Any port in a storm?

[Lady_Patricia]

I took a gentle sail down to Dover on Saturday afternoon. The weather forecast said strong winds. I was not disappointed ... However on Sunday when I was looking to go home it was blowing a gentle 40Kts plus.. The pride of Kent (one of the biggest P&O ferries) couldn’t even get onto the berth.

I decided that discretion is the better part of valour and opted to leave the boat.. However, another yacht also from Ramsgate, said that they had to get home.

I told the marina staff what I was doing and asked if the harbour offers a rate for “port of refuge” in the event of a storm. They do not and expect yachts caught by bad weather to pay the full daily or weekly rate.

The Dover lifeboat was called out early on that morning and the Ramsgate lifeboat was called out to assist a dismasted yacht on the afternoon. Fortunately my friends came home safe....

Question. Is it responsible of marina operators to charge full rates to yachtsman who put safety first and thereby encourage pleasure boats to set out into a gale to avoid heavy visitors mooring rates?

 

[AndrewB]

Dover in a storm.

Refuge at Dover is permitted, but as other not-so-welcome arrivals at Dover have discovered, is not designed to be an easy status!

You can seek refuge in the outer harbour, outside the jurisdiction of the marina. Either anchor or moor to one of two buoys provided for the purpose. You will not be charged, but it is an extremely exposed and unpleasant, rolly berth in strong winds and you are not permitted to leave your yacht unattended.

Incidentally Dover is particularly exposed to winds between W and SE, and is not a good weekend destination if bad weather is threatened. The entrances, particularly the west entrance can be very dangerous in a gale at certian stages of the tide, specially on spring tides, so nor is it a good place to head for if caught out.

The passage back to Ramsgate in a strong SW wind is not as bad as you might think though, apart from the first 2 miles. Leave about one hour before high, when the tide outside is slack and turning in your favour. Once you pass St Margarets Bay, the shelter in the Downs is excellent, and with local knowledge a trip up the Ramsgate Channel is easy enough. With luck you will reach Ramsgate in time to lock into the inner harbour.

But if they were reporting 40kts at Dover entrance, discretion was definitely the better part of valour.

 

[claymore]

Your idea of conditions too strong and mine may well be different, based on our relative experience, crew, boat etc. How could a Marina possibly fix an arbitrary weather condition rule whereby we could stay there cheaper if conditions were above the limit?
Its an interesting point but one which would be so difficult to apply. If it was Fleetwood for instance we'd get all the drunken matelots from Barrow leaving their boats all week just because they didn't fancy the sail back due to the strength of their hangovers. (thats sure to see me shot!) and getting a bus.


regards
JohnS

 

[Jacket]

I'd have thought a limit of F7 or above would be fair enough.
Anyway, I'd have thought it would be in the Marina's interest to offer some cheaper rate. After all, outside of the main holiday season, most marinas seem to have pleanty of free visitors berths during the week and so they'd be loosing nothing. And by offering a 'port of refuge' fee, they're making some money out of an otherwise empty berth

 

[BarryD]

I think the phrase "Registered Company" not "Registered Charity" spings to mind. Why should they reduce their pricing just because of bad weather? I certainly applaud your decision to stay put rather than return - I think I'd have set a much lower "Go / Don't Go" rulesbase but you can't have it for free can you?

The correct phraseology is "Are we insured..." NOT "Were we insured"
(IMHO, BTW FWIW and NWGOI)

 

[Col]

Re: Ahh but .......

How long does this port of refuge last (ie) Can't get back to boat till next weekend, but weather improves tommorrow.
Too many variables for this to work IMHO.

 

[davel]

Who\'s value?

I'd have thought that the marina chaps might just reason that if you don't consider the safety of your boat and crew to be worth the cost of a berth, why should they?

Dave L.

 

[bedouin]

Re: Dover in a storm.

Haven't I heard stories that if a blow is expected, the HM comes round and advises boats to move off the buoys and into the marina?

 

[AndrewB]

Re: Dover in a storm.

That's true. However, each year a yacht or two will elect to face it out. If it gets too bad it is at least possible to move around into the marina.

Incidentally, small coasters regularly shelter in the same area in high winds. The holding isn't brilliant and sometimes they drag ....

 

[claymore]

Re: Ahh but .......

Yes - and I think jacket already proved that by saying F7 ought to be a guiding rule. I would prefer not to be out in anything forecast higher than F6 - particularly from the direction of my intended travel and certainly for what I know will be an extended passage of say 8 hours plus. No thanks.
So its happened before and I've had to leave the boat somewhere and catch a ferry or whatever back home (normally for work)
That just has to be taken on the chin and written down to experience - I really don't think there's much mileage in attempting to persuade commercial operators of marinas to reduce the price - its a boom time for them!!

regards
JohnS

 

[Trevor_swfyc]

Chris,

You had a weather forecast of strong winds and paid the price fortunatly only the price of a weeks birth. As a planner no doubt you had taken this possibility into account. Many Marinas have a reduced rate for 1 week which is effectivly a bad weather stay rate. I tend to stay with the boat and leave when the weather breaks but I am in a fortunate position having taken early retirement.
On the East Coast we are lucky in having so many rivers and creeks to take cover at no cost, if cost is a critical factor.
How often do we hear "They left because they had to get back for work" no wonder the RNLI are kept busy.
Keep Safe!
Trevor

 

[Guest]

Are marinas meant to look after boats ?

I have been stuck in a marina due to bad weather but at £11.50 per day for a 27' boat is not bad I suppose. But I can confirm that the berth is bought and paid for by somebody else. Does the owner get a share of this money ?.

I was down there today and it was blowing old boots. I do not consider myself particularly considerate towards others but the boat one side had all the fenders jumped out and was belting it's sides something horrible. The boat the other side had a window blowing itself out. My friend and I attended to both. Do marinas have any responsibility for boats in their care ?

The best thing about marinas for me is meeting boat owner's. The rest you can keep.