What if someone has tied to your private mooring

[spaman]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

I’m curious about this last question. Assuming the boat is properly anchored and not swinging inappropriately, why would this even concern you?

I can imagine how annoying it would be to come back to find your personal mooring occupied, but I don’t think I’d go ballistic over it. I’d be pissed off, but at this point you have no idea regarding the circumstances of this other boat. Could be an emergency. Could be someone who made an honest mistake. Perhaps they were given wrong information … there’s lots of possibilities, none of which would justify you simply cutting them loose (as others have suggested).

First off, I’d get my own boat secured. If appropriate I might raft to the one tied to my mooring (assuming all the variables seem reasonable). Then I would try and get some info on the boat. If the issue persists for a while I would consider moving the boat to another secure location if available (without causing equal problems for someone else).

I like James McM’s idea of leaving a dingy on the mooring, or a big sign saying I’ll be back by evening.

All can say is "ditto" (strongly)!!

[SV DestinyAscen]

You can never cut someone's mooring loose. Never.

If you do or even think about it, you have no business on the water and should stay in the middle of no where desert where your antisocial personality can affect no one.

Call the harbor master. Leave a note. ComMunicate and educate.

[coastalexplorer]

I would think that this question would have different answers in different countries and jurisdictions.?....Obviously a mooring buoy Float made in steel could easily be constructed with the mooring ring in a recess with a padlock-able door over it?

Here in the Pacific Northwest there are some leasable water lots on tide water of rivers, but these usually have docks to cover the lease cost,

In the USA I believe it is quite usual to own beach rights...Whereas in Canada one can only own to the high water mark. Hence IF you put out a mooring buoy it is considered to be on Provincial or federal government property/Crown land and anyone can use it IF you are not, So I would think this swinging on a mooring works very much on a local honour system.?.

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by Dave_S

I have applied for a private mooring and wondered what I would do if I found another boat on it with no one on board. Or someone anchored next to it.

We have to mark the bouy "private" and the name of the boat registered to it on the bouy.

Or is there a cleaver way to lock them off.

I am net on Australia. But being a hypothetical question. Check locally, with who ever issues permits.

[roland stockham]

There where occasions in Europe where I used someones mooring. Because there are so many more boats and so much less space there are places where anchorages have been completely filled with private mooring denying refuge to a visitor who needs it. It seamed more sensible to use an unoccupied mooring than to anchor and risk dragging up someone mooring. While docks and mooring are useful remember you are taking up what was previously a freely available anchorage and denying others there right to use it. So yes, place a private mooring, but with sensitivity and consideration for others not a sense of entitlement - It's not your sea

[Polux]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

...
I can imagine how annoying it would be to come back to find your personal mooring occupied, but I don’t think I’d go ballistic over it. I’d be pissed off, but at this point you have no idea regarding the circumstances of this other boat. Could be an emergency. Could be someone who made an honest mistake. Perhaps they were given wrong information … there’s lots of possibilities, none of which would justify you simply cutting them loose (as others have suggested).
....

On the med it is a very confusing situation: You see lots of boats on a fixed mooring that have not any right to be there on a fixing mooring, since the anchorage belongs to all and they have not a licence that entitles them the use of that space privately and you see also that most people come and take the first buoy that is vacant, without knowing nothing about it, meaning the type and size of boat that his prepared to hold or if it is a buoy from someone that will come later.

I don't know what group pisses me more.

I only stay at a buoy with someone's permission or paying for it but it is far from being the more common atitude on the med.

[bvisailing32]

Do the vessels in your area have registration numbers on the bow. We would contact the harbor dept, or harbor police or whatever authority issued your mooring permit.

Another thing with the authorities, that boat on your mooring may be stolen, a derlect, or drug smuggler, or what ever. Let the guys with the badges and guns take over.

Have them call the owner, and tell them to remove the vessel immediately. or it will be impounded, and they will be liable for the impound and towing fees. Immediately means now. If it is an abandoned vessel, same deal, they can tow it.

Do not cut the vessel loose, or if in a slip , do not shove it out. Stay legal .

The only time we would use another persons slip, would be in an emergency, and stay on board, to move our vessel out if the owner showed up. We would remove the vessel ASAP , and hope to be gone before the legal owner or lease holder or renter showed up.

Usually, if it was a mechanical, and could not proceed to a guest dock, or our own slip, we would anchor and call Sea Tow, or Vessel Assist.

I just really do not understand, using another boaters private mooring and leaving the vessel unattended. Or, attended , for that matter.

