Winnipesaukee Forum - View Single Post - Dilemma over boats anchoring off our beach

Outlaw · 08-04-2004, 10:27 AM

When someone inquires/asks so politely about what they can do (if anything) about people placing their boat anchor on their beach and then a few bad apples have to come back with a less than polite comment, that's all it takes to make the island owners adopt an attitude of 'to **ll with you all, I'm blocking everyone out'. It only takes one (in this case a few) bad apples to spoil it for everyone.

Like SAMIAM said, if there were public land abutting yours and people continually came on to it to party, hang out, BBQ, whatever, and were placing their things on your land (in the case of the island owner - anchors on their beach) and using your private dug well as a urination hole, I think you would understand the island owners position. We all want our privacy, we all want our quiet and we all want others to respect that.

Now if we don't, land owners have a right to take measures to keep violators off and this usually means calling in law enforcement - lets take a moment here - take a deep breath - and remember to act like respectful adults (I'm assuming the previous posts are from people over 18 yrs. old). The island owner is TRYING to work with us and work something out that is MUTUALLY acceptable. At least give them the respect they deserve to work this out with all the boaters who use these spots. The island owners want to continue to allow the boaters to use these spots, but want them to not block access to the beach for them (and it is illegal to block access to someone’s beach/land that they own/live on whether they are trying to get there by water or land). Plus - it is a minimum of 150' from shore for anchoring your boat.

Granted this island was not inhabited for some time, so boaters got comfortable with anchoring closer and using the beach - because NOBODY LIVED THERE. Now someone does and boaters need to pay attention to the rules of the lake when anchoring, not to mention practice common courtesy to the land owners. (you can always read on this forum how boaters need/should practice common courtesy toward each other when out on the lake - well I don't think this is really any different when it comes to island owners that must live with boaters on a daily basis).

It's ok to have your opinion and to express it on this forum, we all appreciate being able to do that and to read it, but please do not spoil this anchoring spot for those who use it. Let’s just work with the land owner so that everyone can enjoy their space and time.

08-04-2004, 10:27 AM	#32
Outlaw Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Gilford, NH Posts: 338 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	When someone inquires/asks so politely about what they can do (if anything) about people placing their boat anchor on their beach and then a few bad apples have to come back with a less than polite comment, that's all it takes to make the island owners adopt an attitude of 'to **ll with you all, I'm blocking everyone out'. It only takes one (in this case a few) bad apples to spoil it for everyone. Like SAMIAM said, if there were public land abutting yours and people continually came on to it to party, hang out, BBQ, whatever, and were placing their things on your land (in the case of the island owner - anchors on their beach) and using your private dug well as a urination hole, I think you would understand the island owners position. We all want our privacy, we all want our quiet and we all want others to respect that. Now if we don't, land owners have a right to take measures to keep violators off and this usually means calling in law enforcement - lets take a moment here - take a deep breath - and remember to act like respectful adults (I'm assuming the previous posts are from people over 18 yrs. old). The island owner is TRYING to work with us and work something out that is MUTUALLY acceptable. At least give them the respect they deserve to work this out with all the boaters who use these spots. The island owners want to continue to allow the boaters to use these spots, but want them to not block access to the beach for them (and it is illegal to block access to someone’s beach/land that they own/live on whether they are trying to get there by water or land). Plus - it is a minimum of 150' from shore for anchoring your boat. Granted this island was not inhabited for some time, so boaters got comfortable with anchoring closer and using the beach - because NOBODY LIVED THERE. Now someone does and boaters need to pay attention to the rules of the lake when anchoring, not to mention practice common courtesy to the land owners. (you can always read on this forum how boaters need/should practice common courtesy toward each other when out on the lake - well I don't think this is really any different when it comes to island owners that must live with boaters on a daily basis). It's ok to have your opinion and to express it on this forum, we all appreciate being able to do that and to read it, but please do not spoil this anchoring spot for those who use it. Let’s just work with the land owner so that everyone can enjoy their space and time.