Boarding a vacant boat without permission

[penfold]

I've invited myself onto unoccupied boats to silence noisy halliards and make fast/adjust moorings many times, not been sued yet; how does this person think they will get on in harbours where rafting is compulsory?

 

[steveeasy]

Twas in Yarmouth one night with a right hooley blowing. The wind had unfurled a boats genoa right nest to us. Went on board and pulled it off and placed it in cockpit and tied it down. would have been destroyed otherwise. Yes I did wonder but thought it better to do something.

Steveeasy

 

[jimi]

A classic case over thinking things

A crazily risk averse attitude.

So I should have just watched the french Feeling drift past us and onto rock in Great Porth, Bryher this summer?

No. I boarded it with my skipper, we started the engine, re-anchored it and put out a decent (this time) scope. The french skipper was very appreciative, and we got a bottle of wine for it.

Think of the flip side. "What, you watched my boat drift past onto the rocks....?" That might end up with a lawsuit!

My (limited) understanding of French Tort law is that one can be negligent by not doing something when one could and damage has resulted cos you did not do anything.They perhaps err too much on the side of the “victim” but I certainly sympathise with the principle.

 

[Dutch01527]

I would and have gone on to a boat to sort out bits and pieces.

How would you react to this one? I was on the Yacht Club pontoon ( actually owned and operated by the harbour authority) in the summer. it Is a small pontoon and space is tight and size of boat limited. I had taken the last space by agreement with the harbour masters. Went ashore with wife to have a few beers and something to eat. Got back at about 9.00pm and my boat had been moved 10 metres up the pontoon by the crew of another boat to allow them to moor. After I went ashore apparently two small day boats fore and aft of me had departed and the only way they could get alongside was to move mine.

Skipper was having a glass of wine and came over to me and apologised and explained. I did not have an issue at all and explained that the boats fore and aft had left after I went ashore and that I would have moved myself to create space if possible.

Everyone agree that moving another persons boat is acceptable if done with care and for a good reason?

 

[Sandy]

I am always happy to board a boat to fix a small problem out.

Why don't people spent two minutes tying a sail tie round a genoa is beyond my understanding. Jimmy Green do a nice bright yellow one so you can't miss it.

 

[johnalison]

My (limited) understanding of French Tort law is that one can be negligent by not doing something when one could and damage has resulted cos you did not do anything.They perhaps err too much on the side of the “victim” but I certainly sympathise with the principle.

I have heard of such an attitude over there. Whether I would be negligent in not jumping in to rescue someone in the water, I don’t know, but I believe that one can’t stand idly by while someone is at serious risk, or even likely to split an infinitive. I think the whole attitude, although no doubt well meant, is a bit Napoleonic, and I would guess that it has zero effect on the outcome of emergencies.

Since there is no law of trespass, I have never concerned myself when the need to board other boats has arisen, for the usual reasons, or even to leave a thank you note or bottle. A lawyer will no doubt confirm or deny, but I think that all anyone can do is sue you for damages.

 

[Praxinoscope]

I am always happy to board a boat to fix a small problem out.

Why don't people spent two minutes tying a sail tie round a genoa is beyond my understanding. Jimmy Green do a nice bright yellow one so you can't miss it.

It’s amazing the numbers that don’t, I always continue to wrap the Genoa until at least two turns of sheet have wrapped around it.
If really high winds are forecast then I have a blue ‘Westaway‘ sail tie that I use to added security.

( Does anyone else have trouble with the predictive text on the forum? I had to re-type a couple of words three times before I could get the words I wanted on the above short post)

 

[Poignard]

I am always happy to board a boat to fix a small problem out.

Why don't people spent two minutes tying a sail tie round a genoa is beyond my understanding. Jimmy Green do a nice bright yellow one so you can't miss it.

Yes, a sail tie is very effective at preventing it unrolling .

Q. How do I know this?

A. I have more than once motored out of a port and found I could not unroll the genoa because I had forgotten to remove the sail tie. ?

 

[footsoldier]

I was talking to someone who said he’d never go on board a boat without the express permission of the owner even to sort an obvious problem as he’d be worried about getting sued for trespass.

Your acquaintance is a complete muppet. In order to be sued for trespass, the 'trespass' has to be accompanied by some act which involves loss or damage to the plaintiff. Sorting out some problem, to the benefit of the plaintiff, cannot be so construed.

(All of whichin any case ignores the total impossibility of an ordinary joe suing another ordinary joe. Suing people is the province of the mega-rich or those on benefits)

 

[Boathook]

I am always happy to board a boat to fix a small problem out.

Why don't people spent two minutes tying a sail tie round a genoa is beyond my understanding. Jimmy Green do a nice bright yellow one so you can't miss it.

I used to put a sail tie round the genoa but felt it was OTT when I have at least 4 turns of the sheets wrapped round and the furling line made fast in 2 places. The sheets are both round winches and then cleated as well. I mightvchange my mind if something happens in the future.

