Moorage Committee Report

Unauthorized use of another member’s slip

Hello to my all my fellow members at Queen City Yacht Club.

Not long ago, I became aware of the use of an empty slip by another member's boat which was not authorized. The member who rents the slip from the Club only knew about this usage because another member asked him if he had let someone "borrow" his slip while he was away from the main station. This is allowed if the renter has made arrangements with the member in temporary need, and wishes to use his or her slip.
Unfortunately, this time, this was NOT the case.

This kind of thing is inappropriate, and can cause a dangerous situation, that could have severe consequences. Let me give you an example: Suppose you had gone out cruising, or left to simply have some repairs done on your boat. While you were away, another boat pulls into your slip, the owner figuring, “I’ll put in here for a couple of days and be out by the time the assigned boat comes back.”

So while you’re snug in the other guy’s slip, without permission, and no with previous communication with the assignee, he happens to return, say around midnight. It’s dark, the captain is tired, it’s been along day. Perhaps it’s raining or stormy as hell and all he wants to do is pull into his slip, and is unprepared for this unexpected surprise. Trying to suddenly compensate for this situation is something even the best captain can find difficult to deal with. He is blown by the wind and bumps into another boat, a dock, or maybe his pulpit just took out the post with
his electric meter and hookup. This causes a short, the sparks ignite a fire, and we now have an impending disaster happening. Unauthorized use of another’s slip is ABSOLUTELY against the moorage rules.

5.03. Temporary Use of Slips. No slip may be temporarily used without the permission of the Committee or the Mooring Member who has been assigned permanent moorage in the slip. A Mooring Member may allow the temporary use of the member's slip to another member for moorage for a period not to exceed two weeks in each quarter without obtaining permission of the Committee.

5.04. Discretionary Moorage. In addition to the foregoing temporary moorage, the Bridge may authorize and permit additional temporary moorage at the Club's facilities.

Going beyond these specific rules always causes problems. AND, it’s been my experience in meeting members and knowing them as my frinds, that if prior permission has been asked for, members are truly kind, and will nearly always allow somebody to temporarily use the slip. The Moorage Chairman also must be notified of this so that if, in the case somebody calls and says, “so and so is in this guy’s slip,” we
know how to respond.

Richard J. Frisch
Moorage Committee Chairman