Floating Item Etiquette?

[2ndtry]

Re: Floating Item Etiquette?

Got a nice seat cushion the other day

Yeah, I think that was mine. It must have floated up from NC

My father found a 17' canoe once, with registration numbers. The numbers were old, the address was out of date and he never was able to contact the rightful owner. He tied it to his dock with bailing twine (didn't want it to seem to permanent) for a whole summer before it he deemed it his.

 

[Xandre]

Re: Floating Item Etiquette?

Yeah, I think that was mine. It must have floated up from NC

My father found a 17' canoe once, with registration numbers. The numbers were old, the address was out of date and he never was able to contact the rightful owner. He tied it to his dock with bailing twine (didn't want it to seem to permanent) for a whole summer before it he deemed it his.

Sweet find...way better than the inner tube with a hole in it I found yesterday!

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Floating Item Etiquette?

I found a dinghy once; pulled it up on my brother-in-law's lawn nearby and put "Happy Birthday" on it for him.

I did, however, also leave it in plain sight from the water not far from where I found it adrift in case the owner went looking for it.

 

[pontoonscott39]

Re: Floating Item Etiquette?

If we all pick stuff up off the water, think how much cleaner the lakes would be. I try to get trash, bumpers or whatever is floating cause I know I don't want to hit them skiing or boarding.
Cheers

 

[spudshaft]

Re: Floating Item Etiquette?

My mother in law found a body once -- she didn't keep it.

Last weekend I lost a noodle and a fender. I hope someone found them and is using them.

 

[Xandre]

Re: Floating Item Etiquette?

My mother in law found a body once -- she didn't keep it.

Last weekend I lost a noodle and a fender. I hope someone found them and is using them.

I'm dying to find a noodle. haha

 

[V153]

Re: Floating Item Etiquette?

Almost hit a lil 4' floating paddle once. Had to go back'n retrieve that souvenier. Found several types of PFDs, couple cushions that hadn't sunk yet, had a run on coolie cups there for awhile.

In a no wake zone I too will alter my course to scoop up any garbage I see floating.

Corpses I dunno ... I do know that I was running with a couple of buddies boats one day when we came across what turned out to be an overly ripe Raccoon bobbing in the intracoastal. Genius that he is one buddy decided to 'net' the poor dead animal.

Lemme put it this way when that rotting thing cleared the water, directly upwind of us naturally, several crew members became shall we say "seasick" ... Personally I'm gonna stick to coolie cups ...

 

[hostage]

Re: Floating Item Etiquette?

Funny I didn't realize you started this thread, Hostage. I go out in the bay where I'm guessing you found that bumper ( unless you were out on the lake) and purposely SEARCH for stuff people drop into the water. Haha!

So far this week I have found 2 bumpers. I offered them to the guy who docks next to me and he didn't want them so now they are helping my boat at the dock =)

I would always give something back if it seemed like the person was still around but I certainly have no issue snagging up something useful out of the water. If you don't someone else will!

Nah, I don't really search it, it more so appeared a hundred feet off my stern when I was drifting on the bay. I was ready to give it back if anyone wanted it, I tied it up so it would hang a few feet away from my boat. I haven't been out since the 3rd as I injured my shoulder

-Hostage

 

[MrBigStuff]

Re: Floating Item Etiquette?

This thread reminds of the local golf course rules- you can't pick up a lost ball, until it stops rolling...

Which highlights up the issue, when is something considered "lost"?

Hey, check out this cool weighted marker that someone lost!

There are no undeveloped lakes around here. If something is floating out in the middle and no boats have come by to claim it, perhaps it blew off some property nearby. I usually take anything of value back to the closest shore and prop it up as someone else mentioned. Trash we just collect and dispose of.

Heck, I've found sections of dock barely floating out in the lake. Talk about a navigation hazard. Towed to shore and hopefully the owner will find it.

 

[N3UP]

Re: Floating Item Etiquette?

Unless it's marked with a name or registration number, I'd say finder's keepers, losers weepers......

 

[26aftcab454]

Re: Floating Item Etiquette?

Found a nice 2 person sit on kayak last Saturday night--thought it was a boat without lights--no one around to claim it. took it to my buds slip and tied it out in plain sight- by 10am Sunday the owner came and claimed it.

 

[weareallnuts]

Re: Floating Item Etiquette?

You handled it as "do unto others as you would have them do to you." The craigslist option is a good suggestion, too. I've never found anything floating, but have picked up a number of life jackets on the interstate. The comment, "no name, no claim," suggests a preventive step -- stencil your phone number on bumpers, skis, towables. That's a good idea that I will adopt. Happy boating!

 

['78 Crusader]

Re: Floating Item Etiquette?

You handled it as "do unto others as you would have them do to you." The craigslist option is a good suggestion, too. I've never found anything floating, but have picked up a number of life jackets on the interstate. The comment, "no name, no claim," suggests a preventive step -- stencil your phone number on bumpers, skis, towables. That's a good idea that I will adopt. Happy boating!

I don't put my phone number on them, instead I stencil my TX registration numbers on them.