Vandalism, or just people being rude?

[hmason]

Greetings,
C'mon guys, chill.

No internet social media, verbal donnybrook is going to change anyone's minds. Don't ask me how I know.

A man convinced against his will is a nonbeliever still.

 

[Capt Ray]

“Hey captain, let’s see if WE can secure you halyard a little better, to reduce the noise.”

"AMEN" to very simple dialogue with the person.

That is how I would like to be treated if I were causing someone else any irritation.

Thanks for sharing your approach.

 

[Nautica]

I would never board someone's yacht because the rigging was noisy - I'd board it to save their slapping halyards from wearing the paint off the mast or similar.
But I have no hesitation on jumping on board to fix something for an absent owner, be it rigging; flapping sail covers; mooring lines; or whatever.
Standard courteous practice here (Australia)

 

[BruceK]

I was a fool to get involved here. It is always the same.Everyone knows everything, and no one wants to learn or listen. I’m cool. Back to running next 150, 000 miles on board. Whatever. My fault. I learned a long time ago to shut up and let the experts tell everything.

OUT.

Congratulations, thank you, wise decision.

 

[mncruiser]

I think there’s a line and most know when not to cross it. Funny story about maybe going too far…or just being rude.

Prepping boat for launch last Thursday, was taking a break and catching up with one of the managers chatting in her office. A guy I don’t know walks in and physically steps in our active conversation and starts his own like I’m not there. No worries, I have things to do anyway. I leave to go do them.

A few minutes later I’m returning from getting something from the ship store, I was changing anodes. I come back to the boat and what do I see? The same fella rummaging through my tool bag I had left out on the ground for my anode work!

I say “Howdy” and he’s instantly apologizing and embarrassed, says he yelled several times up to the boat because he needed a socket.

I’m not mad at all, in fact chuckling a little because I caught him and he’s pretty embarrassed. I offer up my whole tool bag to him, take whatever he needs, seriously happy to help.

Would I have done what he did? Nope!

If I had known me, we were friends maybe, had shared tools previously, I might have borrowed without asking, but even then unless it’s an emergency I’d probably wait to ask.

Now, if I had come back and he had climbed my ladder, was inside my boat digging for tools……I’d for sure have had more of an “OUT!!!” tone with the fella.

 

[O C Diver]

I think there’s a line and most know when not to cross it. Funny story about maybe going too far…or just being rude.

Prepping boat for launch last Thursday, was taking a break and catching up with one of the managers chatting in her office. A guy I don’t know walks in and physically steps in our active conversation and starts his own like I’m not there. No worries, I have things to do anyway. I leave to go do them.

A few minutes later I’m returning from getting something from the ship store, I was changing anodes. I come back to the boat and what do I see? The same fella rummaging through my tool bag I had left out on the ground for my anode work!

I say “Howdy” and he’s instantly apologizing and embarrassed, says he yelled several times up to the boat because he needed a socket.

I’m not mad at all, in fact chuckling a little because I caught him and he’s pretty embarrassed. I offer up my whole tool bag to him, take whatever he needs, seriously happy to help.

Would I have done what he did? Nope!

If I had known me, we were friends maybe, had shared tools previously, I might have borrowed without asking, but even then unless it’s an emergency I’d probably wait to ask.

Now, if I had come back and he had climbed my ladder, was inside my boat digging for tools……I’d for sure have had more of an “OUT!!!” tone with the fella.

Maybe it's just me, but when it comes to tools, I've always felt that the difference between borrowing and stealing is whether you ask the owner first.

Ted

 

[jleonard]

I have tightened many loose lines on sailboats, never had a complaint from an owner, as I always told them what I did.
I've tightened many a spring line when a boat's swim platform was hitting the dock.
I've added fenders when necessary.
I've opened flybridge enclosures to let trapped birds out.
I even went aboard a sister ship and re-anchored it as it was about to be blown onto a rock pile (we earned a nice cherry pie from Aldo's that day).
I don't consider any of that either rude or vandalism, just being a good, concerned neighbor.

 

[mncruiser]

Maybe it's just me, but when it comes to tools, I've always felt that the difference between borrowing and stealing is whether you ask the owner first.

