Floating Item Etiquette?

[hostage]

If you find something in the water, what should you do, is there a proper etiquette? I was out yesterday relaxing and found a fairly new bumper floating in the water. I didn't see anyone around so after a couple minutes I drove up and tied it up with the rope so it floated a few feet away from my boat. I wanted to give someone a chance to claim it and I kept floating around then eventually left after some time had elapsed.

-Hostage

 

[rrhodes]

Re: Floating Item Etiquette?

Think of it as litter patrol. There are a few coves that get heavy night time use and if you hit them in the morning there are noodles and fenders for the picking. I still buy fenders since it appears that people actually keep an eye on the large quality fenders and all I find floating around are very dirty small fenders.

 

[sasto]

Re: Floating Item Etiquette?

I don't know about etiquette, hostage, but my lady can spot one a mile away and we always pick them up. To her it is as good as a lunker fish. I have no problem with what you did.

 

[RIDEPATE]

Re: Floating Item Etiquette?

I'd agree with Rick, litter patrol. I picked-up 5 of the white small bumpers, all Taylor-Made,bound by a piece of rope last week. Don't need to buy any now!!

 

[DJ]

Re: Floating Item Etiquette?

No name-No claim.

 

[ziggy]

Re: Floating Item Etiquette?

well, i've given up at least one fender and one pfd. multiple hats, the ol lady's prescription shades. probably more. only got the shades back. they were on a floaty thing. specs were gone and only shreds of the floaty thing...:facepalm:

i've found a pfd or two one of which is for a rather large person. no one i know is that big. no fenders yet.

imho. it's kinda give and take over the years...

 

[jkust]

Re: Floating Item Etiquette?

Craigslist ad: Found fender floating in lake xyz. Call to provide a description and claim.

 

[Limited-Time]

Re: Floating Item Etiquette?

We recovered a Ski-Bob (less passengers) one time from the lake. We anchored for a few hours in the cove where we found it. No one came by to claim it so we kept it.

 

[hostage]

Re: Floating Item Etiquette?

well, i've given up at least one fender and one pfd. multiple hats, the ol lady's prescription shades. probably more. only got the shades back. they were on a floaty thing. specs were gone and only shreds of the floaty thing...:facepalm:

i've found a pfd or two one of which is for a rather large person. no one i know is that big. no fenders yet.

imho. it's kinda give and take over the years...

I hope someone wasn't wearing a life jacket that was to large and they drowned

The funny thing is I just ordered some new bumpers from west marine. Was going to get them from iboats, but shipping cost as much as the bumpers and I didn't have to pay for shipping for them.

I did loose two brand new towels >< I will never hang anything from my bimini to drive. I just hope someone didn't retreive them like I retrieved someone's ski rope on my prop.

 

[msojjo]

Re: Floating Item Etiquette?

I have lost two of the nice taylor made colored bumpers with rope and a nice perko clip that matched the key hole clip on the boat......probably over 30 bucks a peice, son of a *(*&^%^&........but i was the dumb aRR who left them out while under way so i guess..........enjoy.

 

[scooper77515]

Re: Floating Item Etiquette?

Claim it, use it, give it up if someone tries to re-claim it later?

That is what I would do. Just tell em where/when you found it, maybe suggest a better knot or type of rope to secure it in the future.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Floating Item Etiquette?

Like you did, make a reasonable effort for the loser to come by and then keep it--and get it off the water.

Something large, valuable and/or personal would warrant a craigslist or classified ad, if the body of water is mostly frequented with locals and regulars.
I found a woman's purse once washed up at the house, w/ ID but other stuff stolen (thrown off a bridge) and tracked the person down; she was mentally disabled and her family greatly appreciated our efforts to return her ID, medical card, etc.

Last week we had big winds and a bow cushion floated up to the neighbor's bulkhead, so they just set it up in the yard so you could see it from the water; apparently someone went looking for it and came and got it. I once saw a small paddle boat tied to a channel marker for a week or so. So if you find something out there and can secure it where it would be found, that's a good idea.

But I also have a part of me that likes the "law of salvage at sea" that makes the treasure hunting fun, and no qualms about keeping stuff, too. I found a dinghy once and dragged it into my brother in law's shore line since it was his birthday.

 

[sw33ttooth]

Re: Floating Item Etiquette?

only way i see it as harm to start taking stuff is if the person that ownd it turned back to get it and you just beat them there otherwise if its been sitting in the water and no one around its a freebe congrats.

 

[204 Escape]

Re: Floating Item Etiquette?

We have picked up trash, (cans etc.), floating in the water, bumpers, even picked up a ski. We carried around a ski for quite a while. It was the salom ski none the less, of a set. Went to the marina to eat, and a guy came up to me. He had docked next to me and ask me if by chance I had found the ski in the floor of my boat. I said yes that I had. He had marked it on the inside of the foot piece. He told me about the mark, BEFORE I went to get the ski. I didn't advertise it, BECAUSE I figured someone would claim it, even though it wasn't theirs. I was going to leave it at the marina resturant, as I know the people there.

I've picked up floating sunglasses, and fenders as well.

I write my name, etc., on my fenders in case I lose one of them.

 

[Fireman431]

Re: Floating Item Etiquette?

If you find a fender or other item and you really don't need it, keep it until you hear someone say that they are in need and give it away.

 

[SeanMcl]

Re: Floating Item Etiquette?

When we are teaching people to slalom ski, we have them start up on 2, then drop one ski. As they drop it we throw out a orange cheap PFD to make it easier to find the ski. We usually don't get very far away, but keep that in mind if you see a PFD and a ski floating about. I think it's a pretty common thing to do in Utah, at least.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Floating Item Etiquette?

When we are teaching people to slalom ski, we have them start up on 2, then drop one ski. As they drop it we throw out a orange cheap PFD to make it easier to find the ski. We usually don't get very far away, but keep that in mind if you see a PFD and a ski floating about. I think it's a pretty common thing to do in Utah, at least.

when I was growing up we skiied all the time--the days before tubes and wake boards. Since a lot of us had smaller boats than people have today, we'd frequently get up on 2 and drop 1. Although I worried about someone coming along and collecting skis, never happened. But sometimes they were hard to see, especially around sunset. I got a prop mark on one of mine. Good diea to throw out the orange PFD--and no one will steal those ugly things.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Floating Item Etiquette?

No name-No claim.

Ayuh,... Ditto that,...
But,..
If somebody comes boatin' up Screamin' it's Their's,...
I'll usually give it back.....

Floatsom, 'n jetsom is about the same thing as Junk on the side of the Hi-way,...
If ya can git' her loaded before the old owner comes back,...

She's Your's.....

 

[Augoose]

Re: Floating Item Etiquette?

Think of it as litter patrol. There are a few coves that get heavy night time use and if you hit them in the morning there are noodles and fenders for the picking. I still buy fenders since it appears that people actually keep an eye on the large quality fenders and all I find floating around are very dirty small fenders.

How do you tell if its a bumper or a dead striper on lake murray? Geesh...they are everywhere!

 

[rbh]

Re: Floating Item Etiquette?

If 2 boaters see the same item at the same time, they grab their paddles and joust for the item!!!!