The Lawn Chair Principal..?

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SeaLegs said:
How do you know if the tent is empty. Jump on the beach and unzip the tent?
When our houseboat was out of commission I did some solo boat camping trips. I would bring a small tent, not for sleeping but a place to store my stuff while fishing. I would sleep in the boat and place everything in the small tent before heading out at first light. Generator, fuel cans, my camp chair, everything. If you came by my camp all you would see is a small 'empty' tent. Im not going to jump on the beach and inspect somebody's tent.
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A tent set up on the beach should be sufficient proof someone is using that spot, I realize there should be time limits but one day, like one boat leaving this morning and another arriving the next morning.
What is really bad is for another boat to pull in close enough to step over your anchor lines to tie up their boat, that's when things can get heated.
 
Skip said:
A tent set up on the beach should be sufficient proof someone is using that spot, I realize there should be time limits but one day, like one boat leaving this morning and another arriving the next morning.
What is really bad is for another boat to pull in close enough to step over your anchor lines to tie up their boat, that's when things can get heated.
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Does the same principal apply to Beach Bags?
 
Skip said:
What is really bad is for another boat to pull in close enough to step over your anchor lines to tie up their boat, that's when things can get heated.
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This right here is why we almost never camp below Rock Creek. We often have our dogs, so try to select camps that keep any friction and neighbors to minimum. We have one who’s turned up in other people’s houseboats during breakfast. Friendly and harmless, but shameless.
 
Lawn Chair Principle…rich man’s edition:

Years back, we encountered a huge multi-level houseboat tied off in Wetherill. A fully-covered 28’ go-fast boat side tied to the houseboat. Onshore were SIX fully-covered PWCS on racks with cable lock through all of them. An expensive fully covered propane BBQ was also locked to the PWCs. Above the PWCs were several expensive reclining resort-style loungers, also fully covered and locked together.

Abandoned…not a soul around. Returned the next day, same scenario.

Had to wonder how long this campsite was being held with no one around?
 
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Hillbilly said:
Government campgrounds require the site to be occupied first nite- staking a claim on public property for future use is blatent disreguard for others.
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This has been the rule for camping for as long as I’ve been doing it. If an area is first come first serve you can’t reserve it by leaving a chair or empty tent. It needs to be occupied. I’d be surprised if you didn’t look into the GCNRA regs that you couldn’t find that same written rule. Pretty sure that was one of the reasons there was initially so much uproar over be beach bags.

And no one here is stating it’s ok to muscle someone out of a spot like happened to JFR or to take a spot that actually is occupied.

But the empty tent thing is no different than a lawn chair. A couple times I’ve passed a tent in a spot and moved on only to see that tent empty the whole week we’ve been at the lake. I’m sure there are people who will leave a cheap marketplace tent up if they are doing back to back trips (or even a week or two between trips) to have a spot to go back to. That is BS.
 
To this day I have a fellow drag racer that I encountered him telling me I was in his friends spot. I just looked around and said I would be happy to debate the fact , but I don't see him. I unloaded my car. End of the story.
 
Phillbo said:
Why can't all nudist be hot hooters girls?

I've yet to see a nudist i wanted to see...
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Story time!

At 16 my folks had checked out my god brother and I on all aspects of a trip. We took his brother and two other friends for three days. First night we left the bread out and a coyote got it. Bummer. We hadn’t packed particularly well on food as it was. No one got burnt making flame throwers with carb cleaner, or shenanigans with the potato cannon. Call it a win.

Moved to a new camp. Hunkered in the shade. I think in rock creek. A go fast pulls up with six gym bro dudes and one enhanced and I'm sure professional women. They swim out to a little sinker where she proceeds to give an extended strip show.

Impactful for a boat of teenagers.
 
on Lake Mohave ...from facebook....For those who thought they were saving beaches overnight you can now find all your belongings to the far side of the beach with a warning tag on it pending your arrival at which time you can pick it up and search for another beach just like the rest of us, your not "Special" anymore. For those boaters who are fortunate enough to find one of these many pristine beaches we hope you have a great day! I want to personally give a shout out to the NPS for their 100% support with this issue. A reminder to all "DO NOT LEAVE PROPERTY UNATTENDED ON THE BEACHES OVERNIGHT". And last but not least the other volunteers for getting up so early and their hard work and efforts this morning, thank you!
 
