Marina Etiquette Tips

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TECHNICAL Contributor
Oct 3, 2006
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Wisconsin - Winnebago Pool chain of lakes
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280 Sundancer, Westerbeke MPV generator
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twin 5.0's w/BIII drives
Marina Etiquette Tips

Based on personal experience and observation I have come up with the below list of etiquette tips for getting along at the marina. If you have additional suggestions please add them.

- At areas where multiple boaters need to use the same location like the gas dock, waste pump-out station or launch ramp, do what you need to do then move your boat. If you need to go to the bathroom, talk to another person or purchase some supplies do this after you have vacated these areas.

- Keep dock lines, water hoses, power cords and other such items neatly coiled and placed in such a way that they are not a tripping hazard or mess to other people using the docks.

- If it’s a windy day or tight quarters it’s considered polite to help another boater dock. Normally this means someone that is docking within a couple of slips from where you are. This often requires nothing more then holding a line if tossed to you until a person form the boat is able to tie it off the way they prefer.

- Obey no wake inside any marina with plenty to spare. If you are going to error, error on the side of going too slow.

- If you are tying up along a guest seawall do so in such a manor that your boat does not hog more room then it should. If there is a 60 foot wall and you have a 28 foot boat don’t take your 28 feet out of the middle. Pick one side or the other.

- Along a sea wall use a spring line in each direction so your boat does not move in either direction causing your boat to hit another boat.

- Turn your VHF radio to LOW power so if you make a call when close to other boats you do not damage other boater’s radios.

- Do not use the VHF radio for boat to land based communications unless it is with a licensed shore station like the marina itself. Not only does this clutter the airways its illegal per the FCC. Use a family frequency hand held or cell phone for this purpose.

- Keep music / TV volume at a reasonable level. Sound travels very well over the water. Keep this in mind when talking too.

- Keep your kids off other people’s boats and under reasonable control. Don’t let them grab and play with other boater’s water lines, dock lines, etc.

- Respect quiet hours. This varies marina to marina. Mostly I see this posted as after 11:00PM but varies from marina to marina so check.

- Return dock carts to their proper location when finished using.
 
Marina's, Kids & Pets

More and more I see boat owners going off and leaving kids and or their pets run the docks unsupervised.

Recently I saw a boat close by let their dog off the boat on to the dock and watch him take a dump ... the dog jumped back on board and the ower when back below decks and never came back ... leaving a lump for the world to deal with.

I called the dock master by VHF and comlplained about the dump a dog took and they sent a dock boy with a shovel and scrubbers ... which he used to clean up the mess and the dock master walked over and asked whose dog was the culprit, I snitched.

The DM rapped on the offending owners deck and a head popped out and a quiet discussion followed and the owners head was shaking left and right in what appeared to be denial ... and the dog again jumped ship and ran to the now clean spot and after giving it a good sniff, took a pee on it. The owner now red faced and the dock master in a much louder voice said in a firm and no doubt left statement, "Be gone in an hour!"

The DM walked back to my boat and gave his appologies and explained that they'd been trying to catch a culprit for days, but never got a complaint or caught the offending guest ...

Pet owners that enjoy boating with their pets should make extra effort to make sure their joy is not other boaters bane.
 
Well Chad... at least I now know who turned my dog in. Next time I'm going to have him take a dump on your swim platform.
 
There is a difference between etiquitte and civility. The majority can easily learn etiquitte. It's a matter of lack of knowledge. They appreciate it when someone explains the expected behavior.

The rare minority will never demonstrate civility, let alone etiquitte. Often it's a matter of ignorance. They resent others and think they are elevated above them by not conforming to the expected behavior. Often, they feel victomized for being different, are angry, in denial, and surround themselves with negativity.

Don't get yourself crazy over people's behavior. Craziness is contageous. There will always be one of those on the dock.
 
They resent others and think they are elevated above them by not conforming to the expected behavior. Often, they feel victomized for being different, are angry, in denial, and surround themselves with negativity.

Much shorter if you would have just said "act like teenagers..."
 
Re: Marina's, Kids & Pets

It wasn't me, I didn't do it. I swear. My owners walk me all the time and I even have to stand there and watch them pick it up with a bag. Yuuchh! Humans are weird.
Buffy.
 

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Kudos to Chad for taking a stand. Two days ago I witneed a similar incident involving 2 black labs. I hope these losers don"t wreck our pets being at the marinas.

22 Pachanga, 24 Sorrento, 24 Laguna, 290 Sundancer
 
Now there's an IDEA!!!! Ask Captain Andy columnist; Dear S. S. Abbegale; Emily's Standing Post & Boating Ediquette. If all goes well, boaters can gather to have the states adopt such in their boating regulations in efforts that, in later years, we can have a bill passed by Congress and make it law. Wait! that wouldn't be wise since many boaters today seem to enjoy breaking laws. Ouch, did I say that?
At best, I will just watch my own behavior. As a Southerner would say PROPERLY...some boaters can be just plain idiots...God Bless Em. (use the last phrase and anything you say will always seem OK)
 
This past weekend we got to the marina at 10:00 pm.(marina was closed everybody gone) By the time we got tied up and settled in I wanted to take a stand up shower in the marina facilities. When I got to the door you need a code to get in. I searched the docks for someone still awake. Found one guy in a blow boat. Guess what? He would not give me the code! Now how's that for marina etiquette? :smt013
 
This past weekend we got to the marina at 10:00 pm.(marina was closed everybody gone) By the time we got tied up and settled in I wanted to take a stand up shower in the marina facilities. When I got to the door you need a code to get in. I searched the docks for someone still awake. Found one guy in a blow boat. Guess what? He would not give me the code! Now how's that for marina etiquette? :smt013

Guys in blow boats don't take showers :grin:
 
This past weekend we got to the marina at 10:00 pm.(marina was closed everybody gone) By the time we got tied up and settled in I wanted to take a stand up shower in the marina facilities. When I got to the door you need a code to get in. I searched the docks for someone still awake. Found one guy in a blow boat. Guess what? He would not give me the code! Now how's that for marina etiquette? :smt013

That dude messed up.

I would have given you a long series of number that I made up, at least 12 digits, and not written it down. After you walked all the way to the showers and could not open the door and you came back to me I’d flip two of the numbers blaming you on being dyslexic. I’d keep repeating this to see how many times you keep coming back.


LOL!

Just kidding.
 
i agree with the fact that some dog owners need to pay more attention to their animals at the marina.always remember, just because you think your dog is cute that doesn't mean everyone else does too. there is absolutely NO excuse for an animal off its leash at a strangers marina. or on any other dock with people who don't know you or your animals even if its your home port.
 
We take our dog everywhere with us and she loves it. She is always on a leash and we carry an ample supply of poop bags at all times to clean up just in case.
 

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