Some People Just Don't Think
Posted: Wed Jun 21, 2006 8:39 am
This is more of a rant than a rambling (and maybe a cautionary tale for some). So anyway, I have a 14' Beetlecat which, fot those who do not know, is a small wooden catboat. I moor her in a protected cove near my parent's house on a small 50 pound mooring. This mooring has always been sufficient for my litte Beetlecat and she has ridden out a few hurricanes and tropical storms on this mooring with no problems.
Due to my work schedule and other boat projects, I do not yet have my boat in the water. However, on Cape Cod if you do not drop your mooring in after the winter the harbor master will start calling you (because of the long waiting list for moorings they rightfully have a strict "use it or lose it" policy). Accordingly, my mooring went in mid-May. I should note at this point that my mooring is fairly close to shore and a rock jetty and, at low tide, is located in shallow water.
Anyway, I woke up on Saturday morning to see a 25' Grady White powerboat sitting on my mooring. I really did not care and just assumed that someone was visiting a neighbor for breakfast or something and decided to use my mooring rather than anchor (more on that later). Because I did not plan on putting my boat on its mooring that day I figured it was no big deal and the boat would be gone soon. The boat was still there at 5PM - I thought it odd but again did not get worked up as I had other things on my mind. That night, Cape Cod got fairly windy and at one point in the night, when I woke up and heard the strong breeze, I thought "I hope that boat is not still on my mooring." Sunday morning I woke up and immediately looked out at the water. Sure enough, the Grady White was still tied to my mooring, it was low tide and my mooring has dragged due to the wind and chop it created. The Grady White was bouncing off the bottom as it rode on the chop due to the shallow water and, as the wind shifted, the boat also bounced off the jetty. So, I contacted the harbor master and he spent about 2 hours trying to locate the owner of the boat. It turns out the boat belongs to a neighbor who just purchased the boat and claims to have thought that the moorings were either the property of the town or the subdivision. Then, believe it or not, he took another 3 hours or so to move his boat! I am not exaggerating when I say this boat was either hitting the bottom (lucky for him it is soft sand and mud) or the rock jetty every 10 seconds or so. Of course, despite having met me previously and now knowing I own the mooring, he has neither called me to apologize nor moved the mooring back into its proper location. Not that I really care (he probably would put it in the wrong location anyway), but you would think he might make contact and apologize for his mistake and maybe thank me for keeping an eye out for HIS boat! Believe me, if he had asked me (and assuming the mooring was sufficient for his boat, which it is not) to use my mooring until I needed it, I would have gladly allowed it.
So, there is actually a purpose to this long rant. This story is a good reminder for us all as we sail around this summer. When you pull into a new anchorage and see an empty mooring, as tempting as it may be to take the easy path of picking up that mooring rather than anchoring, beware. We have all been there. I am guilty of it too. However, remember, you have no idea what condition that mooring is in and whether or not it is sufficient for your boat. However, if you properly set your own anchor, you will know that you are safely anchored.
Happy sailing!
Due to my work schedule and other boat projects, I do not yet have my boat in the water. However, on Cape Cod if you do not drop your mooring in after the winter the harbor master will start calling you (because of the long waiting list for moorings they rightfully have a strict "use it or lose it" policy). Accordingly, my mooring went in mid-May. I should note at this point that my mooring is fairly close to shore and a rock jetty and, at low tide, is located in shallow water.
Anyway, I woke up on Saturday morning to see a 25' Grady White powerboat sitting on my mooring. I really did not care and just assumed that someone was visiting a neighbor for breakfast or something and decided to use my mooring rather than anchor (more on that later). Because I did not plan on putting my boat on its mooring that day I figured it was no big deal and the boat would be gone soon. The boat was still there at 5PM - I thought it odd but again did not get worked up as I had other things on my mind. That night, Cape Cod got fairly windy and at one point in the night, when I woke up and heard the strong breeze, I thought "I hope that boat is not still on my mooring." Sunday morning I woke up and immediately looked out at the water. Sure enough, the Grady White was still tied to my mooring, it was low tide and my mooring has dragged due to the wind and chop it created. The Grady White was bouncing off the bottom as it rode on the chop due to the shallow water and, as the wind shifted, the boat also bounced off the jetty. So, I contacted the harbor master and he spent about 2 hours trying to locate the owner of the boat. It turns out the boat belongs to a neighbor who just purchased the boat and claims to have thought that the moorings were either the property of the town or the subdivision. Then, believe it or not, he took another 3 hours or so to move his boat! I am not exaggerating when I say this boat was either hitting the bottom (lucky for him it is soft sand and mud) or the rock jetty every 10 seconds or so. Of course, despite having met me previously and now knowing I own the mooring, he has neither called me to apologize nor moved the mooring back into its proper location. Not that I really care (he probably would put it in the wrong location anyway), but you would think he might make contact and apologize for his mistake and maybe thank me for keeping an eye out for HIS boat! Believe me, if he had asked me (and assuming the mooring was sufficient for his boat, which it is not) to use my mooring until I needed it, I would have gladly allowed it.
So, there is actually a purpose to this long rant. This story is a good reminder for us all as we sail around this summer. When you pull into a new anchorage and see an empty mooring, as tempting as it may be to take the easy path of picking up that mooring rather than anchoring, beware. We have all been there. I am guilty of it too. However, remember, you have no idea what condition that mooring is in and whether or not it is sufficient for your boat. However, if you properly set your own anchor, you will know that you are safely anchored.
Happy sailing!