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Jd1 · 31-10-2018, 21:06

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 ?

Chotu · 31-10-2018, 22:18

Absolutely wrong to use someone's tender.

You find help and ask around shore explaining that your tender is drifting.

**Jim Cate** · 31-10-2018, 22:22

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.

In places where day sailors and restaurant-goers are the other folks around, I dunno. They might be ok with it, or they might call the cops. If you return promptly, towing your errant dink it would help the situation. I'm pretty sure that I'd just jump in and hope for the best. The worst that would happen (in the USA) is that you would be riddled with bullet holes...

Jim

Jd1 · 31-10-2018, 22:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

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

Jim

Yeah but you would have your dinghy back

**JPA Cate** · 31-10-2018, 22:29

If the water isn't too cold, strip off your trousers, socks, shoes ,and jacket, and swim for it. Otherwise, I agree, it depends on the other factors, like what kind of folks it is that owns the dinghies in question.

Ann

Dave_S · 31-10-2018, 22:37

If it were my dinghy you took I wouldn't be thrilled but not upset, I'd understand and when I took a shot I'd aim hight in case I hit the dinghy but if it were my dinghy floating away I wouldn't take someone else's unless I knew them.

**newhaul** · 31-10-2018, 22:42

Definitely not nice to row someone else's dink without permission.

Jd1 · 31-10-2018, 22:43

I must admit I am a bit (pleasantly) surprised to find out I was wrong when I assumed people would borrow a stranger's tender without asking in the situation given.

cyan · 31-10-2018, 22:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

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

Finally!
A gun thread about guns on dinghies.
I've been waiting for this.
So...
Do we need to declare dinghy guns at the dink dock? Can this process wait until we get to the beach bar?
Are there dinghy pirates to be aware of?
What are the best waterproof guns, suitable for dinghy patrol?

[note to gun poster, please use emoticons when making a funny. TIA]

Jd1 · 31-10-2018, 22:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by newhaul

Definitely not nice to row someone else's dink without permission.

No no no ... you definitely would not borrow a dinghy you had to row if your dinghy was disapearing in the distance. You'd only 'borrow' something with a nice sized outboard!

boom23 · 31-10-2018, 23:48

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.

RaymondR · 01-11-2018, 01:24

If it's all within view and you retrieve your dingy and return the "borrowed" to it's state as prior to the "borrowing" it's OK, you are not stealing - your dingy is drifting away and it's a situation where time is of the essence.

A few years ago I was sitting in my cockpit about 5/8ths of the way through a bottle of red and waiting for the moon to make a romantic entrance over the rocks and pine trees of a nearby island when a ghostly apparition drifted into my consciousness over the starboard bow, it was someones rubber duck going for a jaunt by itself obviously having been freed of the beach by the rising 5 metre tide.

I was of two minds as to whether I should rescue it as I was well into the wine bottle, it was well into the night, because of the big tides the currents are fairly swift in the area and it was a pretty remote location. Anyhow, good samaritan instincts prevailed over good sense and I rescued it and tied it up behind my boat for the night. The next morning another yacht came dashing by obviously in search of a lost dingy, spotted the miscreant and the owner came to fetch it. There was no profuse thank yous for the rescue and the careless owner left me with the feeling that he thought I was attempting to steal his dingy.

There's a number of points which follow from this little narative:

Should I try harder to suppress these samaritan instincts and thereby avoid the
possibility of hurt feelings resulting from dudgeonly beneficiarys.

Since I was going to be accused of stealing the dingy, should I have deflated it and
stowed it out of sight as legitimate salvage.

By having done the good samaritan act, am I entitled to use someone else's dingy
without their permission to retrieve my own.