Stolen mooring - what can be done?

[VO5]

Having spent the last 20 mins reading this long thread, I have some up with a cunning plan...

Remember the 3 key ways to fool someone: Distract, Divide and Disguise.

1. Simply drop something suitably heavy nearby and attached your old buoy to it. Move the fishing boat onto new mooring. This will look like your old and original mooring.
2. Attach a nice shiny new buoy to your original mooring chain.
3. When your boat is ready for the water, simply tie up to you original mooring.

This way...
The fisherman returns, he will assume that he has a new neighbour, and think nothing more of it.
Should the 'landlord' find out and pursue the fisherman, he will get the bill.
There will be no recourse to you as you haven't 'damaged' his boat or even entered into any communication with him.
Should the new mooring fail at any time, then the fisherman will not be looking for any retaliation as he will not be aware of the part you have played.

Cost - not a lot verses the emotional and potential future problems of other suggestions.

Best of luck

I like it too. Naughty thought..if the new mooring fails in the winter...who is to know what the ground tackle was like in the first instance ?:encouragement:

 

[Niander]

Having spent the last 20 mins reading this long thread, I have some up with a cunning plan...

Remember the 3 key ways to fool someone: Distract, Divide and Disguise.

1. Simply drop something suitably heavy nearby and attached your old buoy to it. Move the fishing boat onto new mooring. This will look like your old and original mooring.
2. Attach a nice shiny new buoy to your original mooring chain.
3. When your boat is ready for the water, simply tie up to you original mooring.

This way...
The fisherman returns, he will assume that he has a new neighbour, and think nothing more of it.
Should the 'landlord' find out and pursue the fisherman, he will get the bill.
There will be no recourse to you as you haven't 'damaged' his boat or even entered into any communication with him.
Should the new mooring fail at any time, then the fisherman will not be looking for any retaliation as he will not be aware of the part you have played.

Cost - not a lot verses the emotional and potential future problems of other suggestions.

Best of luck

sounds good ...do it!
actually I would not use the mooring yet just drop it to the sea bed [to retrieve later on]give him a **** mooring till he and/or his boat ***** off in the winter ...one way or another

 

[CaptainBob]

Having spent the last 20 mins reading this long thread, I have some up with a cunning plan...

Remember the 3 key ways to fool someone: Distract, Divide and Disguise.

1. Simply drop something suitably heavy nearby and attached your old buoy to it. Move the fishing boat onto new mooring. This will look like your old and original mooring.
2. Attach a nice shiny new buoy to your original mooring chain.
3. When your boat is ready for the water, simply tie up to you original mooring.

This way...
The fisherman returns, he will assume that he has a new neighbour, and think nothing more of it.
Should the 'landlord' find out and pursue the fisherman, he will get the bill.
There will be no recourse to you as you haven't 'damaged' his boat or even entered into any communication with him.
Should the new mooring fail at any time, then the fisherman will not be looking for any retaliation as he will not be aware of the part you have played.

Cost - not a lot verses the emotional and potential future problems of other suggestions.

Best of luck

Machiavellian. Nice.

 

[Lakesailor]

+1
Solid proof of criminal damage can be bloody difficult and horribly frustrating.


Remember, for the police to involve themselves, this has to be able to stand up in court.

Yep. It works both ways of course.

 

[SmileyGiley]

EDITED oops- "your friend". Sorry - for "you" read "your friend".

Nope - still you (oops- "your friend") are moving someone else's boat. If you purposely move his boat & someone gets hurt ,or the boat gets damaged, then you will be culpable - in law or just in your conscience.

Option A (Squeaky clean conscience...)
All you can do is retrieve your property. Wait until the mooring is clear (so you can reasonably assume he has left for good)
Retrieve your equipment (the nice chain)
Bugger off.

OR,,,
Option B (bit more devious, and you are descending to his realm)
Wait until the mooring is clear (so you can reasonably assume he has left for good)
Retrieve your equipment (the nice chain)
Put some 'other' chain on as a keeper (so you know where your weight is for future use). Put an old buoy on with a warning sign "no vessel heavier than 3lb 2oz"
Then bugger off

It's his lookout if he continues to use the mooring.
Of course, some other poor innocent may borrow your purposefully weak mooring for a night, lose their pride & joy (or even their life) on the rocks & your conscience will be heavy

I'd go for A - get as much chain back as possible & cut my losses. You (oops- "your friend") were being a bit free by laying a permanent mooring with no permission anyway. I think that navigation rights only allow anchoring, not the laying of permanent tackle.

 

[Champagne Murphy]

As your friend doesn't seem to have permission from the Crown to lay the mooring anyway then surely he has two realistic options.
1. Tell the HM (anonymously) that someone is using an illegal mooring.
2. When he's away retrieve the gear and lay a pukka mooring with the right paperwork.

 

[JumbleDuck]

As your friend doesn't seem to have permission from the Crown to lay the mooring anyway then surely he has two realistic options.
1. Tell the HM (anonymously) that someone is using an illegal mooring.
2. When he's away retrieve the gear and lay a pukka mooring with the right paperwork.

There are plenty of places where the Crown Estates have no say over moorings.

 

[fisherman]

In view of the ground ownership issue I think retrieve the gear (whilst squatter is away) is the only option. Replace it later.

 

[emkay]

Problem solved for now, thanks everyone for help.
Message received from friend:

'Left a few notes on his boat, asked him to move it and gave a deadline. Also put the word around that I have a 2ft friend named Irwin the bolt Cutter. Seemed to do the trick'

Unfortunately the stainless shackles and swivels have all been stolen, but life goes on, etc.