paint gun maniac!!!

[teamivey]

This morning as I and my wife were sitting in the cockpit drinking our coffee. A guy walks around the pulpit of our boat and starts to fire a paint gun at the geese that gather around the boat! I was shocked. I quickly unzipped the cockpit door and asked the guy what he was doing. "I'm shooting geese." he replied. "get thehell out of here!" I told him. "Go f*ck yourself." he told me. I am now in complete disbelief. I get some clothes on, as it was 6:30 am, and go out to talk to the guy. As soon as I get out there, he puts his gun down and throws his arms out as if he wants to fight. I ask him if he is going to swing on me, and he replies that he is just being ready. This guy is a nutjob. He is wearing his fowl weather gear, and I see a name embroidered on his suit. Rendevous. Is that the name of your boat I ask him. Ya it is, he replies arrogantly. Well we see how long your around here I tell the guy.

I then go back to my boat and try to call the harbormaster. I don't get an answer, and I am not surprised as it is 6:30am. Then I decide to call the police. They tell me that they will send someone out,and ask if I can meet them in the parking lot, because you need a gate key to get in the marina. So I go up to the parking lot to meet them. Once up in the lot I can see the guy walking up and down the docks shooting his paint gun at the geese. He then gets close enough that he is in hearing range. I yell down to him that the cops are coming. He tells me he doesnt care, that he isn't doing anything wrong. Well I'll wrap it up by saying that the cops came and cuffed and stuffed the guy. Not because he shot at the geese, but because he couldn't help running his mouth at the cops.

We live at Columbia Crossings marina, in Portland, OR. At Hayden Island. This maniacs boat is named the Rendevous. It is some kind of 50' or so commercial charter boat. For dinner cruises or something. This guy is a maniac. When I was able to get ahold of the harbormaster, he told me as much, as if I needed it to confirm what I already witnessed.

Later that day, around twilight, a goose that we had fed last spring and that came back after summer was at the boat. We named him Ballsy since he was so unafraid of people. He now has one eye and yellow paint all over him.

He still is unafraid, which is good as I got some good digital photos of him which I will be surre to bring to court when this guy goes.

Maniac is the most gentlemanly thing I can call this guy. Most of my thoughts about him would need censoring.

[delmarrey]

Anyone that owns a boat should realize that they are going to be living with some kind of bird no matter what part of the country you're in.

For us, there is a flock of some kind of black bird the likes to land on the stays and shrouds which is especially annoying in blackberry season.

Heck, when I lived aboard in San Diego (Mission Bay) I use to have a pet goose. He use to follow us out when we went diving. He sure liked the abalone inerards.

Then one day he never showed up. I figured it was the new imigrants........_/)

[Alan Wheeler]

What a Dork! that guy is. Can you have him done for tresspassing on your boat or something??
I can just imagine the guy being sleep deprived and a his wits end from Geese honking and he has had enough and gone over the edge. No excuse, but I can just imagine it.

Well I wrote a long response here, but my connection blinked out and I lost it. In a nutshell, we have found every marina to have the same cast of characters. We have that guy here, but he spends his off hours with his "Mortal Combat" video game hooked up to an impressive sound system. We get treated to the sounds of murder and mayhem at odd hours of the day and night when he goes into one of his moods. He does not seem to have discovered paint ball.
I think there is something in the air today. things have been wierd all day.

[CaptainK]

Kai Nui once whispered in the wind

I think there is something in the air today. things have been wierd all day.

Well aside from the flu virus. Or the cold. Now that you mentioned it, this Sunday has been rather odd?

I also noticed that some people that I know that "normally" works weekends were off today?

Strange Sunday this is indeed?

K, check your email, you will see what I mean.

[CaptainK]

So that poor guy pass on huh?

Ever find out what caused it? And whatever happened to the other floating bodies that you've mentioned?

We get a floater in here about once a year. lots of different causes. They have still not determined the cod of thsi guy. THey are not yet releasing the name. His girlfriend is in the hospital. Just had major surgery, and I am not sure she has been notified.
Like I said, it's been a wierd day.

[ssullivan]

Wow... what a horrible experience. I often wonder what makes people so angry.

I recently had a very similar situation. My wife and I were splitting wood in the corner of our marina yard. We do this every week or 2.

Two weeks ago, a guy rides up to me on a spray-painted black bicycle and says, "Can I help you?"

I say, "no, we're all set, thanks."

He then says, no... I'm the owner of this marina. You can't split your wood here. (I know the owner, this isn't him.)

So I say, "We are a tennant here... we have a slip"

He goes on to keep badgering me and tells me to pack up my wood and leave the marina.

I say look... I spent $2000 to keep my boat here this winter. I am allowed to chop my wood. Talk to Pat (the marina manager).

