Belgium

[bromleybysea]

According to the Yachting Monthly website and the RYA a British boat was given a hard time about not having a radar licence in a marina in Antwerp. I don't have radar myself, but on top of the red diesel issue I just wonder if the Belgians want us British yachtsmen over there spending our money or not. Let's face it, it's an acquired taste and easily avoided.

 

[ex-Gladys]

Au contraire.... On the WMYC trip to Holland via Ostende, we went into RYCO as opposed to RNSYC and the welcome both arriving from and to the UK was as good as you could wish for. Not an official was seen over the three days involved. In my opinion, there's an element of "Daily Mail" journalism here, where the sensational headline doesn't reflect the underlying statistics. Having been to Belgium once, I wouldn't "not go" again, especially if I'd got my paper work pretty much in place.

 

[alant]

According to the Yachting Monthly website and the RYA a British boat was given a hard time about not having a radar licence in a marina in Antwerp. I don't have radar myself, but on top of the red diesel issue I just wonder if the Belgians want us British yachtsmen over there spending our money or not. Let's face it, it's an acquired taste and easily avoided.

There was a big Belgian flagged yacht in Berthon yesterday - 'Red Hackle', registered in Gent.
Perhaps Moody Nick can ask them, why the hassle with Brit yachts.

 

[sailorman]

I have never ever has hassle from any one in Belgium, i took my own first sea going boat there in 1978.
I believe there are some very isolated cases, where, for some reason or other, skippers get their collars felt, much like the the road side cop situation.
I have even had the Duane o/b drinking our superb coffee.

 

[Colvic Watson]

I suspect that goes for the vast majority of visiting yachtsmen but as Belgium is discovering, it only takes a few stories of over zealous officials and threats of huge fines for red diesel - no matter how very unlikely an individual is to encounter this - to put most of us off. There are plenty of other places to go and nice though a stop over in Belgium is, how many of us need to go there? We like Oostende and really like Nieuwpoort but it's just not worth the potential hassle, no matter how unlikely.

 

[RAI]

It seems "hassle" in this case was being asked for his papers and they being found lacking. It's a risk we all take when entering another country's inland waters unaware of the differences in requirements. My boat is registered in Brussels, so I know I need a paper chart of the Belgium coast (up to date), a copy of the regulations on board and a license both to own and operate radio and radar transmitting equipment. The Belgium officials happily accept that my operating qualifications are issued by the UK/RYA.

Then there are the RAINWAT requirements, but the Belgian officials appear to have stopped their "hassling" before getting to those rules.

 

[Stork_III]

There was a big Belgian flagged yacht in Berthon yesterday - 'Red Hackle', registered in Gent.
Perhaps Moody Nick can ask them, why the hassle with Brit yachts.

Moodynick has left Berthon for higher things.

 

[wingdiver]

I suspect that goes for the vast majority of visiting yachtsmen but as Belgium is discovering, it only takes a few stories of over zealous officials and threats of huge fines for red diesel - no matter how very unlikely an individual is to encounter this - to put most of us off. There are plenty of other places to go and nice though a stop over in Belgium is, how many of us need to go there? We like Oostende and really like Nieuwpoort but it's just not worth the potential hassle, no matter how unlikely.

+1
We like Blankenberge too but are boycotting Belgium until things are sorted properly.
Saying 'I haven't got caught/boarded/fined and no-one else has and the local HM says it's fine' is a total irrelevance as far as I'm concerned, as I'm not risking things until there is a finite official statement along the lines of 'we will not fine non Belgian skippers with red diesel in their tanks as long as they have receipts that show they have paid the appropriate duty in accordance with regulations in their home country'. None of this 'in the last year' kind of qualification etc.
Even the recent 'red diesel' message from over there was rubbish as most UK yachtsmen use the RYA approved 60/40 split, which may not meet their approval and, also, many of us will not have sufficient diesel receipts within a year of the voyage to cover the entire tank full (I know I haven't as I've only put 1000 litres in of the 1600 capacity since January 2013) so the statement is at odds with that too.
As I've said before, no-one in the UK charges you an extra £1 a bottle for each Duvel you bring in because you may have paid less duty in Ostende than you would have done in Ipswich plus, if it's just the colour, that's all most of us can buy in UK ports etc. I aint getting 1000 litres of white from the garage in jerry cans.
I really want to go back to Belgium but we are still staying away and I'm pretty fed up with it.

 

[bromleybysea]

Don't get me wrong, personally I like Belgium and I've had a good time there, but then I like slightly seedy ports, beer and chips with mayonnaise. But all of those can be had in France and Holland without the risk of being hassled. It's irrelevant that I have been to Belgium most summers for the last god knows how many years without problems , I'd probably risk it again, I'm just curious as to what the Belgians think they're up to. I don't really care that much one way or the other- if they want to hassle me for having red diesel or radar than so be it, all I want is a statement from the government as to the definitive position. Does Belgium have a government these days?

