Anchoring privileges

[rbgarr]

AFAIK cruising boats can anchor overnight in Maine as long as it isn't in defined mooring fields or navigation channels. Many towns have designated anchorages.

Maine is considering a law to prohibit RVers from saying overnight in parking lots (LL Bean's and others') where they are welcomed by the lot owners. http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/story.php?id=255609&ac=PHnws

It would be pretty annoying if all boats visiting Maine had to rent a mooring each night, but I suppose that's the case in other states?

[George Roberts]

Boats used for transportation are covered by federal law. Their mooring is incidental to their goals and as such is also governed by federal law.

[Gary E]

So that's just another reason like Maine's new gay marriage law to avoid that state. Or maybe it'l be fine with the queers.

Maine.. a State so far outa the way, you're not missing anything by avoiding it.

[CarlZog]

Boats used for transportation are covered by federal law. Their mooring is incidental to their goals and as such is also governed by federal law.

This is technically accurate, but has gotten murky when applied to recreational cruising boats.

Several states, most notably Florida, have seen significant legal battles with mixed results between cruising sailors and local governments over anchoring rights.

[George Roberts]

This is technically accurate, but has gotten murky when applied to recreational cruising boats.

Several states, most notably Florida, have seen significant legal battles with mixed results between cruising sailors and local governments over anchoring rights.


I suspect a great number of sailors try to game the system. But that is what happens with respect to most laws.

[Nanoose]

May I ask who 'owns' the shore line below the low water mark? The feds? state? local towns? And how far out do they 'own' it....it's federal to what, 200 miles?

Here, in beautiful BC, you are welcome to drop your hook where ever you would like. Private land ends at the high (low?) water mark. And we've got acres and acres and acres of beautiful, protected anchorages....google Desolation Sound....Broken Island Group.....Gulf Islands....

[Lew Barrett]

Same here in Washington in most places. High traffic areas have their own local restrictions. For instance, anchoring is forbidden on Lake Union and most of Lake Washington, but the laws are conveniently forgotten a few times a year, notably July 4th and New Year's eve. Then, it's a zoo!

[Cullen T.M. McGough]

So that's just another reason like Maine's new gay marriage law to avoid that state. Or maybe it'l be fine with the queers.

Maine.. a State so far outa the way, you're not missing anything by avoiding it.

Wow. Must be fun being a bigot. Do you usually go out of your way to post nasty, off topic messages?

[Captain Intrepid]

May I ask who 'owns' the shore line below the low water mark? The feds? state? local towns? And how far out do they 'own' it....it's federal to what, 200 miles?

Here, in beautiful BC, you are welcome to drop your hook where ever you would like. Private land ends at the high (low?) water mark. And we've got acres and acres and acres of beautiful, protected anchorages....google Desolation Sound....Broken Island Group.....Gulf Islands....

Private land ends at the higher high I think. After that it's all crown land baby! No such thing as a private beach here!

[johngsandusky]

In NY, a heavily regulated state, there are no anchoring limits other than channels or mooring areas. Some "high end" communities on eastern LI have imposed restrictions. Keeps the laboring class out. But anyone can sail into Port Jeff or Oyster Bay and drop the hook. I resent anchoring restrictions, though I understand that Florida has been overrun by liveaboards on near derelicts.

[The Bigfella]

I think that the local governments would be exposing themselves to litigation if they start restricting where a vessel can anchor beyond the mooring fields and navigation channels. Anchoring is a key safety issue.

The only restrictions I can think of here are time-based, to deal with the liveaboards situation. I did have a Maritime boat try to throw me out of Farm Cove once - where there is a 50' length restriction, but I told him Grantala was 49' and a few inches. I didn't see him pull out a tape measure.

[Gary E]

Wow. Must be fun being a bigot. Do you usually go out of your way to post nasty, off topic messages?

Ohh?? Your probably just another of those who dont know or care what your states lawmakers are doing, or maybe your in favor of it..

[Chris Coose]

Maine.. a State so far outa the way, you're not missing anything by avoiding it.

