Are you suggesting you'd tell the LEO's and USCG to bend over ?
Strangers getting on my boat
- Thread starter Liz
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Are you suggesting you'd tell the LEO's and USCG to bend over ?
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I have to agree, and this brings up the point that there is no simple 'right or wrong' here, but subtle shades of grey.
I would unquestionably accept a situation where I find someone from the marina. The assumption is they are either looking for one us, checking something, or assisting as another boat comes in. Even if they just wanted to check something out (I wanted to look at your {anchor}, {windlass}, etc) I would probably be happy to dive into the discussion/problem.
I think if we draw parallels we might see the differences more clearly.
If a land lubber looks at the cockpit, like the front porch......then what is the big deal? (I'm stepping onto your lawn for a beautiful shot of your landscaping). Strangers come to your front porch (whether you're home or not) all the time.
Now if the boater views the cockpit more like his living room, rather than front yard/front porch. Then one could begin to understand the difference in reactions based on the difference in how each party perceived the situation to begin with.
I look at the entirety of the boat as my home. Even amongst close friends, we always ask each other if we can step onboard.
Who's perspective is correct? Is the cockpit the porch or the living room. Ones opinion would go in-line with what considers acceptable behavior.
On that note.....which is right?
Lou_tribal
Guru
Reading this thread I think a lot of people are suggesting things that they would not dare a second in the real life. Things like "oh. I am a man I would get my big gun out" or " I have a feroce animal that would eat them all", in other words things that would get you in custody if not in bigger trouble like one with a bigger gun who will not hesitate to use it... There is a well known adage that say barfing dog does not bite.
One step on your boat and you do not like it, ask kindly to step out, then if not complying call law enforcement if you are not a cowboy.
Note: no offense to anybody, just a call back to reality.
L
No harm done until someone steps on a line (rope) which rolls under their foot, they twist an ankle/fall/go overboard and sue you because you didn't post a sign that warning them not to board.
Sadly, the boat owner is expected to think through every possible scenario and eventuality to make up for the trespasser thinking through nothing.
boathealer
Guru
This just happened to us last evening.
We were quietly aboard watching a movie and some guy barking at his wife stepped onto the swim platform and was wandering around pointing at different things on the boat
After reading this entire thread previously, I had formed a basic opinion on how I thought i felt about it. Boy, was i wrong. Instead, i was quite angry. It's one thing to think about it and give opinions - it's another when it happens to you.
I did the "can I help you?" thing with a certain 'tone' and the message was received right away. I gave the "what if I started walking all over your front porch" speech, but I don't know if it did any good.
The thing that gets me is, why is it perfectly "acceptable" to board my boat when there is no way in hell they would step aboard the 70ft Hatteras or 85ft Princess right down the way?
I have changed my tune - (some) people these days have lost all sense of what's right, respectful of others and their property, and basic acceptable behavior. I wasn't (and won't be going forward) as "understanding" as I thought I would.
We were quietly aboard watching a movie and some guy barking at his wife stepped onto the swim platform and was wandering around pointing at different things on the boat
After reading this entire thread previously, I had formed a basic opinion on how I thought i felt about it. Boy, was i wrong. Instead, i was quite angry. It's one thing to think about it and give opinions - it's another when it happens to you.
I did the "can I help you?" thing with a certain 'tone' and the message was received right away. I gave the "what if I started walking all over your front porch" speech, but I don't know if it did any good.
The thing that gets me is, why is it perfectly "acceptable" to board my boat when there is no way in hell they would step aboard the 70ft Hatteras or 85ft Princess right down the way?
I have changed my tune - (some) people these days have lost all sense of what's right, respectful of others and their property, and basic acceptable behavior. I wasn't (and won't be going forward) as "understanding" as I thought I would.
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This just happened to us last evening.
We were quietly aboard watching a movie and some guy barking at his wife stepped onto the swim platform and was wandering around pointing at different things on the boat
After reading this entire thread previously, I had formed a basic opinion on how I thought i felt about it. Boy, was i wrong. Instead, i was quite angry. It's one thing to think about it and give opinions - it's another when it happens to you.
I did the "can I help you?" thing with a certain 'tone' and the message was received right away. I gave the "what if I started walking all over your front porch" speech, but I don't know if it did any good.
The thing that gets me is, why is it perfectly "acceptable" to board my boat when there is no way in hell they would step aboard the 70ft Hatteras or 85ft Princess right down the way?
I have changed my tune - (some) people these days have lost all sense of what's right, respectful of others and their property, and basic acceptable behavior. I wasn't (and won't be going forward) as "understanding" as I thought I would.
It's never alright and as to the Hatteras or Princess, he'd do the same if possible and if not occupied or the appearance of no one. It's not size or age of boat.
