Trespassing Help!

pinefd said:
I think my approach will be to first put up a "No Trespassing" sign. If the problem persists, I may make up a flyer to put in everyone's mailbox making the neighbors aware of the problem, and asking for their assistance in speaking with their kids and guests. Hopefully, I won't have to go beyond those two steps.
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This would be my advice along with saying something to the kids when you see them on your boat. Just explain to them in a nice manner how you would appreciate it, it's your boat, liability, yadda, yadda, yadda. If they get off the boat when you yell they may listen to some of what you say and quite possibly obey. It is amazing they have such a disrespect for other peoples property, but they are kids.

Dancin Dave said:
How about suggesting the neighbors pitch in for a floating
swim platform and mooring anchor. Details can be overcome.
Now you would be a hero!
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that's a good idea, but may be a little difficult to organize if there is no real owners association.
 
ultratiger89 said:
It sounds as though its moored 24/7/365 (or for some extended period of time). I don't understand why someone would do that?
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Ahhh...got ya.

Well, I imagine many people do so in warmer climates. Not sure where the OP is, but it doesnt sound that out of the norm to me if you dont really have any real winter weather.
 
billandamy said:
Ahhh...got ya.

Well, I imagine many people do so in warmer climates. Not sure where the OP is, but it doesnt sound that out of the norm to me if you dont really have any real winter weather.
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I'm in S Texas and have never seen that. Nor when I lived in Clearwater Fl.
 
Sounds like it's just in for the summer, that's not out of the norm for water oriented communities in my area.
 
:grin:video is everywhere make available to police...the kids /people will know they are doing wrong and there is proof.video/photo tell the tale.:wow:
 
Tough call.
I'd put a "No Trespassing" sign on the platform, just in case someone gets hurt-somehow- and an unscrupulous personal injury lawyer that needs to make his mortgage payment decides to go after your insurance company.

Granted, you've got every right to be pissed. I would be.
But, escalating things by threatening to call law enforcement is IMO premature (they haven't gone past the platform) and could worsen the situation. Let's face it- one pair of pliers on the bilge plug and a half hour later your boat is on the bottom.

If it were my boat, I'd move it because I wouldn't be sleeping at night. Apparently, yours is the only boat out there? You've told them to get off, and they've complied, yet they keep coming back. Either that, or just let it go...
 
I completely disagree with that. He has every right to moor his boat behind his house AND to expect that no one would even think about touching it. His mooring of the boat is not the problem. The problem is that the yoots of this era aren't brought up to respect other people's property. Getting on the swim platform is just as bad as getting in his cockpit or berth. His property starts at the waterline, thats where the line should get drawn.

Forget moving your boat. Step #1 - Set up a video camera with a zoom lens that will capture faces. Move the boat closer if necessary. Step #2 - Put up a "No trespassing - violators will be prosected" sign on the boat. Step #3 - contact the Coast Guard, local DNR, Marine Police, Sheriff, police dept., Barney Fife, or whichever agency has jurisdiction and ask them about the situation. Try them all as each one is likely to view it differently based on their own responsibilities. Make sure that you stay on the legal side. Step #4 - Go out on a dinghy when it is happening, and take pictures while the kids are on the boat. Ask for names while you are at it. Step #5 - Start filing small claims court cases for any minute damage to your boat against one or two of them. Make one of them pay $500 for a gel coat scratch, and the rest will likely keep away.

If they DO sink your boat, you will have done "due dilligence" in preventing the problem, and your insurance will have to buy you a shiny new one. Hand the insurance investigator the pictures and videos, and ask them to let you know who did it when they figure it out.

Asking a law abiding citizen to just move his boat because others are inconsiderate is unacceptable. Fix the problem, stop the trespassers. Unbelieveable
 
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skibum said:
Asking a law abiding citizen to just move his boat because others are inconsiderate is unacceptable. Fix the problem, stop the trespassers. Unbelieveable
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my post was more in the direction of wondering why you would leave your boat anchored off the beach unattended at all. I don't understand that. I couldn't do it for fear of another boat hitting it, it getting stolen, etc.
 
Personally, I wouldn't do it either. But that is not the question. It is a legitimate means of storing a boat, and therefore any law abiding citizen should be able to do it with the expectation that their right, and their property will be protected by the authorities. I see sailboats moored all the time. Some of them require a lot of draft and can't get near shore. Mooring off shore is their only option.

We have had people on this board who had folks trespass on their boats while tied to private docks and at their marinas. I see no difference. Someone is breaking the law by trespassing on their personal property.

I took exception to the suggestion that the boat owner change their behavior when the law is (should be) on their side. Punish the criminals (notice that I did NOT say reform), not the victims.
 
Wow, I've been off-line all day and just now noticed all the additional responses and suggestions. Thanks again!

I keep my boat moored at my summer home (in RI) for the months of July and August only. The mooring and boat are very conveniently located fairly close to shore and it's an easy dinghy ride out there. The closest docking area is probably five or so miles away, and is very expensive if you want a slip there...if you could even get one. The mooring is in a nice little cove just off of our property, and quite frankly, if I couldn't keep it there, I'm not sure I'd even want a boat (see photo below for which shows mooring location relative to our "Beach House").

