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I've spent a few nights last year in Michigan marinas and also in a sheltered cove in Lake Michigan. I began wondering about a few things concerning operating etiqette that being new to this arena I thought I would get some pointers from all of you. Sorry, I feel pretty ignorant. For example:

1) When signs say "no barbequeing on boats" does that mean they are concerned about a fire or do they not want grease dropping in the water? Does this also mean they don't want you cooking inside your boat?

2) When cooking is done and it's time for clean-up, is it proper to throw scraps, hamburger/steak grease in the water? I know you can throw fish filleting guts in the water with no concern.

3) Using the galley sink at a marina seems to leave a trail at the stern drain of whatever you pour down the drain--dish detergent, grease, milk, etc. Is this ok with environmental concerns?

4) Any other concerns I'm overlooking.

Thanks for filling me in to do what's right.

Dave Ford
2007 M

My experience on these.

I've never been in a no BBQ marina, but if I was I certainly would not take it as a limit to cooking inside the boat.

I would never dispose of scraps over the side. It all goes in the garbage and the marina provides garbage service.

Unless the marina has a posting prohibiting disposal of grey water I would not worry about the sink drains. They are used by every boat in every marina I have ever been in.

Just as a matter of courtesy I would add the following.

Limit the volume of any music or video after 10pm.

Tie out your halyards to the mast stays so they do not slap the mast.

Make sure any power cables you run are not a trip hazard.

Always help fellow boats when they are approaching or leaving the docks. Offer to handle lines, follow all instructions from the captian. When given a line get it around a cleat as quickly as possible then pass it back to someone on board to secure. Don't assume you know what the captain wants you to do with the line.

I believe the no BBQ'ing rule is to prevent wooden docks from catching fire. I just stuck my boat in a marina that has the same rule, but the guy from whom I am subletting it told me he used to put his grill up on the quay, away from the wooden dock a few feet, and was never told this was a problem. So I am left to wonder, what about a stern pulpit-attached magma outboard from the dock? Oh well, I probably will not be BBQ'ing anyway.

I agree with the last post, and would not throw anything over the side in the marina, including fish guts/remains and other biodegradables. Just seems bit uncouth to me, especially when there is a readily available dumpster a few feet away. I also would not discharge anything inside the marina, though this is just my personal opinion.

Its the smoke from a BBQ that will go all over your neighbors boats that are the concern. If you can BBQ downstairs without smoke, go to it

No scraps or garbage in the water in the marina. If you brush your teeth in the sink and rinse overboard, no problem.

Tie off your halyards

No tripping hazards

Use your low voices, remembering that you are walking by a whole row of people's houses

Not everyone may appreciate your ABBA albums on volume 8, so watch the music.

Use your low voices, remembering that you are walking by a whole row of people's houses

Cat - Is this what you mean?...LOOOWWW VOICES

Some marina's have no cloths drying outside as well.

It really depends on where you are at. It is best to ask. I even had one put my loose dock likes in a swirl (whatever it is called). 3x's.

Most marinas I have stayed in have a 10:00 quite time for canned music and I volinteer to play my banjo quitely. I go out of the marina to cook on my grill if needed and play music loud and then back to tie up to sleep since that is what I rented the slip far anyway. Last week in a marina in Seattle at Schilshole Bay marina I was playing my banjo softly about 12:00 pm and got applose for each song so I guess playing oldtime acoustic music well is more accepted than canned music.
When I gunkhole or tie to a bouy and I am the first to anchor or tie up I am the captin and make the rules. Playing banjo all night keeps loud familys and drunks from gunkholing too close, but that is why I am out there in the first place. The RUDE folks are the second boat to come gunkholing within 1/4 mile of my boat and want me to go by there rules, this kinda folks can leave my gunkholing area quickly. I guess a little of my great great grandfather a sucessful Pirate in the Bahamas comes out and only my rules apply. If I am the second boat to gunkhole close to another boat, I go by there rules or leave quickly.

I guess it is like an RV park at marinas and backpack camping in the wilderness out gunkholing.

Marina courtesy..

I was feeding the fish some bread crumbs, a bunch of ducks showed-up. A few minutes later a fellow boater informed me that those who feed the ducks have to wash all the boats with duck poop.

A few years back I had my boat in a marina with quite a few private Fishing charter Boats. About 5:00 AM they all start thier motors. Now thats ignorant..

have to wash all the boats with duck poop

John, why would anyone want their boat washed with duck poop?

We have stayed overnight a few times in our marina. I believe there are 15 docks. We are on dock 2. Dock 14 is the party dock. They had music blaring until 2AM (maybe longer). You find a way to sleep through it

Maybe next time, we just may go over and join them The combination to their gate is the same as the bathroom for the marina, so we can just enter. A key is needed to open the gate to our dock

Ray

Bubba

When I was rafted next to you I couldn't hear your banjo playing. When sailing past a 1/4 mile off I could. I did get up in the middle of the night to tie off my banging halyards. How did you like the DVD " Rescue from Gilligans Island"? Reminds me of Mark Passmore's avatare.

We just came from the marina tonight and the admiral was just mentioning how we could hear everyone talking even a few docks away. Soooo, I guess they got an earful from us. At least it was only around Nine o-clock and not too late. We watched a fantastic sunset. Maybe that put her in the mood. Life is grand.

Hi School House Steve the full moon is coming up are you going sailing to the Sacajawea Bluegrass Festival next weekend and dock at Sacajawea State park's boat docks and bouys ? It is going to be a sunny 80 deg weekend with pro bands and jamming all night long. This time you will hear my banjo loudly.

Is there any trick to "Tie out your halyards to the mast stays so they do not slap the mast"? Or is it as simple as it sounds?

It IS as simple as it sounds; but it's amazing how many people leave their boats unattended with the halyards slapping - - - which CAN be quite annoying (like keeping one awake at night).

I actually do mine another way (maybe a little difficult to explain) - - - I wrap both sides of the haylard in the same direction around the mast and attach both to the end of the screw that holds the mast raising (& lowering) ring to the mast (pushing the screw thrugh the mast so it extends as far as possible beyond the mast). Then I TIGHTEN the halyard and it doesn't slap.

I have seen others use plastic ties on the stays that they use to attach the halyards.

I recall being at Avalon Bay on Catalina Island moored beside a boat whose forward mooring line was slapping against his bow, keeping me awake, but apparently not keeping them awake, because I could not rouse anyone aboard for some time - - - to the point where I thought they might be ashore at a bar or something - - - so I tried my 3 million candlepower spotlight and that got someone up - - - whereupon I asked if they could please readjust their mooring line - - - which they did and all was fine - - - except he thought I was rude - - - I probably was Shame on me for wanting to sleep



Rick