Embarrassing moment

[JV II]

I pulled into the slip after watching the fireworks with a non-boating family onboard. As I was securing the lines, I just noticed the 45 year old father of 2 high school students bounding down the stairs of the motor yacht in the slip directly aft of mine. I know the owner lives aboard. So, I asked the father if I really saw him coming off that boat and why he was on it, and his reply was he "just wanted to check it out." I said, you can't do that. He said, why not?In his head, he thought that was perfectly okay. He just could not see anything wrong with what he did. Now, I'm thinking, would it be okay for a total stranger to come into his house just to check it out? Why would anyone think it would be okay to do that? So, of course the owner comes right up and asks the crowd assembled on the dock if he can help them. I don't remember being so embarrassed before that in a LONG time. Now, I'm caught between keeping my cool to not ruin the night by being an ass and reprimanding the trespasser and trying to keep good relations with my dock neighbor without embarrassing the family we brought aboard.

Just what can one assume these days about common sense, common courtesy, and consideration for others? So, now, I not only have to give the lecture about kids and life jackets, no food in the cabin, no flicking cigar ashes on the gelcoat (I really had to do that), no dangling legs off the bow while underway, how to operate the vacuflush, don't tie up hard to the rusty cable encapsulated piling, etc, etc. Now, I have to add that when waiting on the dock, do not board the other boats. These are usually one time deals, bringing different families on the boat. They always ask to help, but I've learned that the best help they can give is to just sit in their docking seat until the boat leaves the slip and until it is secure back in the slip.

Dam, I'm going to think about this all night.:smt021

 

[Sea Gull]

Are you saying that the guy who boarded the motor yacht was YOUR guest? If that is the case, you owe your dock neighbor a bottle of liquor or a case of his favorite wine/beer and a personal apology for your guest's behavior.

I know how you feel about being the heavy who has to lay out all the rules. I usually just make a self efacing joke about it and move on. But yes, I do include dock etiquette in my briefing.

Where you in the charles? We are still anchored snugly after putting our landlubber guests ashore at the esplanade. It was a nice night on the hook.

 

[JV II]

Are you saying that the guy who boarded the motor yacht was YOUR guest?

Yes, he was my guest. I will settle up today.

Where you in the charles? We are still anchored snugly after putting our landlubber guests ashore at the esplanade. It was a nice night on the hook.

I was in the Charles. With my family and this other family of 4 and their 2 additional guests. I snuck in just past the Longfellow at 9 and was one of the first group out the locks.

So, now in the future, my non-boating guests get two additional instructions. Board the boat and take a seat until we leave the slip. Upon returning to the dock, remain in your seats until I say so. I lost control of the group while securing the lines and hooking up to shore power, even though they were on the dock behind my boat. Did I ever think that would happen? Not in my wildest imagination.

I can launch and dock my boat just fine alone and rarely need any help, even with a fractured wrist. Everyone wants to help out. Ever let the non-boater's help out? Here's what I experience when you do:
You end up retying all the lines and fenders. They'll use the bow line as a spring line. You have to undo that, just to get your other lines right. You have to watch them like a hawk and tell them not to crank the boat hard into the dock. I've got a galvanized hinge on the dock in the port quarter that really can't be padded. They will jump off the boat before I'm close enough to the dock and run around like chickens with their heads cut off. The lines they are "helping with" are dangling in the water off the swim platform. I've even seen them attempt to board the neighbors boat to assist with docking. The ones that remain on the boat are all in your way in strategic locations, like the transom door, the steps to the bow, the slip finger, and the access to the helm. Their kids are running around taking their life jackets off.

The new rule is "Sit in your docking seats until I say get up. I don't need any help." After I'm done tying up and hooking up to power. I can better control the crowd. Maybe I should create a handout.

What else should I put on there?
Don't take a piss off the dock.
Please don't shake your Willy at at the people on the dock.
Don't step foot on any of the other boats.
Don't check out what's in the dock lockers
If you see a cooler on another boat, don't remove anything from it.
Don't scream or make other loud noises.
Don't untie the other boats
Remain fully clothed

Why not, I can't estimate where the line for common sense lies.

 

[helms1200]

I had a lady insist that i throw the anchor while docking. Then she ties a rope to the ladder on the swim platform:smt021

 

[Scottzzzy]

You know the flyer thing may not be a bad idea! You could make it up to look like domething official from the marina and just blame it on management!

