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

Great attitude
I try and be like you...I'm successful some of the time


pmagowan said:
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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RupertW said:
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.
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Three strand nylon stretches about 20% before breaking, so say in normal use (and to make the sums easy) 10% stretch. So on a three meter warp, it'll stretch 30 cm before snatching. That's enough to leave your fillings undisturbed.
 
Twister_Ken said:
Three strand nylon stretches about 20% before breaking, so say in normal use (and to make the sums easy) 10% stretch. So on a three meter warp, it'll stretch 30 cm before snatching. That's enough to leave your fillings undisturbed.
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30cm stretch in 3m would indeed dampen down the snatch loads considerable - even half or a quarter of that would have a noticeable impact.

I have to admit that in the interests of understanding more and being contrary I have just looked up the different stretch characteristics of rope types as I had the two following thoughts:
1) It isn't a comparison of nylon stretch versus no stretch, it's nylon versus a typical halyard/sheet
2) Both warps and sheets/halyards will get stretched by use so springiness will fall

But the figures and charts I found are very clear, nylon wins by a factor of at least 3 (and 3 strand polyester or polypropylene by a factor of at least 2) whichever way you look at it, and warps will so very rarely be under loads near their breaking strain compared to anything winched that they will retain stretchiness far longer.

So I'm now converted and will now tut when I see this dreadful habit. It will still be really hard buying new warps when I have so much strong rope left which I won't be able to bear to throw out even if it's got the odd bit of ripped braiding.
 
Cleat hogs on pontoons, where it is obvious that the cleat needs to be shared. Where the cleat has about 10 figure of eights, is locked off and the warp tail is left on the pontoon. Ultimately a lack of consideration for others. Also not closing up on other boats on the pontoon so as to maximise the space available for the next boat. Overall though the majority of sailors seen to be polite, considerate and good operators.
 
OR4751 said:
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.
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What a whinger........ what different if it's a 45ft boat or a38ft boat with davits . They pay for overall length and they are in a berth deemed suitable by the marina . So why are they "scrotes" ? Seems you need to gain a bit of seamanship in handling your boat close quarters.
 
Blue Drifter said:
Cleat hogs on pontoons, where it is obvious that the cleat needs to be shared. Where the cleat has about 10 figure of eights, is locked off and the warp tail is left on the pontoon. Ultimately a lack of consideration for others. Also not closing up on other boats on the pontoon so as to maximise the space available for the next boat. Overall though the majority of sailors seen to be polite, considerate and good operators.
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I would re-cleat using a couple of turns hoping that the owner saw me do it so I could explain why.
 
skodster said:
Yep - that's the one. They put their full weight on a guard rail stanchion when the push pit is with easy reach. :black_eyed:
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I guess I was guilty of this last weekend pushing a rafted boat off us midship so that his bow went through the wind. The stern line was tight in and he just needed another few degrees. As an engineer I'm aware stanchions will not take much sideways thrust so I applied gentle continuous pressure on one midship.

The pulpit was by then out of reach so what would have been the correct action?
 
Boats who moor in the centre of a pontoon when it could easily take 2 or even 3 boats. I always try and make sure that I moor up so that others can moor behind/in front.
 
Do stanchions need to be built stronger as a lot of people seem very concerned about theirs? I think it is a completely logical place for people to try to fend off especially if they don't know the reasons why others are so concerned about it. The people fending off are trying to be helpful and prevent your topsides getting a ding so perhaps, instead of getting annoyed, a gentle explaination of where you would prefer them to fend off would help. You could say 'do you mind using the shrouds, pushpit or pulpit to fend off as my stanchions tend to lever the deck'. Most of these things that annoy people are things others do inadvertently or through lack of knowledge which is something we may be able to avoid by being friendly and helpful.
 
Talulah said:
If a regular sailor came up and asked to borrow a hose because they had got caught out I would be obliging. 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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sniff the flowers!
 
Nostrodamus said:
non British residents with a British ensign?
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And non-resident UK citizens? I think it is illegal but maybe they would like to be recognised as being part of a 'culture group' rather than being presumed to be an estrangero or such like which they would be if they adhered to the rules. Which is why I love the Dutch attitude to waterway authorities.

But to answer the question, my inability to control the darling at all times.
 
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