Is there a locking mechanism for a mooring ball?

[Kettlewell]

Putting down a mooring which occupies part of a prime anchorage, not using it yourself, and preventing others from using it, seems unethical to me.

It's getting to be a curse in some nice places. A few years ago I had my main mooring in a beautiful harbor that was just about full of unoccupied local moorings that were rarely used. Many locals had put them there as storm moorings, despite it being against the law. The harbormaster just ignored the problem. But, try to get a legit mooring to keep your boat on and you had to get on a long waiting list that would take years, or decades in some cases.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Kettlewell

It's getting to be a curse in some nice places. A few years ago I had my main mooring in a beautiful harbor that was just about full of unoccupied local moorings that were rarely used. Many locals had put them there as storm moorings, despite it being against the law. The harbormaster just ignored the problem. But, try to get a legit mooring to keep your boat on and you had to get on a long waiting list that would take years, or decades in some cases.

Yeah, and imagine they all had "locking mechanisms".

Do you just anchor among the empty moorings? In many cases I find that's feasible. I sometimes use empty moorings but in fact I more often just anchor. If there's no boat on them they rarely cause a problem, and I like being on my own anchor; certainly it's more secure.


The place where I most often did use empty moorings was Poole Harbour, a magnificent, gigantic natural harbor but with extremely limited anchoring places due to depth. The only places feasible for anchoring within a reasonable dinghy ride from the docks are densely packed with moorings, so densely that anchoring is difficult.


I was awakened one night by a guy returning to his mooring which I was lying to, who knocked and politely asked if it would be a great bother if I moved. I quickly dressed and slipped the lines, tossing him a couple of beers as I left. I got a friendly wave in response.


That's the way it works in civilized places.


I guess in Maine you might be staring down the barrel of a shotgun.

[Kettlewell]

Yeah, and imagine they all had "locking mechanisms". Do you just anchor among the empty moorings? In many cases I find that's feasible. I sometimes use empty moorings but in fact I more often just anchor.

Nope, never seen a locking mechanism on a mooring anywhere. I wouldn't anchor among moorings due to the potential for fouling my own anchor on the mooring chains, but I have anchored close to mooring fields. It's another topic, but when picking up a private mooring or even a public one of unknown size, strength, and maintenance you can't assume it is suitable and safe for your boat if the weather turns for the worse.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Kettlewell

Nope, never seen a locking mechanism on a mooring anywhere. I wouldn't anchor among moorings due to the potential for fouling my own anchor on the mooring chains, but I have anchored close to mooring fields. It's another topic, but when picking up a private mooring or even a public one of unknown size, strength, and maintenance you can't assume it is suitable and safe for your boat if the weather turns for the worse.

An important point. I would never use a mooring -- even an official, rented one -- which did not appear to be in perfect condition, and I would never use any mooring I hadn't laid and/or inspected myself in anything less than very calm weather.


Mooring chains deteriorate over time and if neglected, can be positively dangerous. Also the anchors themselves are not always properly designed or laid.


All of this is why I always prefer my own anchor if there is a feasible spot for it.

[rslifkin]

I'm also in the "prefer my own ground tackle" camp unless there's a good reason to use a mooring and its condition is known.

[deblen]

Fasten floating pendant direct to end of mooring chain such that pendant is pulled 10ft under water at low tide.
Tie 3/8 or smaller sinking pot warp to pendant eye.
Tie 2 grubby bleach bottles,that are 1/2 filled with water,to the pot warp,so that bleach bottles float at highest tide.Bleach bottles will not sink,even if full of water.
Mark location on plotter.
Cheers/Len

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by deblen

Fasten floating pendant direct to end of mooring chain such that pendant is pulled 10ft under water at low tide.
Tie 3/8 or smaller sinking pot warp to pendant eye.
Tie 2 grubby bleach bottles,that are 1/2 filled with water,to the pot warp,so that bleach bottles float at highest tide.Bleach bottles will not sink,even if full of water.
Mark location on plotter.
Cheers/Len

Yeah, like that's not a hazard to navigation

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

In this part of the world, the etiquette of private moorings is that they are fair game when they're not being used, but on the strict condition that guests stay on the boat and leave immediately in case the owner of the mooring comes back and needs it. I've spent hundreds of nights on other people's moorings, mostly in UK waters, and never had any issue with anyone. The harbor regulations of many UK harbors specifically regulate this.

Sounds like the civilized way of doing things.

As you say, the OP owns the mooring, but he doesn't own the water or the seabed. This is what irks me about private moorings; they're like someone permanently blocking off a parking space on a public street. If you're going to use one, then please place it in a way that doesn't impend others.

And what's wrong with letting people use it when you're not doing so?

[Donahue]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

Yeah, and imagine they all had "locking mechanisms".

Do you just anchor among the empty moorings? In many cases I find that's feasible. I sometimes use empty moorings but in fact I more often just anchor. If there's no boat on them they rarely cause a problem, and I like being on my own anchor; certainly it's more secure.


The place where I most often did use empty moorings was Poole Harbour, a magnificent, gigantic natural harbor but with extremely limited anchoring places due to depth. The only places feasible for anchoring within a reasonable dinghy ride from the docks are densely packed with moorings, so densely that anchoring is difficult.