 

[sailorman]

+1
We like Blankenberge too but are boycotting Belgium until things are sorted properly.
Saying 'I haven't got caught/boarded/fined and no-one else has and the local HM says it's fine' is a total irrelevance as far as I'm concerned, as I'm not risking things until there is a finite official statement along the lines of 'we will not fine non Belgian skippers with red diesel in their tanks as long as they have receipts that show they have paid the appropriate duty in accordance with regulations in their home country'. None of this 'in the last year' kind of qualification etc.
Even the recent 'red diesel' message from over there was rubbish as most UK yachtsmen use the RYA approved 60/40 split, which may not meet their approval and, also, many of us will not have sufficient diesel receipts within a year of the voyage to cover the entire tank full (I know I haven't as I've only put 1000 litres in of the 1600 capacity since January 2013) so the statement is at odds with that too.
As I've said before, no-one in the UK charges you an extra £1 a bottle for each Duvel you bring in because you may have paid less duty in Ostende than you would have done in Ipswich plus, if it's just the colour, that's all most of us can buy in UK ports etc. I aint getting 1000 litres of white from the garage in jerry cans.
I really want to go back to Belgium but we are still staying away and I'm pretty fed up with it.

Apply pressure to the RYA

 

[wingdiver]

Apply pressure to the RYA

They've achieved diddly over the past umpteen years......

 

[Koeketiene]

They've achieved diddly over the past umpteen years......

Are you surprised?
Belgian politicians couldn't care less about what the RYA thinks.
In Belgium, yachting is a VERY marginal interest.
And it may come as a shock, but the British really aren't all that popular the other side of the Channel.
Why? Either they are seen as boorish lager louts or stuck-up toffs. And then there's Nigel Farage.

 

[Sixpence]

Why? Either they are seen as boorish lager louts or stuck-up toffs. And then there's Nigel Farage.

That rules me out then, more of a saga lout myself

 

[sailorman]

Are you surprised?
Belgian politicians couldn't care less about what the RYA thinks.
In Belgium, yachting is a VERY marginal interest.
And it may come as a shock, but the British really aren't all that popular the other side of the Channel.
Why? Either they are seen as boorish lager louts or stuck-up toffs. And then there's Nigel Farage.

My Grandfathers 1st son is buried in Belgium, killed in 1917 aged 19.
My Father myself.my Son & his Son all carry his name

 

[jerrytug]

Are you surprised?
Belgian politicians couldn't care less about what the RYA thinks.
In Belgium, yachting is a VERY marginal interest.
And it may come as a shock, but the British really aren't all that popular the other side of the Channel.
Why? Either they are seen as boorish lager louts or stuck-up toffs. And then there's Nigel Farage.

British not popular over the other side of the channel, really? That's the opposite of my experience! They can't get enough!
The other side of the Solent though, that's different, it needs nuking back to the stone age, which isn't very far.

 

[sailorman]

British not popular over the other side of the channel, really? That's the opposite of my experience! They can't get enough!
The other side of the Solent though, that's different, it needs nuking back to the stone age, which isn't very far.

I have never had issues in France either, maybe its you

 

[jerrytug]

I have never had issues in France either, maybe its you

I am lucky, I have had to learn French on my travels, and from my mum who worked for the Free French in the War, I can imagine they could be grumpy gits if you can't speak a dicky bird.
The Belgians understand French but would die rather than admit it. And Dutch..

 

[Colvic Watson]

Are you surprised?
Belgian politicians couldn't care less about what the RYA thinks.
In Belgium, yachting is a VERY marginal interest.
And it may come as a shock, but the British really aren't all that popular the other side of the Channel.
Why? Either they are seen as boorish lager louts or stuck-up toffs. And then there's Nigel Farage.

We've had unfailingly courteous and friendly dealings with Belgians; too many to list. They didn't give the impression they had any issues with the English. Their politicians and local officials seem to be the issue.

 

[PetiteFleur]

Belgium is fine. Never had a real problem - the only time we were visited was when we turned up at 1am(I got the tide wrong,,,,,)and the customs knocked on the hatch at 8am in the morning. Very polite and just asked for papers etc. We assume they must have seen us enter on their radar.

 

[Colvic Watson]

It's perverse isn't it, Belgium has no land boarders, people can drive back and forth with pink, black or yellow spotted diesel in their tanks, no one checks your passport or MOT or car insurance, there's just a little sign by the side of the road to say you're entering Belgium.

But arrive by yacht and customs officials are banging on your companion way door at first light, checking papers and in a few cases your diesel, RADAR paper work and drinking Roger's best coffee. It's just bizarre, all those millions of vehicles crossing and recrossing the land border and all this fuss about a few hundred yachts from blighty. Kind of makes you wonder about priorities. Or is it something buried in the psychie of a former trading nation that threats come from the sea?