Most other people in the neighborhood who have boats also have their boats moored nearby, but theirs are all moored just outside of the little cove that you see. I don't believe they can moor their boats where mine is because they don't own waterfront property there.

Mooring_Location.jpg


Anyway, thanks again for all the comments and suggestions. There have "only" been three incidents all summer so far (as far as we know), and each time it's been a different group of kids. So we'll just start off with the No Trespassing sign, and see if that solves the problem.


Frank
 
ultratiger89 said:
my post was more in the direction of wondering why you would leave your boat anchored off the beach unattended at all. I don't understand that. I couldn't do it for fear of another boat hitting it, it getting stolen, etc.
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FYI, A mooring is more substantial than an anchor. For our 280 I have a 1,600 pound granite block with 10' of 5/8" chain and 15' of 3/8" in the front with twin 3/4" pennants, and a 300 pound block, the same chain and a single 3/4" pennant on the stern. Our mooring is also located behind our house, and like all in Ipswich, is regulated by the town's harbormaster (who is also the Chief of Police). As you know mooring, or anchorage areas, are by definition no wake zones in any event ours are patrolled by the town's police boat and PWC, as well as the Environmental Police (goofy name, but they are Mass's regulatory authority for boating registration and operation), and occasional visit by the Coasties.

In our town the police view uninvited/unauthorized visits to moored boats to be on the same par as B&E to a residence. I go back to my original comment. Speak to the kids if you want, don't expect much reaction for the reasons Skibum points out in his post, then call the harbormaster. This is no different than uninvited strangers hanging out in your living room because they feel like it. This is a matter for the police and the longer it is allowed to continue the worse it will get.

Henry
 
Henry Boyd said:
FYI, A mooring is more substantial than an anchor. For our 280 I have a 1,600 pound granite block with 10' of 5/8" chain and 15' of 3/8" in the front with twin 3/4" pennants, and a 300 pound block, the same chain and a single 3/4" pennant on the stern. Our mooring is also located behind our house, and like all in Ipswich, is regulated by the town's harbormaster (who is also the Chief of Police). As you know mooring, or anchorage areas, are by definition no wake zones in any event ours are patrolled by the town's police boat and PWC, as well as the Environmental Police (goofy name, but they are Mass's regulatory authority for boating registration and operation), and occasional visit by the Coasties.

In our town the police view uninvited/unauthorized visits to moored boats to be on the same par as B&E to a residence. I go back to my original comment. Speak to the kids if you want, don't expect much reaction for the reasons Skibum points out in his post, then call the harbormaster. This is no different than uninvited strangers hanging out in your living room because they feel like it. This is a matter for the police and the longer it is allowed to continue the worse it will get.

Henry
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Though I have no experience with moorings, your post and skibum's make the most sense to me and the advice I would follow.
 
Unless yours and the other properties include submerged land rights- which I'm sure they don't- owning property there would have nothing to do with the right to anchor a boat in naviagable waters. Anyone can anchor their boat there.
 
tobnpr said:
Unless yours and the other properties include submerged land rights- which I'm sure they don't- owning property there would have nothing to do with the right to anchor a boat in naviagable waters. Anyone can anchor their boat there.
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Anchoring is a different issue from mooring. Anchoring is supposed to be transient in nature. Mooring on the other hand is essentially a landlord/tenant relationship. In some locations anchoring inside a crowded designated mooring field is frowned upon. If it isn't, it still is a bad practice given the risk of fouling an anchor rode on mooring tackle.

I pay rental to the Town of Ipswich to keep my granite blocks and Sea Ray in a specific spot in the Ipswich River. While I do not have submerged rights to the waters off my back yard, the Town regulations require that access to moorings in our cove be made either via private property with water access, or via a public launching point. This effectively means moorings in our cove are limited to the folks who live on our street, or those willing to trailer a dinghy to the town landing up river and motor down to a mooring. In all cases we have to abide by additional rules regarding ground tackle.

By the way this does not prevent anyone from anchoring in our cove, in fact when we have hurricane warnings many boats do come up river to anchor.

Henry
 
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tobnpr said:
Unless yours and the other properties include submerged land rights- which I'm sure they don't- owning property there would have nothing to do with the right to anchor a boat in naviagable waters. Anyone can anchor their boat there.
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You may be right about people being able to "anchor" their boats off our beach, although the way the harbormaster patrols the shores and scritinizes the moorings, I would bet that they couldn't get away with anchoring their boat(s) for too long. And as far as others getting moorings off our beach area, I believe this could potentially be done as well, but unless they're riparian (waterfront) owners, I believe the mooring would have to be at least 500 feet off shore (according to new regulations), which would put the mooring out into very exposed, unprotected waters.


And with regard to getting the authorities involved in helping to solve this trespassing problem, again, I'm going to hold off on that (for now). I believe the kids are acting somewhat innocently, and probably don't have a clue that it truly is trespassing...thus my desire to start with the "No Trespassing" sign.


Frank
 
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