Etiquette - Someone else's slip

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dfny36

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Sep 26, 2009
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31729
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Is it okay to pull into a random empty slip to drop-off/pick-up a passenger?

I had this question recently where we were on a 40 footer and wanted to drop someone (in Aventura, FL) to pick up some supplies where there was no public docking available. But there were plenty of unoccupied private slips. We would have dropped the passenger off, backed out, and picked him up a half hour later. We did NOT do it since we did not have permission, but am just wondering if it would have been acceptable.

Thanks
 
I don't see any reason why this would not be OK
 
I'm a big fan of courtesy and every situation is probably different - but I don't see anything with doing that.
 
All I can go by is what I would think if someone used my slip. NO PROBLEM...if that is all that it is being used for. We, as boaters and part of the boater family , should be helpful in that way....I think. Heck, I would even stand by on my boat...waiting for the "offending" craft to finish the business at hand before getting back into my slip. I would hope someone else would do it for me!! But, as usual.....don't take advantage of the situation.
 
I see no major issues with a polite "pass-through". All of the usual caveats, such as "Leave it like you found it" apply, of course.

There is at least one issue that you may not have considered: Some docks have locked access fences at the ends of each pier. This might prevent your Official Shopper from making it off of the dock, or prevent them from returning.
 
I think it's fine except when they tie up with my pre set docklines and change them. Then I don't think it's OK!
 
I would not mind either. However, if it is at a marina, there should be some dock with an empty spot if it is just to drop someone off and move out.
There was someone who came thru our area and needed a spot to stay for 2 days. The slip next to me was empty due to work on the boat.
I called the owner of the stall next to me and he had no problem with the transient using his stall as long as he didn't damage anything. We also called the boat yard to make sure it was o.k. with them.
 
I don't have a problem with it. In fact I've kind of done it. I didn't go shopping, but I pulled into the closest slip to shore so my grandma could get on the boat. She was on O2 and had a walker but she wanted to see the new boat before she passed. She had a ball.
 
Although it seems fine in this situation, its a slippery slope.

I came home from a day trip and found some-one in my slip who had "just pulled in for dinner".

It sounds harmless enough, but having to hold station for an hour waiting for them to come back, after a long day on the water was annoying.

I err on the side of caution and only dock where I am supposed to.
 
Some what related...I know of several marinas on the East End of Long Island that will rent out your slip to a transient boater if you are away for the week end or on your week long cruise. I don't know if this is normal policy anywhere else but I never thought it was OK that the marina should profit on your slip in your absence.
 
If someone is going to remain with the boat in case the slip owner returns, I don't see anything wrong with a VERY short tie up. But, to tie up in someone else's slip and leave for any length of time, dinner or whatever, IMHO, is not acceptable.

To me, personally, this would be akin to parking your car in someone else's driveway and leaving it there while you go somewhere for dinner.

Bob
 
I don't see a problem with a drop off however just yesterday I returned to my dock after rushing back due to tides upon my return I found a boat in the slip in front on me I'm on the end of a T dock so there is no divider between slips. This is an empty slip so I guess they thought it would be OK to leave their Go Fast boat there and go hung out with their friends somewhere else in the marina. What they didn't consider is I bow in a 44' boat we only have 40' fingers so my bow is well into the so called empty slip in front of me. I was not happy to say the least because they were nowhere to be found I had to pull in with my anchor above his swim platform 1/2 later the owner showed up doesn't say a word to anyone standing right in front of his boat he just got in and drove away. I picked my slip and made arrangements with the marina so that I could bow in and enjoy the views of the Hudson River how some people think they can just leave there boat anywhere they feel like pisses me off.
Even still I would have no problem with a drop off so long as they where there and moved their boat on my return and don't make me hunt them down.
 
While I would not have a problem with it (so long as it was left as found), my marina certainly would. There is a reason they charge for transient slips - by the hour.
 
I have to disagree.
Using someone’s property without permission is never a good idea. If it is ok to pull in and out then what about staying for an hour? Or three? Heck why not tie up and for a bit while shopping? Liability to the slip owner and potential for accidental damage is involved as is just poor judgment. Heck my neighbor is out of town so why shouldn’t people use his bathroom they wouldn’t be hurting anything would they?
Most places have fuel docks and other areas of public accommodation to use instead of private property.
 
I kind of get a big kick out of it when it happens here. We are a high end dockominium and next door is a marina with crappy docks.
People get dropped off here thinking it is a part of the marina. The probems occur when they get to the big locked gate at the shore end. There is a hidden unmarked exit button otherwise you need an electronic fob to exit. Then, when they finally do get off the dock there is another fence between us and the marina with a 1/4 mile hike out to the road and back in to get to where they should be. We each have a fob to get us through the fence as we lease washroom and club house services from the marina but they don't.
There is seldom a repeat incident.
 
quote:
Originally posted by Audrey II

....I had to pull in with my anchor above his swim platform...
Click to expand...


[^]I'm picturing an Al Czervik moment![^]
 
nothing wrong with pulling in and out as long as you use your own lines and remain with the boat in case the slip owner/tenant comes back. if' it's a gated dock, the only issue would be with the marina since your passengers would be getting on private property without authorization.

once again, it's all about courtesy and common sense. if you stay with the boat and if the people you're dropping off have a reason to use the facility (they live in the building), why not...
 
Pascal:
IMO too many things can go wrong which then become a legal responsibility of the slip owner. Engines wont start, oil spills, the dock may not be in perfect shape and someone falls and is injured, the docking is less than perfect and something gets broken, or the person dropped off doesn’t return so do you leave your boat to go looking for them? IMO it is rarely as simple as a quick drop off and leave and once you open the door to uninvited use of another’s property there is little to stop further encroachment. Slips are in secure marinas, behind houses and condos etc, where do you draw the line?

Etiquette of any kind proscribes uninvited use, with the possible exception of an emergency.

If you support the idea of uninvited use of another’s dock why not use their lines, water and power? Heck they aren’t using them.
 
there is wear and tear on dock lines, plus they may be rigged and stored in a specific way. Power can obviously be metered.

water, well frankly if someone is out of water and they want to pull in my slip, or the next slip and use my hose, so what? as long as they coil back the way it was... oh yeah... I guess they could get food poinsoning if there is some contaminated water in there.. come on...

on strictly private property, like somebody's house, yes, that's trespassing... at a condo building dock, if the passengers being dropped off don't live there, yes, it's trespassing. Just like you woudn't be able to walk or drive off the street onto the property.

a marina is different. many allow transients and tie up by the hour making them a public facility. obviously it depends... if there is a locked gate on the pier, then you shoudln't stop at that pier.

the original post mentions picking up supplies in Aventura. Most slips up there are private and behind condos, in that case that would be inapropriate, and chances are the passenger woudlnt' be able to get back on the property anyway. That said, there are a few public marinas (Loggerhead Waterways for instance) where the slips are along a public boardwalk. nothing wrong in pulling in as long as you stay on board and ready to move out instanstly.
 
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