Borrowing Stuff Without Permission

[Group9]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

The worst that would happen (in the USA) is that you would be riddled with bullet holes...

Jim

And, obviously, it would be Donald Trump’s fault! (Because, he once said stealing dinghies was wrong!)

Once a thread goes political, there’s no going back!

[Ken Pole]

Swimming after a drifting dinghy, especially where it's being pushed along by the offshore breeze or current, is not a good idea

[jibstay]

You jump in another dinghy, track yours down, then climb into your dinghy and tow theirs back. You look like a hero for retrieving their runaway dinghy. ‘merica!

[skipgundlach]

After fetching a drifting dink I'd get on whatever channel is the local hailing channel and tell folks where to find it. I suspect the word would get to the owner - how many folks lost their dinghy that day? Someone would tell them if they hadn't heard it, I imagine...

We once had a couple over for dinner. We tied up their dink behind Flying Pig. After dinner, in full dark, we went to the stern to say goodnight.

"Where's our dinghy?"
"Behind the boat, tied to the platform"
"No, it's not..."

A search in NO starlight or moonlight and a handheld spotlight was unproductive, and we resolved to start again the next morning after we'd given them a ride back to their boat.

The next morning they hailed passing fishermen who, in one case, said they'd seen one up in the marsh. Off we went, and it was, indeed, theirs. Along the way I helped him solve a starting problem (sticky kill switch), and we resolved two things:

Never use polyethylene rope, and never tie off someone else' dinghy (either of those decisions would have saved us the embarrassment of having OUR knot fail)!

[mikeod]

I wouldn't think twice about doing it. Just like I don't think twice about boarding someone's unoccupied boat when it's dragging to help secure it which I have done a few times. I would hope others would do the same for me also.

[redhead]

Originally Posted by Nicholson58

I can’t imagine a place where all of the dinghys weren’t locked.

Come to the Pacific Northwest.

[FPNC]

I fully understand the “emergency situation” you have described. But let’s call a spade a spade. What you are describing is “stealing a dingy” with the hopes that you can return it before it is noticed missing by the owner or if it is noticed, that the owner will not mind that you stole it with the intent of returning it in short order. In your scenario, I would steal that dingy in a heartbeat.

[jmschmidt]

I thought that was called stealing?

[guyrj33]

Originally Posted by FPNC

I fully understand the “emergency situation” you have described. But let’s call a spade a spade. What you are describing is “stealing a dingy” with the hopes that you can return it before it is noticed missing by the owner or if it is noticed, that the owner will not mind that you stole it with the intent of returning it in short order. In your scenario, I would steal that dingy in a heartbeat.

I think it's called unauthorized use, not stealing.

[grantmc]

Originally Posted by mikeod

I wouldn't think twice about doing it. Just like I don't think twice about boarding someone's unoccupied boat when it's dragging to help secure it which I have done a few times. I would hope others would do the same for me also.

My thinking is exactly the same Mike.

Also I wonder if the scenario were changed to the dinghy floating off not being yours. Would people still be keen to go and catch it?

[FPNC]

Originally Posted by guyrj33

I think it's called unauthorized use, not stealing.

Tomato/potato Can adultery be considered, "unauthorized use"?

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by Jd1

This is related to another thread about neighbours borrowing stuff without permission. It is a bit of a different situation from the original post and I did not want to be accused of thread drift hence a new thread:


I must admit here that I do have issues with borrowing without first asking. What comes to mind is a situation where I have gone to shore and not tied off my tender well enough. I come back from my shore trip and find my tender rapidly drifting out towards open ocean. What do I do (besides panicking)?
I believe that most people (and please correct me if I am wrong, I would really like feedback) would think that circumstances are such that it would be acceptable to jump into another dinghy that happens to be tied up at the same spot and give chase to retrieve the wayward dinghy. I myself do not feel that anything short of a life or death situation would give me the right to take somebody elses' dinghy (without permission) even though I know that the vast majority of people would have no issues with such an emergency borrowing of property without asking.


So what would you do in such a situation ?

The same as you, depending on distance, I swim reasonably well, If anyone objected to that they would be a real ass.

[model 10]

I left the key's to our dink on the dock one day and some guy in a 15hp chased
me down and gave them back. It's the only time I've been happy with only 8hp.

[Calaban-Alleria]

I think it is reasonable to resort to "unauthorized use" to save ones property. I wouldn't object if someone borrowed my little guy to retrieve theirs. I would just be happy if they thanked me with a pint after and would gladly do the same. Life is just a lot easier when we help each other.

[fuentes]

If you ever need to use my dink, go ahead. It would not bother me at all. Just bring it back as soon as you can. Out here in the Sea of Cortez, I am not much in a hurry to get anywhere in particular. Have a nice day.