I would have told my slip neighbor what was up i think. So they would know i am watching out for their boat too. I would be willing to bet he is well versed in newbies behavior and it could be a running pun from then on. I am with you though, would that guest be so bold to run up someones driveway and peek in their windows of their house?:huh:

 

[AKBASSKING]

What else should I put on there?
Don't take a piss off the dock.
Please don't shake your Willy at at the people on the dock.
Don't step foot on any of the other boats.
Don't check out what's in the dock lockers
If you see a cooler on another boat, don't remove anything from it.
Don't scream or make other loud noises.
Don't untie the other boats
Remain fully clothed

Why not, I can't estimate where the line for common sense lies.

Don't pee off the dock? Does peeing off the swimming platform count? (Try doing this and having a dolphin come up and look at you...talk about embarrassing!)



I would also have to disagree with the last item! Go ahead and take your cloths off!!!........:wow:

 

[wkearney99]

These are usually one time deals, bringing different families on the boat.

Then you have to ask yourself if this is such a good idea. If it just adds to your stress, why bother?

 

[wish2fish]

I see nothing wrong with what he did! If the keys are around I usually take the boat out for a spin as well! Sometimes I have to look around for a while (glove box, under mat, in drink holders, in the cabin) but I figure the owner must want the boat run if the left the keys behind! :wink:

If you're going to be so anal about what your guest can do, I 'm surprised he even wanted to go with you! :grin:

 

[Pseudomind]

...

...Just what can one assume these days about common sense, common courtesy, and consideration for others?

...:smt021

I am with you on this, :thumbsup:and I do not think the other comment below addresses the issue. :smt021

If I ask you out to my slip at the marina where I am docked. I expect a certain amount of etiquette be followed. One does not need to be involved with boating to still not understand basic common sense. I SHOULD NOT have to go through a litany of explanations on proper etiquette when on a dock where other boats are slipped.

Then you have to ask yourself if this is such a good idea. If it just adds to your stress, why bother?

 

[Presentation]

Hey Mike,

Don’t beat yourself up.

Your guest was wrong and it’s not reasonable that you could have known what he was going to do.

My recommendation would be to go talk to your slip neighbor and explain the situation and apologize. I think that will take care of it. If you want to have a cold beer in your hand to offer to him, that’s also fine.

I would not extend a invite to this guest again nor would I modify my pre-departure briefing.

I also have a pre-departure briefing. It’s focused on one thing, safety. I mix in a bit of humor for effect, to make it easier for people to remember.

If you make the briefing too long people will not remember it. I figure if they break something it can be fixed but if they die that cannot be fixed.

Again, my pre-departure briefing is focused on safety only.

Remaining seated as we dock is part of the briefing and this instruction is verbally repeated before we dock the boat.

 

[smanier]

would running your generator for 3 hours as my slip neighbor has done this morning be necessary? I see only find it too loud and the exhaust is venting right to my stern. Not having a generator, I am not sure what that would do. I only know that the guy may be related to your boat guests.

 

[Nehalennia]

Yeah, if this guy has that few common sense brain cells left, I'm not sure I'd take him back out. There are a few things that you shouldn't have to worry about and a guest not boarding a strangers boat or smoking aboard without asking are 2 near the top of the list.

 

[Presentation]

would running your generator for 3 hours as my slip neighbor has done this morning be necessary? I see only find it too loud and the exhaust is venting right to my stern. Not having a generator, I am not sure what that would do. I only know that the guy may be related to your boat guests.

Guess I would need to know more.

The reason I am asking for more information is there must have been some reason they were running the generator.

Bad would be if you were onboard asleep and at 5AM your slip neighbor fired up their generator because they wanted hot coffee and did not want to put on their pants, step off the boat and plug into shore power.

In between would be you are at a location without electrical power.

Not bad would be everyone was up and awake on their boat and the boats on either side and they were having generator issues so they had a mechanic come to the boat and they were trying to fix it. If that was the case and it were me I would tell my slip neighbors what was going on.

 

[Nehalennia]

In my opinion running a genny over that long of time is offensive.
Yeah I can see at Jones Island or other state park where there is no power to run the genny for an hour-2(max) to charge batteries is acceptable, but 3 is pushing it. Most state parks are popular because they're serene and quiet. If you want ALL the ammenities that bad you've picked the wrong place. Most of the other people there are seeking the same quiet atmosphere.

 

[Presentation]

In my opinion running a genny over that long of time is offensive.
Yeah I can see at Jones Island or other state park where there is no power to run the genny for an hour-2(max) to charge batteries is acceptable, but 3 is pushing it. Most state parks are popular because they're serene and quiet. If you want ALL the ammenities that bad you've picked the wrong place. Most of the other people there are seeking the same quiet atmosphere.

