Annapolis Mooring Rant - AYC bite me

[kent_island_sailor]

For various reasons I was quite late getting to Annapolis for the 4th. I held out no realistic expectation of getting a mooring and once in radio range the harbormaster confirmed they were 100% occupied. This actually kind of sucks because the anchorage has shitty holding and is very exposed or you can go way the hell up Spa Creek and not see much of the fireworks.

We decided to take a chance anyway and go under the bridge and up Spa Creek just in case and what did I find but 6 or so moorings up there with covers on them RESERVED AYC ONLY :angry: :angry: What The Actual Fuck!!!!! These moorings have been first-come-first-serve for as long as they have been there and still are according to the harbormaster website. We lucked out because someone wanted to get closer to the fireworks barge and left and we snagged their mooring about 0.8 seconds after they got off it, but to make matters ever worse only 2 out of the 6 moorings ever got used! I would love to know how a private club managed to convert a scarce public resource to their own property and then didn't even USE IT  :angry:

 

[Al Paca]

$$$

 

[TwoLegged]

I would love to know how a private club managed to convert a scarce public resource to their own property and then didn't even USE IT

Public resources being converted to private property is called capitalism.  Other socio-economic models are available.

 

[kent_island_sailor]

I am going to apply to reserve some for some other club and see what they say.

 

[Gouvernail]

The OP was one of the most sincere brutal bitch outs I have seen on Sailing Anarchy that was not lessened by overuse of disrespectful language. 
 

I don’t mean the no cussing part. I mean he didn’t ask what the fuck kind of asshole idiot either asked for it approved the situation. 
 

Considering the obviously expressed passion of the writer, he absolutely was diplomatic as anyone could ask. 

 

[TheDragon]

Warning, thread drifth. Something similar happens at many campgrounds around the country on busy weekends. Folks book a site and then don't turn up and can't be bothered to cancel. Usually you can't get into the campground without a reservation so it is a catch-22, but sometimes you can. Then I just cruise through till I find an empty site around 10PM, just before quiet hour, and sleep in my van. Only once in about 10 such events did someone actually turn up so I simply say very sorry and move to another empty site.

 

[kent_island_sailor]

Warning, thread drifth. Something similar happens at many campgrounds around the country on busy weekends. Folks book a site and then don't turn up and can't be bothered to cancel. Usually you can't get into the campground without a reservation so it is a catch-22, but sometimes you can. Then I just cruise through till I find an empty site around 10PM, just before quiet hour, and sleep in my van. Only once in about 10 such events did someone actually turn up so I simply say very sorry and move to another empty site.

Oddly enough a couple AYC boats were not even on the AYC reserved moorings, so they essentially were taking TWO spots

 

[TheDragon]

So next time just take one of their "reserved" moorings, and apologize if they all turn up and want it back. With rare exceptions in life it is better to ask for forgiveness than permission. Unless what you are doing is a criminal offense likely to lead to a felony conviction, that is.

 

[Slowboat]

Our club has installed a number of guest moorings in popular anchorage spots for use by club members. We own the tackle and block and maintain the mooring.

Over the years I had a few discussions with non-club members about use of the moorings. Never anything ugly, but usually they wondered why it was a private mooring? (These discussions only happened when they were all being used, and one was being occupied by a non-club member, and a club member (me) wanted to use it). 

Perhaps, as suggested, the club has taken over ownership and/or maintenance of these moorings. It isn’t cheap to keep a mooring in tip top shape.
 

 

[Crash]

For various reasons I was quite late getting to Annapolis for the 4th. I held out no realistic expectation of getting a mooring and once in radio range the harbormaster confirmed they were 100% occupied. This actually kind of sucks because the anchorage has shitty holding and is very exposed or you can go way the hell up Spa Creek and not see much of the fireworks.

We decided to take a chance anyway and go under the bridge and up Spa Creek just in case and what did I find but 6 or so moorings up there with covers on them RESERVED AYC ONLY :angry: :angry: What The Actual Fuck!!!!! These moorings have been first-come-first-serve for as long as they have been there and still are according to the harbormaster website. We lucked out because someone wanted to get closer to the fireworks barge and left and we snagged their mooring about 0.8 seconds after they got off it, but to make matters ever worse only 2 out of the 6 moorings ever got used! I would love to know how a private club managed to convert a scarce public resource to their own property and then didn't even USE IT  :angry:

I suspect, as OneWorld suggested, that AYC likely leased those moorings for the season.  Given that COVID has resulted in a boat buying spree, it's not too far a stretch to think all of AYC's slips are totally full, and the club was looking for a way to make moorings available to other clubs that enjoy reciprocal privileges' esp. if they are totally out of slip/dock space...

