What is the one thing other boats do that bug you?

flaming said:
The only thing that ever gets to me is arriving somewhere like Weymouth, where you know you have to raft, to be met by a wall of backs as everyone studiously tries to ignore you.
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There's only one place in my home waters where rafting is guaranteed and the well mannered sailors of North Wales will equally be guaranteed to be ready with a helping hand for the next in line.

As we arrived in Falmouth a couple of years ago and rafting was an option, I was disappointed to watch other boat users turn their backs. We spent an unpleasant evening at anchor being rock and rolled by equally inconsiderate power boats seemingly oblivious to the discomfort of their wake. Unfriendliest place I've ever visited.

TiggerToo said:
Actually go sailing, when I am stuck at a desk...;).
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Dreadful season for us so far. Not moved since launch.
 
Talulah said:
However, when someone deliberately takes off their hose on the assumption someone else will then lend them one then that is 'using' people. So yes, that does bug me.
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Not necessarily an assumption that they would need to borrow one, perhaps just an expectation that the marina would have one on their tap, as many do?
I never carry a hose on the boat, only an empty 10l container with which to fetch water from a tap.
 
I agree about the gorillas who need to haul themselves aboard by your lifelines when there is a strong shroud just beside them, the guys who need bow thrusters to turn a fin keel yacht are deserving of sympathy, though it can only be idleness that stopped them learning basic turning technique. However worst are the ones who tie up in the centre of a two boat long space and then whinge if you ask them to make space or allow you to raft up.
Standing on deck and inviting a suitable approaching boat to raft up and pass their lines gives a moral right to supervise their application of springs and shorelines, if you hide below you have no control over what they do.
 
Nostrodamus said:
We all have our pet hates that other boaters do that really bug you and bring out the grumpy old man syndrome.
So what is it..
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1. Dinghy in the davits... in the marina.
These days, there is already very little room for maneuver in between the pontoons.
Last thing you need is some inconsiderate scrotes restricting that room even more by leaving their dinghy in the davits.

2. When you berthing (arriving/leaving) in an unfamiliar marina and some local seems to think you're taking too long and insists on squeezing past you.
One wind gust and it all ends in tears.
 
Motor boats that pass at speed blissfully unaware that my 3 year old nephew and 70 year old mum are on board. The wake, to them is really quite scary. Just wish they would give a seconds thought.
 
Mdonnelly that would certainly be mine. I think it's often ignorance rather than selfishness

I thought I'd be annoying though and point out something positive though. My nephew is 2 1/2 and has a tendency to wave at anyone and everyone. He was genuinely loving life when travelling through Portsmouth harbour on Sunday, every single boat we passed (probably 50-60) waved at him.
So yeah people annoy me - a lot - but I love the fact that in a busy busy harbour, boating people still wave at each other all the time....
 
Not too many things annoy me as everyone has their own way of using a boat but I am intrigued by some of the things that people on the thread say annoy them (probably because I do those things):
- Use old sheets/halyards as warps. What is the harm in a bit of reuse?
- Fenders out underway. Why not leave them out when you will have to put them out again when you anchor? The only harm could be losing them and giving others the option of picking up free ones.
- People peeing over the side. I'd rather they did that than do other things down below.

What annoys me (mildly) are:
Turquoise undewater lights in a lovely dark anchorage
Bow thrusters - becuase you know then you have to come up on deck to see who is going to get bashed
Air conditioning outlets gushing noisily 6 inches or a foot above the waterline on the boat next to me at night. Fortunately they cycle on and off allowing the opportunity to unplug the boat from the marina electricity knowing that nobody down below will hear because all their hatches are shut tight.

What really annoys me:
"Quiet" generators running all night in an anchorage, mostly from boats with lots of above and underwater lights and air con
People not using holding tanks in the kind of anchorage where everyone goes swimming
 
Twister_Ken said:
Coz there's no stretch in them, so when they go tight they do it with a jerk. Fine if chummy is moored to the shore. Not so good if he is moored to you, unless you like having your fillings rattled every 10 seconds.
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Thank you - that makes sense although I doubt there is much stretch in any attachment of 2 or 3 metres no matter what the material. Anything longer like a spring should allow enough rise/fall in/out movement even if no stretch at all, but I've learnt something new today to consider, thanks.
 
I really don't go boating to get annoyed and am generally successful in that regard. I do often pick up on little things people do that they perhaps shouldn't but I can't say any of it annoys me. I am the same when driving. I have only used the horn on my car once to avoid a collision and I see no point in getting worked up about someone else making a mistake or even just being a to++er. I like the way sailing tends to be a community where everyone helps out at a pinch. I wave to every boat that passes and I say good morning etc to everyone that isn't avoiding eye contact on a pontoon. Most people seem to respond in kind and I have only come across a few difficult people.

Once we had to move some people from a hammerhead because our friends needed it in their 70 foot boat and had booked it (unfortunately the staff went home without putting up a sign). One boat moved with grace. From the other a lady popped up and said she would not move. Eventually her husband came up and was more reasonable, us having found them an alternative spot and assisting. I gave each boat a bottle of wine for their trouble and thanked them very much but it would have been more pleasant if both boats had immediately been helpful.

Life is full of minor inconveniences and potential annoyances. We can't control the world but we can control how we react to it. In general I have found 'not sweating the small stuff' (to use an annoying Americanism) to be the best policy. I would prefer you not to ding my boat or bend a stantion but I won't shout at you if you do and I won't lose any sleep over it.
 
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Twister_Ken said:
Coz there's no stretch in them, so when they go tight they do it with a jerk. Fine if chummy is moored to the shore. Not so good if he is moored to you, unless you like having your fillings rattled every 10 seconds.
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Spot on Ken. Ta for saving me having to say it.
 
Twister_Ken said:
Coz there's no stretch in them, so when they go tight they do it with a jerk. Fine if chummy is moored to the shore. Not so good if he is moored to you, unless you like having your fillings rattled every 10 seconds.
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When I use non-stretch lines for mooring I put a crochet chain in them to add stretch, like this: http://www.thechillydog.com/2014/09/crochet-101-slip-knot-and-chain.html If there's a proper nautical term for this I'd like to know what it is.

Wall of backs? Yell "AHOY <BOAT NAME>" at a range of 5m then smile and politely ask them to take ropes when they turn around. They know they're in the wrong.

Things that gives me a slight twinge are: 1. other yachts failing to stand on, and 2. mobos failing to make a clear course change but instead making minimal corrections to just miss you. Solution: stay out of the Solent.
 
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