Is there a locking mechanism for a mooring ball?

[MccNeo]

WOW ! What an interesting thread.

I am a member of a sailing club on an inland lake. We have a mooring field and each mooring is assigned to a member who pays a monthly fee for usage. The Corps of Engineers requires each mooring to be numbered and permitted with a placard with the permit number to an owner before placement and that they must be maintained and inspected on a periodic basis. I don't know what the required inspection/maintenance periodicity is.

I don't recall anyone ever using a mooring that wasn't assigned.

I prefer to use the slip I lease.

[hukilaumike]

There are probably 10-15 private moorings in the harbor right outside my home marina. I'm not sure who "owns" them, but they seem to be used almost exclusively by locals who want to camp out for the day, snooze, swim and relax. Only a very few of them (the ones closest to shore) seem to have a boat permanently moored to them. The rest are empty most of the time. Local etiquette seems to be that they are open for public use so long as the owner isn't there.

My wife would rather pick up a slimy mooring pennant than fuss with the anchor (we don't have a windlass) whenever we stop by. We always look for a pennant that has a separate float, hopefully one with one of those whip things that are easy to grab from the deck.

But this thing is the bomb. Saw it at a boat show and will be buying one soon:

https://hookandmoor.com/the-hook/

[jen1722terry]

As I said earlier, I have a large (100+) mooring field right in front of my house in Nova Scotia. I've been here for 4-6 months each year for 21 years.(I'm a Yank).

I agree that these moorings are on Crown land. However, I also agree with registration requirements in that it ensures adequate swing room for all the moorings. Also, the local mooring contractors I'm familiar with will only install moorings that are registered and properly sized and spaced.

Some folks ingnore these requirements and install their moorings themselves, often with a too-small stone, inadequate swing room, small/cheap chain or infrequent inspections. Now you have several nearby boats endangered in a blow.

As I've seen many storms year-round in this enchanted harbour, the boats/houseboats that drag, part their chain, collide with nearby craft or go ashore are almost invariably on the unregistered moorings. It seems to rest with my neighbors and I who keep spare lines and fenders/tires on hand to keep these wayward craft out of trouble. No thanks asked for. No lectures given. The joy and relief on the faces of the worried owners are ample rewards.

So there are advantages to regulated mooring fields, as well as to generous mooring owners who share a scarce resource with fellow sailors.

[Britboater]

Originally Posted by Smrgrubbs

Does anyone have any ideas how to secure a private mooring ball? We placed a mooring ball for private use, and even with the label and signage, people are still helping themselves to it. Can anyone suggest how to prevent others from using it? Thanks so much for any advice!!

Add a note that unauthorised boats will be released at their owners risk.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by Britboater

Add a note that unauthorised boats will be released at their owners risk.

You'd likely be facing legal action if you did that here (Canada).

[Lewis Harry]

Leave your small shore boat/ launch/ dingy locked onto the mooring chain ... Have a 20 foot cat type boat locked to the mooring you use as a dock ... Have a way to easily grab the bouys mooring chain and pull the end of the chain onboard and securely lock it to your boat.
Someone cut/ untied my sailboat & set it adrift in a storm so they could tie their boat to my anchors. My boat ended up on the rocks, total loss.

[zstine]

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?

I picked Mike's quote randomly as many have agreed with the sentiment to share it if you're not using it. However, this can be dangerous to property and life. If I drop a mooring sized for a 4 ton, 30' boat and a 15 ton, 50' boat picks it up and a blow comes through. It is quite possible that the mooring gear could be damaged and/or fail sending the boat to the beach/rocks.


I used to own a mooring that was in a managed harbor and the harbor master had the right (in my contract) to put another boat on my mooring when I was gone. But he had to give the okay and he knew the size boat that was appropriate. Going and picking up a random mooring that you don't know anything about is dangerous, and since you are putting stress/wear on their gear, it is arguably stealing.


Most moorings require a permit from the local municipality which costs money, as does the gear. Why should people have the right to use something for free that someone else has paid for? If you're not using your car, can I just take it for a spin? you left your house for vacation, I guess I can stay for free there too!?

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by zstine

I picked Mike's quote randomly as many have agreed with the sentiment to share it if you're not using it. However, this can be dangerous to property and life. If I drop a mooring sized for a 4 ton, 30' boat and a 15 ton, 50' boat picks it up and a blow comes through. It is quite possible that the mooring gear could be damaged and/or fail sending the boat to the beach/rocks.

That's why I said private moorings should have a contact number on them so people can ask permission (not really required, but the right thing to do, nonetheless), but mainly to confirm the adequacy of the mooring.

Originally Posted by zstine

Going and picking up a random mooring that you don't know anything about is dangerous, and since you are putting stress/wear on their gear, it is arguably stealing.

It is a risk, which is why I wouldn't do it. That's why a contact number should be clear and visible. Heck, I'd like to see the specs of the mooring made available. That would make sense.

It's not stealing. What is being stolen is the public space that is being taken for private use. If there's theft, THAT is where it lies.

