A Question of Property in a Mooring Field
Here is an unusual question for you armchair lawyers. Have any of you experienced such “aquatic squatting”? If you have suggestions, let us hear from you.
My question is how can one retain rights to a mooring and the tackle that she has put on it? I purchased a houseboat on a mooring off Islamorada, Florida Keys. I added chain and anchors and tackle to it and a mooring ball with my FL numbers. I used the houseboat for days at a time, but was not a full-time liveaboard. I left the mooring to spend a few months at a marina ashore in order to perform needed repairs. Now there is a man that hooked up to my mooring tackle and refuses to move. What can I do about it?
Captain Anne Baxter
Comments from Cruisers (2)
I would start with police. Also look at bill of sale to determine if mooring is public or private. The devil is usually in the details. … We used to leave our tender tied to ball when we were off of it.
Hope some of this helps. Hard to deal with rude people. Especially in today’s world.
Winston
I have contacted both the Coast Guard and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission on Friday. Yesterday I spoke with the FFWCC woman. She had checked on it and said that the Basin had been declared a sanctuary and that no one could moor or anchor in it. However there are already several boats on private moorings in there. One man had been there for 20 years. My houseboat was already on a private mooring when I bought it 5 years ago. She said the FFWCC will do nothing about this man’s takeover of my mooring and use of my mooring tackle. She said it is a civil matter. I asked why if someone car was stolen, the cops would search for the car and arrest the thief. My mooring tackle is still there but this person is using it and so perhaps it is a trespassing issue? Does anyone out there have any suggestions?