Solitaire
Active member
Everybody knowes that the Isle of Wight is a center of sailing activity at this time of year. Yesterday, over 1500 boats entered the RTI race and marinas on Cowes were full to bursting point. Associated with all this boaty activity comes many more people and and loads of dosh.
Also in attendance are a large number of boats that don't use sail to propel themselves and are very reliant on either red or white smelly stuff to get moving. Now in Cowes there are two fuel berths and given the early start and the need to be whizzing around taking photographers and journalists out to cover the race all the support boats require fuel. I had a photographer with me yesterday and we were whizzing from one end of the western Solent to the other at regular intervals, not to mention loads of throttle so fuel consumption was high. I had to get the guy back to drop off his memory cards to the race control at 06.00 I thought I'd refuel - what a joke thought that was!
When I eventually did refuel, I asked the fuel berth why they did not open earlier to supply fuel - on one occasion I saw a rib loaded with old jerry cans so he could keep going. The fuel berth owner said - "if you think we are going to get up early you've got another thing coming!" He then said that I should have filled up the day before. What service? Even the Cowes inshore lifeboat crew were having a moan about it and they live on the island!
If it had been me, I would have been open all night and published the fact. What was also incredible was that there was a food stand (yes I did say "a") on the hard at Cowes Yacht Haven that had been working through the night supplying food and breakfast - none of the local places were open!
For a place that relies on heavy trade from outsiders I found the attitude amazing!They really do see the visitors as a "necessary evil" to be tolerated but not serviced.
Also in attendance are a large number of boats that don't use sail to propel themselves and are very reliant on either red or white smelly stuff to get moving. Now in Cowes there are two fuel berths and given the early start and the need to be whizzing around taking photographers and journalists out to cover the race all the support boats require fuel. I had a photographer with me yesterday and we were whizzing from one end of the western Solent to the other at regular intervals, not to mention loads of throttle so fuel consumption was high. I had to get the guy back to drop off his memory cards to the race control at 06.00 I thought I'd refuel - what a joke thought that was!
When I eventually did refuel, I asked the fuel berth why they did not open earlier to supply fuel - on one occasion I saw a rib loaded with old jerry cans so he could keep going. The fuel berth owner said - "if you think we are going to get up early you've got another thing coming!" He then said that I should have filled up the day before. What service? Even the Cowes inshore lifeboat crew were having a moan about it and they live on the island!
If it had been me, I would have been open all night and published the fact. What was also incredible was that there was a food stand (yes I did say "a") on the hard at Cowes Yacht Haven that had been working through the night supplying food and breakfast - none of the local places were open!
For a place that relies on heavy trade from outsiders I found the attitude amazing!They really do see the visitors as a "necessary evil" to be tolerated but not serviced.