Quick question..halyard slapping in nearby boat, in marina.

Jan 19, 2010
12,362
Hobie 16 & Rhodes 22 Skeeter Charleston
Yes. They created a public nuisance. Otherwise, this thread would not exist.

And I would not feel "busted." THEY are the ones that made an unseamanlike error. I would explain very politely that the slapping halyard was chaffing and that as a good neighbor, I felt a duty to prevent damage. This is also true. Many sailors don't know their halyards slap, since they aren't around when it is windy. I learned to secure mine properly after someone secured mine. I felt embarrassed, not violated, and I never made that mistake again. So I learned from it.
Right On!:thumbup:
 
Mar 26, 2011
3,400
Corsair F-24 MK I Deale, MD
Yes. They created a public nuisance. Otherwise, this thread would not exist.

And I would not feel "busted." THEY are the ones that made an unseamanlike error. I would explain very politely that the slapping halyard was chaffing and that as a good neighbor, I felt an obligation to prevent damage. This is also true. Many sailors don't know their halyards slap, since they aren't around when it is windy. I learned to secure mine properly after someone secured mine. I felt embarrassed, not violated, and I never made that mistake again. So I learned from it.

In my experience, telling the dock manger is a total waste of time. There is zero chance they will respond to a slapping halyard; most of the boats "zing" in a breeze and they don't need confrontations. They might respond if a boat was loose and striking other boats. Might. If a boat is clearly sinking, the most they normally will do is make a phone call, and then wait until it is on the bottom. Liability, man. And the opportunity to bill for work.

A more interesting question is whether you would adjust another boat's lines.
a. Not near your boat. Only likely to damage itself. Might mention it to the marina.
b. May damage some other blokes boat. Would mention it to the marina.
c. May damage my boat. Would do it right myself, then call the guy myself, if needed.
Morally, all three questions should have the same answer, but they don't.
 
Sep 20, 2014
1,320
Rob Legg RL24 Chain O'Lakes
In order for there to be any libel, the owner of the boat would have to prove they suffered a loss. Since there would be no legal ramifications, what is the worst that could happen? If someone is the type to get upset about that, no doubt you will inadvertently upset them about something else, so you might as well do it now and get it over with.
 
Oct 2, 2008
3,807
Pearson/ 530 Strafford, NH
Do most marinas have a rule about slapping lines. Maybe that would be the answer. I have tied off lines for people I knew, but not a stranger. Seems like the moral/ethical question we used to ask new recruits.
 
May 17, 2004
2,099
Other Catalina 30 Tucson, AZ
I board the moron's boat and tie it off.
My dock neighbor merely rolled up his jib and considered it done. One day the wind piped really hard and the sail started to unwrap so I tied it up for him. Later he asked me if I knew who secured his jib and I told him I did. I was expecting a thank you - maybe a free beer - but instead he told me he didn't need appreciate my help and untied the strap I placed around the jib and gave it back to me!! As luck (his bad luck that I wasn't there) would have it a couple of weeks later the wind piped up twice as hard as before and the jib rolled out and ripped to pieces. The marina tied up what was left of the sail.

Some people are so stupid they'll never learn anything.
 
Oct 19, 2017
7,732
O'Day 19 Littleton, NH
My dock neighbor merely rolled up his jib and considered it done. One day the wind piped really hard and the sail started to unwrap so I tied it up for him. Later he asked me if I knew who secured his jib and I told him I did. I was expecting a thank you - maybe a free beer - but instead he told me he didn't need appreciate my help and untied the strap I placed around the jib and gave it back to me!! As luck (his bad luck that I wasn't there) would have it a couple of weeks later the wind piped up twice as hard as before and the jib rolled out and ripped to pieces. The marina tied up what was left of the sail.

Some people are so stupid they'll never learn anything.
The Universe knows how to clean itself up, but that can still get pretty messy for the rest of us.;)

- Will (Dragonfly)
 
Jun 22, 2016
54
Pearson 26 Chesapeake Bay
It isn't yours, don't bother it. Just the way boatyards are sometimes. You can't expect other people to cater to what you like and don't. Yeah, most people don't like to let them slap around, I agree, but no one has any business bothering other people's belongings, especially for something trivial.
 
