Brightlingsea Water Taxi

[Cobra]

As many of you will know the Brightlingsea Water Taxi changed it's ownership at the start of this season.

This weekend just gone has been our first opportunity to see if things have improved after the shambles that was the previous owner. I know that we were not the only people who opted on using their dinghy (the 'healthy' option) and rowing rather than run the risk of the service not running when you get back onto your mooring at 17.00 on a Sunday!

Well...good news! Ian (aka Langford old boy) has given us back a proper Water Taxi service with the emphasis on the word service!

This Sunday was spent working on 'Huldra' on her new mooring, we took the Water Taxi over and were impressed by its new Beta diesel...you can actually hear yourself talk now! We rather lost track of time, and at about 18.30 noticed that a) it was now 18.30 and b) that there was not a lot of water left in the South Channel.

Time for a quick call on M1..."What time are you running to this evening Ian?".
The response came back "Well we have just put the big boat away as there isn't much water left, but we are still running using the harbour launch. When do you want picking up?"

10/10 Ian! Lets hope that more people will revert to the 'full fat' option!

 

[Leighb]

When we were there last month we understood that it is weekends only though.

We were there midweek and used our dinghy, we wanted to explore the harbour anyway.

 

[Marmalade]

We've been in a couple of times to B'sea and it all seems like business as usual. Last year is just a bad memory!

 

[Athene V30]

When we were there last month we understood that it is weekends only though.

Summer Timetable 2010

2nd April – 16th July
Friday: 17.00 – 23.00
Saturday: 09.00 – 23.00
Sunday: 09.00 – 21.00

17th July – 31st August
Friday 09.00 – 23.00
Saturday 09.00 – 23.00
Sunday – Thurs 09.00 – 22.00
Looks like not going to run 7 days a week over Summer anymore. But on other days HM will taxi ashore during working hours.

1st September – 26th October
Friday: 17.00 – 23.00
Saturday: 09.00 – 23.00
Sunday: 09.00 – 21.00

 

[Dazedkipper]

He could really do with extending his hours, particularly on Friday and Saturday evenings in the season so one can enjoy an evening in the town and have a drink without worrying about being stranded.
Does anyone remember Kevin, now there was someone who knew about customer service...even if he had to be prized from a stool in the Colne to take you back to your boat.
That said, the new guy is heading in the right direction...good luck to him.

 

[Athene V30]

He could really do with extending his hours, particularly on Friday and Saturday evenings in the season so one can enjoy an evening in the town and have a drink without worrying about being stranded.

How late do you want? He already covers to 2300 on Fri & Sat which seems reasonable enough to me. What happens in Brightlingsea after 11pm that is worth satying for?

It is a long days work to cover from 0900 to 2300 I know I wouldn't want to do it for just £1 a head, if the weather is OK and if people actually go to the boats. There have been days at the start of the season where the poor guy took less than £10 all day.

 

[Dazedkipper]

How late do you want? He already covers to 2300 on Fri & Sat which seems reasonable enough to me. What happens in Brightlingsea after 11pm that is worth satying for?

It is a long days work to cover from 0900 to 2300 I know I wouldn't want to do it for just £1 a head, if the weather is OK and if people actually go to the boats. There have been days at the start of the season where the poor guy took less than £10 all day.

2330hrs.

 

[Cobra]

What happens in Brightlingsea after 11pm that is worth staying for?

Obviously you have never waited around long enough Peter!!

EDIT

Speaking with Ian as we were heading back to the Jetty on Sunday, he intends on operating a much fuller service next season upon reaching a 'certain age'!!

 

[Dazedkipper]

'Normal' service resumed!

Seems we are back to normal with the BWT service. I was in the harbour over the weekend. Saturday evening, 1900hrs, crew on a yacht berthed nearby hailed the taxi as he sped past asking to be taken ashore. The reply was 'no, I'm off for my dinner, back in half an hour'.!!! Amazing....

