Boarding someone elses boat

[Mike OReilly]

Someone pegged Jammer Six as a troll earlier in this discussion. I now believe him/her. Ignore him and he'll go away. I do appreciate the thread though. It does show that most cruisers are rational, reasonable and caring individuals. It's one of the reasons I like cruising.

[Jammer Six]

Originally Posted by blinkerfluid

Do yourself a favor and go read the laws, your ignorance of the situation isn't helping your cause.

9A.52.095

Vehicle prowling in the first degree.
(1) A person is guilty of vehicle prowling in the first degree if, with intent to commit a crime against a person or property therein, he or she enters or remains unlawfully in a motor home, as defined in RCW 46.04.305, or in a vessel equipped for propulsion by mechanical means or by sail which has a cabin equipped with permanently installed sleeping quarters or cooking facilities.

(2) Vehicle prowling in the first degree is a class C felony.


[2011 c 336 § 375; 1982 1st ex.s. c 47 § 13.]

Okay, I will.

I won't take trespassing, I'll take vehicle prowling. It's a felony, not a misdemeanor. You're going to prison, not jail.

[blinkerfluid]

Originally Posted by Jammer Six

9A.52.095

Vehicle prowling in the first degree.
(1) A person is guilty of vehicle prowling in the first degree if, with intent to commit a crime against a person or property therein, he or she enters or remains unlawfully in a motor home, as defined in RCW 46.04.305, or in a vessel equipped for propulsion by mechanical means or by sail which has a cabin equipped with permanently installed sleeping quarters or cooking facilities.

(2) Vehicle prowling in the first degree is a class C felony.


[2011 c 336 § 375; 1982 1st ex.s. c 47 § 13.]

Okay, I will.

I won't take trespassing, I'll take vehicle prowling. It's a felony, not a misdemeanor. You're going to prison, not jail.

I mentioned vehicle prowling in my earlier post (which you obviously didn't read). It doesn't apply to this situation because vehicle prowling involves there being an intent to commit a crime against a person or property. Rendering assistance isn't a crime.

If we're throwing around outlandish scenarios, maybe your insurance company would bring charges of negligence against you for failing to act and preventing others to act in your absence to protect your property.

[Jammer Six]

Here's Florida:

It shall be unlawful for any person to molest, tamper with, damage, destroy, trespass upon or cast loose or set adrift any boat belonging to another, or to disturb, destroy, steal, take, or carry away any of the contents, fixtures, motors, or accessories of any boat belonging to another. It shall be unlawful to trespass upon or within boat houses or docks belonging to others.

I wouldn't risk my freedom on another's ability to prove intent.

[blinkerfluid]

Originally Posted by Jammer Six

Here's Florida:

It shall be unlawful for any person to molest, tamper with, damage, destroy, trespass upon or cast loose or set adrift any boat belonging to another, or to disturb, destroy, steal, take, or carry away any of the contents, fixtures, motors, or accessories of any boat belonging to another. It shall be unlawful to trespass upon or within boat houses or docks belonging to others.

I wouldn't risk my freedom on another's ability to prove intent.

That's great, here's a law from Canada:

3.
Where, in respect of real or personal property in danger, a volunteer
renders services or assistance to protect or preserve the endangered
property, the volunteer is not liable for damage resulting to the property
alleged to have been caused by an act on the part of the volunteer while
rendering services or assistance, unless it is established that the damage
was caused by gross negligence on the part of the volunteer, and no
proceeding shall be commenced agai
nst a volunteer which is not based
upon his or her alleged gross negligence. 1994,c.65,s.3


Last I checked, you don't live in FL or Canada

[tp12]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

Someone pegged Jammer Six as a troll earlier in this discussion. I now believe him/her. Ignore him and he'll go away. I do appreciate the thread though. It does show that most cruisers are rational, reasonable and caring individuals. It's one of the reasons I like cruising.

I suspect you're right.

Putting the feedbag away...

[Uncle Bob]

I find this hugely amusing. Here we have someone that presents themselves as possibly bieng involved in law enforcement advocating that we must all stand alone and protect our own property , ignoring all else or put ourselves at risk of prosecution for assisting others.

This person espouses thier "rights", however I have always understood that there are three R's, Rights, Responsibilities and Respect. You don't get one without the other two!

Law enforcement organisations the world over have spent much time and money attempting to encourage citizens to look out for each other, through programs such as neighbourhood watch among others and I can't help but wonder at the attitude expressed here.

I for one would hope that should the need arise to come to my assistance others would do so, as I would for others.