Great! Stay far away. There is absolutely nothing for you here.

[Gary E]

Great! Stay far away. There is absolutely nothing for you here.
Tell me something I dont know... I've known that since 1964

[Chris Coose]

Some queer put a move on ya?

[Nanoose]

Private land ends at the higher high I think. After that it's all crown land baby! No such thing as a private beach here!

Where is 'here'?

[pcford]

So that's just another reason like Maine's new gay marriage law to avoid that state. Or maybe it'l be fine with the queers.


Let's see Gary E. you really have not been making friends with your presence around here. Does that give you an idea of the assessed valuation of your ideas, both boat related and otherwise?

[The Bigfella]

Let's see Gary E. you really have not been making friends with your presence around here. Does that give you an idea of the assessed valuation of your ideas, both boat related and otherwise?

Hey, angry men have rights too, you know?

[StevenBauer]

Back to the thread title - aren't you giving in with your title? Shouldn't it read "Anchoring Rights?"

Shows where I stand, I guess.

As for the other issue, I'm in favor of that, too. :)


Steven

[The Bigfella]

Drop the anchor where you want, provided it isn't in a mooring field or nav channel and if questioned tell them you were feeling unwell and felt it was unsafe to proceed until you recover.... and btw can they loan you some toilet paper.

[BrianW]

Maine is a must see place for me, despite any new laws. :)

States often have a 6 mile zone, inside the Fed 12 mile limit. Then there's that 200nm zone too.

[reddog]

Nanoose,interestingly,here in Nova Scotia there is some limited private ownership of shore property extending out beyond the high water mark.These water lots were granted by the Crown way back when the original land grants were handed out in the 1800's and exist today.I've never heard of a problem with anchoring but one does have to check when dropping in a mooring.In theory the property owners could "ask" you to remove your anchor from their lot.Generally the Crown "owns" the shore property below the high water mark.

Earl

[The Bigfella]

You still have Crown Lands in the US? Wow.

[johngsandusky]

Nova Scotia's in Canada. :)

[rbgarr]

Back to the thread title - aren't you giving in with your title? Shouldn't it read "Anchoring Rights?"

I lean toward thinking of many rights as privileges or responsibilities. It puts me in mind of not inflicting a sense of entitlement on others.

In Maine, the public has access to the intertidal zone (between high and low water marks) for "fishing, fowling and navigation" only. Navigation would include grounding a skiff for clamming or worming or drying a boat out for repairs or painting, as examples.
Above the high tide is privately owned, in Maine's case more than 90% of the shoreline, and below the low tide mark ('submerged lands') are the state's.

[Bert Langley]

We actually have some "King's grant' lands here in Georgia. There are some areas along the coast where the marshes and waterways are in private ownership since the original deed was a grant from the Crown.

A few years ago we had a 40' or so wooden sailbaot sink at a marina. Through a comedy of errors the Coast Guard got involved, raised the boat and then wanted to take it offshore and sink it as an artifical reef. They needed approval from the state to place it as a reef. Approval was not forthcoming, since previous experience had shown that wooden boats are not that great for artificial reef creation partly because they tend not to stay where you place them.

The Coast Guard finally got annoyed enough to take the boat out of the marina and placed it on the marsh at high tide, basically saying here you go Georgia you can deal with this.

Turns out the marsh was part of a King's grant and was in private ownership. The owners were not amused. Litigation lasted several years.

The boat actually looked kind of pretty sitting out in the marsh with the rising sun behind it.

[johngsandusky]

Huge thread drift, but I'm in. There were some issues with Gardiner's Island a few years back, which was granted to the Gardiners by a king, or at least a royal governor. Then there was a fallout over succession, and a search for an heir. Now part of it is a private community, part of it is preserve, and none of it is public, or even accessible.

[dskira]

GaryE, sligtht problem with queers? perhaps some bad personal experiences?
I am sorry.

[Captain Intrepid]

With that kind of attitude, it must be hard for him to have good personal experiences with anyone.