The old dinghy tied to the mooring, with the name of your vessel, and Private Mooring Stay Off, on the can, and float and on the mooring pennant should let them know the mooring is private.

Boaters who just pick up private moorings at their whim, or dock in a private slip really have no respect for others and just flat don't care.

Here in Newport Bay, Calif, we would call the Harbies and have them towed. Our vessel, a Crealock 37 was slipped in a marina that had a dock side bar, with dedicated and signed GUEST SLIP.

Our slips, had PRIVATE SLIP....STAY OUT....OR BE TOWED.

At first we would put someone ashore from the fairway dock and have them go into the bar and the mgt announce the name of their boat and to move it. If that did not work, most times it did not, we called the Newport Harbor Dept, and done deal.

Not sure how it works in OZ , but after a long sailing passage and returning to home port, arrive , and someone has picked up your mooring, or docked in your slip, not a whole lot of brotherly love going on.

As mentioned, research with your issuing authority . Stay legal, and don't hoist the jolly roger and lay broadsides into the offending boat, screaming THIS IS WAR !

Let the proper authority handle it, and check with them now, way before such an incident even occurs so that you know how to over come it, calmly and legally.

[Franziska]

How about introducing a fair use system? Similar what happens on docks.

Add a green ball with a date/max tonnage to the mooring when it is free, add a red ball if you return the same day.

That would make life more easy for everyone and create a positive attitude.

Don't like the ideas of people fighting for every cent they might have paid.
If you do not need your mooring offer it up for others.

Give and you will be given yourself from time to time.
By the way opens boating to some less fortunate/well off in the same moment.

www.ladyrover.com

[Jim Cate]

Back to the anchoring near a mooring question:

In many places large fields of moorings have been set, occupying most of the former anchorage area. If the moorings are in use, I only get mildly grumpy when forced to go elsewhere. But in some areas, most of the moorings are perpetually vacant. I don't want to pick up an unknown mooring (ever) and the spacing is such that my swinging circle, should I anchor, will come close to or over one of the vacant moorings. What are the ramifications of doing so?

For those familiar with Tasmania, one example of such a place is Little Oyster Cove, off the town of KEttering, a very popular area. We often want to visit friends there and do not want to go into the crowded marina or to rent a mooring. We usually go ahead and anchor near one or more vacant moorings and so far there have been no adverse results, other than worry on my part. I wonder about the legalities...

Jim

[Franziska]

And by the way, the growing tendency to pester anchorages with moorings just to make money from it sucks.

I understand it if it's done due to environmental concerns but not for other reasons.

People should anchor and learn how to do it properly.
In the end it's a seamanship skill.

To many pushbutton sailors around already.

[JPA Cate]

Those of us with monos think in terms of them, but an added filip in this is that Dave S's boat is a 60 ft. cat. He takes up a lot more room on a mooring than a mono anchoring nearby, so that even if one were careful to leave "enough" room for a mono, it might be way too close for his vessel.

We often see dinghies left on moorings that are otherwise empty (in Tasmania), and people do not tie up to them.

Dave, i think a dinghy with the proper details on it would probably work for you, and really, in an emergency, I bet you'd let someone use it.

Ann

[Sailorbob8599]

Originally Posted by DumnMad

I think the cleaver idea is good

You beat me to it!!!!

[Mike OReilly]

Picking up on what roland, Pollux and Jim mentioned, in general I dislike private moorings. It is legally acceptable in most places, but a private mooring is tantamount to blocking off a parking space on a public road. It takes what was once a public space and effectively turns it into a private space. This is fundamentally unfair.

There is a benefit to mooring fields in areas of high usage; more boats can be accommodated in the same area compared to anchoring. But a poorly placed mooring can effectively block a large area that could otherwise be used by many anchoring boats.

For this reason I tend to think that in places where private moorings have effectively commandeered what used to be anchoring space, that people should be able to use any mooring that is unoccupied and that has no indications of being shortly used by its owners. Hence the use of a dingy or sign seems like a good idea.

Of course, using someone else’s mooring presents the dangers you mention Pollux. Personally I would much rather use my own anchor and rode than swing from some unknown mooring.

[buzzstar]

An idea based on something I'd heard in connection with private automobile parking: A little permanent Loctite in the ignition key hole or the lock for the companionway hatch if it is really a problem. Otherwise a bit of patience and understanding if it is not.

[Franziska]

I really don't get that people do not try to find peaceful solutions first.

All those thoughts of loctite or cutting other people off or running to authorities don't speak well for a sailing community.

People who in exceptional circumstances use someone elses mooring should obviously leave only for short term and leave contact data on board though.