Is this a record? (strange mobo behaviour)

[Mudhook]

There I was at the marina on Sunday, minding my own business on my boat, when a large (35ft+) and very new-looking gin-palace appeared to be making a mess of berthing. As one does, I assisited in fending off as the mobo drifted in the wind back onto other boats. The gap between the mobo and the pontoon suddenly widened and I leapt aboard rather than get wet.

There was a 50-ish driver and a 30-ish couple aboard. As we approached the pontoon for the third time it became apparent that there were no docklines and no fenders rigged. When the driver had more or less jammed it in the hole, I assisted in tying their boat up with two short lines that were lying on the floor. Later it transpired that the marina staff had thrown them the two lines as they approached when it became clear that they had none, and that they had entered the marina and found a vacant berth without any radio call at all.

When I visited the bar later all three crew were on their second beer, preparing to go out again. I understand they were bound back down the coast towards Clacton on Sea.

Does anyone know how three people who seem to know nothing at all about boats can get hold of a £100,000+ boat and convince themselves that they are fit people to take it to sea? A few of my best friends are mobo-ers and I don't wish to ignite the old arguments. I am genuinely perplexed.

Regards, Mudhook.

Does anyone know how three people

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[StugeronSteve]

I fail to be amazed by the variety of marina berthing antics one sees from the comfort of a boat cockpit. Like you I have an automatic response mechanism that causes me to try to assist when I see disaster in the offing, I just cannot sit there and watch boats get bumped. Crass stupidity isn't totally the preserve of the mobos though, you see some pretty fine examples from raggies at times.

Mind you we can all get caught out, I can remember back in my early days plotting an escape from an alongside berth. No tide running past the boat, so spring her out and off. Trouble was that at about 4m out from the pontoon there was a ripper of a tide running, it grabbed the arse end and sprung me round end for end. We were well fendered and no harm was done, but I didn't half feel a prat!

Everyone needs to gain experience, but most of us gain it with a wall of rubber fenders around the boat and proceeding at a very careful pace. The arrogance and disrespect shown for property is what dismays me and leads me to question the wisdom of having so much money tied up in such a vulnerable asset.

<hr width=100% size=1>God only made so many perfect heads. The rest got covered in hair.

 

[duncan]

I don't think you are igniting the old arguments at all - there are numerous examples of people getting themselves into hot (cold) water with boats of all shapes and sizes from the example you have quoted through to the much vaunted tails of the lone yachtsman who insisted on going to sea with only a road atlas etc and had to be regularily 'rescued' by the coastguard / RNLI at high risk and cost.
As has already been pointed out most learn 'the hard way' ie from experience. Despite the number of experts on here there aren't that many in the real world who can accompany newcomers (or those upgrading to bigger more complex craft) on a regular basis and aid their learning. On returning to Northney last October, after a little bit of a blow, there was a 34ft newish motorcruiser staked out precariously on the mud bank - line to large tractor in carpark etc. The story ? New owner had arrived to take out with experienced 'crew' but they failed to show. He thought he would be fine in the marina and imediate area of Chi harbour......;o(
Powered craft do however tempt people who, for example, feel they can handle a car so it can't be hard - in a way that sailing craft don't. No question.

<hr width=100% size=1>madesco madidum ..../forums/images/icons/smile.gif

 

[nicho]

I know of someone who spent the best part of £250K on a new 40' flybridge boat - his first EVER boat. On one of his first trips, he set out from the Solent for Torquay, having no experience whatsoever. Amazingly, he made it safely.

On his return trip however, he was caught in some very nasty seas, which saw one of his young children in the cabin injured badly enough to need stitches in a head wound. Crockery was smashed, and there was a general melee onboard. I asked him what on earth happened, and qustioned him about the forecast - you can guess, he never saw one, but was moved to say, he wondered why he was the only boat leaving Torquay at the time.

"Where were the seas so bad as to cause this mayhem?" I enquired - "Off a place called Portland Bill" he disclosed - "How far off?" I enquired - "About half a mile" he said!! - "What about some professional tuition?" I asked - "No, I prefer to learn from my experiences!!" he said.

After a few months, he sold the boat because the family were too scared to go out with him.

