not a weekend rental.

Bareboat and multi-vessel operators: onboard baseline → hand back → compare packet.

Fill yours now · Example packet · Operator blog