Looky Loos and What to Do About Them

[Tayana42]

Sailor Jer, you are way off base. Mark is an experienced and thoughtful cruiser. Racism has no place here. Let's all play nicely.


S/V B'Shert

[scgilligan]

I do not yet own a boat, so I do love to walk docks whenever I am near a marina..to dream and drool over the really nice ones. I have taken a picture or 2 also. However, I'd never come close to boarding a vessel without permission..it is just plain rude. Same rules on land..you can look at my Harley all you want, but don't even think about sitting on it without asking me first. Some people just have no manners...looking in windows should be a given- you don't do it at someone's house, why would you at someone's water residence? I guess the issue is that some people see a boat like a car on a lot..you peer inside and don't think twice about it..BUT, if someone is obviously living on the boat you should leave them to it and not snap selfies, etc.

[Garrettw]

Wow, some of you all have had some crazy experiences. On the way out of our home harbor we pass through a narrow channel that goes by a boardwalk with an amusement park. The wife and I joke that we're in thousands of vacation photos. Almost every time someone is taking our picture. That bemuses me more than annoys. What makes me a little uncomfortable is these pay per use telescopes that are mounted there. I often see folks trained on us as we enter or depart and I'm wondering if they are studying my complexion or whatnot. I usually feel like I have to be on my best behavior and look particularly nautical and serious.

[JPA Cate]

Here's a copy of the post I made on Schoooner Chandlery's thread about guests aboard opening lockers, etc. which they felt would be more appropriate to this thread. To me, it all comes under the rubric of invasiveness, but in that thread, these stories were thread drift:

I'm wondering where (regionally) these unwanted boardings occur.

I know of only two in Australia, and both of those incidents were alcohol related. In one, the boat was anchored quite close to shore. It's after 10 pm. One of the guys swam out and untied the dinghy and took it to shore, and rowed his mates back. They commenced boarding, with all their booze: a bottle of rum, another of Galliano, and two six packs of beer. Of course, this woke up our friends who were asleep nude in the aft cabin of their center cockpit ketch. They jump out of bed, she grabs a machete, and he goes out the companionway, and grabs the first guy they get to. The drunks mostly dive off and swim for shore, but the guy is still holding this guy, and the latter is pretty frightened, when the buttons come out of the button holes in his sweater and he, too, falls into the water. Later on, we shared some of that grog. This one occurred in Sydney Harbor.

The other, again, alcohol related one, was some guys at night, very drunk, rowing across the Burnett R., near the entrance. One fell in the water, and the guys came over to the boat anchored near us in the river, to get help for their buddy. The came aboard without invitation, and insisted the skipper put his outboard on their dinghy, and then go search for their buddy, which he did, leaving one of the drunks aboard with his wife. This turned out to be a very bad decision, 'cause the drunk sorta went crazy, the woman was terrified, and he did a little damage, as well. Eventually, the missing drunk was found alive, he had swum to shore.

And the last, we didn't even wake up for, but anchored off the Botanical Gardens in the Brisbane R., got up one morning, to find the fuel tank upside down in the dinghy, and a mess. Surmised that a drunk had gone swimming, and stopped to rest in the dinghy, but really don't know what happened.

Maybe the reason we've not suffered much invasive behavior is that usually we anchor further offshore than most, and usually, Jim vets people before they ever get invited aboard.

Mrs. SC, I think keeping them in the cockpit until you're happy with them is an excellent solution. You have an interesting boat, so folks are interested. The guy who let the grandchild chew off the antenna wasn't doing a good job on his own boat: there you are lord and master. I would not allow ANYone's kid to damage anything on my boat. I would interact directly with the child. Including picking him up and giving him back to parent empty-handed. "If you don't want to watch him, go hire a sitter, but don't bring him here to damage my equipment, a replacement antenna for that radio is (pause to look it up) $75.00."

Looking in lockers w/o permission, off the boat so fast their head would swim. Our boat is also "homey" below, sort of like a cheery mountain cabin, and to strangers feels more like a home than a toy, that may also be a factor in the lower invasive behavior. Maybe a sign that says, "This boat is our home--PRIVATE PROPERTY. No entry without permission of the skipper," would do the trick. I think wrwakefield is right, most dirt dwellers haven't a clue that one's boat is a home and that we expect it to be allowed the privacy we would be allowed on land.

And that was the big difference between SC's incidents and ours: their most inappropriate behaving people were other boaties!!!!!

Ann__________________
Ann & Jim, U.S. s/v Insatiable II, Macquarie Hbr., Tasmania, Australia, waiting for weather to head north

[Rustic Charm]

There must be a bit of a cultural thing to this. Im fairly certain over here people wouldnt think of boarding someone's boat uninvited. Even the landlovers know not to do that.

[JPA Cate]

You know, RC, outside the alcohol incidents mentioned above, I think you're right--but all those happened, not in Tassie, but in points north.

Ann

[CSY Man]

Dock walkers and tourists taking pictures are of course as expected.
If they start peering in windows or port holes, not so cool anymore and will get a middle finger.