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[Becky]

Your post reminds me of when some years ago, we were waiting in our berth in Chi marina for the tide to come in some more, and I took the dog for a short walk/empty and also to see how the tide was making. We had a Seamaster 23 with lifting keel then, just brilliant for Chi Harbour. As I approached the lock I first heard, and then saw a large deep-keeled yacht near the closed lock gates. The owner was complaining loudly that the Lock Keepers wouldn't open the gates for him. But there was only about 1/2 a metre of water in the channel outside. Again, I wondered how somebody could be intelligent enough to amass enough money to buy said boat, but still be ignorant of basic tidal knowledge. It was funny though, all the same!

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[tcm]

ooh, i thought you wer writing about me! Our first trip was on the same style of boat, but i had an old skippery chap on board who taught us lots and lots. Went to falmouth too. Not sure why others don't take the same route- the dealers don't suggest it, that's why, i think.

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[windandwave]

A couple of months ago I was in Dun Laoghaire when I saw two guys in a small "cigarette boat" speedboat (16ft or so) making a hash of trying to come alongside the slip. Their problems were compounded by the fact that they had a massive outboard (70 or 80hp) on the back, but they hadn't managed to figure out how to lock it down. So every time they tried reverse, it tried to become airborne.

A couple of others and myself went over to give them a hand, if only to clear the slip. Having asked them to throw us their lines, we then had to throw them back, specifying that this time they should keep hold of one end! Eventually we manouevre the boat roughly onto the slip, only to find that the windscreen is shattered and there's about 18 inches of water in the boat. It was blowing a 5 at the time, with a bit of wind against tide outside the harbour, and it became obvious that they'd taken their 80hp and stuffed the bow straight into the face of the first oncoming wave.

We then try to help to put it on the trailer, only to find that the two punters on the boat are reluctant to jump out in case they get their feet wet! We eventually remove them from the boat, put it on the trailer, and pack them off, with not a word of thanks.

Perhaps not a £100,000+ boat (in fact, from its shabby state, maybe 5,000 euro) but the same mentality. Obviously if it has an engine then it can't be any more difficult to drive than a car. (Given the number of muppets on the road who can't drive either, perhaps the analogy is apt.)

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[DogStar]

It may seem over-cautious to some, and a pain in the arse to others, but I made sure I knew as much as possible about chartwork, diesel mechanics, tides, wave propagation, the local area (I.O.W. to London) and basic navigation before I even thought about bring a boat back by sea. On a river, or better still a canal, I could imagine buying a boat and having a go, but at sea!? How much imagination does it take to realise that the only thing between you and death is luck or knowledge? Even when I had boned up as much as I could, I still hired a skipper to make the journey with me. This decision probably saved me from what could have been a very bad situation, hitting unforecast sea fog off Selsey Bill. I learnt a hell of lot on the way back, over three days at sea and always either at the helm, the log book or the chart table. What surprised me is that the Skipper was surprised to see me in the wheelhouse at all. He said that most owners don't even bother coming along, and if they do they hardly ever do anything. Why are they buying boats, then?

I am sure that I learned more about my kind of boat doing it this way, rather than going for a week on a twin engined modern boat, but I simply cannot comprehend the idea of not having done either before setting off. Scary biscuits.

<hr width=100% size=1>I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy!

 

[boatless]

Going up Southampton Water, somewhere near the Hamble spit buoy, on a moderately foggy day, 35ft powerboat comes alongside and asks "which way to the bridge?". Establish it's the Itchen bridge he wants and tell him to steer 340 or whatever it is. Blank look. No compass. Stay near this edge and go that way I advised. Off he went. Then I remembered the overhead cables to the pylon things at Weston. Oops. Never heard anything, so presumably he didn't find them.

<hr width=100% size=1>my opinion is complete rubbish, probably.

 

[nicho]

No, it was not you Matt, and I won't name him - he also managed to get it broadside on to Hythe pier on another occasion - forgot about that!!

Sounds, and looks, like you had a great trip back by the way - now that my delivery jinx has been busted, I should have volunteered my services....what??....what part of sod off DON'T I understand.........??

Well, REALLY!

