Dinghy Dock Issues

T

tmal2

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Joined
Jan 18, 2004
RO Number
12663
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92
When you tie up at a dinghy dock do you leave your motor in the water or raise it? I'm not talking about an extended stay dinghy dock. I'm referring to a daily only dock.

The reason I ask is because I recently spent the weekend in Newport RI and witnessed what I consider complete disregard for other dinghy owners and their property. The dighy dock in question is not a straight dock. It's L shaped so there is a corner. There were 2-3 dinghys with their motors tilted out of the water. One of these was near the corner area of the dock. This man's skeg and propeller were rubbing (scratching and chipping) against another neighboring dinghy's engine cover. It could just as easily been someones dinghy tube.
I always avoid tying near motors that are raised but it's not always possible. I would be furious to come back and find my new engine cover scratched and chipped or even worse, one of my tubes punctured because one person could not be concerned about his fellow boater.

I nicely asked one boater why he left his motor up and his response was he does not want to get growth on his motor. I could not help but inform this person since there is no long term dinghy storage at that dock I did not see how growth would be an issue and explained that I had seen damage done to a dinghy earlier in the day because of a raised motor.He just shrugged and walked away.

Do actions like this bother anyone else? I guess it's just a pet peeve of mine but I spent a lot of money on my dinghy and motor and want to keep it looking good as long as possible.

I'd appreciate everyone else's thoughts on this.
 
quote:
Originally posted by In the know

Engine up

Click to expand...


Why engine up at a dock with limited tie up time? What about any damage your raised engine may do to a neighboring boat?

I'm not trying to be judgmental. just trying to understand the reasoning.

Thanks for the input.
 
sometimes dinghy docks are in very shallow water and you have no choice, motor has to go up.

if it's deep then yes, for a few hours, there is no need to raise the motor.
 
So far I've used oars which stow inside the boat. Not a problem, and who wants to steal them!!
 
Yea sometimes they even dock near someone else's boat and proceed to scratch
the hull with their trans/prop.
Well heck it's been 27 yrs. now so it has prescribed. He payed that scratching
with blood.
 
quote:
Originally posted by tmal2

When you tie up at a dinghy dock do you leave your motor in the water or raise it? I'm not talking about an extended stay dinghy dock. I'm referring to a daily only dock.

The reason I ask is because I recently spent the weekend in Newport RI and witnessed what I consider complete disregard for other dinghy owners and their property. The dighy dock in question is not a straight dock. It's L shaped so there is a corner. There were 2-3 dinghys with their motors tilted out of the water. One of these was near the corner area of the dock. This man's skeg and propeller were rubbing (scratching and chipping) against another neighboring dinghy's engine cover. It could just as easily been someones dinghy tube.
I always avoid tying near motors that are raised but it's not always possible. I would be furious to come back and find my new engine cover scratched and chipped or even worse, one of my tubes punctured because one person could not be concerned about his fellow boater.

I nicely asked one boater why he left his motor up and his response was he does not want to get growth on his motor. I could not help but inform this person since there is no long term dinghy storage at that dock I did not see how growth would be an issue and explained that I had seen damage done to a dinghy earlier in the day because of a raised motor.He just shrugged and walked away.

Do actions like this bother anyone else? I guess it's just a pet peeve of mine but I spent a lot of money on my dinghy and motor and want to keep it looking good as long as possible.

I'd appreciate everyone else's thoughts on this.

Click to expand...


It looks to me like you've already made your decision on this and are just looking for reinforcement.

You risked serious damge to your nose or backside by presuming to tell another person how he should keep his motor. Unless you own or manage the dock, you have no authority to make up the "rules".

As you can see, the answers here are mixed.

You should try to get over it or just stay away from boaters who leave their motors up. If you see or expect a hazzard, it's up to you to avoid it.
 
quote:
Originally posted by tmal2

quote:
Originally posted by In the know

Engine up

Click to expand...


Why engine up at a dock with limited tie up time? What about any damage your raised engine may do to a neighboring boat?

I'm not trying to be judgmental. just trying to understand the reasoning.

