Quote:
Originally Posted by bigdog
Broadhopper,
IMO. Honestly, I think this is a ridiculous rule. If the captain takes the necessary precautions, anchor light on, and is in a location out of the general travel lanes, what's the harm ! I know you have to have rules for the general saftety of the public, but think this one should be reviewed !
What's our State slogan ? Think it may be time to be changed?
IMO Every new law is killing our State and way of life, not really adding to quality of life !
BD
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Laws and rules are not for the best of people or the best of conditions, they are for the worst of both. An unattended anchoring (which is what it is when you are sleeping) can be dangerous. You have no idea if you lose your anchor at night and start to drift, into travel lanes, other boats on the water/moorings or on docks or other property. The rules they would have to put in place (anchor alarms; bow and stern anchors, not anchoring in front of populated areas, etc, etc) would be nearly impossible to enforce. Could you imagine a Marine Patrol stopping at 1am to check that you have all the proper equipment. It would not be practical.
Now mooring you might think is a different animal since it IS unattended anchoring all the time. I think there are two reasons for the same ruling as anchoring. First, the abuse of an anchor being disguised as a mooring. Again too much trouble for the Marine Patrol to enforce at 1am in the morning. Second would be the abuse by motel, camping grounds, etc that have mooring fields for their guest. If it was allowed you just double the rental space and the abuse to the lake (what is thrown overboard at night would amaze you , I have seen it). Also you are not allowed to rent or lease a mooring so they would have to change that law which means it would open up more abuse across the whole mooring program.
Bottomline, I don't think there is a choice in any kind of overnight anchoring/mooring that won't be abused or could be adequately enforced.