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[jeffro]

I was visiting Ramsgate marina when a 40 footish flybridge thingy came alongside at about 3 knots wifey jumped over the bow with stringy thing and hubby leapt over the stern with same stringy thing and proceeded to make fast he was just lucky stringy things held when they came fast there was no one else onboard !This vessel must have cost 25000 pounds Perhaps some of this money would have better spent on learning how to stop Jeffro

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[Mike21]

You mean I'm not allowed to get all defensive and slag off raggies/forums/images/icons/frown.gif
Probably just as well/forums/images/icons/smile.gif
As others mentioned, a lot of peeps think driving a boat like driving a car, and if you've never done it yourself and see someone who's good( whether sail or power) it looks easy.
Luckly some of manufacturers are now beginning to include training as part of the package, although not all yet, so hopefully these occurances will diminish.

At end of the day if your selling a boat, and someone gives you the price you want,would you turn it down, even if you thought they were clueless?

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[brianhumber]

Re: Chi Marina

I have also had some fun here when approaching up the ditch or leaving with 1 metre of water. Lock keepers could not believe their eyes not knowing I have a lifting keel. I see the dredger is now scooping out the soft mud in ditch again so lifting keelers will need to be a bit more careful with the hard bottom for a few months.

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[Guest]

Not only MOBO\'s ....

Nice Moody was bought by London Business guy ....... brand new with all the gear etc.

Boat handed over alongside all tied up and looking dandy.

Owner then invites friends, family etc. for first outing ..... no check on weather, gets 'rough', ends up on the bank, and rescued .......

This happened some years ago in the Solent area....... location / names withheld ....

Guy found he was alone with boat after that with no-one to go with him ...... so inevitable happened - ho sold it to never try again.

Sad really - as a little tuition or help from others could have introduced him to boats so well and given him a new interest that outstrips gardening etc. !!!!!


<hr width=100% size=1>Nigel ... and of course Yahoo groups :
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/gps-navigator/

 

[Guest]

In a certain Baltic Port ...

There are a few very impressive large MOBO's run by ...... yep u guessed ..... European Union Reps ..... along with their also expensive sports cars etc.

One in particular ..... a Princess 44 with all the gizmos / thrusters etc. etc. comes in turns and then backs down to her Medi mooring. Trouble is the owner / driver doesn't seem to appreciate the poor sod on the bow who is at full strectch with an incredibly long boathook hanging on to the bow buoys .... 2 of 'em !!! You hear the thruster and engines roar as he wants to line her up going back in .... if I was the bowman - I would look for another job ...... !!!! He must have the strogest - longest arms by now .....

Not only that - but the owner allows his young - I mean YOUNG daughter to scream around the marina on the RIB that exits the back of the MOBO ..... she has great fun seeing how many boats she can make dance around on their moorings ..... (thoughts of Molotov Cocktails and other airborne projectiles have been heard to be suggested by various normally placid nice people to cure this scurge)

Argh - but its life you know ..... it takes all sorts - I just wish they would bugger off somewhere else - with the bloody EU as well !!!!


<hr width=100% size=1>Nigel ... and of course Yahoo groups :
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/gps-navigator/

 

[jorinda]

Re: In a certain Baltic Port ...

My particular gripe is BIG MACHO MALE on the helm and full throttles forward and astern while petite wife/bit of crumpet is expected to leap onto pontoon and try to tie the roaring beast down.

<hr width=100% size=1>The Chandler at Bucklers Hard

 

[jhr]

Re: In a certain Baltic Port ...

You've been watching me mooring at the BH Fuel Jetty, haven't you? /forums/images/icons/wink.gif

<hr width=100% size=1>Je suis Marxiste - tendance Groucho

 

[Wiggo]

Not wanting to spoil a good anti-mobo tale, but is anyone aware of any boat manufacturer building 30+ foot boats who doesn't fit a steering compass?

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://homepage.ntlworld.com/graham.wignall/boats/eulimene600x800.jpg>The old and the new</A>

 

[boatless]

It looked like an unfinished home build. More or less just a hull and deck with engine(s). Can't imagine that the guy driving could have been it's builder, probably bought it as was. On reflection, perhaps more like 40ft.

<hr width=100% size=1>my opinion is complete rubbish, probably.

 

[duncan]

Re: or...

the petite crumpet struggling on the foredeck with recovering/stowing the anchor gear whilst 'he' handles the helm..............very prevelant on sailing craft.

<hr width=100% size=1>madesco madidum ..../forums/images/icons/smile.gif