As A Freshman On A Slip, How To Best Not Look Green?

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Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
No overnight in the slip you paid for...???

What kind of dock is that...?
Thats more common than you might think. Some places are hard core about it, some just treat it as an escape clause if someone gets too cozy. As Gary said, 'live aboard'. Spend too much time on board in the slip and you are going draw attention anywhere unless you are in a marina that welcomes liveaboards. Frankly, no one likes a dock neighbor who is there in their slip ALL THE TIME.

Ideally, your slip is a place where you boat waits for you to come back. When you get there, load up and cast off. Come back Sunday night with max miles under the keel.
 

Squidd

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Sep 26, 2011
890
AMF Alcort Paceship PY26 Washburn Wi. Apostle Islands
Not to derail the thread, but does that apply to "transient slips" ie: Can I pull into Bayfield for the night cause it's too ruff out by the islands for anchoring....? or will I need a hotel too...?
 
Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
Not to derail the thread, but does that apply to "transient slips" ie: Can I pull into Bayfield for the night cause it's too ruff out by the islands for anchoring....? or will I need a hotel too...?
If you come into Bayfield Muni dock for the night, you can for sure sleep there. I think for your boat it would cost 25-30 bucks. If you do be sure to hit the 'Bayfield Triangle' of sailor bars. Its a great dock. Remember only transient on the NORTH side.

 

Squidd

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Sep 26, 2011
890
AMF Alcort Paceship PY26 Washburn Wi. Apostle Islands
And who do you sign in with (or where) ? Big white bldg where the ferry docks..?
 
Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
And who do you sign in with (or where) ? Big white bldg where the ferry docks..?
This process is similar to most self-service municipal docks I've seen, so I'll write it up here. The docking is purely first come, first serve. Some places monitor Ch16, but not here so you have to come into the ferry basin to look. Rafting up is rare but its OK to ask if the weather is really crap. There is an unattended pay-station on the right side of the dock as you leave. You put your payment in the envelope and write your boat name on the envelope. Then you go drink.
 
Oct 26, 2008
6,277
Catalina 320 Barnegat, NJ
Joe, those rules are not uncommon in our circumstance

Most folks don't understand that inland lakes often are very different from coastal bodies of water. Lake Wallenpaupack is very similar to Lake Hopatcong. Live aboard capacity is not the norm for boats on these lakes. Marinas don't normally offer facilities that are left open all night (although our County Park Marina does). Technically, I don't think there are any marinas on LH that allow overnight users but I'm sure that people do when they don't let themselves be readily noticed.

Rules for anchoring may be different as well. If the State Police come across your anchored boat in the middle of the night, they better not find you sleeping or you WILL get a ticket (on LH). Overnight anchoring anywhere on the lake is not allowed. Our shoreline is virtually 100% populated and residents don't particularly like boats anchored right off their dock. Lake Wallenpaupack has more open space but not a lot. I know that there are several campgrounds on the lake so I wonder what the rules are at the campgrounds if you dock or anchor there?
 

Squidd

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Sep 26, 2011
890
AMF Alcort Paceship PY26 Washburn Wi. Apostle Islands
I suppose your right.. Just like neighborhood associations that make you cut your grass, only have two cars in the drive and pick and choose what flowers you can put in your garden...

Reminds me why I moved out to the northwoods where I can go out and see the stars at night and "write my name in the snow" in my back yard if I want and no neighbors near enough to complain...
 
Feb 26, 2004
23,047
Catalina 34 224 Maple Bay, BC, Canada
Scott's right, and to add: each lake may be different. On Clear Lake here in California, we couldn't stay on our boat in the marina we kept our C22 in, but we could anchor out. That's where we learned how to anchor, and really enjoy the boat.
 
Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
Reminds me why I moved out to the northwoods where I can go out and see the stars at night and "write my name in the snow" in my back yard if I want and no neighbors near enough to complain...
OK OK OK. Lets add 'peeing off the transom' to the list of things NOT to do while in your slip.... ;^)


And Scott thats wild that is an actual law on the books that prohibits overnight anchoring. How is that written? Could you keep watch?? ;^)

In MN the laws are written to protect the rights of the public use of the water, not the land owners (who only own down to the water). I guess with more people on small lakes you have to have tighter control??
 

JVB

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Jan 26, 2006
270
Schock Wavelength 24 Lake Murray, SC
....

