Is This Really A Problem For This Owner?

If you see me walking around my neighborhood it’s a safe bet my truck has broken down because I’ve never been much of what you might call a “recreational walker.” However, I’ve actually refused a golf cart ride on a scorching hot day at a marina because I enjoy walking the docks. What’s the difference? I love to look at boats of all shapes, sizes, ages, etc. Blame it on my day job, but marinas have always intrigued me.

A few years back I slipped past a marina “security” gate that had been propped open and I came across a boat so – how do I put this nicely – so “vintage,” that I couldn’t even identify the manufacturer. Old pontoons are quite common, but what caught my eye on this uncovered boat was the etched sign engraved into the windshield that warned, “KEEP OFF Authorized Personnel Only.”

Now if it had just been a hand written sign I probably would have just kept walking and I certainly wouldn’t have taken the time to snap a photo. However, the irony of this sign on a boat that screams abandoned made me laugh. The etching actually looked somewhat fresh, which means this warning sign was probably the only thing the owner has done to this pontoon in well over a decade.

I remember thinking, “Is this permanent sign really necessary? Is there a logical reason why people keep trying to get on this boat to the point an engraved sign needs to be made?”

I would need to be completely worn out (plus confirmation that I’ve had a tetanus shot recently) before I would willingly step foot on this boat, with zero chance of me actually sitting down.

My hope is the sign was meant to be sarcastic and the owner just had a funny sense of humor. If the owner were serious, it’s kind of sad we have to worry about gawkers coming aboard uninvited when we’re not around. For the record, I have no guilt about slipping through a security gate to look at boats, but I know better than to step aboard [any] boat without being invited. And you can clearly see my photo was taken from the dock and not from inside this boat. Does this make me a hypocrite? That’s up for public opinion, but in my mind I’m harmless because I’m only taking photos as I walk around and besides I’ve met a lot of great boaters this way over the years.

My problem with security gates – other than most of the time they don’t really keep anyone out – is the “KEEP OUT” vibe these gates give the entire marina as if everyone else is included but as a visitor you are not welcome. As boaters aren’t we supposed to be inviting by nature?

If it were up to me I’d be more in favor of keeping security gates out and if necessary simply hiring security to patrol the marina. The hired help wouldn’t be there just to necessarily keep onlookers like myself from walking around and taking photos of ugly boats or funny signs, but to keep an eye on all the boats and to intercept a possible problem. How many marina fires could have been prevented if the marina had security patrolling the area instead of some steel gate with a five-digit punch code? By the way, that little secret code has been given out more times than the phone number of the local girl at the bar so I can see why some marinas just prop the gate open. Maybe seeing the gate out front gives slip owners a little sense of security, but I still feel like it comes at the risk of looking unfriendly to potential boaters.

With zero authority I officially give you permission to look around the next time you’re visiting a marina. It’s a good way to make new friends, see a variety of boats and all that I ask is that you stay on the dock. Regardless of the condition of the boat we should respect all owners and keep off, even if they don’t have an etched sign saying so.

Brady L. Kay,
Pontoon & Deck Boat Editor