"RogueIT" wrote in message
ups.com...
I have not yet bought a sailboat but am giving it serious
consideration. Before I go I would like to head down to my local
marinas and have a look around. My question is if I go down there am I
going to get a "hey you get the hell away from there!" from just
walking around on the dock? Or is it ok to actually walk around and
admire as long as there is no touching involved.
thanks,
Scott

When I was a kid, Scott, my father, brother and I walked some docks at a NYC
marina. Most of the boats were large power yachts. After looking at one
such boat--a gold plater with brightwork that was near-perfect--the owner
yelled at us to get off his dock and then proceeded to examine his boat for
any bacteria we might have shed and left behind.

That particular experience left me somewhat gun-shy about walking docks for
many years.

Fortunately the situation has changed a lot since then. Most boats are
owned by relatively average folks, seldom by the elitist wealthy types that
owned them in the 60s.

If you are respectful of others' property and keep your hands in your
pockets when walking docks, I doubt if anyone will even question your
presence. And I suspect that many boat owners are proud enough of their
vessels that they will gladly answer questions about them and might
conceivably invite you aboard for a peek.

I've walked docks for years since that original experience and have never
even been questioned as to my intent.

Enjoy--it's fun looking at boats of all sorts.

Max