Hey Todd,

Something is amiss here. I read almost every post of yours and time after time my head nods in agreement. I must be missing something.

I think the issue of the generator is carbon monoxide not noise.

Here is a list of items that make more noise than my generator:

#1) The exhaust fan is much louder than my generator.
#2) The sound of the water from the air conditioning is much louder than my generator.
#3) The built in speakers in a 2nd generation I-touch are louder than my generator.
#4) A person having a normal conversation is louder than my generator.
#5) If I’m in the cabin my refrigerator is louder than my generator.

I don’t think the noise of my generator would bother anyone. I would be respectful of carbon monoxide worries and that would be my primary reason to not run it if I did not have shore power and needed 120V for air conditioning, microwave, stove, coffee maker or charging batteries.


Our particular generator, the Westerbeke MPV is simply known for its quietness. They also have a built in catalytic converter.

Are you talking about those portable generators? I agree they are noisy.

 

[Nehalennia]

Hey Todd,

Something is amiss here. I read almost every post of yours and time after time my head nods in agreement. I must be missing something.

I think the issue of the generator is carbon monoxide not noise.

Here is a list of items that make more noise than my generator:

#1) The exhaust fan is much louder than my generator.
#2) The sound of the water from the air conditioning is much louder than my generator.
#3) The built in speakers in a 2nd generation I-touch are louder than my generator.
#4) A person having a normal conversation is louder than my generator.
#5) If I’m in the cabin my refrigerator is louder than my generator.

I don’t think the noise of my generator would bother anyone. I would be respectful of carbon monoxide worries and that would be my primary reason to not run it if I did not have shore power and needed 120V for air conditioning, microwave, stove, coffee maker or charging batteries.


Our particular generator, the Westerbeke MPV is simply known for its quietness. They also have a built in catalytic converter.

Are you talking about those portable generators? I agree they are noisy.

I'm sure yours is quiet, but we've experienced many older boats with older gennies that simply aren't.
I agree with you that you have a newer, one of the most quiet generator, but listening to a 47' Ocean Alexander last time we were at Jones Is(state park) run his (poorly maintained) diesel genny puking out puffs of smoke and rattling away...it wasn't good.

 

[Presentation]

I'm sure yours is quiet, but we've experienced many older boats with older gennies that simply aren't.
I agree with you that you have a newer, one of the most quiet generator, but listening to a 47' Ocean Alexander last time we were at Jones Is(state park) run his (poorly maintained) diesel genny puking out puffs of smoke and rattling away...it wasn't good.

Got it. Thanks Todd.



Oh, I left out the #1 reason to run the generator. I’ll also run the A/C then sit back and wait for some helpful chap to come running up to the boat and frantically tell me my boat is taking on water and my bilge pump is running.

I’ve had enough practice to get my reaction down pat.

I jump up, look shocked, look overboard at the water shooting out of the side of my hull then say “Hey the pump seems to be keeping up with it fine so no worries, but thank you anyways! Then I sit back down.

The person normally walks away with their head shaking in disbelief.

It’s hilarious every time. I never get sick of it.

 

[Nehalennia]

Got it. Thanks Todd.



Oh, I left out the #1 reason to run the generator. I’ll also run the A/C then sit back and wait for some helpful chap to come running up to the boat and frantically tell me my boat is taking on water and my bilge pump is running.

I’ve had enough practice to get my reaction down pat.

I jump up, look shocked, look overboard at the water shooting out of the side of my hull then say “Hey the pump seems to be keeping up with it fine so no worries, but thank you anyways! Then I sit back down.

The person normally walks away with their head shaking in disbelief.

It’s hilarious every time. I never get sick of it.

Funny


Sorry for the hijack JV

....back to your regular programming.

 

[skolbe]

My genny is quieter than the blower and it is a LowCo model. That being said - I wouldn't run close to other boats in the marina. I have had issues in the past and/or changed the oil and have run it for a bit to get it warmed up and/or when - or when I replaced the impeller to confirm good water flow. But that is usually 15 minutes max.

 

[Hampton]

would running your generator for 3 hours as my slip neighbor has done this morning be necessary? I see only find it too loud and the exhaust is venting right to my stern. Not having a generator, I am not sure what that would do. I only know that the guy may be related to your boat guests.

You need to know that a neighbor running a generator venting into your stern is likely filling your cabin with poisonous/deadly CO fumes. Even if you don't have a genny, you need at least one CO detector, if not a couple operating from different power sources (small batteries, ship's power). Even at low levels, CO fumes can be harmful as the affects accumulate over time. Some people have detectors with CO levels displayed on them. These will tell you that there is a hazard before an alarm would ever go off.