Ted

I agree! I had more fun with him being so embarrassed, if he would not have been I might have taken a different tone. Always happy to help someone out. Even when they are stealing! Ha!

 

[heysteve]

It seems like they're a lot of people that like to live by rigid rules... "I would never..." or "I always ..." and perhaps that seems reasonable to people who tend to see the world in black and white. Or maybe it's just some people that comment on forums. I tend to try and use some common sense which, I know, is not always appreciated but fits my view of the world.

Would I go onboard the neglected boat next to me and put a bungie on a slapping halyard? Yes. Would I wake the exhausted crew of a newly arrived boat in the middle of the night to silence a halyard? No. Would I try to teach a lesson to another boater via knot tying subterfuge? Probably not but I can appreciate the frustration of dealing with an annoying, thoughtless neighbor so... maybe.

 

[backinblue]

Thinking back to my first sailboat, I'm sure I didn't know about halyards slapping and how to prevent it. I eventually learned. Don't automatically think the owner is selfish and uncaring. I'm sure some just don't know any better. You can offer to teach them w/o teaching a lesson.

 

[mvweebles]

Thinking back to my first sailboat, I'm sure I didn't know about halyards slapping and how to prevent it. I eventually learned. Don't automatically think the owner is selfish and uncaring. I'm sure some just don't know any better. You can offer to teach them w/o teaching a lesson.

Goes without saying that if the owner is around (or will be around - they're aboard, just away from their boat), a friendly, polite conversation is the right approach. Without question.

But if they are not around with no return in sight, I do not see anything wrong with securing their halyards in a seamanlike manner. When the opportunity presents itself, politely inform the owner what you did an why.

I've never met someone who was as persnickety as the guy Comodave encountered, or JYoung on this thread. Maybe if I did I'd have a different opinion. I don't see the big deal here.

Peter

 

[sunchaser]

In my younger years on Long Island I worked at a large yard. The nearby yacht club marina was about 2/3 sail boats. We were encouraged as "workers" to secure flapping sails and covers. The owners were always appreciative.

Today well over a half century later I remove my hearing aids to sleep halyard free. They say your knees are the first to go, I'm up to about a half dozen now.

 

[Pete Meisinger]

I have bungeed several banging lines. On one boat which basically never left the slip I bungeed the line one windy night. I didn't think anything of it. I noticed the next year that my bungee was still in place, and the following year.

pete

 

[Hippocampus]

Read this thread with a smile.

I’m a fan of slab reefing. Have crewed on a Hinckley with hydraulic everything. Had in mast and both head sails on rollers. On the 12 to 3 a line squall picked up. One on watch went to reef the main but screwed it up. Bent the mandrill so main would neither go in or out. Ended up taking a knife to it. Not a fan of in mast. On an another crewing experience boat had in boom. Main sail would walk either forward or aft in spite of multiple attempts to get the angle correct. After a week out halyard chafed and dropped the sail into the water. Difficult job (broken nails) to get it back on board . Not a fan of in boom roller furling. Have no issue with roller furling headsails as failure rate is so low. So personally have had just the main halyard to contend with. It’s removed from the board and secured to the fitting on the boom for the topping lift. No way it can bang even if not tight. Still tighten it up enough halyard doesn’t bang inside the mast. Along with a Dutchman instead of lazy jacks pretty foolproof. Dyneema or spectra halyards are expensive so want a long life from them.

However see fewer and fewer boats with hanked head sails or mains not on in boom or in mast. So fewer and fewer opportunities for banging halyards. Still get them when owner is too lazy to remove the halyard on in boom. Now banging is mostly small boats or older boats. As said above often not loved and it’s rare there’s someone aboard. Agree a boat may be someone’s home and should be viewed as such. But would think for >90% of banging halyard boats that’s not the case.

Yes call marina staff to deal with it. But if they’re unresponsive have no issues fixing it. Slack the tension. Secure to aft end of boom . Retention. Many boat owners secure to the sides and halyard chafes on the spreaders. Or to stantions which aren’t made for that purpose and eventually breaks the sealant. Securing to aft end of boom has been fairly foolproof in my experience. Have had boats with deck fittings for unused halyards but that’s unusual. That works great on boats with lots of spaghetti.