We, (about a dozen people) had wanted to go ashore shortly afterwards for a drink prior to a 2000hrs dinner reservation but 'my dinner' threw a spanner nicely in the works. When we finally did get taken ashore we were told 'it's a low tide tonight so you'll have to be back by 22 to 2215hrs or I won't be able to take you'. So that was the evening well and truly 8uggered up!

Previous taximen would have said, be back by 2215 or it will have to be when the tide makes again about 2330, or they would have rafted another craft onto the pontoon to keep the taxi in deep water.

TBH I think this new guy is a joke, he runs a timetable to suit himself not his customers and his boat handling skills are somewhat questionable, to be polite.

No doubt I'm setting myself up for a broadside from some contented forumites but I feel that the situation has to be aired...if one pays for a service one should receive it.

 

[Fire99]

Seems we are back to normal with the BWT service. I was in the harbour over the weekend. Saturday evening, 1900hrs, crew on a yacht berthed nearby hailed the taxi as he sped past asking to be taken ashore. The reply was 'no, I'm off for my dinner, back in half an hour'.!!! Amazing....

We, (about a dozen people) had wanted to go ashore shortly afterwards for a drink prior to a 2000hrs dinner reservation but 'my dinner' threw a spanner nicely in the works. When we finally did get taken ashore we were told 'it's a low tide tonight so you'll have to be back by 22 to 2215hrs or I won't be able to take you'. So that was the evening well and truly 8uggered up!

Previous taximen would have said, be back by 2215 or it will have to be when the tide makes again about 2330, or they would have rafted another craft onto the pontoon to keep the taxi in deep water.

TBH I think this new guy is a joke, he runs a timetable to suit himself not his customers and his boat handling skills are somewhat questionable, to be polite.

No doubt I'm setting myself up for a broadside from some contented forumites but I feel that the situation has to be aired...if one pays for a service one should receive it.

That's fair enough.. (Your comments not your experience) Gotta speak as you find.

 

[Sheff]

We were the "other crew" mentioned in Dazedkipper's post.

We called the water taxi to request a lift ashore at 1845 for 1900 as we had a meal booked for 1930 only to be told we would have to wait 30 mins as he was having his dinner. We rang the restaurant to put back our meal by 30 mins......... ok, no problem......... proceeded to the end of the north pontoon at the agreed time...... no sign of the water taxi. Called him on his mobile to be told he would be at least 20 mins as he had gone "up river" to assist a friend. Apparently he had finished his dinner early, taken 12 people ashore and assumed we were amongst them.

Another phone call to delay the meal by another 30 mins!!....... pump up the dinghy...... ashore for a very pleasant evening.

My personal comments:

We all need to eat but I would imagine peak business is 1800-2000 for going ashore on a saturday evening.

Also heard the comments about being back for 2200-2215 as not much water......... it wasn't a spring tide......... no problem re water depth at the hammerhead at 2230.

I've only been into Brightlingsea twice this season and despite the published times at a weekend of last taxi at 2300 the service has finished at 2230 leaving two crews I know of ashore without being told the service was terminating early.

Not impressed, sorry.

Paul.

 

[Cobra]

We weren't about last weekend, but having just read the comments from Dazedkipper and Paulnoyland, I was to say the very least quite surprised at the comments being levied at Ian.

Ian doesn't frequent these fora, so has asked me to post his replies to the comments being made.

Dazedkipper Saturday evening, 1900hrs, crew on a yacht berthed nearby hailed the taxi as he sped past asking to be taken ashore. The reply was 'no, I'm off for my dinner, back in half an hour'.!!! Amazing....

Ian repliesWould you like to justify your expression of "sped past"? The limit inside the harbour is 4 knots. If you can evidence I was exceeeding this then I am sorry, if not please try and refrain from making unsubstantiated comments! As regards having my dinner, everyone has to eat, and as it happened I took a break that was no more than 20 minutes.

paulnoylandCalled him on his mobile to be told he would be at least 20 mins as he had gone "up river" to assist a friend.

