What's to stop someone undoing your ropes and letting your boat float away?

[Adetheheat]

I dont mean to sound like a psychopath but if someone doesn't like me he could wander over to my boat undo the ropes and let my boat float away?? Has this likelihood been thought of?

 

[Refueler]

I actually know of one case where this happened. We all knew who had done it ... but Police could not put together a case against the guy.

It was a long standing feud between the two .... coming to a head ....

Boat was recovered and re-secured.

I also know of a case of boats on shore set alight by local hooligan who delighted in such events ... again Police could not put together a case ... but they knew full well who it was ..

 

[Hoolie]

It happened to friends of ours on the Canal du Midi in Toulouse.They were on board at the time and were woken by the boat bumping into things. They suspected some local anglers they had peed off earlier in the day but nothing proven.

 

[V1701]

It's a lot more likely they'll break in & steal stuff off it or even steal the whole boat. There's a school of thought that there's not much point trying to make your boat like Fort Knox to break into 'cos if that's what they want to do they'll do it anyway & just cause more damage...

 

[veshengro]

Walking down the pontoons in our Marina, looking at some of the methods used to turn a mooring rope up on a shore cleat, I'd say Chinese puzzles have got nothing on some of the local Sailors mooring techniques. Probably take half an hour to let some of the Rat's Nests go...

 

[Seashoreman]

My take on this would be that it would only happen in a rare and specific location. Getting to a tied up boat would presumably be a marina with pontoons.
People run the risk of being apprehended and the boat generally wont be floating too far. River moorings you would need to be pretty determined.
Perhaps on a river bank in an isolated location? But then surely there is the risk of being spotted?
Maybe a harbour in North West Scotland on a bleak night? What do you have in mind?

 

[Clancy Moped]

Behind that spring is 5 meters of 10 mil chain, so 2.5 meters of metal before the spring and probably 3 meters until the warps, I doubt that anyone has a 3 meters reach, passerelle up at night boat off the dock by 3 meters.

 

[Adetheheat]

So it has been done before. Luckily my boat is nothing special

 

[Sticky Fingers]

Been going on for decades, centuries probably. Featured in Ransome's Coot Club when some rogue / hero of the piece set Margoletta adrift.

 

[Clancy Moped]

So it has been done before. Luckily my boat is nothing special

The boat doesn't have to be special for pissed up yoof on Friday night to have a go! I've seen it before hence that set up.

 

[Poignard]

It happened to me in a Northern Ireland port when I was an engineer on one of Coe-Metcalf's coasters..

We had all gone up the road for a drink and when we returned, somewhat the worse for wear, our ship was on the other side of the basin; where she had drifted after her lines had been cast off by yobs.

We staggered round the basin, clambered aboard, started up the engine and moved her back to her berth.

It was decided not to mention the incident to the owners.

No point in worrying them.

 

[MisterBaxter]

It's a known problem on the inland waterways, where moorings are often close to town centres, pubs etc, and tow paths often form part of drunken routes home. I've seen two narrow boaters tie their boats together bow to stern on the opposite side from the towpath, so that if either one is maliciously cast adrift they'll stay in place tied to the other.

 

[DinghyMan]

It's a known problem on the inland waterways, where moorings are often close to town centres, pubs etc, and tow paths often form part of drunken routes home. I've seen two narrow boaters tie their boats together bow to stern on the opposite side from the towpath, so that if either one is maliciously cast adrift they'll stay in place tied to the other.

Most of our local ones have a padlock and chain to the fixed mooring points

 

[DangerousPirate]

What stops anyone? Nothing except common sense and general sanity. If they really wanted to, they could, and probably would get away with it unless it is really directly under a HD camera in the middle of the day.

Weird thing to consider though. Who did you piss off?

 

[Andrew_Trayfoot]

Been going on for decades, centuries probably. Featured in Ransome's Coot Club when some rogue / hero of the piece set Margoletta adrift.

Tom Dudgen did it but was still the hero...
It was the Hullabaloos who were the rouges mooring next to the coot's nest ..


I had someone try and cast me adrift in the middle of the night from Wareham Quay a few years ago...

I always bring all lines back on board when I there these days. So they would have to step on board, which would probability wake me up...

 

[Clancy Moped]

Tom Dudgen did it but was still the hero...
It was the Hullabaloos who were the rouges mooring next to the coot's nest ..


I had someone try and cast me adrift in the middle of the night from Wareham Quay a few years ago...

I always bring all lines back on board when I there these days. So they would have to step on board, which would probability wake me up...

Yoofs carry knives.

 

[Sticky Fingers]

Tom Dudgen did it but was still the hero...
It was the Hullabaloos who were the rouges mooring next to the coot's nest ..


I had someone try and cast me adrift in the middle of the night from Wareham Quay a few years ago...

I always bring all lines back on board when I there these days. So they would have to step on board, which would probability wake me up...

Yeah I know, but you might reasonably argue that TD was the villain for casting her off…

 

[MontyMariner]

I always bring all lines back on board

I normally do anyway as I sail solo.
I suppose that the risk of being cast adrift is similar to having your car tyre stabbed or the valve being cut off.

 

[johnalison]

I must live a sheltered life because I’ve never heard of it happening, and I’ve tied up to numerous exposed watersides across Northern Europe, often in towns. I suppose that British scrotes outclass those of other nations, though there is much of Britain that I have never visited.

 

[rogerthebodger]

I must live a sheltered life because I’ve never heard of it happening, and I’ve tied up to numerous exposed watersides across Northern Europe, often in towns. I suppose that British scrotes outclass those of other nations, though there is much of Britain that I have never visited.

You have no idea what happens in our yacht club. The British scrotes are not a patchon our locals

I have "lost " all kinds of equipment I once tool a cheap watch off to wash my hands and when I went bake to it it had grown legs and walked away

We do hav some live aboard and boat boys who keep a close eye on my boat who keeps an eye on things like lines and water level