I'd turn him in. There are degrees of pollution.
You don't **** in your own bed. If you dump in a
marina or harbor, where people might swim, or it
might wash up on shore, then you deserve a beating.

The only time I'd discharge overboard, is when I
had no other option. For example, if I chartered
a boat without a holding tank and I was not
violating any laws. Still I would feel very
uncomfortable about it around other people.

Frankly, I think the BVI, for example, needs to
wake up and require holding tanks in all vessels
in the islands. Don't make people discharge in a
harbor!

So if you are chartering a boat with no holding
tank what do you do?

I wouldn't want to swim around a bunch of other
boats with direct discharge! In the USA, direct
discharge is forbidden and everyone has holding
tanks except for small boats. Even on my little
boat, when using a bucket, it is always offshore
aways. People are usually too embarrassed to use
the bucket and hold it when we are near shore.

I make a point of anchoring way out with the big
yachts. For one thing I like to anchor. For
another I like to hang next to the finer yachts,
and sail into my chosen spot--not motor. Only
pussies pick up moorings close to shore. I
suspect it is because they have never anchored
before. I've found that lots of sailors are
afraid to anchor! They always motor in too. So
why take an in-close mooring, so you can swim in
dirty water? So you can be around a lot of noise?
So you have a shorter dryer dinghy ride? Not me.

The idea is this, lets not all discharge in the
same place and not in places that don't have good
water circulation like a marina or harbor. That
is very bad etiquette and deserving of at least a
harsh verbal reprimand, and a fine might be a good
way to make the point stick. All this is assuming
you have a holding tank.

Now, if you are 2.5 miles offshore instead of 3 and
no one is within a mile of you. Do you need to plot
your exact position to verify the distance? No, use
common sense.

The other point is we have all been in positions were
we didn't speak up when we should. Next time
demonstrate some leadership. Be the bad guy and give
a harsh reprimand. Make them stop and if they
have a bad attitude, call the harbor nazi's if you
have to, and bear witness against them.

Don't think about what you should have done after the
fact. When someone is a damn fool, stop them from doing
what they're doing and correct them on the spot.

Bart Senior


MC wrote

This weekend as I transporting gear to the car from the usual w/e away I
noticed a powerboat running a small pump discharging what seemed to be
sewage in the marina. I made a loud cough but said nothing else. As I
walked along the pier I became annoyed with myself for not doing
anything else. It is prohibited to discharge untreated sewage within 500
m of shore -so what would you do?

Cheers