Skip said:
A tent set up on the beach should be sufficient proof someone is using that spot, I realize there should be time limits but one day, like one boat leaving this morning and another arriving the next morning.
What is really bad is for another boat to pull in close enough to step over your anchor lines to tie up their boat, that's when things can get heated.
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Skip said:
A tent set up on the beach should be sufficient proof someone is using that spot…
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I respectfully disagree (hahaha I saw a spot you had set up a tent once in Warm springs)😊. Obviously, if you’re actually staying in it, it’s yours. But if you’re just setting it up to stop others from using a spot…that is kind of questionable IMHO. In my limited experience compared with many on the site, it is pretty obvious when someone is putting out a placeholder Vs. actually occupying a campsite…
 
Rivergoer said:
Lawn Chair Principle…rich man’s edition:

Years back, we encountered a huge multi-level houseboat tied off in Wetherill. A fully-covered 28’ go-fast boat side tied to the houseboat. Onshore were SIX fully-covered PWCS on racks with cable lock through all of them. An expensive fully covered propane BBQ was also locked to the PWCs. Above the PWCs were several expensive reclining resort-style loungers, also fully covered and locked together.

Abandoned…not a soul around. Returned the next day, same scenario.

Had to wonder how long this campsite was being held with no one around?
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Umlimited houseboat services used to do that for clients back in the day.

I remeber Dave taking out one of the big 3 story skipperliners that were at wahweap before antelope was built. He would have the whole boat stocked and ready to go, 46' skater tied off, wake boat tied off then the owner would fly in on his helicpter with pontoons on it a day or two later, enjoy his toys for a few days the fly back out. Dave would then come back out amd take everything in. If I recall that gentlman invneted thew calling card.
 
I'm think of George Carlin and his bit about how a person is an A Hole in direct proportion to how close in proximity they are to you. A guy going the wrong way on the highway gets called that full volume while the guy in line in front of you at checkout holding up the line arguing about a nickels worth of change gets that whispered under your breath.

I think if you are way out on the lake you have a right to a bigger expectation of privacy than if you are two miles away from one of the marinas. A few years back we pulled onto a huge dune in Wahweap Bay less than a mile from the massive rental dock just to hang out for a few hours. The houseboat 200 feet away immediately stated in with abusive nonsense about wanting privacy and it was over the top. My buddy quipped back "In Wahweap Bay? You wanted privacy so you drive straight to Lone Rock?" We all laughed at that one and told them we were only here for a few hours and they were going to have to adjust their expectations.

I can respect a good saving effort but the amount I give it is in direct proportion to how much effort went into it. It's got to look good, an empty chair just reminds me of Clint Eastwoods political speech's.(God Bless Dirty Harry) If you're going to build a decoy put 30 minutes into it, put up a tent, a shade structure, dig in a cooler at the waterline, leave a paddle board or jet ski there. But if you really expect that spot to be there best leave a human on the shore until you get back.

And finally I don't sweat the small stuff, it's a big lake and there is always another place to park. I personally won't give away my power and let some idiot ruin my day or my vacation. it's your choice out there and if I'm really perturbed by someone it might be worth moving.

Close into Marina's in extremely crowded situations if I've "ran the beach" and spread out and have extra space I'll even share but I screen the applicants. If I see someone eying my decoy near dusk (we've all been there) I'll run out and tell them I was saving it for a buddy who just let me know he's not coming. But then I tell them I'm out here for the week celebrating my recent retirement from the local Sherrifs Department and that as long as they don't plan on any nonsense then they could park there, that my buddies on the lake are just a phone call away for me. About 70% of them move on so that tells me who they were, the other 30% were all terrific appreciative neighbors, Some have even become friends.

Disclaimer: I am not now nor have so ever been a member of law enforcement and I don't think posing as a retired cop is necessarily impersonating a member of law enforcement, Technically Anyway
 
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