Belgium - Is it worth going now?

[Captain Haddock]

Hi Everyone,

Just thought I'd ask the panels view on the recent issue of people being fined for using Red Diesel when reaching Belgium in this thread.

Has any one here had this happen to them? I mean if the reports were correct that people are being fined whenever inspected there'd be general notices all over the place warning about the fines, Yachting press issuing warnings and so on.

I was planning my first trip across in 2012 but now I'm wondering whether it's worth the risk.

Is anyone else planning to avoid Belgium or is this all a storm in an egg cup?

 

[sailorman]

Hi Everyone,

Just thought I'd ask the panels view on the recent issue of people being fined for using Red Diesel when reaching Belgium in this thread.

Has any one here had this happen to them? I mean if the reports were correct that people are being fined whenever inspected there'd be general notices all over the place warning about the fines, Yachting press issuing warnings and so on.

I was planning my first trip across in 2012 but now I'm wondering whether it's worth the risk.

Is anyone else planning to avoid Belgium or is this all a storm in an egg cup?

i am expecting to go on the whit w/e edna may.
its the Vor Anker w/e too.
i do not know personally,anybody who has had probs.

 

[Ianqv]

Not going!

After reading so many horror stories.....

I will be voting with my feet and will be going ELSEWHERE!

Ian and Sarah

 

[wingdiver]

When you carry 1600 litres of fuel onboard, there is no way I will risk going to Belgium, Holland or France until this is sorted.
It's cheaper to sail in UK waters if you consider you risk a €1 per litre fine - even at South Coast prices.
That said, I must give a special mention to the Royal Clarence marina in Gosport. We popped in there for a few nights last summer and ending up being weatherbound for a week. They let us have our 50% discounted rate for each night despite the fact it was only supposed to be for 5 nights.

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

We're going to be the same.... 1200ltrs.... so too much of a risk going to Belgium...

We'll head towards Holland or France instead.

 

[Cantata]

I won't go there until this is sorted out one way or the other. Perhaps it will be by next season anyway.
It would be useful if someone spelt out to the Voor Anker organisers, plus the RNSYC folk etc, that they are not going to see many Brits until it is sorted.

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

Could be quite a painful hit in Oostende.... During the festival, the berthing is usually in the order of 30% UK flagged vessels in my experience.

 

[flipper]

Well I hope the ECF trip goes ahead to Voor Anchor - it'll be the the maiden X North Sea trip under my skippership - red diesel will be the least of my worries

 

[LittleSister]

It's cheaper to sail in UK waters if you consider you risk a €1 per litre fine -

I'm even less worried about it now I've read the suggestion that the fine's based on the volume of fuel. Seen elsewhere mention of 500 euro fines, but we only carry a max of about 40 litres!

I am mildly concerned about the possibility of being done, but as far as I can see from the various threads, there's only one certain case of Brits being fined. I guess you just have to be unlucky, obnoxious, or an obvious target (big mobo?) to get done.

I'd be very surprised if the powers that be didn't deliberately look the other way during something like Voor Anker. It would be a PR and tourism disaster to do otherwise.

 

[Stork_III]

When you carry 1600 litres of fuel onboard, there is no way I will risk going to Belgium, Holland or France until this is sorted.
It's cheaper to sail in UK waters if you consider you risk a [B per litre [/B]fine - even at South Coast prices.
That said, I must give a special mention to the Royal Clarence marina in Gosport. We popped in there for a few nights last summer and ending up being weatherbound for a week. They let us have our 50% discounted rate for each night despite the fact it was only supposed to be for 5 nights.

I was told by Dutch Customs, that the fine is €4.20/litre of capacity if you can show proper receipts. Not aware of the Belgian levy but will be higher than euro €1/l.

 

[Wunja]

Having a tank full of white diesel, I'm happy to go to Ostend, but wouldn't want to just have Sailorman for company!!

 

[nigelm]

Well .......I might go and then again I might not either way I'll get my fuel from Tesco and as it will be "white" and I'll keep the till receipt hopefully that will suffice , just have to wait and see how things go .........

 

[flipper]

Well .......I might go and then again I might not either way I'll get my fuel from Tesco and as it will be "white" and I'll keep the till receipt hopefully that will suffice , just have to wait and see how things go .........

Leave the caravan in the yard Nige, you can have the state room on my boat

Sorry, bit pot, kettle that...

 

[Koeketiene]

i am expecting to go on the whit w/e edna may.
its the Vor Anker w/e too.
i do not know personally,anybody who has had probs.

Will still be going to get, amongst other things, fuel.

 

[nigelm]

Leave the caravan in the yard Nige, you can have the state room on my boat

Sorry, bit pot, kettle that...

Ok , sounds good to me , as long as pauline does the waitressing I won't mind

 

[johnalison]

According to what I was told the other week, the people who have been fined by the Belgians were those who had transgressed in other ways, such as inadequate paperwork, and the authorities were throwing the book at them. The suggestion was that those people with nothing else to hide should have nothing to worry about. I cannot confirm that this is true and would be interested to know what the facts are.

 

[sailorman]

According to what I was told the other week, the people who have been fined by the Belgians were those who had transgressed in other ways, such as inadequate paperwork, and the authorities were throwing the book at them. The suggestion was that those people with nothing else to hide should have nothing to worry about. I cannot confirm that this is true and would be interested to know what the facts are.

i would think that is so.

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

According to what I was told the other week, the people who have been fined by the Belgians were those who had transgressed in other ways, such as inadequate paperwork, and the authorities were throwing the book at them. The suggestion was that those people with nothing else to hide should have nothing to worry about. I cannot confirm that this is true and would be interested to know what the facts are.

Probably true, but not a hypothesis I can afford to test. They're cutting off their nose to spite their face.

 

[ditchcrawler]

The latest Posting from Burnham Bob on R2R makes even more depressing reading as the Euro MP one Andrew Duff says The Belgians are right to fine British boats with red diesel as it is the UK which is in breach of the EU directive.Thanks for your support Andrew very Duff

 

[Athene V30]

Having a tank full of white diesel, I'm happy to go to Ostend, but wouldn't want to just have Sailorman for company!!

Thought you would be off Plymouth that weekend heading South West for 1200 miles or so? But that is quite a trip just to avoid Sailorman!!