Originally Posted by zstine

Most moorings require a permit from the local municipality which costs money, as does the gear. Why should people have the right to use something for free that someone else has paid for? If you're not using your car, can I just take it for a spin? you left your house for vacation, I guess I can stay for free there too!?

If your mooring gear is on your land, then your analogy stands. But in the cases we're discussing, a private person has decided to convert public space to private use. The analogy of blocking the a bit of public road off for your private use is the correct compaison.

[zstine]

Originally Posted by Smrgrubbs

Does anyone have any ideas how to secure a private mooring ball? We placed a mooring ball for private use, and even with the label and signage, people are still helping themselves to it. Can anyone suggest how to prevent others from using it? Thanks so much for any advice!!

Here's an idea. put a battery powered, siren with a switch attached to the pendant so that when the pendant is pulled, the siren sounds. Make it so you can easily disable it, but the average Joe is not likely going to screw around. They will just leave. Mount on ball in tupper-ware box to keep dry. $20-$30 in parts...

siren like this can run off a 9V battery and you can just pull the power plug to disable. A pull switch tied to the pendant with a piece of bungee would do to set it off.

https://www.amazon.com/Piezo-Electro...%2C115&sr=8-17

OR You could disarm/arm remotely with this.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071WM1YGS...roduct_details

[zstine]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

It's not stealing. What is being stolen is the public space that is being taken for private use. If there's theft, THAT is where it lies.

As I said/assumed, most of the moorings are permitted (at least around the north east USA) from the 'public', ie. the government that owns the 'land'. The mooring owner has paid a fee to lease the 'land' from the public. It is not 'stealing'. If I lease a car from the government and you take my car, I'm pretty sure the police will still see it as you stealing the car, even if it is government/public property. Government/public property does not mean anyone can use it at any time. There are plenty of restricted areas of both land and water that are public but which the public may not use. When I lease land from the government, depending on the contract, that land/mooring may not be available to others. It all comes down to what the law/contract says... The OP does not have a location available afaik

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by hukilaumike

. . .But this thing is the bomb. Saw it at a boat show and will be buying one soon:

https://hookandmoor.com/the-hook/

i have one and it doesn't work so well. The delrin bearings tend to jam the mechanism.


Perhaps copius dry lube would make it work again, but mine has been languishing since the second month or so. And they're quite expensive.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by zstine

As I said/assumed, most of the moorings are permitted (at least around the north east USA) from the 'public', ie. the government that owns the 'land'. The mooring owner has paid a fee to lease the 'land' from the public. It is not 'stealing'. If I lease a car from the government and you take my car, I'm pretty sure the police will still see it as you stealing the car, even if it is government/public property. Government/public property does not mean anyone can use it at any time. There are plenty of restricted areas of both land and water that are public but which the public may not use. When I lease land from the government, depending on the contract, that land/mooring may not be available to others. It all comes down to what the law/contract says... The OP does not have a location available afaik

Yeah, it's not a lease, and there is no land involved in that permit. It's a license to put down a mooring, nothing more. That does not necessarily imply that you can stop others from using it, when you're not using it, and I've not actually heard of any authorities anywhere willing to enforce any such rights to a permitted mooring.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

. . . It is a risk, which is why I wouldn't do it. That's why a contact number should be clear and visible. Heck, I'd like to see the specs of the mooring made available. That would make sense.

In certain harbours in the UK I know for sure that the moorings are periodically inspected by the highly professional harbour staff. Like in Poole. I feel pretty confident there. Otherwise, I wouldn't lie to someone else's mooring in any kind of weather.


When I had a mid-river mooring in the Hamble, but this was not a simple mooring but a floating dock between two piles, I was required by the harbourmaster to produce an actual survey of the mooring chains and anchors every 3 years. By the way, my mooring was fair game to all comers when I wasn't there, which was every summer for the whole summer. The Hamble harbour would collect fees for that -- which they didn't share with me. Ah, I miss that mooring, and the idyllic Hamble River.

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

It's not stealing. What is being stolen is the public space that is being taken for private use. If there's theft, THAT is where it lies.

If your mooring gear is on your land, then your analogy stands. But in the cases we're discussing, a private person has decided to convert public space to private use. The analogy of blocking the a bit of public road off for your private use is the correct compaison.

Agreed.

[Flagfish]

Originally Posted by Smrgrubbs

Does anyone have any ideas how to secure a private mooring ball? We placed a mooring ball for private use, and even with the label and signage, people are still helping themselves to it. Can anyone suggest how to prevent others from using it? Thanks so much for any advice!!

In accordance with maritime law, unless you own the water lot, a mooring is open to all. Most people will be courteous, but not all, and there's really not much you can do legally.

[Nicholson58]

As noted by others, who knows what capacity any random mooring has? We, very rarely, use a random mooring in very calm weather to get groceries or other short time needs. In the Caribbean many moorings are free until 5:00 PM. PRV means exactly that. We are. 58 feet and 40 tons. We wouldn’t consider overnighting or using after dark. We used to laugh at boats backing down on a mooring but they sometimes break.