The guy then proceeds to start twitching and goes balistic... he is in my face, yelling at me nose-to-nose. Where I'm from, that's a fighting move. Apparently, in NY... it's not. I nearly hit the guy, but I held back.

He says, I'm calling the cops... I say, just call Pat (the marina manager). Then I start spouting all the names of all the people I know at the marina, including the owner. A list of about 10 people, many of which he knows.

He throws his bike down and starts to push me a little while yelling. The whole time, the guy didn't make much sense either... my wife thought he was probably messed up on something.

So he goes away finally, and calls Pat (even though he said he was calling the police).

I go to see Pat at the same time. The guy is in there and Pat is explaining to the guy that I'm a customer.

So come to find out... this mystery guy was a part time manager of the yard!! He has gotten into many fights, and is pretty strung out on drugs. He doesn't get paid to manage the yard part time, he was assigned this job since he couldn't pay his slip fees. He lives aboard one of the houseboats and was grandfathered in when the marina annexed another marina a few years back.

I sure wouldn't let a guy like this represent my business. Especially in Long Island. This is the land of the lawsuit.

I wonder if it was a full moon? Sound like a lot of dock weirdos were out!

You handled the situation well, by getting the cops involved. Just keep an eye out for this whacko you encountered. Those types of people tend to get angry the next time you see them too.

[CaptainK]

Hey Teamivey.

You better be on the lookout for that guy, you called the cops on. I bet ya he'll be back. His kind usually can't get it through their heads?

I believe you did the right thing, by calling the police. I would've done the same thing. I personelly have been fortunate to have called the police before on people like that.

Yeah, I would talk to the other owners of the boats nearest to you. To keep an open eye for that person. He just might come back. And cause some kind of trouble. Maybe?

[Boracay]

Maybe I'm chicken, but if I call the cops on someone I don't tell them.
But then I'd only call the cops if negotiation is risky. Its a decision to be made early on.
Never any problems.

[Jentine]

have had duck stamp and a shotgun. We are so over burdened with those damn geese..........where are the hunters when they are needed?

Jentine, I feel your pain. Here it is sealions. By law, we ca not even chase them off the boats. Most of us would be fine with a little passive assertiveness, yelling at them and such, but that is not allowed. THey have sunk several boats over the years. Unfortunately, there are a few whackos that would just not be satisfied with trying to scare them away, and that leads to the rediculous laws that provide more rights to sealions than people.

As for retribution, I would not worry. Most of these people make enough enemies that when they get out, they just sort of hide out and leave people alone. You made your stand, and to this type of person, it just isn't worth messing with you. He is a coward, and would much rather pick on people who will not do anything about it.

[teamivey]

Well I feel good about calling the cops. Mostly I felt like knocking the guy out. I am 6'6" and 250lbs. Fortunately for him I am also 36 years old and not 26. I do worry about retribution, but I will handle it, if it comes. However I have many friends up and down the docks, and do not think I would have to stand alone.

It seems their is a division as to the feelings of living with the ducks and geese, as posted by jentine? For us, we love being on the boat and love the wildlife that we see. Beavers, otters, bald eagles, ospreys, and of course the skittish blue herons, and the bold bandits, racoons. So I guess we would be seen as somewhat of a problem as we throw our old bread and such to them all the time. The only animal that has ever got on our boat is Ballsy goose, and that was not until our second season with him. This is the goose that was shot in the head and is now blind in one eye. He is also tame to the point that he will come to you as soon as you get his attention. From how badly his skull is crushed on the side, I would guess that the guy shot him from pretty close range.

He is still bold and "Ballsy" and came to the boat yesterday. I contacted wildlife fish and game and they want the pictures that I took, to help prosecute the guy. I am more than willing to give them.

I don't plan on getting to the point where I consider my wife and I to have more of a right to live on the water, than wildlife that was created to live there.

I appreciatte all the support I have gotten here on the forum. Also, the harbormaster has kicked the guy out of here. The marina we live at is very nice, and the harbormaster is very proffessional.

As far as whether or not I should of let the guy know that I was calling the cops. I had to let the cops in to the marina, and I don't think after the confrontation we had that the guy wouldn't know that it was me who called them. Also the last thing I did before they hauled the guy off, was to show them a map of the marina. His boat is on F row, mine is at L. I told them if I see him on my row I would assume it would be for harrassment purposes and they would receive another call.

We enjoy life on the boat and I hope that all of you do as well. As for me now, I have to go make the donuts, so I will visit this site later.

Sean

You have clearly defined here, between driving destructive wildlife away vs cruelty to animals. If he wanted them gone, go make some noise. If he wanted them dead, shoot em and cook em, but to mame them is cowardly. It sounds like the harbor master has taken the appropriate steps. Glad to hear it. Sure hope your feathered friend recovers.