I was awakened one night by a guy returning to his mooring which I was lying to, who knocked and politely asked if it would be a great bother if I moved. I quickly dressed and slipped the lines, tossing him a couple of beers as I left. I got a friendly wave in response.


That's the way it works in civilized places.


I guess in Maine you might be staring down the barrel of a shotgun.

I would say the empty mooring/fair game rule applies here in Maine in destination anchorages as well. Many popular spots, especially in Casco bay, are full of unpermitted moorings that say "private" or something. No one pays attention because it wouldn't be fair to clog up a nice anchorage just so a select few can use it a couple of times a year--I wouldn't spend the night though as most look questionable and fit for a small power boat at best. Just don't pick up a fisherman's mooring...

When I leave my mooring for any extended amount of time I always hope that someone will use it so it's not covered in growth when I get back.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Donahue

. . . Just don't pick up a fisherman's mooring...

I guess that's where the shotgun comes in . . .

Originally Posted by Donahue

. . . When I leave my mooring for any extended amount of time I always hope that someone will use it so it's not covered in growth when I get back.

That's a seamanlike attitude

[Kettlewell]

When I leave my mooring for any extended amount of time I always hope that someone will use it so it's not covered in growth when I get back.

And then there are fascist harbormasters who set their own arbitrary rules about who can pick up which mooring when. I've run into a couple of these in New England. One was so fanatical that nobody could pick up a mooring he wasn't registered for no matter for how short a time. As we were getting launched by the travelift he hovered waiting for us to tie up someplace we weren't supposed to, so we just fired up the engine and motored right on out of the harbor, and he followed us all the way out to the sea buoy. In another harbor I arrived late in the evening very early in the season and there were probably 150 empty moorings so I called the harbormaster to ask which one I could grab for the night--big mistake--he wouldn't let me use any of them.

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by CaptTom

How do you get to your mooring from shore? Usually people leave a mooring alone if there's a dinghy on it.

Or is it a "destination" mooring? I'm not a fan of allowing people to claim some choice anchoring location for their own occasional use, barring all others from using this resource which is supposed to belong to the public. In that case I'd say let 'em use it when you're not around....

This. If there is a dinghy on it no one will bother it. Keep a cheap dinghy on it in the off season, lock it, or pull it. If it is a destination mooring, you're basically tying up anchorage space that you are not using that is not your property. No sympathy from me.

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

Sounds like the civilized way of doing things.

As you say, the OP owns the mooring, but he doesn't own the water or the seabed. This is what irks me about private moorings; they're like someone permanently blocking off a parking space on a public street. If you're going to use one, then please place it in a way that doesn't impend others.

And what's wrong with letting people use it when you're not doing so?

Another spin is this:


You come into a cove I find a few private balls with no one on them and no dinghies on them. You anchor with your own gear, but you will probably be too close for comfort if the owner shows up because they placed them right in the middle.
This has happened to me. The guy asked me to move (but there really was not room). I asked if his home was along the cove. He said no, this was just a place he came on weekends sometimes. I politely explained it that way, and asked if he didn't have an anchor. We were settling down for the night, it was after dinner, and I didn't move. He got a little mad but left. As Mike said, he was just blocking off a parking space he probably uses 10 times each year at most. Entitled jerk in this case. Too lazy to anchor, but not too lazy to write a check to someone to place a mooring for him.


In MD no permits are required, so some people get stupid about it.
https://dnr.maryland.gov/boating/Pag...ngs_group.aspx

[CaptTom]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

...That's the way it works in civilized places.

I guess in Maine you might be staring down the barrel of a shotgun.

I think most people around here (Maine) use the civilized method around destination moorings. The shotgun would only come out if you took a fisherman's full-time mooring, and adopted an entitled attitude.

There are exceptions to the civility. We once had a local who belonged to a yacht club which somehow got lots of moorings in a prime location. The law specifically prohibits this, but hey, the law is what the lawmen do, and harbormasters looked the other way and granted the permits. This person would take a nearby non-club destination mooring, with a good view of the club moorings so she could scream obscenities at any non-member who got to close to one of the balls. I was on the receiving end of that once, until her husband recognized me and called her off.

Originally Posted by Donahue

I would say the empty mooring/fair game rule applies here in Maine in destination anchorages as well. Many popular spots, especially in Casco bay, are full of unpermitted moorings that say "private" or something...

You'd be surprised how many of those are permitted. In the working harbors near town, moorings are tightly controlled. There, the "use it or lose it" rules are enforced. But when someone shows up at the harbormaster's office with cash in hand, asking for a destination mooring far away from town, they're not likely to be turned away. Or held to any of those pesky rules.

Originally Posted by Kettlewell

And then there are fascist harbormasters who set their own arbitrary rules about who can pick up which mooring when...

Yes, a small amount of power goes right to some people's heads. Fortunately I've found this to be the exception, not the rule. Most harbormasters are friendly and will try to help if they can. What they can't do is offer official advice about local custom, like using a free mooring when the owner isn't around.

I'm wondering whether all of this will ever be challenged in court. The submerged lands are supposed to be managed in the public trust, equitably for all. It would seem to me that allowing one person to stake a permanent claim and exclude all others wouldn't pass muster if it were ever challenged.

[Uncle Bob]

Here in Aus ( at least where I am ) we are required to rent the seabed where the mooring is located, annually and guarantee that the apparatus meets the required standards and is serviced annually.