Deer Isle Yacht Club
Mooring Rules and Regulations
Updated January 1, 2023
The purpose of the Mooring Rules and Regulations is to help protect boats in the mooring field and ensure the safety of everyone using the Cove while maximizing use of the limited resource the Cove represents. They have evolved over time from experience and identifying what works and what doesn’t. The fact is that the Cove is poorly protected and subject to significant wind and wave action from the Southwest through to the Northwest. Whitecaps running through the Cove are not uncommon and sustained Gale Force winds can be expected. This combination means that mooring gear needs to be adequately sized and properly maintained to minimize the chance of failure.
Failure of equipment in the marine environment can occur at any time but it is most likely to occur during times of extreme weather. A boat dragging its mooring or plowing through the mooring field because of mooring failure puts other boats at risk. More significantly, it puts individuals at risk who may feel compelled to assist in the rescue of a boat in distress. It also has the potential for irreparably damaging the ecology of the Cove if gas or diesel tanks rupture. Fortunately, no one has been badly hurt yet, but boats have been damaged by “going on the bricks” and hitting other boats and there have been close calls, strained backs, crushed fingers and the like.
These are some of the reasons why the club’s Mooring Rules and Regulations should be adhered to by all members. The rules will no doubt continue to evolve according to best practices but failure to comply could jeopardize a member’s standing in the club.
The Harbor Committee is responsible for administering the Mooring Rules and Regulations. Members should contact the Harbor Committee for all things related to moorings.
Communication with the Harbor Committee
- Initial communication with the Harbor Committee should be via an email sent to HarborCommittee@DeerIsleYachtClub.com.
- Incoming email will be distributed to all Harbor Committee members. Sender will receive an Auto Response acknowledging receipt. “Thanks for contacting the DIYC Harbor Committee. One of us will get back to you as soon as we can. If you don't hear back within a week, feel free to send us another email! We're all just volunteers, you know....”
- The Harbor Committee will have a designated a point person to respond to incoming emails, based on topic or request. The Harbor Committee will be copied on initial responses, so others know contact has been made.
Mooring Maintenance
- All member moorings must be permanent, maintained by the club, and have Harbor committee approved tackle.
- The condition and adequacy of mooring gear is ultimately the responsibility of the member. However, the Club has found that the only way to ensure moorings are maintained properly is to coordinate the inspection and maintenance of moorings for members on a three-year cycle. The Harbor Committee will inform members when maintenance is being scheduled for their moorings. Only high-quality materials of known origin are used. The Club uses reputable vendors and coordinates the billing and collection of fees for the members’ (and vendors’) convenience. Members must reimburse the club for expenses associated with the maintenance of the moorings and do so in a timely fashion.
- Due to changing environmental conditions, it has become apparent that all mooring balls need to be 30-inch diameter hard shells, even for the smaller boats. The ground tackle needed for the Cove is heavy and coupled with marine growth accumulating over the three-year maintenance cycle, the combined weight can pull smaller mooring balls underwater.
New Moorings
- Requests for a new mooring should be made in writing to the Harbor Committee. The request should include the following information:
1. Length of Boat
2. Type of Boat (motorboat – inboard or outboard) / sail / row)
3. Approximate displacement,
4. How much water the boat draws
5. Year that the mooring is expected to be needed
6. Time during summer when mooring is most likely to be occupied.
- A waiting list will be maintained by the Harbor Committee of members interested in a mooring that is of appropriate size and location for a proposed boat. The list will be posted on the club’s website.
- Members who do not currently have a mooring will be placed on the list on a “first come” served basis.
- Members with an existing mooring but seeking to either get a mooring for a smaller boat (down-sizing) or for a larger boat will be given priority.
· Members with an existing mooring but seeking an additional mooring will be added to the list on a “first come first served basis”.
Temporary Moorings
· Members may not place temporary moorings in the cove.
Mooring Sharing
· Mooring owners are encouraged to make their moorings available to other members when not in use.
