Engine Etiquette

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Genoa

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I was just reading Practical Boat Owner (mainly for the rag and stick in me) and read an article about a Motorboat in the Newtown Creek that ran its engine for 2 hours in the evening at anchor to "charge its batteries." The incident ended in hospitalisation of a crew member on a neighbouring boat who was so affected by the fumes.
I thought the etiquette was charge batteries in the 'forenoon and silence after.
What do you folk think? Given that disregard of etiquette is not a criminal offence, what should be the reposte to those with no manners?
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Um, running your engines at idle for 2 hours, imho, isin't good for them - I wouldn't do it, instead i'd go for a slow speed cruise around the area if I needed to charge batteries (Which is going to charge them feckall anyhow, even at idle for 2 hours)
 
It ought to be "Turn your f****** engine off, you t*****" but because we're all British, we will just sit there, saying nothing and composing furious letters to the Times in our heads /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
...because we're all British, we will just sit there, saying nothing...

A lot of truth in that; though one time that I really flipped-out over a breach of said etiquette was in Hydra Harbour (Saronic Gulf) in June 2007 when the Red Ensigned, though American Skippered/Crewed Yacht, moored beside us fired up their very noisy and desperately smokey engine at midnight and then again at 0500! Their appeal that they 'had a battery problem and need to charge every five hours to keep the freezer iced' didn't garner much sympathy! /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif
 
Ah, Hydra - I went there in my Island-hopping, back-packing days. A lovely, laid back place; we used to go down to the waterfront every eveing and have a frappé megala before dinner. I think I'd be a bit peed off if someone started up their genny in the middle of the night, though the waterfront could hardly be described as quiet /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif.

We were sitting there having breakfast one morning, when we saw a smallish man walking by, dressed in black, and accompanied by several pre-Raphaelite beauties, carrying flowers. It took me a few minutes to realise that it was Leonard Cohen. He had a cottage on the island for many years and this must have been one of the last times (early eighties) that he went there.

Happy days.........
 
Hi
i have to say that the best thing one can do is to extricate oneself from the situation,the skipper of the boat with the ill crew member should be charged for putting his crew in danger,imho etiquette is dead, ie, people mooring on bouys cockpit to cockpit,asking to raft when there are bouys available,making loud noise in cockpit's well into the early hours,these are just a few things one comes across nowadays,excuse the rant,regards m m 1
 
Sorry but this is just bollox. I've read the letter too and the mobo was not even rafted up but on a different mooring altogether albeit, apparently, upwind. There's no way a normal healthy person would be affected by noxious exhaust fumes in the open air like this. More likely the woman was affected by the noxious fumes from a bottle rather than an engine. Unfortunately PBO is read by a certain type of whining old raggie who love to find any reason to have a go at mobos
 
I'm a sad git who will buy pretty much any boaty magazine. PBO did try to appeal to mobo owners for a while but their core readership hates us
 
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...whining old raggie who love to find any reason to have a go at mobos

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It's not just mobos, I have known some raggies run their engines without consideration for others too.

Eberspachers and generators can be a problem as well. I have noticed an increase of both when rafted on the town quay at Lymington.

There was a small sports boat there in the summer, on the inside of a raft of 5, who ran a petrol generator out on the pontoon morning and afternoon. I don't know what he was powering but I can't see the necessity.

Someone may not hear their Eberspacher warming up their boat whilst they are up the Kings Head but it can be serious annoyance to people sat in open cockpits rafted next to/behind them. I know the weather wasn't great this year but is it really necessary in August?
 
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Sorry but this is just bollox. I've read the letter too and the mobo was not even rafted up but on a different mooring altogether albeit, apparently, upwind. Unfortunately PBO is read by a certain type of whining old raggie who love to find any reason to have a go at mobos

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As it happens I am a Ribster and not a whining old raggie (except in a very old dinghy) most of the time, but I do enjoy anchoring up and enjoying the P&Q up Newtown and regardless of what happened to the individual, I was actually asking about the etiquette associated with running the engines/genset etc as it is antisocial for all around, but rarely thise on the boat itself! Can we stick to the point rather that ranting about reader of different magazines - the world is big enough IF WE DON'T FORCE OUR SELFISHNESS ON OTHERS.
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OK I'll answer your question. If you want peace and quiet then don't go boating in the Solent because you won't get it. As for running an engine to charge batteries, on occasions it is necessary. Mobos generally use a lot of battery power due to various domestic systems on board and it would need 2 hours at idle to charge flattened batteries. As for generators, they make a lot less noise and smoke so it would be reasonable to run them for longer but, as an owner, you know whether or not your gennie is noisy enough to irritate others so you you use it accordingly
We spent 12yrs boating in the Solent and visited Yarmouth very regularly. I don't know whether it's the same now but then the rule was that you shouldn't run engines or gennies beyond 11.00pm and that seems eminently reasonable to me
 
[ QUOTE ]
,imho etiquette is dead, ie, people mooring on bouys cockpit to cockpit,asking to raft when there are bouys available,making loud noise in cockpit's well into the early hours,these are just a few things one comes across nowadays,excuse the rant,regards m m 1

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Good rant mm1!
But like the extinct woolly mamouth and those clever Japanese scientists, perhaps we should find a way of bringing it back to life?
The trouble is so much of the enjoyment goes when you don't have the comradarie. It doesn't matter what the type of boat is, it matters what the attitude and character of the crew are. Like so many things a minority seems to rule the roost while the rest of us just try to enjoy what is left.

Does anyone know of a "name and shame" site ??
 
yes sir quite agree, one does try to uphold good standards& it makes me feel alot better having done so,if you find a name&shame site do let the forum know,regards m m 1.
 
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