Anchoring in Ilfracombe

[Csail]

legal obligations which include maintenance of navigation, appropriate surveying,wreck clearance etc etc and you don't get owt for nowt!


That is nothing to do with them...i won't be anchoring there again.

 

[Severnman]

Er - think you will find it is! Go to the website and read the bye laws.

 

[Allan]

[ QUOTE ]
Does anyone know if the receipt is for "anchoring" or "harbour dues" or something else?

[/ QUOTE ] I have two receipts on the boat. One for Cobby girl, I used the moorings outside the harbour. The other for Ishtar who anchored. I can't remember seeing any difference between them. The price difference was relative to the boat size. Next time I go to that area I will be trying Combe Martin, any problems and I can blame Damo!!
Allan

 

[Alcyone]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Does anyone know if the receipt is for "anchoring" or "harbour dues" or something else?

[/ QUOTE ] I have two receipts on the boat. One for Cobby girl, I used the moorings outside the harbour. The other for Ishtar who anchored. I can't remember seeing any difference between them. The price difference was relative to the boat size. Next time I go to that area I will be trying Combe Martin, any problems and I can blame Damo!!
Allan

[/ QUOTE ]

I believe Louise paid you back in beer for that one.......

 

[damo]

Re Combe Martin - just watch out for where the soundings come up quite quickly, then level off again at about 4-5m. Further in than that it shelves again and you will be on the beach at LW! (Unless of course you can take the ground, then there is excellent shelter in the inner bay - right next to the High St /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif )

 

[Anwen]

I anchored in the Range last year and had the most uncomfortable night at anchor I have ever endured. Arrived at 10pm and left before 6am the next morning for Padstow. If they had asked me to pay for the privilege, they would have received a two word answer...

 

[Allan]

No problem. I am always happy with beer!
Allan

 

[wotayottie]

[ QUOTE ]
Maybe we need the equivalent of the Scottish WHAM (West Highlands Anchoring and Mooring IIRC) - they monitor and lobby against the installation of moorings and fish farms in traditional anchorages, and also produce research and advice for local councils about how best to manage the different needs of fishermen, hotels, harbours etc.


/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Now this is a much better campaign. In creasingly the best anchorage points are taken up by moorings, often unoccupied but unuseable beacuase you dont know they are unoccupied all night and you dont know whats below them. For example we stopped off in Fishguard recently and there must be 20 private moorings taking up the anchoring room by Castle point

Its a bit like someone puttin a pemanent chair on a beach and saying "this is now mine - you cant use this biot of beach". I find it far more unacceptable than the Combe harbour charge when moorings can be laid in areas not sutiable for anchoring ie with poor holding.

 

[jwilson]

Many many years ago (1970s) the harbourmaster started trying to charge for anchoring off at Ilfracombe. I used to happily pay to come into the harbour, but objected strongly to paying to anchor out in the roads, especially as the harbour facilities (water/rubbish disposal etc) were virtually non-existent. I had no radio, he had no radio. He had no launch, but I had a dinghy.

Occasionally he would try and shout to me, but my hearing can be very poor. He invariably knocked off at 5 pm before I rowed ashore to the club or pub. Also my boat had no name painted on or sail number!

 

[yabs11]

I am Chairman of Ilfracombe Harbour Board. I think it is important to set the record straight. Harbours are very different to open sea. My advice is if you just want to moor off DON'T GO IN TO ANY HARBOUR. I know what it cost to maintain a harbour and its facilities and we do not make a profit. As for Ilfracombe we do provide facilities. We do provide moorings, Showers (yes we pay for the yacht club showers) The Harbour walls have cost us nearly a million pounds in the last 9 years. If you benefit from our shelter and facilities then it is right you pay. We do have a very pragmatic appoach to charging. Our dues are far lower than many of the south coast ports. We do have a hit list and we do often catch up with people. But where is the spirit of fairness and honesty? removing your identity, covering your name with fenders? I bet you dont't pay your road tax either. If you want a well run and well managed harbour that you can take refuge in when you are in trouble then please accept it costs.

Paul Yabsley

 

[Sneds]

Well said that man.

I have seen people in £100k boats move from Mermaid Quay, when the Harbour Authority launch comes along, to save thenselves a £!

I for one, if using facilities have no problem paying a charge, that is reasonable. If I seem it unreasonable for the services on offer then simple, I don't go there!

 

[damo]

The Range is outside what anyone could realistically call the Harbour IMO, even if you have drawn your boundary to include it. All protection there is natural - the ferry wall contributes little if anything, because there is rock immediately behind it.

How do you justify charging for anchoring? (I am not referring to the use of the Harbour and its facilities) Especially as you allow pot lines, which seriously restrict the available space.

