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Someone tied up my boat.

3K views 14 replies 9 participants last post by  steel 
#1 ·
I was out working on the boat Tuesday and did not notice anything different. Left at about 1930, went back out at 1130 the next day and noticed that someone had tied up two semi spring lines off the back. The lines were there before, I have four lines in back, but I was only using two. the way the boat was tied off (one line on each quarter) it would not hit either pier or the seawall. I pull in bow first and just have a little four foot dock to one side to hop on the bow of the boat, so whoever had to hop onboard and walk back to the stern to tie these lines off. I looked for damage on the bow but saw no evidence that it was hitting the seawall and the weather was calm overnight. Its got me totally baffled. The only person that I know of that would/should be on the boat is my step dad, but, although I could be wrong, the saltyness of the knots tied did not look like something that would have come from him. :confused::confused::confused:
 
#2 ·
You don't say if you're tied up in a marina (or other kind of pay to dock), but if so, it may have been someone who works there.
 
#3 ·
Its just in a small boat yard that this old dude owns. As far as I know he is rarely there. Only seen him there twice this year and I am there most days. There are only about eight slips there along his property. Its on the clinton river so lots of boats cruising by. my neighbor in the powerboat next to me is there often. Its actually on the nextdoor property that fronts an apartment complex. there is a fence there though and he would have to walk several hundred feet to come around. Just trying to figure out wtf. I have not talked to my step dad at all but I would figure that he would have called if he did it.
 
#5 ·
Maybe someone secured those two additional lines thinking they are doing you a favor, and not knowing how often you are on your boat they might have been thinking about bad weather. If the knots were salty it means that a salty guy tied them for you.
 
#6 ·
I guess, but one can only walk along the front of the boats. the backs are 30' out on the water with only little 4 foot docks between boats. Plus mine is at the very end at the fence. even if you stand on the dock at the front of the boat you would not see the cleats where the lines tie off. Unless some one on a boat or dinghy noticed something wrong. My sailboat neighbor has not been out on his boat. I know because he has had a dead bird on his boat for three weeks now. Feathers pouring down the side, its almost a skeleton by now. I barely know the guy and did not want to board the boat or pick up a dead bird.
 
#9 ·
A wild guess is that your boat was moving more than you think. Perhaps it didn't hit but was VERY close.

I've had to retie a few boats when the owner was new and the boat was NOT secure in some state of wind or tide. For example, one I did not catch (the slip next to me, not something I dug up on the net):


Could be a busy body, but there could have been a good reason. Right now I have a new neighbor I'm going to need to speak with; one of his fenders--the one taking most of the load in a cross wind--is supported only by the dock power cable (Romex, not conduit), which is scaring me. He has pilings he could use to hold the boat off, but he is to new to figured that out, and I guess they are hard to reach.

I HATE mucking with someone's tie-up; personal property, liability and all that. I contact them or the marina office if possible. But is it better to watch a smash-up you could have prevented? I can't do that.
 
#10 ·
I've added spring lines to a neighboring boat that was on a linear dock. They barely used the boat and would never tie it up correctly. In waves (just wakes from nearby boats) it would push forward until it was banging up on my solar panel or outboard engine.

Since they only used the boat a few times per year it was cheaper for me to use scrap lengths of line to add a spring to their boat then to let their boat damage mine.

If you want to see where your boat can move then push it around by the shrouds. Without springs of any sort it can probably move forwards and backwards by a couple of feet. Even on a dock with fingers this could mean that your boat was moving forward into the main dock and making it harder for people to get by.
 
#11 ·
I'm so glad I have finger docks, port and starboard. Docks are getting old though. Was there a couple weeks ago, worked on the boat, retyed her off - two at bow and two at stern. Couple days later I come back down to get something and noticed my starboard bow line in the water, and port side bow line laying on the dock. Boat only secured at the stern. The cleats were gone - just ripped out of the dock and went to the bottom of the deep blue sea. Tied off to neighboring boat owners' cleats, called my marine landlord, and next day had nice new cleats and he tied me off.

I'm very thankful to have a very attentive, and helpful, landlord at the boat.

Personally, if I see a problem with others' boats, I'll take the time to either contact the landlord or take care of it myself. I don't think anybody down there has a problem with that, and we are all equally as helpful. Thanks for that.

:)
 
#12 ·
That is why, I have a rule now that I don't touch anyone's lines unless they are at risk of damaging my boat or they are currently damaging theirs.

People are funny about how they tie up their boats. I am no different. And when I move your lines, I feel that I now become responsible for it.

My opinions.

Brian
 
#13 · (Edited)
I don't touch anyone's lines unless they are at risk of damaging my boat or they are currently damaging theirs.
Those are the only logical reasons to touch anyone's lines. As per the OP, if someone has stepped aboard and ADDED two lines, with nothing being REMOVED from the boat, nothing being disturbed, nothing missing, then, logically, they were there with the intent of solving an evident problem, not causing harm- it was apparent to someone that your boat needed two more lines. Someone will likely own up in the next couple of days, in which case , say "Thanks." they may have saved your bacon.

No one here has a problem with a boat in peril being boarded, and lines being adjusted or added, or halyards tightened or tied off if required. It's neighbourly boatkeeping, that keeps us low on the marina's radar. the more we tend to ourselves, the less we have to worry about the redshirts sending nasty letters about additional dinghies and kayaks or unapproved dock improvements like beer pong tables and umbrellas.

Sometimes after storms the booze fairy stops by our boat, and anonymously leaves beer or wine in the cockpit. Apparently adjusting lines pays off from time to time.
 
#14 ·
No one here has a problem with a boat in peril being boarded, and lines being adjusted or added, or halyards tightened or tied off if required. It's neighbourly boatkeeping, that keeps us low on the marina's radar. the more we tend to ourselves, the less we have to worry about the redshirts sending nasty letters about additional dinghies and kayaks or unapproved dock improvements like beer pong tables and umbrellas.
Precisely why we take care of each other, and only if absolutely necessary will anyone board somebody's boat, even though the marina guy is awesome, but he's getting old, and he hurts a lot, from war injuries. .. however, there was this one time last year, somebody helped themselves to my BBQ gas off the back rail and left me a nice set of sunglasses in the cockpit. Well worth the price of a small canister of propane. :)
 
#15 ·
I tied up a pontoon boat once. The stern was tied up to the handrail with 1/4" line. The handrail is much higher than the dock and it make quite a large angle. Well it broke and the stern swung around. So I got some line that someone gave me and tied it directly above the pontoon. Two weeks later nobody had done anything with it!
 
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