Big Year for Scots boating?

[ParaHandy]

Re Latest News
Have the IPC PR bunnies been snorting too much foo-foo dust? Since when have "hamfisted staff" spoilt your day in Scotland? So we're all kilted, tartan, behemoths knocking seven shades of hell out of yon (sassenachs, presumably) boats? You might exercise some journalistic caution over what you print.

 

[Gordonmc]

Steady on!
While I agree the author is wide of the mark in implying incompetence in shore-based staff North of the border, there is a much more important point being lost in a welter of self righteous indignation.
Sail Scotland would, surely, find a better use for its £350k than telling the industry professionals how to do their job.
For instance; funding the maintenance of visitor moorings, still under threat from the withdrawal of local authority cash. If not directly, then by seeking support through sponsorship.
Accurate listings of visitor moorings and facilities - public and private - would be welcomed by those commercial organisations which would benefit from an influx of tourist Euros and Pounds, as well as cruising yotters.
British Waterways are doing a good job in providing the basic facilities to attract users of the canals. It is a pity Sail Scotland is fettered in doing the same for the inshore waters by its own remit.

 

[ParaHandy]

Well, I’m not inclined to “steady on”. That PR came originally from north of the border and has been embroidered by an IPC hack.

I agree with everything else you say. Indeed, I thought it was the HIDB (Highlands & Island Development Board) who laid most of the moorings that I moored to and, with EC help, built many of the facilities eg at Tarbet. Presumably the local authorities are cherry picking the assets picked up from HIDB? Down from Tarbet, at Kames, the moorings are owned by the hotel and the owner’s son would collect and deposit you, irrespective of alcoholic content which was normally awfy foo.

 

[ronniewood]

If the criticism is justified, it should be taken on board but any operator giving lousy service will soon be out of business anyway, as customers just don

 

[Guest]

I wrote that piece after attending the Sail Scotland presentation at the London Boat Show. I never meant to imply 'ham-fisted staff' were the sole province of the Scots because, very obviously, they aren't. However, if someone thinks it's worth spending 360K on training industry professionals, presumably they have a fairly good reason...

The reason, I gathered from the presentation, is actively to disassociate the Scottish marine leisure industry from the occasionally slovenly treatment boaters receive in marinas throughout the country. Marina charges in Britain are comparatively astronomical and, since we pay their wages, I don't see what's wrong with expecting decent treatment from the marina's staff.

I hope that's taken some of the colour out of your cheeks, Mr Handy. No offence was intended and, being half-Scottish myself, I was keen to give Sail Scotland's sincere endeavours some publicity.

Nipper (foo-foo-free)