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Jul 7, 2004
8,402
Hunter 30T Cheney, KS
Our club is mostly like a big family that looks after each other. I would be grateful to anyone who secured anything on my boat that was flailing about. I learn from it, I don't get offended. The alternative may be a costly repair.
Fortunately I have internal halyards and I secure the ends to the toe rail.
 
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Oct 22, 2014
20,992
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
something trivial
Only a guess, but you may not have been between to boats with unsecured lines when the wind clocked in at 30 plus at 1am. Sometimes you cannot save someone’s flyaway jib. But tightening lines or pulling them away from a mast is sometimes the only way to get some sleep. The last time I enjoyed that experience, as I came out of my boat I saw my neighbors boat yawing about and lines banging. The bow line had nearly separated and the halyard had found a way to slacken enough to begin chafing. Cut out the bad part of the bow line, retied the bow line. Then put a bungee around the halyard.
When he came to check his boat I gave him the end piece of the bowline and cautioned him about the chafing halyard. He grumbled a bit I went back to my boat for coffee. He came over apologizing for his reaction and thanked me. Said he knew he was going to have to replace the bowline but thought he could get by until the next sale.
 
Jun 22, 2016
54
Pearson 26 Chesapeake Bay
Our club is mostly like a big family that looks after each other. I would be grateful to anyone who secured anything on my boat that was flailing about. I learn from it, I don't get offended. The alternative may be a costly repair.
Fortunately I have internal halyards and I secure the ends to the toe rail.
In that situation where everyone knows everyone, I say it's a no brainier.
 
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Jun 22, 2016
54
Pearson 26 Chesapeake Bay
Only a guess, but you may not have been between to boats with unsecured lines when the wind clocked in at 30 plus at 1am. Sometimes you cannot save someone’s flyaway jib. But tightening lines or pulling them away from a mast is sometimes the only way to get some sleep. The last time I enjoyed that experience, as I came out of my boat I saw my neighbors boat yawing about and lines banging. The bow line had nearly separated and the halyard had found a way to slacken enough to begin chafing. Cut out the bad part of the bow line, retied the bow line. Then put a bungee around the halyard.
When he came to check his boat I gave him the end piece of the bowline and cautioned him about the chafing halyard. He grumbled a bit I went back to my boat for coffee. He came over apologizing for his reaction and thanked me. Said he knew he was going to have to replace the bowline but thought he could get by until the next sale.
There is a difference to me about saving someone's boat from coming out of slip, and helping yourself to others people property for a nuisance.
 
Oct 29, 2016
1,915
Hunter 41 DS Port Huron
@HighCs123 I have to ask, if it were your boat and the halyards worked their way loose and were clanging and banging away, how would you react to your neighbor taking care of the issue for you while you were away from your boat?
I know I would appreciate it, but more importantly I make every effort of preventing this annoyance prior to leaving my boat unattended.
 
Oct 22, 2014
20,992
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
helping yourself to others people property for a nuisance.
I am not taking anything from the boat. I’m giving the owner a bungee to save his lines and my sanity. In my neighbors case I destroyed one of his lines by cutting the piece out. I was obliged to inform him I shortened the line. I returned the piece so he could understand the reason for my actions. I’m sure at first his grumbling was embarrassment that someone else helped him on His boat. Not being there he had no reference for the event. Over coffee he talked about the other boats that had lost sails. About a year ago our marina started sending out notice cautioning owners when wind events are forecast to occur. It has been a helpful action.
 
Jun 22, 2016
54
Pearson 26 Chesapeake Bay
@HighCs123 I have to ask, if it were your boat and the halyards worked their way loose and were clanging and banging away, how would you react to your neighbor taking care of the issue for you while you were away from your boat?
I know I would appreciate it, but more importantly I make every effort of preventing this annoyance prior to leaving my boat unattended.
Personally, I wouldn't be bothered by it, if that's all it was. But, I do think it isn't the right thing to do, not everyone would appreciate it, as we've already read and found true. I have to think of people reading this online, and anyone who started helping themselves on other boats would have the chance of an ugly situation, even if "just" trying to be helpful.
 
