Dinghy etiquette

[Fore and Aft]

Bugzy Can if we're tied up to a public dock and another yacht wants to raft up to us we don't have an issue with it. More than one occasion we have come back from a grocery run and there's a boat tied alongside. It's a public facility, if we wanted an exclusive dock then we would have paid for a marina berth.
Cheers

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by BugzyCan

Tip them up if you don't want other people climbing through your dinghy to get to the dock, they might puncture it, or bang their head on something, or break a limb, and then you are liable. Is it considered OK if someone ties up next to your sailboat, and then walks across it to get to the pier? Highly doubt it, why would dinghy be any different? Maybe it's a cultural rule.

Of course it is... in places where that is the norm (the local etiquette). And there's usually an expected way to do this as well. Once again, simply ask, or observe what locals are doing. It's really not that hard.

[Calaban-Alleria]

I wonder about another dinghy etiquette issue...
Last summer we came into a dinghy dock where there was only a few widely spaced deck cleats - all in use. No problem I thought as I tied in on top of someone else's line. I have on occasion returned to find someone else's line on top and never thought it was an issue to simply untie both, take mine and leave theirs securely fastened.



I guess whom ever had their dinghy there first thought it was a big deal.
When we returned they were gone and they had used all available line from our dinghy to tie at tight rats nest of knots to the cleat as tightly as possible.


I guess its "their world" and everyone else should just take pains to never inconvenience them even to a minor degree.

[Uncle Bob]

Originally Posted by Calaban-Alleria

I wonder about another dinghy etiquette issue...
Last summer we came into a dinghy dock where there was only a few widely spaced deck cleats - all in use. No problem I thought as I tied in on top of someone else's line. I have on occasion returned to find someone else's line on top and never thought it was an issue to simply untie both, take mine and leave theirs securely fastened.



I guess whom ever had their dinghy there first thought it was a big deal.
When we returned they were gone and they had used all available line from our dinghy to tie at tight rats nest of knots to the cleat as tightly as possible.

I guess its "their world" and everyone else should just take pains to never inconvenience them even to a minor degree.

I think you will find that it is custom to tie to the cleat below others lines.

[carstenb]

Originally Posted by BugzyCan

Is it considered OK if someone ties up next to your sailboat, and then walks across it to get to the pier? Highly doubt it, why would dinghy be any different? Maybe it's a cultural rule.

rafting is virtually assured in any Danish marina in the summertime. In the very popular marinas, I've been rafted up by as many as 14 boats.

Proper etiquette is to raft up bow to stern so you allow the other boat a modicum of privacy in their cockpit (and have some in your cockpit). When crossing other persons boats, you never go through their cockpit - you cross at their bows.

Quite a zig-zag course towards land if there are many boats rafted up alongside each other

[Franziska]

Originally Posted by BugzyCan

Tip them up if you don't want other people climbing through your dinghy to get to the dock, they might puncture it, or bang their head on something, or break a limb, and then you are liable. Is it considered OK if someone ties up next to your sailboat, and then walks across it to get to the pier? Highly doubt it, why would dinghy be any different? Maybe it's a cultural rule.

Tying up alongside on another boat is a common thing in busy harbour over here in Europe. And yes you pass over the other boat deck as quietly as you can. If someone is onboard you ask kindly.
It's quiet unfriendly to not allow you to pass.

[Jim Cate]

Just a comment: I'm happy to leave my outboard down, but I can't see why folks think that one left up is all that dangerous to other inflatables. There is nothing on the lower unit of any outboard I've ever owned that would be sharp enough to puncture, or even scratch an inflatable tube.

I reckon that the danger is a fable, oft repeated and thus believed by too many, especially newbies.

And re multiple use of a dock cleat: either dip the loop or simply pass the end of the painter through the "hole" in the cleat and make a bowline. This leaves the maximum space for other users and can always be released, even when others pile crossing turns over the cleat later.

Finally: take one's shoes off before crossing over some other dinghy that is between the dock and your dink? Be serious... it is a dinghy, not an antique Persian carpet. I would never expect some other yottie to do this, and I bear no guilt for not doing so myself.

Jim

[Scubaseas]

Maybe it's a Walker Bay thing....I'm with others here. Etiquette has nothing to do with it. Put the motor down. Please.

[Benz]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

Just a comment: I'm happy to leave my outboard down, but I can't see why folks think that one left up is all that dangerous to other inflatables. There is nothing on the lower unit of any outboard I've ever owned that would be sharp enough to puncture, or even scratch an inflatable tube.

I reckon that the danger is a fable, oft repeated and thus believed by too many, especially newbies.

And re multiple use of a dock cleat: either dip the loop or simply pass the end of the painter through the "hole" in the cleat and make a bowline. This leaves the maximum space for other users and can always be released, even when others pile crossing turns over the cleat later.

Finally: take one's shoes off before crossing over some other dinghy that is between the dock and your dink? Be serious... it is a dinghy, not an antique Persian carpet. I would never expect some other yottie to do this, and I bear no guilt for not doing so myself.

Jim

In my part of the world there are still wooden and fiberglass dinghies in use that could get gouged by an outboard lower unit. Even if the damage was nothing more than a scratch to the paint, it's not considered polite to scratch up other's dinghies. YMMV

[Fuss]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

Just a comment: I'm happy to leave my outboard down, but I can't see why folks think that one left up is all that dangerous to other inflatables. There is nothing on the lower unit of any outboard I've ever owned that would be sharp enough to puncture, or even scratch an inflatable tube.

I reckon that the danger is a fable, oft repeated and thus believed by too many, especially newbies.

