Lines on Pilings

[Freestyle]

The new rule at our club is no lines tied to pilings -- even just temporarily to get a line over and tie up. Instead all lines are to be tied to the little cleats that are bolted to the aluminum fixed docks.

I learned this when the dockmaster scolded my novice crew who then untied me without tying to a substitute position thus returning the boat to an underway status without my knowledge.

That miscommunication aside, can anyone think of a legitimate rationale for this rule? I can see chaffing issues in a storm. But this was at the fuel dock.

Bruce

Freestyle
1986 67 CPMY
Tampa

 

[Jaxfishgyd]

I have two sets of tideminders that I use and love...9 balls that go up and down with the tide...
www.tideminders.com
I did have to order 4 extra balls due to the size of my pilings

 

[Bob Bradley]

That would be the last dollar I spent at that particular fuel dock. The guy sounds like a moron. I can think of no possible harm that might be done by a line tied to a piling, unless the piling was on the opposite side of the dock from the boat and posed a tripping or "closeline" hazard.

 

[krush]

pilings are stronger than cleats....

 

[Boatnut]

Is the guys name Charlie, by any chance?

 

[captddis]

Is the guys name Charlie, by any chance?

Close... Capt Marshall

 

[Boatsb]

I'd never belong to any club that would have me as a member. Forget letting Dave join. Just leave its better.

 

[captddis]

I'd never belong to any club that would have me as a member.

I concur!

 

[Dan Mapes]

I'd look for another fuel dock. Hitting a piling to get the boat stopped and alongside the dock should be considered normal. If their pilings are totally insecure, and it sounds like they are, the dock should be avoided.
It must be dangerous. I'd alert everyone to the new practice and spread speculation that the dock was not sound enough to tie up to.
Ridiculous.

Unless, some AH tried to use them and did not get his boat lined up with the pilings well. As a result the transom laid up against the dock instead of a piling and rubbed the heck out of his new gelcoat.

 

[Boatnut]

So what is the name of this marina, doesn't seem like it should be a secret. I'd take notice to avoid it, boating is for havlng fun, people don't need to put up with idiots feeding their power egos.

 

[captddis]

Tampa Yacht& Country Club

 

[Freestyle]

It's not a matter of avoiding TYCC. I have been a member for 25 years and will be for whatever I have left. It's home and I love it there.

The pilings are all about 2 years old and in great condition other than they probably cut them too short for adequate storm surge protection.

I just wanted to post the question to see if I am missing something before I get too openly critical of a marina policy put in place by old guys who don't own boats anymore and never used their little boats when they did own them.

These are the same guys that called me in a panic once because the power was off at the marina and there were lights on in my boat because apparently they never heard of an inverter or DC power for that matter.

Bruce

Freestyle
1986 67 CPMY
Tampa

 

[captddis]

It's not a matter of avoiding TYCC. I have been a member for 25 years and will be for whatever I have left. It's home and I love it there.

The pilings are all about 2 years old and in great condition other than they probably cut them too short for adequate storm surge protection.

I just wanted to post the question to see if I am missing something before I get too openly critical of a marina policy put in place by old guys who don't own boats anymore and never used their little boats when they did own them.

These are the same guys that called me in a panic once because the power was off at the marina and there were lights on in my boat because apparently they never heard of an inverter or DC power for that matter.

Bruce

Freestyle
1986 67 CPMY
Tampa

The policy is not new! The last time I took my own boat over there was 2006 right after Vinny retired and Marshall untied all my lines from the pilings on the fuel dock and retied the boat so that the spring lines made it impossible for my wife to get on or off.
Things went down hill from there.......
That was the LAST time I was there other than to work.

 

[Jaxfishgyd]

am missing something before I get too openly critical of a marina policy put in place by old guys who don't own boats anymore and never used their little boats when they did own them.


Bruce

Freestyle
1986 67 CPMY
Tampa

Kinda like the United States Power Squadron..... I have and do belong to it and they DO a lot of great things, their classes are very worth taking... BUT... 90% of the time is used arguing about "merit marks" and changing a word here or there in the by laws....
I'm one of the youngest, at 61..... Most of them are in their very late 70's into the mid 80's who want to run it like it was in 1955......
They they can't understand why the club can't get and KEEP younger people.... sheesh

 

[34Hatt]

Kinda like the United States Power Squadron..... I have and do belong to it and they DO a lot of great things, their classes are very worth taking... BUT... 90% of the time is used arguing about "merit marks" and changing a word here or there in the by laws....
I'm one of the youngest, at 61..... Most of them are in their very late 70's into the mid 80's who want to run it like it was in 1955......
They they can't understand why the club can't get and KEEP younger people.... sheesh

Wow Fl or NY same story

Both my squadron and Y.C

 

[Freeebird]

Kinda like the United States Power Squadron..... I have and do belong to it and they DO a lot of great things, their classes are very worth taking... BUT... 90% of the time is used arguing about "merit marks" and changing a word here or there in the by laws....
I'm one of the youngest, at 61..... Most of them are in their very late 70's into the mid 80's who want to run it like it was in 1955......
They they can't understand why the club can't get and KEEP younger people.... sheesh

Same with the power squadron in this area. An older friend of mine (who bought a boat from me and later was my best man) was active in the local chapter and wanted me to join up. I took one river trip with them to some sort of planned gathering about 100 miles or so away, and they about drove me crazy.

 

[Bob Bradley]

I imagine they'd get apoplectic if they saw the bloody mary in my drink holder.

 

[Freeebird]

OMG!! You have drink holders?

 

[Freeebird]

On the topic of stupid people and dock lines, years ago when the floating, covered docks in my marina were in danger of collapsing and/or sinking due to heavy snow, I was told not to move my boat as they needed my lines to stay on the cleats to help support the dock. Yes, I moved my boat into an open slip.

 

[Avenger]

Without trying to sound obnoxious, and probably doing so anyway, may I suggest that you ask the person enforcing the policy what the reasoning behind it is. He has a much better chance of knowing the illogic behind it than we do.

OTOH when you get the answer, the impulse to respond with; "That's the stupidest thing..." may be irresistable and then you'll sound obnoxious.