As my slip is the closest one to a boat ramp, and close to a fuel dock, bow out might catch less boat wakes?
Being in close proximity to the ramp your boat may have a higher probability of being bumped and damaged by the ramp traffic. If you can position a dock line and/or bumpers to protect your boat you should do so.
 
Mar 19, 2011
225
Catalina C25 Eagle Mountain Lake
Yeah, I'd have to find a new place.....overnighting, in the slip or out on the lake in a cove....man that's a major part of the enjoyment!

Why have anything other than a large cockpit day sailor on one of those lakes?
 
May 12, 2010
237
Macgregor 25 Southern Maryland
Gary-
Lots of good advice here so the only other thing I can add is to do what I do to curry favor with my dock neighbors is to bring goodies. My homemade cinnamon babka has gained me many life long dock friends. Homemade chocolate chip cookies also work really well.
Boy, I'm thinkin' that's gonna be a whole lot of work....:D
 
May 12, 2010
237
Macgregor 25 Southern Maryland
I too am going into the slips for the first time after trailing last year and have fear of crashing my little boat into someones ultra expensive boat!
I'm gonna go in being conservative and friendly. Make sure I don't make ANY waves, (on the water or off).
The P.O., first day he's in the water backs outta the slip, bango-tango into another boat, crunching the ladder on his/my boat.
My experience so far with sailing is that like motorcycle racing, if your nice, smile, act cool, people will except you, be glad to help you out, it seems like a small tight knit group.
If your a D*** head, you get treated like a D***head!
Seems I had more problems with the powerboat guys making wakes at the public launches, muscling their way to the ramps, come barrleing into the docks, etc.
(it was also fun to watch, usually the same guys launching and better, retreive their boats. It usuaully ends up with a bunch of curses toward their wives cuz it's HER fault he can't get the boat on the trailer)!
Joe
So much to learn, so few hours! Think the goverment will give me a HUGE grant to sail full time to see if my life was better sailing than working?
I'm sure last year those people who watched me had quite a good laugh -- multiple times. The first time my wife and I exited our slip, we couldn't get a tight enough turning radius (oh, you mean I can turn both the tiller and the engine to turn tighter?) the guy in the big ol' honkin' poweboat in front of us came out with his boat hook to protect his investment. While he never said a thing, you know we was calling me all kinds of names.

And one of the first times I singlehanded, one of my shrouds got caught on the hook on which we hang our bow lines. Freshmen in marinas can be a great source of entertainment, or maybe I should say we were a great source of entertainment last year!

Frankly, Gary, I don't think you'll have a thing to worry about!
 
Oct 6, 2011
678
CM 32 USA
My sister in laws lake ( 93 miles of shoreline) does not allow boats with any type of cabin. It is pretty much a community of pontoon boats.

If you have a toilet, kitchen, or a place to sleep, you are subject to arrest.

http://www.sipower.org/p/EGLakerules.pdf

I like our lake a lot more. If I were forced to have a pontoon boat, I would motorcycle.
 
Oct 10, 2011
5
Capri 18 Omaha
What a great thread guys! I'll have to add my two cents worth. Nothing gets you into irons with the locals as having loud,drunken out of control guests!
 
Jan 22, 2008
423
Catalina 30 Mandeville, La.
If you don't want to appear green, get yourself one of those double-breasted navy "Thurston Howell" jackets with a crest of some sort. That always works well in these parts. The skipper hat may be a little over the top though.
 
Sep 5, 2007
689
MacGregor 26X Rochester
If you don't want to appear green, get yourself one of those double-breasted navy "Thurston Howell" jackets with a crest of some sort. That always works well in these parts. The skipper hat may be a little over the top though.
But do make sure you practice your Larchmont Lockjaw - they'll sniff you out as a faker if you get the accent wrong.* "Oh, Lovey. Let's take a three-hour tour, Lovey."

*hint: put a wooden pencil across the back of your mouth, all the way to your wisdom teeth like a bit, and speak without moving your mouth.
 
Oct 6, 2011
678
CM 32 USA
What a great thread guys! I'll have to add my two cents worth. Nothing gets you into irons with the locals as having loud,drunken out of control guests!
Hey Omaha! Glad to see a neighbor, and welcome to the forum as an official posting member!

Do you slip your boat in Omaha? Omaha had a problem with flooding last boating season, and many folks came over to our lake.
 
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