 

[Thistle]

Think of it this way: would you want someone to go aboard your boat to fix a problem? A straightforward "yes" from me.

Any time I've done something like that I've either contacted to marina so that they could let the owner know about the problem or I've contacted the owner myself. Again, it's what I hope would happen if the problem were on my boat.

 

[johnalison]

It’s amazing the numbers that don’t, I always continue to wrap the Genoa until at least two turns of sheet have wrapped around it.
If really high winds are forecast then I have a blue ‘Westaway‘ sail tie that I use to added security.

( Does anyone else have trouble with the predictive text on the forum? I had to re-type a couple of words three times before I could get the words I wanted on the above short post)

I often have trouble when using the iPad. My way of overcoming it is to add three nonsense letters, usually nnn after the suspect word before making a space, and then deleting them. I find this quicker than trying to outstare the damned machine.

 

[Rappey]

Yes, a sail tie is very effective at preventing it unrolling .

Hmm. The reality is the sail unwraps above where the genoa sheets are attached . It's very rare a whole headsail completely unfurls.
The furler does not unfurl and the sheets stay wrapped .This in turn leads to a badly flogging sail which can bring the mast down within a few hrs. I saw it happen to two boats on the same day some months back during a storm.
Then there are the ones that leave a small genoa triangle out

 

[Poignard]

Hmm. The reality is the sail unwraps above where the genoa sheets are attached . It's very rare a whole headsail completely unfurls.
The furler does not unfurl and the sheets stay wrapped .This in turn leads to a badly flogging sail which can bring the mast down within a few hrs. I saw it happen to two boats on the same day some months back during a storm.
Then there are the ones that leave a small genoa triangle out

I put the sail tie as high as I can reach.

I also furl the sail as tightly as possible.

 

[steveeasy]

Now I recall the genoa that unwrapped I removed, had genoa sheets wrapped around it. The wind had caught the top and it had unfurled quite a bit and I thought it was going to rip and possibly damage other boats close by. Not sure what I ended up doing but it was a real pain at 3 in the morning in driving rain. the sail was undamaged and I tucked it out of the wind in to the cockpit and tied it down. When I had finished the yard chap came out. nice timeing!!.

I never leave my genoa on, as its so easy for the wind to catch it even with it wrapped especially on a mooring. I find it only takes minuets to put the genoa on. Not sure what the boatowner thought when he turned up. probably frustrated at finding his sail off but hed have been more upset to find it shredded.
Steveeasy

 

[Concerto]

Taking this discussion a little further.

Whilst in Lerwick, I moored alongside a German boat when no one was aboard. When the family came back from shopping, I chatted with the daughter as she spoke pretty good English and asked when they were going to leave. She replied they were thinking of leaving either that afternoon or the following day. She said she would check with her dad and let me know. About an hour and a half later I went ashore. When I returned the German boat had left. Several other boat owners had helped them leave and tied my boat alongside the pontoon. When I returned I thanked them and explained the Germans did not let me know when they would be leaving. To me this was just normal behaviour of boat owners assisting each other. If the person mentioned by the OP extended his "idea", would he have left my boat to drift free in the harbour and damage other boats or mine? Sorry but he is an idiot and should be made to read this thread or put a notice on his boat for no one to set foot on it under any circumstances.

 

[Rappey]

Over many years ive boarded many boats on moorings , usually to secure some fabric item before it rips itself to pieces.
Nice to get a thanks but most the time it's an unknown boat and owner who I will never meet.
I found my mainsail lashed to the boom once. I would guess it was flapping in the wind and some kind soul saved it for me.
It's nice to look out for each other.
I Have two boats on moorings. I travel a mile to one of them and pass a good few hundred moored boats. It can get quite wild when it's strong winds.
3 times I've rescued people who would have been out all night in the winter if I had not come across them.
Saved a fair few boats suffering mooring failure.
Towed a few broken down boats. It's all part of the fun of boating
I'm sure most of us would not step on another's boat unless there was a valid reason.

 

[Graham376]

I've done it and would board again if necessary but have always had someone with me to witness whatever I've done. There is always the slight possibility of being accused of your actions causing damage so be careful.

 

[Momac]

I have secured or zipped up the occasional canvas canopy or closed a window with no thought given to it. As said the owner would not have been aware .

Earlier this year noticed a not very loud beeping alarm from a boat so I notified the marina . The marina notified the owner. It turned out to be a gas alarm caused from a battery which was gassing and overheating. The marina disconnected shore power . The owner attended and found a very hot battery. He brought me a bottle of wine which he didn't really need to do but it was well received. I didn't climb aboard but surely people would like any fault noticed by others to be actioned.

 

[Poignard]

Rappey hit the nail on the head in Post #37:

"It's nice to look out for each other"