Overnight docking

[itchin for fishin]

Is there overnight docking in Merideth after midnight?

[Island-Ho]

I think it would be safe to say that there is no overnight docking allowed at any public town dock on the lake.

[Mee-n-Mac]

Island-Ho is correct. I think you used to be able to get away with it occasionally but I heard that the town started cracking down on it this year.

[Dave R]

I don't own a boat I can sleep on so this does not really affect me, but I think it would be worthwhile for towns to offer transient slips for occassional use. There are plenty of trailerable cruisers on the market and the towns could make great use of the docks at night and make a little money too. Obviously, the price would have to be steep enough to not compete with marinas and daylight tie up time limits would need to be enforced but the concept has worked well for years in coastal towns. Out of curiosisty, do local marinas have transient slips???

[KonaChick]

Good idea possibly but I can't see it happening here..we barely have enough MP to enforce the current rules and regulations!

[CentreHarborEric]

Given the enormous beaurocracy that would necessarily come along with something administered by MP/Dept of Saftey/State of NH, I don't think it would ever be a money maker.
It was never a big money maker for us in the marina business. You might get $2 or $3/SF/night...

[CentreHarborEric]

Sorry, I am a commercial real estate guy and think in square feet or SF all the time. $2-$3/foot/night for transients back in the day.

[Dave R]

Originally Posted by CentreHarborEric

Given the enormous beaurocracy that would necessarily come along with something administered by MP/Dept of Saftey/State of NH, I don't think it would ever be a money maker.
It was never a big money maker for us in the marina business. You might get $2 or $3/SF/night...

I figured since it was at town docks, the local police would enforce the laws at the docks leaving the MP to continue to do what ever it is they do in the evenings. Just seems crazy to me to not allow people to tie up to town docks overnight if they are not breaking any laws (assuming ordinances were changed to allow overnight docking). I guess a few bad apples have eliminated the possibility of this for the rest of us by being loud and obnoxious. Same folks that ruined spending a night "on the hook" on the lake too I suppose.

This brings up a thought, since the lake is public property and there are laws against disturbing the peace etc. already on the books, why do we need a law that says it's illegal to anchor overnight on the lake? How is said law worded? Do I have to pull up my anchor from sunset to sunrise or is it just necessary to have someone awake at all times? I can recall spending night at anchor as a kid on my parent's cruiser back in the 70s (when it was legal). It was fun and we were polite and quiet. Be nice to able to share that sort of thing with my own kids someday. Be nice to have a cruiser too...

[pmj]

I agree that you should be able to anchor overnight on the lake. I do not see the reasoning behind this law and think it just one more strike against the "Live Free or Die"slogan. Government making laws that have no substance.
If someone knows the reasoning behind this please explain this one to me. Oh, and if it has anything to do with waste, I don't buy it. We have holding tanks for this purpose.

pmj

[NightWing]

It might turn parts of the lake into a campground.

[pmj]

They allow this on Lake Champlain and I haven't read anywhere that this poses a threat to any particular issue, safety wise or environmentally.

[Dave R]

Originally Posted by pmj

I agree that you should be able to anchor overnight on the lake. I do not see the reasoning behind this law and think it just one more strike against the "Live Free or Die"slogan. Government making laws that have no substance.
If someone knows the reasoning behind this please explain this one to me. Oh, and if it has anything to do with waste, I don't buy it. We have holding tanks for this purpose.

pmj

Pretty sure it has everything to do with noise levels coming from the anchored boats and unhappy residents on the shore hoping for a peaceful nights rest. As much as I don't want anyone to be disturbed, I personally think banning overnight anchoring is in general a bad idea on a public lake. If noise is a problem, tickets (and very large fines) should be issued by the MP or local police since disturbing the peace is already against the law and something that should be punished more severely than it presently is.

There does not seem to be any regard for the quiet, law abiding boaters who would go unnoticed all night on the hook. That said, perhaps plenty of people do anchor overnight and the MP ignores it unless they get a complaint. I imagine it would be easy to get away with on a weeknight, especially if one were to carefully choose their spot and keep quiet.

[Sschaar]

The reason the law is on the books is cause they don't want people sleeping on the lake, they want them in area hotels, motels, and bed and breakfasts. At dinner time they don't want them on the lake, they want them in area restaurants spending money and paying taxes to support the local economy and goverment. Besides if people can stay over night on the lake what's to keep them from partying up a storm, and being loud. Then there would be a need for more law enforcemnet, hence more money having to be spent. They just don't want to go there. Can't say I blame them for that.
But I do acknowedge your point. What right do they have to infringe on your comings and goings on public property.

[islandAl]

You are not allowed to pull over to the side of a highway and camp overnight, so the same thing goes on the lake, you can not just drop anchor and spend the night.

