Squatter On Your Mooring Ball ( Canada )

[delmarrey]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

I thought I read that the Coast Guard had to approve moorings in navigable waters?... is that old info? or only outside city limits?

They do maintain the buoy systems and regulate nav. waters, but in the USA, inland waters (lakes & harbors) are controlled by local police (Harbor Patrol).

USCG is responsible for incoming traffic (boarder control), water rescue's, boat safety and coastal waters. And can be assigned to the military under certain circumstances, as far as I remember. It's basically Homeland Security now.

[Elysium]

Wow, tager, you didn't need to read it all, but certainly the first post would have been useful. Went to the boat twice. Tried the phone about 30 times, polled other livaboard boaters in the harbour.
I don't live on the shore of the bay. It takes 40min just to get there. How much free time do you think people have?
Besides, a 3min conversation with the police does not constitute wasting their time. THEY offered to go talk to the fellow.

[tropicalescape]

Originally Posted by Canibul

okay, since none of you guys have been in the situation either, I was going to suggest planting something illegal ( bullets?) on the boat and tell the police you noticed it when you went aboard to try to find out how to contact the owner.

basically, from your description, I am betting that if you make it uncomfortable for him he'll move to someplace out from under police scrutiny.

Assuming you don't get what you want from from the Harbor master, of course.

Yea bullets...

[bob_77903]

Originally Posted by tager

As posted in line one of my post: I did not read the whole thread! Calling a cell phone does not constitute talking to a person. I was thinking of actually talking to the person. Sure there is footwork involved, but you gotta do what you gotta do. Would you rather waste the time of the police on something so petty? You can call a cell phone, you can call the police, and you can post in a forum, but can you talk to an actual person?

Why don't you read the whole thread before arbitrarily knocking the guy....Geez

[tager]

I underestimated the effort you put into finding the guy. Where I keep my boat, a few words with the right people will get you all the information you need about boats in the harbor. I would urge you to keep talking to folks around the harbor. It's the most likely amicable solution.

[tropicalescape]

I think the boat belongs to Tager....DVC

[Canibul]

yeah, he looks pretty sneaky in that hoodie and shades.....

Hey Tager, go get yer boat off the man's mooring already!!

[hellosailor]

Well officer, I found it on MY mooring ball, so I figured someone left it as a gift for me.

Can't argue much with that, can you? <WEG>

[Cavalier MK2]

Originally Posted by delmarrey

They do maintain the buoy systems and regulate nav. waters, but in the USA, inland waters (lakes & harbors) are controlled by local police (Harbor Patrol).

USCG is responsible for incoming traffic (boarder control), water rescue's, boat safety and coastal waters. And can be assigned to the military under certain circumstances, as far as I remember. It's basically Homeland Security now.

The USCG is a branch of the military. In unincorporated county waters the Sheriffs are the agency instead of the city police.

[delmarrey]

Originally Posted by Cavalier MK2

The USCG is a branch of the military. In unincorporated county waters the Sheriffs are the agency instead of the city police.

US Coast Guard Home

Look under the name, at the top, in this link.

[hellosailor]

The nature of the USCG confused many people even before Homeland Security was created and the USCG was assigned to it. The USCG is not simply "military" they are an agency which is chartered as both an administrative agency--like the IRS--and a branch of the military, under the Department of Defense. Exactly which role they play changes from time to time, depending on whether the US is legally "at war" or in some peculiar "state of emergency" and who last bothered to reassign the USCG for convenience purposes.

There's plenty of room for sea lawyers to argue that the USCG is often assigned to the wrong role, making them operate "under color of law" which means illegally, despite whatever whoever claims to the contrary. The confusion is not unintentional.

I expect the underpaid underthanked SAR guys are as unhappy about that as anyone else.

[markpierce]

The USCG bounces among various civilian departments such as Department of Commerce, Department of Transportation, and now Department of Homeland Security. It is not within the Department of Defense. But, in times of war, or at the direction of the President, it serves under the Navy.

[Pacificcatalyst]

I'm not sure if this has been mentioned, but you may have some liability if/when the derelict looses it's air. In my experience, officialdom will follow the path of least resistance when enforcing rules and regulations. In the event that the squatter sinks, or needs emergency action to prevent its sinking, the powers will look for someone to pursue to recover their costs and to assign fines. That just might be you, the guy who has actual contact information and answers the phone.
I would put some energy into filling whatever reports and complaints with any and all affected agencies, from the Wharfinger to the Coast Guard.
Nothing breeds paranoia like experience!

[sww914]

I was a squatter once, didn't know it. I rented the mooring from a guy who had once owned 1/2 of it and continued to rent it even though he had no right to. I didn't know for 3 months until one of the owners showed up with his new boat and I was already there. He was really pissed at me until I could explain.

[youmeandthed]

sink it or tie it to a government dock, repaint your mooring ball a new colour, and move your mooring ball to a new location. They'll think it just blew away. You could even put a note on the boat saying, found drifting.

The guy will never know it was you, and just assume he parked on a bad mooring.