Borrowing Stuff Without Permission

[CaptTom]

I have to look at this from the other angle.

First of all, for this scenario to work, there has to be no-one around the dinghy dock; no-one nearby to give permission or to otherwise help retrieve the drifting dinghy. No hope of anyone returning momentarily. No hope of running or shouting to get someone's attention and ask permission.

OK, so let's say I come back to this remote and infrequently used dock to find MY dinghy gone. I look around shore and find no-one who can tell me what happened. I see in the distance, my own dinghy heading back with another dinghy heroically in tow.

I can't imagine being angry. If the rescuer were to profusely apologize, I'd insist that they have no reason to; that they did the right thing. Glad I could help!

It gets a little dicey when it's someone else's dinghy I spot drifting, and I'm shoreside without a dinghy of my own to go rescue it with. In the very rare case where there's absolutely no-one else around to help, AND the dinghy is unlikely to be recoverable if I don't act quickly, I like to think I'd do whatever it took to recover it. And that it would be appreciated.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

If it was in a cruising venue (as opposed to a restaurant dock or other such locale) I'd take it pronto. The cruising community is attuned to this sort of semi-emergency and would understand and appreciate the necessity of the moment.

...

I'm pretty sure that I'd just jump in and hope for the best....

Me too.

And I would expect another sailor in the same position to do the same with mine.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by boom23

It is always best to ask for permission. In a dire situation, I guess people will be understanding, but they will not be happy, if you do not ask for permission. Maybe, you buy the owner a few beers, or something, as a thank you and an apology...

I would like to think that cruisers will be more understanding.

I wouldn't be bothered if someone took mine - briefly! - under such emergency circumstances.

I wouldn't expect but would gladly accept the beers.

I was doing the borrowing, I would rummage for a fine bottle of single malt as a "thank you"

[cyan]

Originally Posted by Fiveslide

I wouldn't care at all if my dinghy was shanghaied in the act of saving another cruiser's dinghy. If it we're brought back in one piece, I'd simply be glad it helped. My wife, most likely, would have some b!#@hy comment about not being asked because that's the way her mind works, but she'd get over it.

I hope she doesn't read this, cause I'll get some b!#@hy comments for saying she makes b!#@hy comments.

Fiveslide wins the internet!
PS
Please apologize to your wife (from me) for that time we anchored directly between your craft and the beautiful sunset.
I now realize it MUST have been you two.
It sounded like this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzzRvrjIQu8

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by Nicholson58

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

You need a new cruising ground! We seldom lock our dink, and see plenty of others left unlocked here in the South Pacific. Yes, there are some spots where more security is wise, even here, but dinghy theft is not a universal issue.

Of course, if the OPs dinghy had been locked, it wouldnt have been floating away!

Jim

[boatpoker]

After a late night adventure in the Bahamas last year with two fellas who decided to borrow my dinghy without permission, I now keep the flare gun and a machete at the companionway.

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

You need a new cruising ground! We seldom lock our dink, and see plenty of others left unlocked here in the South Pacific. Yes, there are some spots where more security is wise, even here, but dinghy theft is not a universal issue.

Of course, if the OPs dinghy had been locked, it wouldnt have been floating away!

Jim

I guess if he had cleated it, it wouldn't have happened either. I guess it is drift thread or dingy. I'm with you, if you need to lock it, it is time to move on.

[model 10]

[QUOTE=Jim Cate;2753075]You need a new cruising ground!



I've never sailed anywhere that I didn't lock up my dinghy. Loosing your dinghy is a really big deal, especially if you aren't near a dinghy store. Just about everybody locks up their dink at night here on the Rio. I don't think anyone would change cruising grounds because you need to lock up your dinghy at night.

[Pete17C]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

BTW = I know how to tie to a cleat etc. If my dink is floating away it was one of those other cruisers moving my line that caused it!

Thinking of it this way, if it was a crowded dock, with a bunch of dinks per cleat, and it was probably someone else untying there's that was the cause of yours going adrift.

Would this change you're decision wether to borrow a dink to get yours back?

If I had someone with me to stay behind and let the guy that shows up and starts yelling his dink was stolen what was happening, I'd probably borrow away.

And I'd pick the ugly one, it'd be more obvious I wasn't stealing it.

Solo, I might look for other options.

[Jeffrey Oc]

We were in the Med for three years without a lock for our dingy.
When we reached the Caribbean we kept hearing, lift it, lock it or loose it. So we
now have a chain and lock, but I figure the real crooks will have half decent set
of bolt cutters.

[Pete17C]

and legally, it's more like 'unauthorized use' than stealing if you bring it back

/you'll have to pay a fine and pickup the garbage

[NYSail]

I would never take a strangers dihgy...... I would ask for assistance

[Cadence]

How the hell did this get into riddled with bullet holes in the US. Maybe only if you were stealing something a thief had dibs on. Seems it was way to much drift. If you don't like US law move here become a citizen and register to vote.

[newhaul]

Originally Posted by Cadence

How the hell did this get into riddled with bullet holes in the US. Maybe only if you were stealing something a thief had dibs on. Seems it was way to much drift. If you don't like US law move here become a citizen and register to vote.

agreed but do it legally

[psk125]

Reminds me of a something that came up in "the greatest generation". In a speech, someone posed the question "if your neighbor's house was burning, would you let them borrow your hose?" (hint: it wasn't Chamberlain.) In such a situation I would be happy to have my neighbor borrow my hose - without even asking. I would also be happy if my unlocked dinghy had enabled the rescue of one adrift, or been used to retrieve a wayward beach ball, or child, or MOB. As mariners, we are responsible for providing assistance to fellow mariners in need. If equipment we happen to own happens to be available to provide assistance -shouldn't it be able to provide assistance, even in our absence?