Etiquette while docked

[Badsanta]

Call the marina

[Shrew]

My guess is this is a sportfisher docked stern in. He is using his spreader lights like porch lights to illuminate the cockpit and dock. These are very, very bright lights and usually oriented to light astern of the boat for when fishing at night. They flood the cockpit and dock but more than likely shoot far astern of the boat as well.

I see this alot on the docks. We had a boat in the anchorage do this while he was in town partying last summer. He had no idea that it was a spotlight in our boat and our neighbors boat and it was so bright it kept my buddy up until 3 am.

I doubt he is aware that that he is doing this. I would certainly consider going over and politely explaining the situation. I would buy him a beer and offer to bring him over to see what it looks like from your house. If you want to be really savvy, take a walk down the dock and see if you can figure out what he drinks from the barrel of empties in the cockpit and bring him down a case of it to break the ice.

Is that approach necessary? No, but it goes a quantum leap further than "Hey Buddy, turn off your @#$3 lights!!!"

[CMO Tashina]

I believe 64 hit the nail on the head. Often folks just simply don't realize the're giving offense with their words or actions. Before heading over to the guy's boat with an assault rifle, makes sense to go have a talk about the intensity of his lights. On the other hand, anyone who feels the need to use that much light at night, every night, is probably terrified about thieves breaking in or worse and believes the lights act as a deterrent. You'd need to take that aspect into account when talking to him!

[Lihuedooley77]

Yea,

Lights, and on moorings......., generators, Eye masks for lights, ear plugs for generators.

I think we would go over and introduce ourselves, talk story a bit, and then explain the problem that several people were having with his bright lights.

He may be unaware, and many people just turn on every bloody light on the panel.

We would see sailing vessels, with running lights, steaming lights, anchor light, spreader lights, cabin lights, etc, all on.

They are signaling that they are anchored, underway, making way dead stopped, and under sail and power, etc. No clue .

I have even seen motor vessels with very bright lights showing forward like high beam headlights on a car..... Great for wiping out the night vision of other skippers and crew,

Bet, if you just take a moment or two , and politely visit and ask if he could not turn on all of those lights that are a problem to the rest of the marina. Actually, he may not have any idea of the situation, and maybe just hits every light switch on the panel

Make a friend, have a beer, maybe bring a couple of extra beers with you. Keep life easy and positive .

If that does not work, still be friendly, go back to your vessel, wait a few days, and go to plan B, at 04:00 hrs, without sharing plan B with anyone else, not even your family / crew.


Make no threats . And do not complain about him to others.

Hopefully, it will not come to that.....avoid a war.

[foggysail]

Originally Posted by CMO Tashina

I believe 64 hit the nail on the head. Often folks just simply don't realize the're giving offense with their words or actions. !

YES, YES!!!!!

I had a flood light mounted over my garage door for years. I finally replaced it with better lighting directed downwards to illuminate the garage door.

Some time after making the light change, my next door neighbor came over and thanked me. Told me my light created quite a disturbance in his rec room. By all means, the OP should ask the annoying owner

[rob d]

If the boat hasn't moved since the lights showed up, I'd say that there is the possibility that the Owner is away from the boat and accidently left them on. A lot of fly or run down to the boat every other weekend guys aren't going to the boat as often right now.

When I have had my sailboat tied up at docks that don't have much light at night I've found that I can stick one of those Dollar tree solar lights in the winch's handle hole and that puts a non offensive light on the dock beside the boat and in the cockpit. The last one I used would last until not longer after the bars in the town we were in closed then go dim.

[RossD]

Originally Posted by CaptTom

Not sure about everywhere, but around here all the wanna-be fishermen have noticed that the big commercial boats have huge LED lights on while fishing and even while motoring in and out of the harbor.

This is a problem everywhere! Pontoon boats have become extremely popular and many models are factory equipped with "headlights" bright enough to temporarily blind a person at night. Many people operating these things have absolutely NO idea what they are doing or the rules/courtesies of navigation. Many boat dealers have completely sold out of inventory of new and used models due to the virus, new owners/operators....

[psaltydogs]

The advent of LED lights has not been a good thing. Even in Switzerland, the light pollution from even one light on an other-wise dark mountain is enough to 'dim' the experience of being there. So now we need regulations against light pollution. Super.

[GBR134]

Originally Posted by Maldwin

As a general rule, I think it is best to minimize the amount of light on deck, unless it is for safety. I also object to excessive multicolored underwater lights in a quiet harbor. I sometimes see multiple boats in Camden Harbor during the summer with light up the harbor like Las Vegas. If a homeowner were to file a similar lighting plan with the town, he would be laughed out of the office. If one would prefer to go to Vegas than cruise the coast of Maine, I understand the impulse, just don’t bring Vegas to Maine.

Until someone can explain the point if coloured underwater lights beyond making the statement “heh I can afford them” I will continue in my view that one underwater light is excessive!

[Belezar]

Light pollution is taken seriously many places. There are many communities with “dark sky” regulations, which limit some of the output of lights and sometimes require that the lights point down. I live in the country on a large farm, and in the winter with no leaves on the trees, if my neighbor leaves his porch light on, from a quarter mile away it shines right into my bedroom. Luckily he rarely does that. My neighbors also agreed no “security lights” which stay on all night. We love our darkness.

They do make filters and light baffles which can help light from straying. A kind conversation might help, as a call to the local code enforcement officer if the nice way doesn’t work.

[joelhemington]

Originally Posted by Sailortobe

A power boat docks in a Marina across the bay from my house in California.
He has 2 very bright lights (like High beams) that he leaves on All Night.
He's the only one that does that in the marina.
His bright lights are quite annoying , also a lot of my neighbors share my concern.
Are there rules or laws concerning that?
Thanks

I think a couple of 22LR's would solve that problem pretty quick

[JMaav]

Originally Posted by Sailortobe

A power boat docks in a Marina across the bay from my house in California.
He has 2 very bright lights (like High beams) that he leaves on All Night....
Are there rules or laws concerning that?
Thanks

Believe it or not, you should call the local building inspector! It sounds like a violation of the marinas zoning regulation, which would require them to control site lighting so that it does not spill off the property.
You don’t need to worry about where the light is coming from, even though you know it is a boat, but you can go after the marina to take care of the problem. It is their problem to fix not yours.

[Mike Cunningham]

No help at all.

[AKA-None]

Originally Posted by Giro

My best guess is that someone suggested he leave them on because it might deter theft or vandalism of his property.

Yeah because I’ve always thought it makes sence to see what you’re stealing.

[AKA-None]

Originally Posted by Belezar

Light pollution is taken seriously many places. There are many communities with “dark sky” regulations, which limit some of the output of lights and sometimes require that the lights point down. I live in the country on a large farm, and in the winter with no leaves on the trees, if my neighbor leaves his porch light on, from a quarter mile away it shines right into my bedroom. Luckily he rarely does that. My neighbors also agreed no “security lights” which stay on all night. We love our darkness.

They do make filters and light baffles which can help light from straying. A kind conversation might help, as a call to the local code enforcement officer if the nice way doesn’t work.

As an amateur astronomer I dislike any light that isn’t exactly where it needs to be