JD5652
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I was bringing my boat up the ICW from Florida to CT in June 2019. Literally owned the boat less than a month so the boat was still relatively new to me in many ways. We were docked in downtown Annapolis on a Saturday night. About 12:30 AM I heard footsteps in the cockpit. I immediately went up the stairs, opened the salon door to find a young man reaching into the aft deck to unlock the door to gain access.
I immediately yelled at him "What the "F" are you going on my boat!" He started with come BS story about looking for his GF and he saw her get on my boat. I kept yelling at him... pointing to the land and telling him he had seconds to get off the boat without an issue as I kept walking toward him. He complied... but kept talking smack about he would be back with his friends.
This woke up my other two friends that were helping me bring the boat up to CT. I watched the young man as he walked up the dock to a crowd of 4-5 other young men. The adrenaline was pumping as I pondered what would happen if all of them charged the boat.... I dialed 911 as they all started yelling ... rather threatening. Took the LEO about 7-8 minutes to respond. That's a helluva long time in that situation. When the young men heard the sirens, they fled on foot.
Likely, the young man was either looking for booze or something to steal and was most likely intoxicated. Could have been a very unfortunate ending for him... his friends... and perhaps us over something "stupid". At the very least 1-2 of them were going to have a "shocking experience".
I was 60 at the time and both my friends are in their 70's. Not a good match for 5-6 young men in their 20's. I'm a believer in having a means to equalize the situation.
I immediately yelled at him "What the "F" are you going on my boat!" He started with come BS story about looking for his GF and he saw her get on my boat. I kept yelling at him... pointing to the land and telling him he had seconds to get off the boat without an issue as I kept walking toward him. He complied... but kept talking smack about he would be back with his friends.
This woke up my other two friends that were helping me bring the boat up to CT. I watched the young man as he walked up the dock to a crowd of 4-5 other young men. The adrenaline was pumping as I pondered what would happen if all of them charged the boat.... I dialed 911 as they all started yelling ... rather threatening. Took the LEO about 7-8 minutes to respond. That's a helluva long time in that situation. When the young men heard the sirens, they fled on foot.
Likely, the young man was either looking for booze or something to steal and was most likely intoxicated. Could have been a very unfortunate ending for him... his friends... and perhaps us over something "stupid". At the very least 1-2 of them were going to have a "shocking experience".
I was 60 at the time and both my friends are in their 70's. Not a good match for 5-6 young men in their 20's. I'm a believer in having a means to equalize the situation.
BruceK
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Possibly vv.
Northern Spy
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Seems like a completely reasonable response
Hippocampus
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Will note you do have some recourse with USCG. Was in Bristol harbor RI just leaving. Had two non boating friends aboard so basically single handed. Left early due to forecast of severe squalls coming in. Needed to go to home slip in Barrington RI and be in slip before weather struck. Boarded by USCG. One instructor and two newbies being taught how to do a boarding. They took so long I was imperiled as to not be able to get my vessel in it’s home slip and secured before weather struck. I informed them of such. No response. Did it again. No response. Finally called Newport USCG and asked to speak to commanding officer on duty. Told him his people were endangering my vessel and it’s crew and I was invoking the international law of the sea as they were in violation. He asked to speak to them. They left. Next day received phone call from CG base basically apologizing for actions of the prior day.
USCG are a bunch of dedicated professional people but the newbies commonly are from places where they have never seen an ocean going boat nor have any prior experience of the sea. My friends were on the boat to welcome me home. Two days prior we had just completed a sail from BVIs to Newport. Much of questioning by the boarding people was “what’s this?” Things like the MOM-8, Baltic pfd and harnesses, jacklines, rescue me, personal epirbs and AIS, GO, Ditchbag supplies and other common stuff. They had their coastal checklist. The boat well exceeded those requirements but in unfamiliar forms. I was doing a tutorial when I just had an hour or two to get home and be safe. I started my conversation with them with a request they follow me to Barrington and do this when I was tied up and safe and this was refused. You do have the right as captain to never be compelled to place yourself, crew or vessel in danger. Period. That’s internationally recognized.
USCG are a bunch of dedicated professional people but the newbies commonly are from places where they have never seen an ocean going boat nor have any prior experience of the sea. My friends were on the boat to welcome me home. Two days prior we had just completed a sail from BVIs to Newport. Much of questioning by the boarding people was “what’s this?” Things like the MOM-8, Baltic pfd and harnesses, jacklines, rescue me, personal epirbs and AIS, GO, Ditchbag supplies and other common stuff. They had their coastal checklist. The boat well exceeded those requirements but in unfamiliar forms. I was doing a tutorial when I just had an hour or two to get home and be safe. I started my conversation with them with a request they follow me to Barrington and do this when I was tied up and safe and this was refused. You do have the right as captain to never be compelled to place yourself, crew or vessel in danger. Period. That’s internationally recognized.
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