Thanks for the input.

Click to expand...


Sometimes it is depth, sometimes it is required (per signage on dinghy dock), sometimes I am just following the lead of the boats already tied up.
 
It goes on the dink fri evening. Motor goes down & stays down for the weekend unless the dink is being towed. To leave it up at a dink dock is just inconsiderate of others. What is the purpose of leaving it up anyway? It is like the outboarders who anchor, then trim the motors up risking a swimmer whacking their head into the lower unit. Why?
 
I understand that there are situations that require the motor to be tilted up (dock regulations, shallow depth etc). When I first asked the question I was not talking about a situation like that. I'm looking at it from the perspective of a new outboard owner that just spent $2500 on a brand new motor and don't want it scratched and chipped by the owner of an older motor that is not as careful with theirs.
I always make a point to tie up as far away from a dinghy with the motor raised but I obviously have no control over who comes in after me and what they do.

My intent was not to criticize or chastise other captains but to bring to light a situation that others may have never given any thought to.
 
Up or down is not the question. One of these guys didnot leave enough space between them.

Did you ask who docked last?
 
quote:
Originally posted by OLD HOUSEBOATER

Up or down is not the question. One of these guys didnot leave enough space between them.

Did you ask who docked last?

Click to expand...


It's a very crowded dinghy dock OH and to make matters worse, it's L shaped so things get very tight in the corners.

I just don't understand why people raise their motors just to leave the dinghy there for a few hours.
 
quote:
Originally posted by tmal2

quote:
Originally posted by OLD HOUSEBOATER

Up or down is not the question. One of these guys didnot leave enough space between them.

Did you ask who docked last?

Click to expand...


It's a very crowded dinghy dock OH and to make matters worse, it's L shaped so things get very tight in the corners.

I just don't understand why people raise their motors just to leave the dinghy there for a few hours.

Click to expand...


Might I suggest you use the launch service instead of the dinghy dock.
 
most dinghy docks are indeed crowded and sometimes you have to step in another dinghy to get on and off, this is why most harbors require a 6' long bow line to allow dinghies to be moved around as needed.

In Newport, I use the small dinghy dock by Casey, it's long in a narrow cut but not L shaped and you dont have the issue you have with an L shape dock. it's also deep enough not to have to raise the moto
 
I generally agree with the posters point. I don't think it's good ettiquette (sp?) to leave ones motor up at a transient dock. There's no need and it risks injury or damage to others. Of course there are exceptions. I am not sure of what dock the poster is referring. If it's the one over by Ida Lewis, that does have long term dingys and I would expect those motors to be up for obvious reseason. And of course if signage requested they be up, or depth was a problem those would be logical exceptions as well. As with most things in life, if people just showed a little common sense and courtesy, these would all be non issues.

And to Pascals point, my much BIGGER pet peave is when people tie up to the dingy dock with six inches of slack in there painter so you can't move the boat or, more importantly, slide additional boats in and out. I don't ever tell people what to do, but I have untied and retied a few dingys when I couldn't get in.
 
quote:
Originally posted by Prospective

I generally agree with the posters point. I don't think it's good ettiquette (sp?) to leave ones motor up at a transient dock. There's no need and it risks injury or damage to others. Of course there are exceptions. I am not sure of what dock the poster is referring. If it's the one over by Ida Lewis, that does have long term dingys and I would expect those motors to be up for obvious reseason. And of course if signage requested they be up, or depth was a problem those would be logical exceptions as well. As with most things in life, if people just showed a little common sense and courtesy, these would all be non issues.

And to Pascals point, my much BIGGER pet peave is when people tie up to the dingy dock with six inches of slack in there painter so you can't move the boat or, more importantly, slide additional boats in and out. I don't ever tell people what to do, but I have untied and retied a few dingys when I couldn't get in.

Click to expand...


Prospective, the dock in question is the one right near the Landing Restaurant on Bowen's Wharf and the Newport Harbor hotel. Right where the Ship's Store is.

I couldn't agree with you more on the painter issue. I'll never understand why people tie their boats so tight to the dock.
 
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