Off my soapbox now but I feel better for it.

[Wannabe-007]

When I first read the OP, I thought I might learn something about the finer points of acceptable protocols or something.
...then I realised what it was about, and I thought to myself "What a silly thread - of course anyone would board a boat..." but for some reason I kept reading
...then the thread took a strange turn

Originally Posted by Jammer Six

Stay off my boat, I'll stay off yours.

When I first read this, I was perplexed
...then I realised that it was a clever inflammatory statement, that upon further inspection, would be interpreted as:
"If you don't have the decency to jump on my boat and save my stuff, I will do likewise and neglect yours!"

...then the clarification came, in waves, and I just couldn't fathom what I was reading.


I've boarded other peoples boats for issues as small as closing a hatch in the rain. Call me naive, but I don't ever recall calling the harbormaster, or even the marina about an issue that is so easily resolved. Actually, if it were a superyacht, I would go to the Marina office. But this aint the SuperYottiesForum, so I think Im still on track.
(It's a minor point of interest that my approach would change here)

I simply can't imagine a fellow sailor watching my jib flap about and not doing anything about it... let alone something much worse.

But then, I don't come come from the States (thankfully).
In fact, even the much discussed "No Trespassing" sign would not stop me from boarding a vessel in some level of distress. I would assume that this sign was intended for a different situation. Perhaps some subtext would give me pause... "Even if my boat is sinking - stay off". To be honest, I think I would still struggle to understand what I was reading.
I hope I never bump into the minority, or if I do, that there is big clear signs and bumper stickers, T-shirts and baseball caps that warn me and my brethren to stay well away.

Perhaps when we sail in the States I will have to adopt a different philosophy... the same philosophy that would prevent someone from saving a life due to liability fears. Perhaps not.


I guess I have learnt something about the finer points of acceptable boarding protocols.
I've learnt that there are people out there who will object to me jumping on board to save their stuff. I will have second thoughts in the future, although I think they will be brief. I take comfort knowing that the majority will still thank me, and certainly in the South Pacific that's a very large majority indeed.

[Jammer Six]

Originally Posted by Wannabe-007

In fact, even the much discussed "No Trespassing" sign would not stop me from boarding a vessel in some level of distress.

Wow.

And you guys thought I was extreme.

[Jammer Six]

Originally Posted by tp12

Just you mate. But you're kinda making that hard....

Yup. You'll never know.

[44'cruisingcat]

So how about this Jammer - you're anchored and a big steel yacht is dragging it's anchor and is going to hit your boat. By the time you notice it's already too close for you to be able to move out of it's way.


You know there's nobody aboard as you saw them leave a couple of hours ago.


You'd just sit there and let it hit and possibly sink your boat?

[Jammer Six]

You scenario answers itself.

If there isn't time for me to move out of the way, there's certainly no time to board their boat.

Now we have the full gamut of opinions-- we have people who will board your boat, regardless of your wishes, regardless of signs, because your property rights apparently don't matter to him, clear around the spectrum through my position to a follower of Any Rand.

How could this be clearer?

No matter what your opinion is, there are others who do not believe as you do.

If you board their boat, the best thing that can happen is nothing, after that, it goes downhill quickly, from legal action to law enforcement to violence.

However, if you let their boat be, there is nothing that can happen to you.

I don't see the reasoning. I don't see the respect for my fellow man that I hold. I don't even see any self respect in some of these posts.

[44'cruisingcat]

Originally Posted by Jammer Six

You scenario answers itself.

If there isn't time for me to move out of the way, there's certainly no time to board their boat.

That's evading the question. Assume you could save your own boat by boarding someone else's, and save the other boat from damage too. Would you still not do it?

[Uncle Bob]

Originally Posted by 44'cruisingcat

That's evading the question. Assume you could save your own boat by boarding someone else's, and save the other boat from damage too. Would you still not do it?

I'm guessing thier bathtub isn't big enough to encounter that senario.

[rgscpat]

Boarding a friend/neighbor's boat to render assistance of which I am capable is probably a no-brainer.

But I think I'd not board a strange boat that gave off danger signals such as a highly unseamanlike appearance, unusual sorts of visitors, or unusual activity patterns, perhaps combined with an unusual chemical smell or some scents that might be used to cover up indications of illegal/dangerous activity. That might be a good case for calling the harbor patrol or local law enforcement or an anonymous tip line. Certainly this might be the sort of boat for regular slip tenants to keep a very close eye upon, as it may pose unusual risks to its neighbors.