Which boat would you move?

[Roger Long]

So, I'm coming into the unsupervised and unregulated town dock in a strong wind with no dinghy and two semi experienced crew members. There are two of our cars in the parking area and no other place to land within walking distance. Plenty of room to dock except that a 17 foot aluminum outboard (which easily could have docked on the shallow side opposite) and a 27 foot sailboat are equally spaced in the available area leaving no place a 32 foot sailboat can fit in to. All docked boats unattended.

What would you do? I'll let you know later what I did and how it worked out.

 

[SamLust]

If you're in Maine you just bull your way in and displace whatever boats you need to to get space. I watched the dinghy dock at Bar Harbor one afternoon a while back and as the commercial guys came in with their dinghys they just slammed in, moved whatever they needed to, and tied up. I watched it go from about 10, which was comfortable to about 20 which was bedlam. I'm going to assume that rather than being inconsiderate the shallow side was blocked when the aluminum outboard guy came in, forcing him to tie up on the deep face. If it were my outboard I don't think I would have a problem with it being mooved as long as it was tied up correctly.

Yes, I am easily entertained and it was better than wandering through touristy jewelry shops.

 

[Cpt. Jon]

hmm... kinda hard to picture, but I have had a similar situation on my 25.5, I ended up pulling up to the end of the dock and tying up there until one of the boats moved. It was at a marina/resturant so they weren't going to be there forever and I was planning on getting some food and drink so I would be able to keep an eye on the boat.

In your situation, I think if there was no chance to find either boat owner and there was enough rooom to rearrange to fit all 3 boat along the dock, that would be my first bet. Moving the powerboat to the shallower side would be an option, but I feel like that would be more drastic and might piss someone off more.

 

[Ron20324]

A: Raft off the 27.
B: Med moor.

 

[Tim R.]

You do not mention if the skippers of the two boats are present. If so, kindly ask them to move along the dock to accommodate your boat.

I know you moor around the corner so I assume you just need to drop off your crew and be on your way. Could you not get just the bow of your boat to the dock for unloading or even land at the end of the dock(perpendicular to the dock)?

 

[RichH]

If this is a 'working harbor', simply side-tie to the 27 footer, of course using adequate fenders. Then walk over the bow of the other boat (never the cockpit) to go across to get to shore/dock. Leave someone onboard in case the 27 footer needs to leave, dont just walk away until you 'work things out' with the boat you side-tie to.

If this is a hoity-toity harbor or a harbor inhabited by thin-skinned anal-retentive folks, then anchor in the harbor and get the valet service to bring you in ... or use your dink.

Working harbors are usually 'friendly' and accommodating, harbors frequented by the 'Eloi' can be vicious and 'personally territorial'.

 

[Roger Long]

You do not mention if the skippers of the two boats are present.

I just clarified that with an edit. No one present on the dock. My car was one on shore and I needed to dock to load some stuff. I haven't had a chance to check out the water depths on the end or inside so I wasn't going there. Too windy to try landing a 32 footer on the narrow end.

 

[Roger Long]

harbors frequented by the 'Eloi' can be vicious and 'personally territorial'.

True wisdom

 

[Tim R.]

The Park's website does not specify either side at the dock, just that there is at least 6' at MLLW along the floats.

Thomas Knight Park

I would raft to the 27' sailboat, move the outboard closer to the the sailboat and then dock in the space provided.

 

[kenkindy1]

I'd drop one of the crew and have them shuffle the outboard boat.....it's a captain's job to delegate.....especially when it comes to potential punches to the nose.

 

[Roger Long]

it's a captain's job to delegate.....especially when it comes to potential punches to the nose.

Except when one of the crew is your son and the other a dear female friend.

The outboard would have needed to be taken clear around the floats to make enough room and I didn't like the option of trying to talk my son and friend through moving the 27 footer while I circled around under power helpless to help.

We rafted to the 27 footer with Strider's sternline independant to the dock. We then pulled both boats forward against the wind and tide which took some sweating and huffing. Strider then dropped easily backwards and we pulled her into place.

As we were walking up the path through the park, we ran into the sailboat owner. I told him I hope he didn't mind that we'd moved his boat. He thanked us because he'd wanted to do it himself but had to go walk his dogs and we'd saved him all the sweating.

Sometimes, things just work out.

Sometimes, they don't. I just went around the breakwater to fill my tanks for the upcoming cruise. When I returned to my mooring an hour later, my cute little Achillies inflatable was gone. It should have blown right up on the beach. My friend went down and walked the beach and I did a circle out in Hussy Sound. No sign of it and no clue what happened unless I tied my first bad bowline since 1960. I'll miss that cute little thing unless my reports to the Coast Guard and harbormaster turn it up.

 

[Warren Milberg]

I don't think it's a wise idea to move someone else's boat, without their permission, if it's properly tied up and not a danger to itself or others -- just because you prefer the space they are currently occupying. I would never do it and hope no one would do it to me. Not sure this is a good analogy, but suppose we were talking about cars rather than boats. Would you like someone to move your car just because they had a bigger car and preferred the space your car is in?

As mentioned by others here, you had a number of other options beside moving someone else's boat and it didn't appear you had any kind of emergency.

 

[Cpt. Jon]

Sorry to hear about your Dinghy... what a bummer...

 

[Roger Long]

I don't think it's a wise idea to move someone else's boat

I agree. Part of the charm of boating though is that it sometimes requires you to do things that aren't wise.

if it's properly tied up

Well, it was more properly tied up after it was moved than before.

just because you prefer the space they are currently occupying.

Not a matter of preference but being able to land at all when there was sufficient space.

I would never do it and hope no one would do it to me.

Please post picture and name of boat and I'll be sure not to

 

[bffatcat]

Docking

I agree with Warren I wouldnt move the 27` boat without the owners permission. I dont see why you couldnt drop your son off by himself to move the row boat and then stand by
to take the lines when you came along side

 

[Bad Obsession]

That is a tough one. I say pick on the powerboat because he has no business being there. I would try to get that moved. Is there anyone on shore that you can hale by VHF to help you out with this?

 

[Roger Long]

I dont see why you couldnt drop your son off by himself to move the row boat and then stand by to take the lines when you came along side

That boat actually was an outboard and would have needed to be moved outside the 27 foot sailboat into the next space to make enough room. In this part of the world, outboard boat owners can be just as possessive as the "personally possessive" as the "Eloi" Rich refers to. I wouldn't have wanted the owner showing up and finding my son casting his boat loose while I was circling around unable to intervene.

 

[Bad Obsession]

What did you end up doing? The suspense is killing us!!!!!!!

Then again, you could always do the WWSJD response.....What would Jack Sparrow Do? I am thinking that the outboard boat would get a broadside or the lines would be cut! LOL

 

[Bad Obsession]

Oh crap...that was supposed to be WWJSD. Damn typos. What would Jack Sparrow Do?

Savy?

 

[Roger Long]

Sorry to hear about your Dinghy... what a bummer...

Thanks, but I found it. We horsed the big rigid dinghy down to a different beach so Barbara could row out and meet me after bringing Strider around from the town dock and there was my little inflatable sitting in the dinghy storage area.

Just when you are moaning that you are condemed to living in a world where people move other people's sailboats without permission, someone comes along and restores your faith in human nature