The bigger question might be what are the rules/laws governing how long a person/entity can reserve a mooring? and does the mooring have to be "rented' by an individual, or can an entity (like AYC) rent them? 

 

[kent_island_sailor]

Is it possible AYC either owns or has a lease on those moorings?

I can think of a few clubs that have this arrangement with their respective harbor masters.

Either way, if it was later in the evening, I would have used it and moved first thing in the morning. Not really the right thing to do, but if I was in a pinch....

They definitely do not own them, they are city moorings that have been there forever. The "AYC Reserved" covers came off at some point yesterday too. I have been using those moorings since the time they were first put down and I have NEVER seen anything like this before. The worst part of the whole thing besides for taking over a public taxpayer funded resource was they only used 2 out of the 6 and had AYC boats on other moorings that presumably could have been on the reserved ones. This is kind of like the local BMW club renting the left lane of I-95 during rush hour and then not even driving on it

 

[kent_island_sailor]

I suspect, as OneWorld suggested, that AYC likely leased those moorings for the season.  Given that COVID has resulted in a boat buying spree, it's not too far a stretch to think all of AYC's slips are totally full, and the club was looking for a way to make moorings available to other clubs that enjoy reciprocal privileges' esp. if they are totally out of slip/dock space...

The bigger question might be what are the rules/laws governing how long a person/entity can reserve a mooring? and does the mooring have to be "rented' by an individual, or can an entity (like AYC) rent them? 

The rental moorings are reserved by you being there. If you leave and don't leave a dinghy on the line anyone is free to grab it and it isn't yours at that point.

 

[Nettles]

Did you ask the Harbormonster?

 

[trimfast]

Apparently, the moorings are leased by the Club from Friday at Noon, until Monday at Noon.  They are not for overnight use unless approved by the Club due to transient slips being full, they are for use of members while at the Club using the facilities.

While I hear you, and feel your pain, chances are that due to your late arrival, they may have been full even if AYC didn't have them leased on a holiday weekend. I think the gripe really should be against the Harbor Master allowing it, not that the Club found someone willing to charge them for it.

 

[RobbieB]

Lack of access is what has been the #1 killer of "non-trailerable" sail boats for years now.  In Charleston you can get a 30' boat slip for $100,000.00.  Sure, go buy a $12,000 30 4knt shit box and stick it in a 6 figure slip.... Ain't happening.

US sAiling thinks promoting LBGTQ is gonna increase participation and boat ownership.  I don't think that's been an issue in our sport for some time now, but maybe that's just me.  Unfortunately they continue to grasp at straws because the reality is there's just not much they can do to stop the slide.  Public access getting gobbled up by development, slip prices are nuts and YC's just get more expensive to cover the increasing costs of facility management.  Capitalism rules..... 

 

[Foredeck Shuffle]

Apparently, the moorings are leased by the Club from Friday at Noon, until Monday at Noon.  They are not for overnight use unless approved by the Club due to transient slips being full, they are for use of members while at the Club using the facilities.

While I hear you, and feel your pain, chances are that due to your late arrival, they may have been full even if AYC didn't have them leased on a holiday weekend. I think the gripe really should be against the Harbor Master allowing it, not that the Club found someone willing to charge them for it.

Last I remember, the club gives complimentary access to Annapolis and Maryland state/federal politicians for the bar, restaurant, etc.

 

[kent_island_sailor]

Apparently, the moorings are leased by the Club from Friday at Noon, until Monday at Noon.  They are not for overnight use unless approved by the Club due to transient slips being full, they are for use of members while at the Club using the facilities.

While I hear you, and feel your pain, chances are that due to your late arrival, they may have been full even if AYC didn't have them leased on a holiday weekend. I think the gripe really should be against the Harbor Master allowing it, not that the Club found someone willing to charge them for it.

I actually DID get a mooring to my great surprise, so my bitch was not about that, it was about a very scarce and in-demand taxpayer funded public resource being leased to a private club *and not even used*.

What happens when EYC wants 6 more and SSA wants 6 more and RBSA wants 6 more and so on?

 

[patchy]

I actually DID get a mooring to my great surprise, so my bitch was not about that, it was about a very scarce and in-demand taxpayer funded public resource being leased to a private club *and not even used*.

What happens when EYC wants 6 more and SSA wants 6 more and RBSA wants 6 more and so on?

get a life

 

[kent_island_sailor]

get a life

Alrighty 18 post n00b,  how about you fuck off or show us some tits?