Hi All,
I'm after a bit of information on anchoring at the Basin. Booked a campsite at the basin for father/child school weekend next Sat. Weather permitting, I'm thinking of sailing up Fri for a night on the boat and then Sat night at the campsite, sail back Sun.
Bit hesitant about anchoring in the basin and staying off the boat for Sat night.
Are there any maritime courtesy moorings at the basin (can't find info on maritime website)? What is anchoring like, looks like it's mostly club moorings and pretty crowded, is there much room left for safe anchoring.
Any info appreciated.
A bit more research indicates it's common practice to just grab a vacant mooring and move off if a club member comes along.
Seems a bit sneaky using a mooring that someone else pays for, maybe a bit less as they seem to be all club moorings rather than individual private moorings. Flip side is that this is a popular area and shouldn't be exclusive to club members.
With space so tight in Coasters Retreat there doesn't appear to much other option and I do think it a more environmentally responsible option to use available moorings than potentially anchor elsewhere over sea floor life.
Anyone know what the acceptable practice is here? I was thinking of leaving the mobile phone number on an easy read sign when ashore. I'm happy to move on, just don't want any agro about occupying a mooring.
Thoughts?
Just pick up a mooring but be prepared to move if a club member comes along. Most club members will only ask for their mooring if the bay is pretty full when they might have to move off someone else's mooring. The Basin is rarely that full outside peak seasons.
All of Pittwater/Broken Bay works on those principles. I'm in a club that has moorings in Towlers, Coasters (the Basin) and around in Refuge. I rarely use them as plenty of others are usually free.
I have heard of big yachts picking up a mooring designed for smaller boats, which can be a problem. Coasters can get rough in a nor easter as it opens directly to the oggin from that direction.
And stick to the club moorings, they have larger buoys. The row of moorings on the southern shore side where the houses are, are not club moorings. The local residents keep runabouts and small cabin craft on them, and understandably get upset when cruisers/yachts with displacement 10x larger tie on.
Thanks for the replies. Now just hoping the weather is ok, doesn't look that flash yet.
It is not illegal to use someone else's mooring in NSW, providing you vacate it when requested to do so.
That's interesting, I didn't know that but I remember many years ago I was on someone's mooring and they asked me to move (I think it was more like Piss Off).
Select to expand quoteLooseChange said..
It is not illegal to use someone else's mooring in NSW, providing you vacate it when requested to do so.
It would appear that this is no longer that case. RMS no longer has any mention of it on their web site, up to several years ago there was info regarding this.
apologies to all for the now erroneous information.
There are usually courtesy moorings. Moorings that have been donated to rescue associations etc or in the case of national parks moorings that have to be used instead of anchoring!
I am not aware of any courtesy moorings in the Basin. If there are, they will be the ones taken 24/7.. There are some around in Broken Bay bays.
I always understood the rule in NSW was you can pick up someone else's mooring provided you remain on board (and therefore available to move if the owner comes along).
Select to expand quoteHaveFun said..
I always understood the rule in NSW was you can pick up someone else's mooring provided you remain on board (and therefore available to move if the owner comes along).
That is exactly what I thought too, but now can find no reference to it.
That is still the case in practice.
I have never seen it written down but it might have been documented somewhere. Personally I doubt it would be a law, that could lead to legal implications when an incident occurs. For example my mooring is for a 34ft boat, a law that says you can pick up a mooring might lead to legal situation if a 60ft boat picks it up and there is an accident.
Skipper beware if you pick up a mooring you don't know, but the practice is as you say.