And re multiple use of a dock cleat: either dip the loop or simply pass the end of the painter through the "hole" in the cleat and make a bowline. This leaves the maximum space for other users and can always be released, even when others pile crossing turns over the cleat later.

Finally: take one's shoes off before crossing over some other dinghy that is between the dock and your dink? Be serious... it is a dinghy, not an antique Persian carpet. I would never expect some other yottie to do this, and I bear no guilt for not doing so myself.

Jim

Ok, to each his own I suppose, but it’s very clear from your comments that you have no experience with antique Persian carpets in the bottom of dinghies. Mine would get badly damaged if fellow yotties did not remove their shoes.

[Drunkonwatch]

I don’t ever leave my outboard down it’s a bad practice kills the zincs, messes the prop up when the tide changes and my dad always said pull it up. Is the consensus it’s rude? I don’t have much experience with civilian boating most of my experience is from a lifetime of crabbing in Bering sea and commercial fishing in Alaska. We raft up everything walk across anyone’s boat to get to the liquor store I’m sure another Alaskan will attest. So is the consensus it’s rude to tie up and walk across your yacht? If the dingy dock is full is it rude to walk across a sailboat to get some tacos? Is it rude to tie another sailboat to a sailboat to get fuel? Maybe I just frequent places that are like the bar from Star Wars for example San Carlos in Santa Maria bay Baja sur and king cove Alaska for example lol. Telling people what to do never works out but I have a junky stitch and glue pram with the wire still sticking out from the seams and an outboard no one will steal by design. But I promise when I’m in drag I will take my heals off crossing your dingy that’s civil George santos taught me that.

[fourlyons]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

Just a comment: I'm happy to leave my outboard down, but I can't see why folks think that one left up is all that dangerous to other inflatables. There is nothing on the lower unit of any outboard I've ever owned that would be sharp enough to puncture, or even scratch an inflatable tube.

I reckon that the danger is a fable, oft repeated and thus believed by too many, especially newbies.

And re multiple use of a dock cleat: either dip the loop or simply pass the end of the painter through the "hole" in the cleat and make a bowline. This leaves the maximum space for other users and can always be released, even when others pile crossing turns over the cleat later.

Finally: take one's shoes off before crossing over some other dinghy that is between the dock and your dink? Be serious... it is a dinghy, not an antique Persian carpet. I would never expect some other yottie to do this, and I bear no guilt for not doing so myself.

Jim

Yep, Benz beat me to it. Jim, I know you were careful to say "other inflatables", but I also cruise Down East, and my hard dink's paint has been badly chewed up more than once by a motor tipped up. Probably a cruiser from New York

[Uncle Bob]

Originally Posted by Drunkonwatch

I don’t ever leave my outboard down it’s a bad practice kills the zincs, messes the prop up when the tide changes and my dad always said pull it up. Is the consensus it’s rude? I don’t have much experience with civilian boating most of my experience is from a lifetime of crabbing in Bering sea and commercial fishing in Alaska. We raft up everything walk across anyone’s boat to get to the liquor store I’m sure another Alaskan will attest. So is the consensus it’s rude to tie up and walk across your yacht? If the dingy dock is full is it rude to walk across a sailboat to get some tacos? Is it rude to tie another sailboat to a sailboat to get fuel? Maybe I just frequent places that are like the bar from Star Wars for example San Carlos in Santa Maria bay Baja sur and king cove Alaska for example lol. Telling people what to do never works out but I have a junky stitch and glue pram with the wire still sticking out from the seams and an outboard no one will steal by design. But I promise when I’m in drag I will take my heals off crossing your dingy that’s civil George santos taught me that.

George for the next pres I say.

[chrisr]

as regards rafting up, there is a definite etiquette

- don't make too much noise, esp late at night
- if you party, invite the other boat/s
- don't transit through the cockpit
- do best to clean feet
- be polite...no need to ask permission, but say something polite & cheery

i like the idea of going bow to stern, although when we rafted up race boats we tended to all go cockpit to cockpit to make the party bigger !

cheers,

[Franziska]

Originally Posted by Drunkonwatch

I don’t ever leave my outboard down it’s a bad practice kills the zincs, messes the prop up when the tide changes and my dad always said pull it up. Is the consensus it’s rude? I don’t have much experience with civilian boating most of my experience is from a lifetime of crabbing in Bering sea and commercial fishing in Alaska. We raft up everything walk across anyone’s boat to get to the liquor store I’m sure another Alaskan will attest. So is the consensus it’s rude to tie up and walk across your yacht? If the dingy dock is full is it rude to walk across a sailboat to get some tacos? Is it rude to tie another sailboat to a sailboat to get fuel? Maybe I just frequent places that are like the bar from Star Wars for example San Carlos in Santa Maria bay Baja sur and king cove Alaska for example lol. Telling people what to do never works out but I have a junky stitch and glue pram with the wire still sticking out from the seams and an outboard no one will steal by design. But I promise when I’m in drag I will take my heals off crossing your dingy that’s civil George santos taught me that.

It's not rude if you do that at your your own berth. It's considered rude at a transit dinghy dock.
The effects of corrosion and fouling do hardly come into play when you spent few hours there.

Regarding asking or telling, well if you understand why to better have the dinghy motor down (scratch marks on other dinghies, punctures and so on) just do it out of kindness.

Noone forces you to do it. But people probably think "what a jer.!" if you do it differently.
Similar those folks which go full blast through an anchorage with their dinghy. It's just rude, hence normal people don't do that.

Funny you are loading this up politically, should motor down vs up now become a new mask yes or no?
One wonders about the US..