Would I have been out of order, or was he just a Grumpy Old Git ?

Was that the pontoon outside Kevin mole's shop?

If so, I used to keep a rib on the inside pontoon. It was all privately owned then and yes the owner was a grumpy git!

Not Kevin by the way, he is a top bloke :)
 
This is always a contentious issue when discussed at my sailing club.

IMO He is correct... we can't just tie up to any unoccupied pontoon just because it is empty without the permission of the owner. But does that mean that we shouldn't? If it is marked "private" or there is a sign prohibiting mooring without permission then no, I don't think we should tie up. If it is not marked and the owner asks us to leave then we should not complain and we should leave... it is his property after all and we should respect that.

However, I would like to think that most people with a pontoon might also understand that boating is not like driving a car... sometimes you have to wait or secure the boat for other reasons and sometimes it is not sensible (or possible) to anchor up... so IMHO I don't think it at all unreasonable to assume that a reasonable pontoon owner would give permission if asked and so I would have done exactly as you did and tie up. However, once I am asked to move I would respect his wishes and I would move and yes... he is a GoG to insist that you did!
 
Yes GOG. You weren't tying and leaving the boat unattended, and you had a valid reason to hold somewhere waiting for the tide. You're in a boat, not a car, and life can be complicated.
 
A totally reasonable/responsible and sensible thing to do. Placing your boat in a safer position whilst you wait. Sounds like the mooring did not belong to the chap that challenged you, so he had no right to comment. You did not leave your boat and were prepared to move at short notice should the owner return. He's probably a pontoon prefect.
 
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