[madrasahs]

Originally Posted by Dave R

"...plenty of people do anchor overnight and the MP ignores it unless they get a complaint."

Usually, one's only "clue" is a noisy engine start-up in the morning, when it's too late to do anything about it.
.

When I did spot one, they had time to brush their teeth, pee, shampoo, and wash up before the MPs arrived (to wonder about the only boat they passed while getting to the scene).
.

Originally Posted by Sschaar

"What right do they have to infringe on your comings and goings on public property."

Last night's winds would have had your boat dragging its anchor.

Depending on the makeup of the bottom (which you wouldn't have known for sure when anchoring) you could have collected, disconnected, tangled, or damaged lots of mooring lines, lakewater supply pipes, moorings, swim lines, moored boats, docks, and docked boats before you knew it. (And woke up and were able -- perhaps -- to discover what was happening in the dark.)

Seems as though NH considered the unforeseen costs of LFOD. Some folks have not.

[Sschaar]

Madrasashs
You seem to relish in any law/regulation that limits peoples access or usage of the lake.
In many lakes throughout the country it's not an issue. Lakes are for the general public to use. Day use, night use, whatever.
That doesn't mean people have the right to violate laws. If somebody's boat is to loud they should get a ticket. If their speeding or driving in an unsafe manner they should be cited. If they want to spend a night on their boat they should be able to. It's done everywhere else.
Now that doesn't mean their not held accountable for their actions. If they wreck something, they pay.
Maybe residents/taxpayers should hold local law enforcment more accountable for the laws that are currently on the books. If there's not enough of them, who's fault is that. ( Let me guess, the boaters )
I think the vast majority of boaters are responsible and safe.
You seems to always be pointing out the exception.

[marcucci]

I think you can anchor overnight. You just have to:

1) Keep you anchor light on
2) Don't sleep

This is what I believe to be legally true and what I have been telling people for years.

-Dave

[ghoti]

I was told by a sailboater friend (non-property owner) that he had checked with the MP and was told by them that if they knew an on-shore property owner, they could anchor in front of their place and sleep overnight. Never checked into it myself so can't vouch for it personnally.

Not sure it makes sense , but laws aren't always logical unless you know the context of how they were passed. BTW, he rarely does it.

Just offering this as food for controversy, I guess.

[Skip]

I have attached the applicable RSA's below governing overnight anchoring.
The law is somewhat ambiguous, but rest assured...whether you are in a forty foot cruiser or a sixteen foot whaler, if you're asleep on a seat, bucket,blanket or bed (its all considered bed) and no matter where you go or what you use (the Lake included) its will be considered "toilet facilities", and you will be moved along (with or without paperwork). So, if its after dark and you are asleep in or on it, its probably going to be considered a "houseboat".

Anyway, hope the below posted info helps and as always, please feel free to e-mail me offline if you would like any further information....

Skip



CHAPTER 270-A
USE OF HOUSEBOATS
Section 270-A:1
270-A:1 Definitions. – The following words and phrases as used in this chapter shall have the following meanings, unless the context clearly requires otherwise:
I. "Person' means any individual, firm, co-partnership, company, association or joint-stock association, including any trustee, administrator, executor, receiver, assignee or other personal representative thereof.
II. "Houseboat' means any ship, boat, raft, float, catamaran or marine craft of any description upon or within which are located sleeping and toilet facilities, regardless of whether such facilities are of a permanent or temporary nature.
III. "Overnight period' means the period of time between the termination of daylight in the evening to the earliest dawn in the next morning.
IV. "Mooring' means beaching, grounding, or tying of a houseboat to the shore of any of the inland surface waters of the state, and the anchoring of a houseboat on any of the inland surface waters of the state.

CHAPTER 270-A
USE OF HOUSEBOATS
Section 270-A:2
270-A:2 Where Overnight Mooring Permitted. – A houseboat may be beached or grounded, or tied to the shore of any of the inland surface waters of the state for an overnight period, or any part of an overnight period, only when on or at a location owned, leased, or otherwise under the control of the owner or operator of the houseboat or by permission of the owner, lessee, or person otherwise in control of such location. An unoccupied houseboat may be anchored on the inland surface waters of the state for an overnight period, or any part of an overnight period, only in an area reasonably adjacent to a location owned, leased, or otherwise under the control of the owner or operator of the houseboat or by permission of the owner, lessee, or person otherwise in control of such location

CHAPTER 270-A
USE OF HOUSEBOATS
Section 270-A:3
270-A:3 Where Overnight Mooring Prohibited. – No houseboat shall be beached or grounded, or tied to the shore of any of the inland surface waters of the state for an overnight period or any part of an overnight period, except as permitted in RSA 270-A:2 or in cases of emergency. No houseboat shall be anchored on any of the inland surface waters of the state for an overnight period or any part of an overnight period except as permitted in RSA 270-A:2 or in cases of emergency.