Jun 22, 2016
54
Pearson 26 Chesapeake Bay
It reminds me of a few years back, my neighbor was a hunter 250, that was never used. I never seen the thing move. It was covered in bird droppings between rains, covered in mildew, and the cockpit would fill up with water. I wanted to try to fish out the drain, but my luck, the hose would be half rotten, rip off, and I'd have sank the boat. Sometimes you're better off minding your own business. There is no right answer, just use your best judgement. Are you helping someone else, or just helping yourself?
 

DArcy

.
Feb 11, 2017
1,690
Islander Freeport 36 Ottawa
I wanted to try to fish out the drain
I cleaned cockpit drains for my old dock neighbour once. The boat had a low bridge deck and the water was up to the hatch boards, looked like it had already started to run into the cabin. I fished around and cleaned leaves out to let it run down. I knew the owner and I told him what I had done when I saw him next. He thanked me and said the drains were always getting plugged. He travels a lot and sometimes goes several weeks between visits to the boat. I like to think my neighbours would help out if something was needed on my boat, even a slapping halyard. Then again, I do run my halyards to the toe rail and secure them with bungee cords.
 
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Jan 7, 2011
4,726
Oday 322 East Chicago, IN
I was using my boat as an office one day and had to make several business calls, and the boat in the slip next to me was banging away with a loose halyard.

I finally went over and stuffed a towel between the mast and offending halyard, and felt a little uneasy hoping aboard someone else’s vessel.

Before I left for the day I grabbed my towel and figured any live aboards would have to deal with it before they went to bed...:poke:
 

Gunni

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Mar 16, 2010
5,937
Beneteau 411 Oceanis Annapolis
In our marina folks look after one another’s boats, we have relationships, we know one another. I am 8 ft away from someone, I want to know them. Don’t want them endangering my vessel. One of my neighbors is fighting a bad medical diagnosis, I know this because I know him and his wife. He knows I have his back, I would hope he has mine. He rests easy because he has a team looking after his boat.

If I can’t easily fix a neighbors boat I call or email them. The intention is transparent. If you don’t have a relationship with your neighbors you need to get one or resolve you are in a transient situation and the problem belongs to the dock master. Otherwise you fix a problem like a slapping halyard and let the owner know next time you see him. If you don’t know how to fix the problem in an improved manner, ask someone else for advice. There is a right way and a wrong way. A bungee fix is easy. Know your dock neighbors, it pays dividends.
 
Jul 27, 2011
4,989
Bavaria 38E Alamitos Bay
IMHO it's strange for a sailor to keep the main halyard attached to the mainsail and leave the boat that way for an indefinite period. If the main halyard is clanging/slapping hard between the sail's head plate and the mast-head sheave, then it would not be "simple" to fix especially on a big boat if you must detach and secure the halyard somewhere by its shackle. In contrast, if the halyard of a furled headsail is clanging/slapping along the mast then it might easily be tied off to a shroud. I have to conclude that boats with clanging halyards have probably been notified by some manner if it is, or has been, an on-going (repeating) thing. The good neighbors tend to them. Others, perhaps, did not get a notification or possibly ignored it. So, if it's a "problem boat" and it's disturbing you, endlessly, then I think one would be justified in temporarily "fixing it", and then asking the owner the next time you see him/her to make it a permanent fix.

But if a boat next to me has broken loose in its slip? Say, the weather stern line chaffed through/parted and the boat was slewing back and forth against the dock, etc., in high wind? Clearly, the owner intended the boat to be secured by that stern line; otherwise, it would not have been there. So, I grab the remnants and fashion a make-shift repair via a simple knot and re-secure the boat. Have I done something wrong? Did I help the owner or myself--or does it matter? I certainly helped the boat escape potential damage. Myself, I'd be astonished to discover that my dock neighbors, known to me by name or not, had stood around chatting or walking past while my boat slammed against the dock for hours, and did nothing.:doh:
 
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