· All sharing of moorings needs to be coordinated by the Harbor Committee
· Mooring owners will be polled at the beginning of each season to find out when their mooring would be available for sharing. The results will be captured by the system and accessible to the Harbor Committee for reference purposes.
· Members looking to “borrow” a mooring, will contact the Harbor Committee as soon as their need is known. Last minute requests are discouraged because of the burden it places on the Harbor Committee.
· The Harbor Committee will match up appropriate needs (timing, boat size and type, mooring size, location, etc) to the best of its abilities.
· Once a match is found, the Harbor Committee will put the members in contact with each other so final arrangements can be made. A reasonable fee of $100 per week is suggested to be paid by a borrowing member directly to the mooring owner.
· If the mooring ball is not equipped with an approved pennant, the Harbor Committee will provide one (at cost) for the borrower to retain for future use.
- Members with moorings that are not being used for multiple seasons will be reminded that they risk the loss of mooring privileges. Moorings being shared will be considered “in use”.
- By borrowing a mooring, Borrowers agree to hold harmless mooring owners and the club with respect to use of the moorings.
Transfer of Moorings Within a Family
· Mooring space can be transferred to immediate family members. This includes the following:
Mother/Father to Daughter/Son
Grandmother/Grandfather to Grandchild
Sister/Brother to Sister/Brother
· Prior to any transfer, the Harbor Committee should be consulted to ensure there are no unforeseen issues related to how the mooring will be used after the transfer. For example, only moorings that will be used for similar sized and types of boats can be transferred.
Limit on Number of Moorings Held
- Members are limited to two moorings in the Cove (situations as of August 2001 are grandfathered).
Sale of Moorings
- The Harbor Committee must be contacted when a mooring is no longer needed. It will help coordinate the transfer of the mooring space to the next qualified member on the waiting list. This may include the purchase of the mooring gear by the club to best manage the transition.
Ruling of Abandonment of Moorings
· A mooring that has not been used by a member for at least three years will be considered abandoned. The Harbor Committee will provide 30-day notice to the member of the pending “Ruling of Abandonment”. After the 30-day notice period has expired, the Harbor Committee may have the exiting mooring gear removed at the member’s expense and facilitate the transfer of the mooring space to the next qualified member on the waiting list. A mooring that is being actively shared (see above) will not be considered abandoned.
It’s recognized that there is no way to contemplate every situation. Accordingly, the Harbor Committee will use its best efforts to interpret and apply the rules fairly and in its sole discretion. Further, it’s recognized that the Harbor Committee has the authority to facilitate meeting the needs of members by creative application of the rules (eg “Horse Trading” and the like). This may entail the club purchasing a mooring from a member who is no longer using it to facilitate the transfer to another member.
Appendix A - Pennants
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Strongly Recommended*
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Under 29 Feet |
10 Feet |
Rockport Ropes 5/8 x 10 ft Novatec 5/8 x 10 ft
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Hamilton Marine # 173378 New England Marine # CO-10-061 |
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30 – 39 Feet |
15-16 Feet |
Yale Maxi-Moor 5/8 x 16 ft Novatec 5/8 x 15 ft
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Hamilton Marine # 743018 New England Marine # CO-10-063 |
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40 Feet or Over |
20 Feet |
Yale Maxi-Moor 5/8 x 20 ft Yale Maxi-Moor 3/4 x 20 ft Novatec 3/4 x 20 ft
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Hamilton Marine # 743019 Hamilton Marine # 743023 New England Marine # CO-10-070 |
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Commercially Available Floatation Kits · 1/2 inch Diameter - Hamilton Marine Item Number 742610 · 3/4 inch Diameter - Hamilton Marine Item number 742611
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Appendix B – Mooring Buoys
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Available At |
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All Moorings |
30-Inch Diameter |
30-Inch Cal June 4404-T-3 30-Inch SUR-MOOR T3C 46375 Or Equivalent |
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*Should a member wish to use another product, they should check with a member of the Harbor Committee to ensure it meets industry quality levels.
End of Mooring Rules and Regulations