A simple "Hey guys, this is a private boat and my home. You are actually trespassing right now. Could you please get back on the deck?" would probably suffice.

Once or twice some ignorant tourists/idiots have boarded my boat without permission and with me down below.
I'd jump out and scream "Get the Fukk off my boat".
It works every time and I don't care if people think I am rude or what not, my home is my castle and I do and say whatever I want on my boat.

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by Ann T. Cate

You know, RC, outside the alcohol incidents mentioned above, I think you're right--but all those happened, not in Tassie, but in points north.

Ann

But Dear... do remember that it was in Hobart that our dinghy got stolen...

I'll take lookie lous over thieves any day!

Jim

[Rustic Charm]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

But Dear... do remember that it was in Hobart that our dinghy got stolen...

I'll take lookie lous over thieves any day!

Jim

Ahhh Hobartarians nough said

[Laughing Buddha]

Had a bit of a think about this and remembered what I wanted to add; The easier it is to get aboard - the more likely someone (uninvited) will take advantage of the situation.

Case and point; friends on their catamaran - shallow draft - anchored close-in, easy boarding from the stern (aren't they all?) was boarded and robbed in Mexico (1998).

My point is not the robbery - but the ease of access, that was afforded the robbers.

Many years ago, in an effort to improve our underway security, we removed our lifeline GATES. Makes it a PITA sometimes to get aboard - but guess what - because it is a pain - you've got to really want to board! Just one more idea/option to consider.

Cheers - Jim

BTW we do have an outboard engine hoist - that is more than sufficient to get someone aboard - and a pushpit ladder rigged but is locked when dockside.

[JPA Cate]

You know, guys, Jim's right! We did have a dinghy stolen while on a friend's mooring at Battery point. And that was extremely invasive. I don't generally dwell on the event, but we did retrieve the burnt up hull from Bridgewater. The motor

was long gone. With a great deal of effort, Jim cleaned it up. Through the kind offices of some friends, we were able to acquire an air floor Zodiac that had circumnavigated, and it carried us through till we had new tubes put on that dinghy. It was a long job.

Ann

[Capt Phil]

Mark's has a good point. However, in these days of reduced budgets, serious crime and overworked police forces, when you need a cop in seconds, rest assurred they are minutes away. Coming from the back country in western Canada, I was taught long ago that your first responsibility was to look after yourself and your family, then your possessions that could make the difference between life and death then your friends. It is unfortunate that we live in a time where crime is rife, punishment of offenders almost nonexistent and self control a thing of the past. This applies particularly to those who choose to follow a lifestyle of self sufficiency aboard. Land dwelling folks must be very curious about the lifestyle and what it takes to be a self sufficient sailor hence their curiosity. But when it comes to taking someone else's property, damaging their home or trying to see how foreign (to them) things work, my patience runs a little thin.
I felt that I came up with a harmless, yet effective way to deal with uninvited folks of whom my distrust is based upon experience.
Whether the persuasion comes in the form of a shotty, a machete or a sidearm, just seeing one is usually sufficient to deter even the most curious uninvited boarder. Phil

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by hamburking

Really, do we live in the same world?

Don't know. What planet are you on?

Originally Posted by hamburking

Oh yea, that'll solve it. Because people respect signs and always do as they say.

NOT!

I assume you lock your doors? How silly of you. A lock isn't going to keep any real criminal from breaking in when you aren't home.

Of course a sign won't keep any serious offenders off your boat but in my experience most of the people like this are just a bit (or a lot) clueless. A polite but specific sign will serve to inform them that the boat isn't part of the tour and most will respect it. The ones that don't are the same ones that will break the lock on your door (or smash a window) if they want to get in.

[Dauntlessny]

I have a different take:

You have a beautiful boat, that you keep beautiful, in part becuase you want people to see? How well you take care of your boat? How big it is? etc...

Yet, you have taken something you worked hard to accomplish and turned it into a negative.

The problem here is that the only person this affects is you. The boat admirers will move on, but you are going to stress yourself to death.

You could also move to another dock. That's what most people do if they have a problem where they are.

My attitude has changed in the last few years, why? Who knows, probably I am better at keeping my perspective.

But I am not going to let others ruin my day, night, or life.

When I was in Latvia, I had people board the boat. They did not know I was on the boat, in the engine room. I didn't come out for a while because I thought it was my friends.

Finally wondering why they had not said anything, I came out to discover this couple having their wedding pictures taken on the fore-deck.

They left when they saw me, said not a word, and I took it as a very nice compliment.

Any other attitude would only hurt me and leave the "offenders" unaffected.

[dannc]

Originally Posted by Dauntlessny

...
When I was in Latvia, I had people board the boat. They did not know I was on the boat, in the engine room. I didn't come out for a while because I thought it was my friends.

Finally wondering why they had not said anything, I came out to discover this couple having their wedding pictures taken on the fore-deck.
...

Every time I read a post on this topic, I think of the Latvian Wedding Photo shoot. I was hoping you would turn up and tell the tale.

Later,
Dan