[Mee-n-Mac]

Originally Posted by Skip

{snip}
II. "Houseboat' means any ship, boat, raft, float, catamaran or marine craft of any description upon or within which are located sleeping and toilet facilities, regardless of whether such facilities are of a permanent or temporary nature.
III. "Overnight period' means the period of time between the termination of daylight in the evening to the earliest dawn in the next morning.
IV. "Mooring' means beaching, grounding, or tying of a houseboat to the shore of any of the inland surface waters of the state, and the anchoring of a houseboat on any of the inland surface waters of the state.

CHAPTER 270-A
USE OF HOUSEBOATS
Section 270-A:3
270-A:3 Where Overnight Mooring Prohibited. – No houseboat shall be beached or grounded, or tied to the shore of any of the inland surface waters of the state for an overnight period or any part of an overnight period, except as permitted in RSA 270-A:2 or in cases of emergency. No houseboat shall be anchored on any of the inland surface waters of the state for an overnight period or any part of an overnight period except as permitted in RSA 270-A:2 or in cases of emergency.

So JFF one possible interpretation of the above would be to prohibit dropping anchor at night on the lake to watch the fireworks in a cruiser but perhaps not so in a bassboat (no sleeping or toilet facilities).

MP to bassboater - "Son you have to move along now"

Bassboater - "But I'm no Houseboat"

MP - "What's that toilet rolling around by the gas tanks ?"

Bassboater - "That's no toilet, it's an empty Bud can !"

MP - "Uh huh ..."

Have to use a little commonsense in interpreting the law

[BroadHopper]

Originally Posted by BroadHopper

I was anchored in the cove on Timber Island South. A friend and I decided to do a little sunset skinny dipping when low and behold a P-boat appeared. I've been dipping all my life on this lake and this is the first encounter with the law. We had to make ourselves decent and fear of a ticket for indecent exposure crossed our minds.
The officer is not knowledgeable of maritime law. Or did the State of NH prevail? The officer wrote me a ticket because my bow light (red/green) was not on! I had my stern light on and I argued that it is all you need if you are anchoring. He stated that all I need was the red/green light and it must be on if I want to anchor overnight!
Since he said I can anchor overnight and I have a witness we decided to call his bluff. With just the bow light on we stayed. No one bothered us.
I decided to contest this in court and send in a not guilty plea. It's been 4 months and I am still waiting for the court date!
Anyone in the forum had any experience on incompetent officers???

This was posted in the wrong thread. I thought I copy this here. Since I don't have a houseboat, no toilet or sleeping facilities, I assume the MP was correct that I can anchor overnight.

[Bizer]

Returning to the original question: In looking through my photos, I came across this photo taken in July, 2002 at the Meredith town docks. I believe there had been a recent article in the Meredith News that the selectmen had prohibited overnight docking.

The sign has two problems: First, there is no such time as 12AM. Since they mean midnight, the sign should say 12M. Secondly, if 3-hour docking is allowed from 8AM to midnight, that implies that there are no restrictions at other times.

[BroadHopper]

That's a good one Bizer. Take a look at the sign at the Glendale Docks. It faces the entrance to the docks parking area so that those who drive in by auto can see. Boaters can't see the sign so they can get into trouble. The sign says that rules are enforced from May 15 to Oct 15. After that one can keep his boat at the docks 24 hours! Most of the island owners take advantage of this. While I was making my last cruise around the lake a couple of weeks ago, I notice at all public docks, there are boats with mooring covers on.
I'm assuming that the laws are seasonal.

[meredith necker]

Towns are more lax in the offseason. I do reject the idea that towns accomodate trailered boats when they do not accomodate their own land owners. In Meredith there are hundreds of water front cottages and island cottages and very little town dockage. An island person can't park at the town docks and drive up to say Franconia Notch and eat a nice meal and come home without getting a ticket, but the taxes on island property are high. Many islanders are forced to rent a slip at a marina, and you know what that costs! The best thing to do is have a trailerable boat and a nice trailer set up and take the boat out when you are done. Then you could camp in a campground - in your boat probably!

[itchin for fishin]

Good point on limited dock space. Cheers to Meredith for adding more dockage. You would think the town fathers would encourage expansion of the number of slips as most people docking are getting off and spending money in town. Center Harbor certainly can use a significant expansion. Pepper, as a Weirs business can you comment one way or another?

[Pepper]

Well, I can comment that most of the people who dock and walk around are spending money at the nearby businesses. In this regard, Weirs Beach offers a goodly number of spaces and people do indeed support the local businesses this way. THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!! With regard to overnight docking, I don't know enough about the subject to comment. I would think that if the vessel had the "necessary services" onboard, there really shouldn't be that much of a problem, BUT I'm sure there's more to it than that. Just dunno what.