Pontoon etiquette

FlyingDutchman

FlyingDutchman

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On saturday a week ago we took the boat out for a spin.
We came back in the afternoon and found a speedboat moored to the pontoon on our mooring place (B4).
Our fixed mooring lines were thrown over the pontoon (I always put them aside so that nobody trips over them) and the boat was secured with a lock.
The harbourmaster could not do anything as the owner of the speedboat had not left a spare key in the marina. he tried to call the owner to no avail.
Last saturday we came to the boat and the owner of the speedboat had removed one of our mooring lines and had put it on our boat.

Is this the new pontoon etiquette?
What should I have done?
 
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I think a big pair of bolt croppers is in order to cut the lock.

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As well as a <u>thicker</u> chain and a <u>hefty</u> padlock to replace them - a bit of his own medicine!
 
Hang on a minute, this all sounds a bit fishy. Why would someone lock a boat up at a mooring that isn't there's in the first place, and still be there a week later? Where is their mooring? Could the harbour master not tell you? And was someone on that?

Difficult to advise what you should do when it feels like there is only half a story.
 
Etiquette or legalities?
If you are in a marina where anyone can take any vacant berth - then IMHO the power chappie has done nothing wrong.
If however you've paid your money for your contracted berth then I'd be expecting the harbour master to wield the bolt cutters and move the interloper out of your spot.........
JOHN
 
The mooring (pontoon) of the speedboat is B3 (behind us), we are on B4.
I can not answer as to why someone locks up a boat at a mooring that is not theirs as I did not do that!
We asked the harbour master what to do when we found the speedboat at our mooring and he asked us to moor up on B3 (the speedboat's place).
Sure it can not be a mistake as when he saw my fixed mooring lines, he should have realized that something was wrong. The harbourmaster confirms that B4 is our mooring. We have been at B4 last year and this year since the boat was launched again and put in the right place (by the marina).
I just had a call from the harbourmaster that the speedboatguy brought a spare key and that the harbourmaster will put the boats in the right place this week.
 
Hiya,

Very odd. Well you've managed to sort things out for the time being. Well done. The guy is probably just ignorant of the fact that another boat occupies the berth in front, and not particularly observant either.

I'd ask the Harbour Master to have a word with him, while tactfully pointing out that as long as the guy continues to leave his boat on B4, he (the harbour master) will have to keep moving it and putting your boat in the right place. I'm sure he has more important things to do with his time, so will want to sort things out.

I'd try and dodge any suggestion that, now there is a spare key, you can move the boat if its on B4. You may find that this leads to nothing been done.
 
Now that it looks like being sorted, maybe leave a message on his boat inviting him for a drink? See if you can establish some kind of relationship to stop it happening again?
 
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leave a message on his boat inviting him for a drink

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Superglue his locks, and show him what 'Irritating' really means

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Opinions clearly differ /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif
 
If only more would do that!(not the super glue!!)

Im guilty of using "empty" berths!Though i always know that it will be empty for a few days.Mostly from the port capitain

Going off for a week is very odd?In France his boat would have had the lock cut off or power ground off & moved to the debt section.

As one of a few that do use others mooring's you should always be aboard or not away for to long an hour or two or at a cafe overlooking or within site of the place. I leave a portable phone number easily visable in the cockpit.

So far touch wood,never a problem,once a boat did arrive was given the place i had by the capitanery,but the capitain knew which cafe i was in and came along himself to tell me to i had to anchor before the german had left the visitors pontoon

Its a hard life today!

Im sorry to be leaving this forum ill post on the liveaboard in a moment i just cant stand the "slattery" posts i expect ill be back eventually though
 
Are you around Marseilles at the moment? We will be heading up that way via Barcelona, leaving Almerimar in the next ten days or so.
 
Being kind he might have had a bit of engine trouble? - probably not though, just assumed it would stay empty.....IMO a week and also not telling the Marina (and giving them a key) is taking the p#ss.

Tricky one when it is neighbours - I would have a polite chat with him to find out what the "problem" was and point out the inconveniance caused.....if he is an a#sehole, buy some bolt cutters.
 
At the moment im in Burgundy aboard a landrover.As it happens the most economically challenged have decided to move along the coast west thanks to this forum

I will be in or around Toulon in my boat until about mid June then off to Sete before being based at our new moorings until about June 2009
 
Thanks for all your answers!
It really helps me to deall with a situation like this.
My first thought was also the bolt cutter / super glue / chain and padlock solution, but this would mean that I woud do something thta I don't want other people to do to me so this would not be right.
I will have a chat with him and try to stay calm and polite (although I know that it will not be easy for me).
Again, many thanks. I started thinking that I was overreacting, but most of you seem to agree.
 
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