Tying a boat up next to shore on owned land outside of a slip
 

Is it permissible to tie a boat up next to shore on owned land outside of a slip on Winnipesaukee?

i.e. a property has permitted docks with 3 slips. Can a 4th boat be tied off directly to the owned land or would that then be counted as a 4th slip and only allowed if the property has enough frontage?

My inclination is to say you're OK as long as you don'tr infringe on neighbor's access or navigation. Of course, if you're "my jerk neighbor who's renting space and trying to scam the law", there may be other issues involved.

If this involves constructing or installing something to use to secure the boat, it is a fourth slip.

So tying up to a tree would be fine?

I don't see why it wouldn't be as long as your fellow association members went along with it.

My .02 worth,, think of it this way,

If you have 3 slips/boats and suddenly you ALWAYS had a fourth tied up to shore, some Gladys Kravitz will drop a dime on you, and town fathers being non-confrontational, will send a LEO over to talk to you about it. Don't be that guy trying to game the system.

But if you are just having the occasional visitor over that ties up to a tree or shores it, no harm no foul, have at it. Even if LEO asks, its not always the same boat and you have lots of friends visit. :)

It would not violate Wetlands regulations. I do not know if Marina Patrol prohibits this.

Where would you tie the second line? If it is to an anchor, then your anchor could be seen as a mooring, which would require a permit