[ QUOTE ]
I bet you dont't pay your road tax either.

[/ QUOTE ]
That comment is completely out of order, and is inappropriate from someone who has introduced himself as the Chairman of the Harbour Board.

 

[MarkJohnson12345]

Thanks for your answer our gripes.

I was unaware that the harbour paid for the showers in the excellent Ilf Yot club.

Having anchored there on many occaisions I would say the anchorage was anything but protected by the walls etc.

In fact its encumbered by having to leave room for the Lundy ferry and those wretched fish pots on the eastern side of the inlet.

I am happy to pay a small fee to us showers, and to use the wall to land on. But do resent the 'Kill' attidude of the HM who is demanding rather than persuasive.

Have to say his attitude has disuased me going to Ilf for the last several years.

Its a very pretty harbour, and one noccaison the HM saved my skin by allowing me to lean against a wall in what turned out to be a horrendous night, where your fee would have not protected me in any way from the 10' waves marching infrom the west.

Can understand your beef that the harbour has to be paid for, and I have no argument with that.

Just that us fin keelers don't get much for our money in your supoerb harbour.

Is it the locals or holiday makers that cannot hit the target when defacating in the local toilets???

MJ

Triton

Sadler 32

 

[damo]

[ QUOTE ]
If I seem it unreasonable for the services on offer then simple, I don't go there!


[/ QUOTE ]

That's not much of an option for sail boats, Sneds. You can largely ignore tides, but for those of us who need to wait out a foul tide, then there are only a couple of spots between Porlock and Lundy that will usually do - Ilfracombe being one of them. It isn't necessarily a matter of choice, but often a necessity to anchor in the Range, hence my anger at the attempt to charge for a long-standing, traditional practise.

 

[Csail]

'That comment is completely out of order, and is inappropriate from someone who has introduced himself as the Chairman of the Harbour Board'.

I totally agree, that is not very professional. I bet he avoids paying harbour fees too.

 

[graham]

[ QUOTE ]
if you just want to moor off DON'T GO IN TO ANY HARBOUR.

[/ QUOTE ]

Welcome to the forum Paul and thanks for your input.

I fully agree that if you use a harbour and its facilities you should pay the dues.What I cannot agree with is paying to anchor outside a harbour using none of its facilities and still being asked to pay.

This is exactly the situation at Ilfracombe You are demanding money from people for anchoring out in the range completely outside the harbour walls. You may legally have the right but IMHO morally no right at all.Nature provided the seabed and the limited shelter is provided by the natural headland. If people come ashore by tender they are then using the harbour so fair enough they should pay the due.If they are only anchoring to rest and wait for the tide outside the harbour in the range they shouldnt have to pay.

Your reference to vehicle tax though rude and unwarranted in itself does lead on to another worthwile comparison.If you parked your car on the road outside a car park would you expect the owner of the car park to come out and demand payment?

 

[wotayottie]

[ QUOTE ]
Our dues are far lower than many of the south coast ports. We do have a hit list and we do often catch up with people. But where is the spirit of fairness and honesty? removing your identity, covering your name with fenders? I bet you dont't pay your road tax either. If you want a well run and well managed harbour that you can take refuge in when you are in trouble then please accept it costs.

Paul Yabsley

[/ QUOTE ]

And so they should be much lower than the south coast. Not just supply and demand but Combe itself is really a bit of an old fashioned tired old town. Dump even.

Would I pay my road tax if I could get away with not doing? Of course not. Just like your charges for anchoring in the range, its a tax levied for little or nothing in return. And when the govt sees us all as cows to be milked for taxes, its natural to want to fight back.

And taxes is of course what should pay for your harbour. Its part of what little you have to offer the tourists from whom you make your livings. The boats in the harbour are part of that attraction. So let the shopkeepers pay for the harbour maintenance through their taxes and attract visiting boats to your harbour with free moorings.

Incidentally, contrary to the above post, I always find the harbour master a thoroughly pleasant and helpful chap.

P.S. If combe anchoring is a rip off how much worse is Minehead?

 

[gonfishing]

Hi Paul
Welcome to the forum, now you have poked your head over the wall you will unfortunately get shot at /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif I am a regular to Ilfracombe and usually thoroughly enjoy our shop and drop stays, as well as the occasional overnight. The price is very reasonable especially if lucky enough to pick up on one of the excellent trot moorings. Granted anchoring out in the roads is a bit of a pain, but getting ashore in the dinghy a doddle getting back sometimes can be a different story /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif As for the harbour master he has been more than helpfull on a few occasions, he does have a sense of humour as I found out last year /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif I will let you know the next time I am over and we can grab a beer or two.
Regards
Julian