Sailboat windchimes

[J36ZT]

This is for those of you who don't know how to secure your halyards...

How long would it take you to call the cops if I stood outside your house banging away on a metal trash can lid? How about if I did it all night long, all day long, 24-7?

This is how you can annoy all the live-aboards in your marina (the same people you're trusting will take action if your boat gets into trouble while you're away...and keeping things from disappearing off your boat). It's simple and effective. Take all your halyards, run them straight down next to the mast and tighten them as much as you can. I know this will cost you new halyards and extensive corrosion to the mast, but these things are simply byproducts in your abilities to really get the blood boiling of anyone trying to sleep (or concentrate) in your marina.

OR...

Get the halyards and other lines away from the mast to keep them from banging and causing damage. It's not a bad idea for you to spend a night aboard every now and again. If your halyards have been making a racket, I know you'll be up pretty quick finding a way to keep them silent.

SO...

If you find someone has been aboard and secured your halyards, be thankful! Take it as a hint and secure them back that way when you return from sailing. If you can't do that, atleast put the bungee cords on your boat where they can be re-used. The alternative may be finding your shackles at the top of your mast!

Thanks,

Skipper, J/36 S/V "Zero Tolerance"

Oh, and for all you powerboaters; cleats are not for winding your docklines up on...there is a proper way to cleat a line...LEARN IT!

[Ritchard]

Yikes, the halyards I can understand, but beating up on powerboaters? That's just going too far!

[joelsanda]

What is the etiquette here? I don't live aboard - sail a small boat here in Colorado in-season. If I had a boat making a racket from that I would not mind someone coming on, securing the lines and leaving me a note. I'd thank the person and buy 'em a drink for being neighborly enough to set me straight.

Is it verboten to go aboard a boat and secure lines? Is it illegal? Vary by state?

[DRFerron]

Originally Posted by joelsanda

What is the etiquette here? ...
Is it verboten to go aboard a boat and secure lines? Is it illegal? Vary by state?

Usually it is the only reason I, or my slip neighbors, would board a boat without the owner being present. A few years ago there was one large sailboat that had its jib unfurl in the middle of the night in high winds. Someone secured it before it damaged the sail and rigging (and could keep everyone up all night).

We recently boarded a small cat that had a sail unfurl and flap noisily in the wind. The next morning I let the marina manager know what happened as we didn't know the owner and didn't want him to come back to his boat and wonder why his sails were not in the same position they were left.

I would hope someone would do the same for us.

[Faster]

I've climbed aboard and silenced slapping halyards many a time.. sometimes even donating a bungee to the cause. Unfortunately the hint wasn't always taken.

My wife is a Halyard Nazi.. during any of our frequent (occasionally large) raftups she's not at all shy about telling someone to quieten things down.

What's always amazed me when we're out cruising is that if someone's slapping halyard is keeping me awake how can the person(s) aboard that boat sleep at all????

[MikeinLA]

Originally Posted by DRFerron

there was one large sailboat that had its jib unfurl in the middle of the night in high winds. Someone secured it before it damaged the sail and rigging

I got a call from the marina that my jib had unfurled during a really bad Santa Ana wind. I'm about 40 minutes from the boat and I FLEW down there only to find 2 of my boat neighbors finishing up securing my jib on deck. Not only was I happy that they boarded my boat, but I hear that a case of Coronas mysteriously appeared on each of their dock steps the following Saturday.

Mike

[Faster]

Originally Posted by MikeinLA

.... Not only was I happy that they boarded my boat, but I hear that a case of Coronas mysteriously appeared on each of their dock steps the following Saturday.

Mike

As it should! Good on ya, Mike!

[JedNeck]

Uhoh...think I'm guilty here...I didn't know this was a thing.

My boat is docked here at the house. I live on a small lake. For the first few weeks I had the boat here the halyards would clank in a breeze. It's hardly ever breezy at night, luckily.

I noticed it was annoying when I was taking a "break" while working on the interior.

Mine are quiet now...hope I didn't peeve the neighbours.

[FDR14127]

Ol' Pop Smith who managed the Buffalo Harbor Marina (God Bless his soul) would tie off your slapping halyards with butchers twine. This would set you back some time trying to rig for a sail and likely you didn't forget again!