Marina Etiquette 101
How to Keep the Harbormaster and Your Marina Neighbors Happy
Mooring your vessel properly will save headaches for you, management, and your marina neighbors. Be proactive and avoid aggravating the other tenants!
It only takes a little effort to be a good neighbor while mooring in a marina. Taking these steps will insure a good working relationship with your slip mates and marine managers. Think about how your actions will impact others after you have tied up the boat and left for the day.
Here are things you can do to be a good neighbor in the marina:
- Tie your boat so the anchor and bow pulpit do not extend over the bullrail and into the path of people walking in front of your vessel. Many boat anchors are just above eye level. I have walked into so many anchors along the dock that I swear sometimes the next boater to do this is going to be evicted!
- Flemish your mooring lines! Simply said, coil up your excess mooring line neatly so it's not a tripping hazard for others. This goes for lines on your boat deck or finger float.
- Shut down the electronics. Don't leave for the long trip home without shutting down your boat properly. Turn off the VHF radio, spotlights, navigation lights, and even the television. Our commercial fishermen are famous for leaving on what everyone here calls "crab lights," 1000-watt halogen floodlights that can wake the dead.
- Don't store gear on your finger float. Use the dock box, if one is provided, or store everything onboard. A cluttered finger float can slow down emergency responders coming to your boat. If there is a flooding or fire problem, you don't want junk on the finger to be in the way.
- Insure shore power cords and mooring lines don't cross the docks. Put your water hose away. These things pose a trip hazard for anyone walking down the dock. Sometimes there are people that aren't walking to well to begin with. You and your marina's insurance carrier will thank you.
- It is poor form to linger at the launch ramp or fuel dock floats. Take care of business and get out of there! These facilities aren't the place to load your boat or wait for passengers. Most marinas and harbors have loading zones designed for this purpose.
Most marinas have a published policies and procedures document that will help you from inadvertently causing a problem with your boat. Take time to visit with your marina neighbors and the harbormaster, and they can surely offer some additional insights for you.
