Who was the jerk last weekend?

Who was the jerk?

  • Me

    Votes: 15 26.3%

  • My friend that chose the spot

    Votes: 12 21.1%

  • The other snobby boaters

    Votes: 30 52.6%
  • Total voters
    57
berth control

berth control

New Member
Nov 16, 2008
886
Saugatuck, MI
Boat Info
1985 270 Sundancer
Engines
3.7 liter Mercruisers
Me or the guy about 50 yards away? I was in Saugatuck to watch the fireworks (annual festival) and tied up next to a buddy that was anchored about 20 yards from a long line of newer, bigger searay's. They were there first. We were all in the designated anchorage, but it was getting crowded. Some guy from the other line started yelling at me that we were too close and could drift over and hit them. We put out fenders in case that were to happen and they kept yelling. I told them that if they did not want to hit, then we should just tie up. They said no, they didn't want to be tied up to our group. I said "if you are going to be in the anchorage durning the annual festival, you have to be okay wit someone tieing up or deal with people being close". They were visibly pissed, but we never hit and that was the end of it. So..... Who was the jerk? Could have been me, the other guy, or my friend that picked a spot to anchor that was too close to the other line.
 
mmm..... hard call. If possible I would have picked a spot that would not allow my boat to swing into another vessel...if that was an option.
 
How close is close? How windy? How much were the boats swinging? Did you arrange your anchor rode to minimize swinging? Did they? (see Gary's post here.)

I tend to think the other guy was over-reacting, but it you were within one boat length, then you probably were too close.

Best regards,
Frank
 
We were pretty close. Prob. about 30 feet. THEY were swinging, we had (thanks to me:grin:) a stern anchor and my main hook was set really well. When the yelling started (because we were so far apart), they did not know how much we would move.
 
Sounds like you were a little too close. The problem, regardless of the event is if some weather or anything kicks up, you have no time to react without possibly damaging or hitting someone. I think in all anchorage, everyone should be able to swing 360 when the wind or tide shifts and not get entangled with anyone else.

30' may not give you enough room to swing clear of them or if you begin to drag, haul your ground tackle and not hit them.
 
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This is always a tough call.

Did you leave plenty of room so that any of those boats could pull anchor and leave if they wished to do so?

Generally, IMO, plenty of room needs to be left for larger boats. You can't just push them aside like a 20 footer...

The "Sandbar" is a popular anchorage where we live. Beautiful beach, great place to hang on the weekend (even better on a weekday!). SOP is to anchor stern-to the beach with a stern anchor to hold from swinging. Mostly smaller boats (18-30 ft), and they pack in like sardines- sometimes not 5 feet between the boats.

Now, you can pull the stern anchor on a smaller boat, have someone else (waist deep water) hold the boat in place , and fend you off the adjacent boats, while you get it aboard and motor forward to retrieve the main anchor. But no one's gonna hold a forty foot boat when the wind is blowing- and boaters seem to be oblivious to the fact that I need room to "swing" once the stern anchor is pulled.

Even if I get there at 8:00 am before any other boats, the yahoos are sure enough going to anchor 5 feet away from me on either side, with no way to safely get out.

Anymore, I just anchor out and swing on the hook. Otherwise, someone is gonna get hurt or boats get damaged.
 
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Eric, there are some folks whom can never be satisified. I lived in St. Joseph for a few years and I know how the festivals go. To me it's half the fun, to anchor out during the events, and meet new people. However some folks think they own the area around their boats when they drop the hook. They forget everyones there to watch fireworks, or a show or people watch.
I think you did the right thing, let him stress and yell. We have to share the waters we all enjoy. Sounds like he didn't want to share. Forget him. He's the kinda guy that if you weren't to close it would have been some other lame reason for him to yell at you.

My opinion.

Now, if you were anchoring up for overnighting, might be a different situation.
 
Did I miss something?? How where you swinging with both anchors out?? Didn't you say you had your main and stern anchor out? Did other boats have both anchors out?
 
A. you were probably too close, and
B. he was perhaps over-reacting and should have explained his point of view in a more civil tone
 
Hmmmm

If you show up after the other parties have rafted up and they are swinging on their rode(s) and you set a bow and stern anchor so as NOT to swing with the rest of the boats, then sounds like you are trying to change the rules after you arrived. Their raft was based on the ability to swing.

If you had been there first with a bow and stern anchor and the other folks showed up after your ground tackle was set, then I would think it up to them to keep from swinging into you.

I probably would have picked a spot where I could set a bow and stern anchor without worrying about other folks.
 
I always play "he who gets there first, makes the rules". If they are anchored and swinging, I will anchor far enough away and swing.
 
With bow & stern hooks, the distance should have been ok, but on only one hook? you can never have enough swing room - I had a yayhoo anchor next to me (20 yards off my Port side) with bow & stern hooks, then immediately break out the cocktails. By 2 a.m. I felt him bump me when the wind shifted and so I pulled up anchor and crawled thru the anchorage in pitch dark (Smuggler's Cove, Santa Cruz Island) and eventually dropped the hook further out.
 
We could have been in the wrong, and I would not have anchored where my friend did, it was closer than I would have liked. I would have found a line of boats what was friendly and just tied up to them if possible, but it was a crowded anchorage without a lot of other spots. Either way, they were swinging somewhat, I only saw maybe one anchor for every 3 boats off the front and nothing off the stern, but it was a line of 10 or 15 boats, so it's tough to tell.

I just felt that if I was in their shoes, I would have offered to tie up, and for sure would not have gone to the extreme of telling the other boaters to go somewhere else because they may swing too close.

I have been looking for an anchorage and having the stress of driving through a congested sea of boaters with lines in the water and it sucks, so I go out of my way to help anyone that is around. I would NEVER yell at someone for being too close without offering to just raft up. It was only for the parade and fireworks, no over nighting for either party.
 
That is a tough call. I was visiting the raft up via dinghy earlier saturday. There were maybe 10 boats then. When you come in late to a raft up, there is always a risk someone will not be happy. I think he was over-reacting to the situation. Like you say, it was pretty crowded everywhere when the fireworks started, and I think as long as you did not hit him or any others, he should have just relaxed and enjoyed the show.
Thanks go to one of that group, which shared some tasty rum runners with us when we visited. Nice group of people there, even if they were Spartan fans.

We had a great time there all weekend, the choice of music at the red dock was less than stellar, but the beverages made up for that.
 
KayKook said:
Nice group of people there, even if they were Spartan fans.

We had a great time there all weekend, the choice of music at the red dock was less than stellar, but the beverages made up for that.
Click to expand...

:smt043:smt043
I'm not a big fan of the red dock.:lol: Expensive drinks....crappy reggae music....close at sunset.....:smt009
 
I think the boat you were on was a bit too close. Would not have used a stern anchor if no one else was using one. Would definitely have used a bridle, if possible. They can be difficult to deploy, however without an all chain anchor rode.

Best regards,
Frank
 
It never your fault... It's always the other guy... You can't question yourself or your a New Yorker it not in your nature...:smt001 Same goes for NJ... I have my wife to tell me when it is my fault... And from her point of view it usually is my fault...
 
Sorry to be another bad guy here but if you were too close and he was there first, you need to move. Not everyone likes to raft up with people. Just like Gump said, rafting up with strangers is like a box of chocolates. You never know what your gunna get. I think you did the right thing by trying to be polite and offer to tie up but if I was the other guy and I was in one of my moods I probably would have yelled at you as well. Invading ones anchored space without permission is poor boating etiqutte IMO. I agree you did handle the situation well though.
 
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