superheat6k
Well-Known Member
Heading up the Medina for Island Harbour yesterday afternoon, a bit early for the depth to rise in the approach channel just after LW, I decided to stop for about 45 minutes to let the tide increase before I approached the lock.
Just opposite East Cowes Marina was a mostly empty trot of pontoons laying on the west side of the channel. So I headed over to stop, have a cup of tea and a sandwich. But as I approached this chap immediately shouted "you can't stop here it's private". I explained the purpose of my stop but he was adamant "you must not stop - we pay for these facilities you know, you wouldn't park of some one else's drive" etc.
My view is that a berth is not a driveway, and my stopping would at best be akin to parking / waiting outside someone's house, on a public road, albeit blocking their driveway.
I did explain that my own mooring, which I pay for, is routinely used when I am away from it and I have no problem with this, indeed the vast majority of marina users will have a visitor assigned at some point or other.
I explained again why I wished to stop for a brief period, but no "the owner of the berth might return", even though I could leave at a moments notice. however, at that point I wished him well and carried on up the river until I found a suitable free mooring buoy, importantly not marked 'Private', and hung there for 45 minutes. I did not actually moor up to GOGs trot.
The HM passed me and wasn't at all concerned at my stopping there, he just waved politely as he passed by.
So had I stopped would I have been out of order, assuming said person was not there, or was he simply a Grumpy Old Git. The trot was indeed marked private.
I have to say I did suggest as much to my crew, likely loud enough to be heard, as I carried on on my way.
Just opposite East Cowes Marina was a mostly empty trot of pontoons laying on the west side of the channel. So I headed over to stop, have a cup of tea and a sandwich. But as I approached this chap immediately shouted "you can't stop here it's private". I explained the purpose of my stop but he was adamant "you must not stop - we pay for these facilities you know, you wouldn't park of some one else's drive" etc.
My view is that a berth is not a driveway, and my stopping would at best be akin to parking / waiting outside someone's house, on a public road, albeit blocking their driveway.
I did explain that my own mooring, which I pay for, is routinely used when I am away from it and I have no problem with this, indeed the vast majority of marina users will have a visitor assigned at some point or other.
I explained again why I wished to stop for a brief period, but no "the owner of the berth might return", even though I could leave at a moments notice. however, at that point I wished him well and carried on up the river until I found a suitable free mooring buoy, importantly not marked 'Private', and hung there for 45 minutes. I did not actually moor up to GOGs trot.
The HM passed me and wasn't at all concerned at my stopping there, he just waved politely as he passed by.
So had I stopped would I have been out of order, assuming said person was not there, or was he simply a Grumpy Old Git. The trot was indeed marked private.
I have to say I did suggest as much to my crew, likely loud enough to be heard, as I carried on on my way.
