Lost my mooring

[tphoyt]

It’s sad that I haven’t gotten my boat in the water yet. The town took away my mooring
I have been in the same hook for 13 years and it was a grandfathered mooring that goes back about 60 years that was passed down though a family. My buddy that passed it on to me passed as well and being that I was not a family member they have considered it an illegal mooring now. I get where there coming from but it sucks. I guess I’ll have to get on a very long list and wait for one to open up. In the mean time I won’t be doing much boating as I don’t have much time to anyway and it takes to much time to get back and forth from the ramp and there’s never any parking anyway.
Just needed to vent

 

[cwella]

It’s sad that I haven’t gotten my boat in the water yet. The town took away my mooring
I have been in the same hook for 13 years and it was a grandfathered mooring that goes back about 60 years that was passed down though a family. My buddy that passed it on to me passed as well and being that I was not a family member they have considered it an illegal mooring now. I get where there coming from but it sucks. I guess I’ll have to get on a very long list and wait for one to open up. In the mean time I won’t be doing much boating as I don’t have much time to anyway and it takes to much time to get back and forth from the ramp and there’s never any parking anyway.
Just needed to vent

That’s a tough situation, especially after 13 years in the same spot. Even if the town has rules about transferring moorings, it’s frustrating to lose something that had been part of your routine for so long. Hopefully you can get back on the list and find another spot sooner than expected. Might be worth checking if there’s an appeal process or any temporary options while you wait.

 

[tphoyt]

The harbor master told me to sign up on the waiting list but also warned me it was long and man he was right. Lagoon pond where I was has a wait list of 57. The next person on the list signed up in 2020. Lake Thasmoo my other option has a list of 88 and the next on the list signed up in 2006.
I’ll be dead before I get another mooring.
No point in even getting on the list but I guess I could just for kicks and pass if my day ever comes. Some people may have found other options and just never remove themselves from the list and will pass when they are up next.

 

[flashback]

The harbor master told me to sign up on the waiting list but also warned me it was long and man he was right. Lagoon pond where I was has a wait list of 57. The next person on the list signed up in 2020. Lake Thasmoo my other option has a list of 88 and the next on the list signed up in 2006.
I’ll be dead before I get another mooring.
No point in even getting on the list but I guess I could just for kicks and pass if my day ever comes. Some people may have found other options and just never remove themselves from the list and will pass when they are up next.

That's probably why you got bumped off the spot. Some fat cat bought your spot. Harbour master may have made a buck or two as well.

 

[tpenfield]

@tphoyt , bummer . . .

Was the mooring still listed under the 'buddy's' name? If so, it makes sense that you lost the mooring spot. Otherwise, I'm not sure how they would know or care? All the mooring lists in Falmouth are crazy long (150+). I got my mooring in 1998 and applied for a second mooring for my sailboat in 2015. . . . still waiting on the sailboat.

There is definitely more demand for moorings, slips, etc. than the supply. I feel that the Harbormasters could put more moorings in if they wanted to, but there are probably a number of factors, such as harbor parking, dock facilities, environmental concerns, etc.

I've noticed that the harbor regulation strategies over the year was to try to create turn-over. But with long lists, nobody gives up their mooring spot willingly. I also think the harbors limit the number of new moorings to keep feeding over-flow into the private marinas . . . but those are full as well.

Our local boat club went around one year and counted 70 unused moorings in my harbor. (probably about 30% of the moorings). And . . . the town has restrictions on letting others use them, renting them out, etc.

It's just a crazy situation . . .

 

[tpenfield]

@tphoyt . . .

FWIW - West Falmouth Harbor has 212 people on the waiting list. I am at #29 for my sailboat. I think I was about #90 when I got on the list about 10 years ago. So, it moves 5-6 positions each year. Some people on the list are there for a move request, so the list is a bit shorter, but not much.

 

[Lpgc]

13 Years... How long does someone need to have the same mooring before they get the same kind of loyalty from the harbour that the harbour seems to give to 'grandfather' moorings? I would appeal on that basis.

 

[tphoyt]

That's probably why you got bumped off the spot. Some fat cat bought your spot. Harbour master may have made a buck or two as well.

They removed the mushroom and all so I can’t suspect that happened but if another one shows up even close by I’ll be knocking on the door.

 

[tpenfield]

They removed the mushroom and all so I can’t suspect that happened but if another one shows up even close by I’ll be knocking on the door.

@tphoyt . . . Was the mooring under your name or was it listed as your friend's mooring, who passed away. If it was listed as his mooring, then that's the issue.

 

[tphoyt]

To be more clear the moorings was simply passed on to me by another family with nothing more than its all yours. It was put in some 60 + years ago when the times were different and it was never really a legal mooring in the first place. But things didn’t matter that much then.
Now days if ghee let people drop a block just anywhere it would be mayhem and I completely understand that. Over the years other people tried to do it right next to me but were quickly told to remove it. The family was very well rooted in the community so the town kinda of looked the other way but finally decided to draw the line. I don’t feel like I have any right to fight it nor do I want to start any trouble.

 

[tpenfield]

To be more clear the moorings was simply passed on to me by another family with nothing more than its all yours. It was put in some 60 + years ago when the times were different and it was never really a legal mooring in the first place. But things didn’t matter that much then.
Now days if ghee let people drop a block just anywhere it would be mayhem and I completely understand that. Over the years other people tried to do it right next to me but were quickly told to remove it. The family was very well rooted in the community so the town kinda of looked the other way but finally decided to draw the line. I don’t feel like I have any right to fight it nor do I want to start any trouble.

Yes, the mooring was probably listed under the family's name, so it was not yours, and probably the annual fee was not getting paid.

Back in the 1960's-70's the common practice was to drop a mooring where ever it looked to be OK. We had a Beetle Cat back then and dropped our own mooring. IIRC, it was a bunch of lead weights tied to some poly line. It probably still down there somewhere.

By the late 70's -1980's the harbor regulations were passed and everyone who had their boat on a mooring had to get it 'officially assigned'. Then came the waiting lists, which were short by comparison to today's. My brother got a mooring fairly quickly in the mid 1980's, but soon lost it when he did not have the boat any more and neglected to renew the permit/registration.

I got on the list in 1997 and only waited about 1 year back then. I started out with a 200 lb Dor-Mor anchor and went up to a 500 lb Dor-Mor in 2012 when I got the 33 foot Formula.

Your post (and saga) prompted me to check my records at the Harbor Master's Office (online now), and it still has my old mailing address. So, I sent them and email with the new information.

 

[tpenfield]

@tphoyt . . .

BTW - Check out the Tisbury Mooring Regulations (Harbor Master Website). They have some provisions for loaning out moorings that may be unused, which may get you by until you (or your decedents ) can get a mooring assigned.

Falmouth tried doing that for a year or 2, but it got too administratively intensive and they dropped it.

 

[tphoyt]

Good tips
Thx

 

[FLATHEAD]

If you paid for the mooring annually for 13 years using a check or card in your name I think you have a pretty good chance to dispute the removal. If that’s the case might be worth ( dare I say it) to get a lawyer.

 

[tphoyt]

That’s the thing I have never paid a fee and I always did my own inspection every year and maintenance as needed. It was just a mooring installed by an old salt back in the day when you could get away with that kinda of stuff. The town did look it over once about 5 or 6 years ago just to see what is was but there were no problems and nothing was said. We also have a new harbor master now who is just a couple years in so things have changed here as well. I would have gladly paid a fee to keep it if they wanted to make it a town mooring but they just don’t want it there anymore.
Thx for all the tips though.