Something has picked up my mooring!

[gerryraby1]

Hi....here is a sticky one that I hope someone can shed some light on.

I have a mooring in Portsmouth Harbour in Area 51. When I went back to it yesterday, someone had put a Hobby cat 18 on there with the words "Danger keep clear" in bold on the side! It has no mast but has a post with a flashing yellow light on it, a wind generator and it has a domestic water tank with some pipes trailing. I believe it to be some kind scientific experiment, probably by a university somewhere.

There are no useful markings on the offending object to identify the owner and QHM know nothing about it.
Clearly it has been put there with out any thought that someone might actually be using the mooring.

Pictures here:
http://s316.photobucket.com/user/ashdownsailing/media/IMAG0329.jpg.html
http://s316.photobucket.com/user/ashdownsailing/media/IMAG0332.jpg.html

Anyone got any ideas what to do...apart from setting it free to roam Portsmouth harbour at leisure, or putting an unintentional hole in the hulls?

Any practical and useful suggestions welcomed

Thanks

From a very irritated Gerry

www.sadler32forsale.com

 

[Biggles Wader]

Confiscate the wind genny in lieu of mooring fees?

 

[Lakesailor]

Who administers the moorings? Won't they take any action?
Problem is that if you move it from your mooring, where are you going to put it? You can't really just set it free.

 

[greggron]

would QHM know anything about it?

 

[gerryraby1]

Thanks for the quick responses
I need a wind gen but I dint fancy the criminal damage charges.
It is a Hardway Sailing Club mooring but there is no identification on the blasted thing so with whom can they take action?
I called QHM who knew nothing. They did sent up a police launch to look at it......which they did.....look at it, I mean.....and then they motored away never to be seen again. Again there are no identifying marks at all.

Gerry www.sadler32forsale.com

 

[timmygobang]

Funny name for a boat

 

[ghostlymoron]

Looks pretty low in the water - hopefully it'll sink.
Does the boat behind you know he's lost his mast?

 

[seanfoster]

Tow it to the shore at Hardway with a note/bill on it?

 

[bikedaft]

take it to another mooring/marina, tie it up and leave it. that way you have left it secure, but somewehere else...

 

[gerryraby1]

Stupid name for a boat...wot? "Danger Keep Clear"...yep!
Trouble is, if it sinks there it will be MORE of a problem for me!
If I could find out who the owner is I could tow it to the most expensive marina in Portsmouth harbour and leave it there under the owners name. That would be fun. We are back to who is the owner?

Gerry www.sadler32forsale.com

 

[pete]

One of those appeared in our river a few years ago and from memory it was there for a month or so, we assumed that it was sampling the water quality. Fortunately it was not on our moorings, in fact where it was moored I don't think there was an original mooring there.

Pete

 

[sarabande]

there must be some form of ID in the Big Black Box at the Back.

Apart from turning up with jemmy and a couple of vicars, what about the Uni, Environment Agency.


A real pain.

 

[uxb]

if it has an anchor then take it off you mooring and drop the hook when out of your way - it's what I'd do if someone knicked my mooring.

If there is no anchor then take it to shore and beach it.

 

[ffiill]

Given the fuss about registering moorings with the Crown Estates including over the top GPS fixing I would just let it go if it was on my mooring!-same as if someone parked their car in my garden I would drag it back onto the main road!

 

[chrisbitz]

Padlock it with a chain and your phone number?

 

[NickRobinson]

I'm sure I'm being slightly untrusting, but who remembers 'A fishing boat owner stole my battery' thread?
So many memories! Pompey too.

N

 

[jac]

I assume that you need your mooring.

After speaking to QHM, and the club who know nothing I think it's fair to say that you won't be able to find the owner.

I would move it somewhere safe but cheap and then when you moor your boat on your mooring, tape an envelope in a clear plastic bag to your bows stating where she is, who the owner needs to pay to retrieve and pointing out that it was left on a private mooring without permission.

Don't just cast her lose.

 

[halb]

If it is testing water quality or whatever, it probably communicates with the owner, why not board it and disconnect all wiring ( without causing damage) leave a notice to the owner telling him to move the darned thing. I would guess that the boat ceasing to communicate will get the owner down quickly, plus you will have the gratification of spoiling his work as much as he is spoiling your leisure time, plus leave a bill for trouble. If it is not moved I would agree with previous thoughts about beaching it, but do it carefully or you could be left with a bill for any damage caused!

 

[Giblets]

You could always move it to one of the MOD buoys. That might help to concentrate QHM's attentions!

 

[PabloPicasso]

You could always move it to one of the MOD buoys. That might help to concentrate QHM's attentions!

That's the bet suggestion yet. Do the mod work weekends?