Ian repliesActually if you had listened to what I said, I informed you that I was taking another paying customer up to Whites Pontoons and would be back in 15 minutes. This couple were in the boat and I was heading upriver. I could I guess have picked 10 of you up, continued upriver, dropped the couple on Whites Pontoon, come back and collected the two that I had left behind...but I guess that wouldn't have been right either would it?

DazedkipperWe, (about a dozen people) had wanted to go ashore shortly afterwards for a drink prior to a 2000hrs dinner reservation but 'my dinner' threw a spanner nicely in the works. When we finally did get taken ashore we were told 'it's a low tide tonight so you'll have to be back by 22 to 2215hrs or I won't be able to take you'. So that was the evening well and truly 8uggered up!

and

paulnoylandI've only been into Brightlingsea twice this season and despite the published times at a weekend of last taxi at 2300 the service has finished at 2230 leaving two crews I know of ashore without being told the service was terminating early.

Ian repliesOK...if we are going to start making accusations, lets get some facts straight shall we? Had any one of you actually bothered to tell me that you had a dinner reservation ashore, then I would gladly have re-arranged MY schedule to suit YOU. I am not a thought reader. Make a request, and I will do my best to meet that request...if you don't voice a comment what do you expect me to do? As regards the comment relating to needing to be back by 22 to 22.15...sorry...I was still running at 23.15 with my last run at 23.30. Once again, PLEASE GET YOUR FACTS RIGHT!

DazedkipperTBH I think this new guy is a joke, he runs a timetable to suit himself not his customers and his boat handling skills are somewhat questionable, to be polite.

Ian repliesWell...what can I possibly say? The 'timetable' of any East Coast Water Taxi is determined by the vagaries of tide and weather. We are not blessed with the deep waters of the South Coast, and there are times when it is near impossible to run. As it happened, on Saturday evening even at 11.00 there was actually very little water in the river. However after a good night out maybe judgements were shall we say perhaps a bit clouded? I am somewhat upset at your comment about my boathandling skills. I have been on the water since a very early age and have sailed in a wide and varied selection of boats currently sailing my own Westerly Storm 33. To be allowed to operate the Water Taxi I have to be able to handle a motor craft to a certified standard inside the harbour.

I hope that the above has answered your concerns and will not put you off coming back to Brightlingsea in the future.

 

[Dazedkipper]

Obviously the customer is wrong, yet again!

But to clarify,

1. 'sped past' - an expression inferring did not stop or slow down. Went past at 4kn is rather pedantic.

2. the purpose of a trip ashore is not the business of the taxi driver although it does not take a genius to conclude that a group of people, well dressed as opposed to yachting scruffies, may well be heading to a resturant. If you are happy to to run till 2330 why not TELL people abouit it, not keep it a secret?

3.A good night out!!! Finally ashore by 8, back on the pontoon by 1015, woo hoo!

4. Boat handling skills, witness the plethora or fenders adorning the taxi...wonder why.

5. Yes I probabally will visit B'sea again, but like many will be bringing my tender again.

 

[FullCircle]

Obviously the customer is wrong, yet again!

But to clarify,

1. 'sped past' - an expression inferring did not stop or slow down. Went past at 4kn is rather pedantic.

2. the purpose of a trip ashore is not the business of the taxi driver although it does not take a genius to conclude that a group of people, well dressed as opposed to yachting scruffies, may well be heading to a resturant. If you are happy to to run till 2330 why not TELL people abouit it, not keep it a secret?

3.A good night out!!! Finally ashore by 8, back on the pontoon by 1015, woo hoo!

4. Boat handling skills, witness the plethora or fenders adorning the taxi...wonder why.

5. Yes I probabally will visit B'sea again, but like many will be bringing my tender again.

1. Ok
2. You let yourself down. He is not a mind reader or a fashion editor. He wasn't saying we would run until 2330, that is not in the schedule. What he said was what actually happened on that evening.
3. OK, but why woo hoo?
4. Plethora of fenders is sensible no?

I think this thread has gone from the informative through accusatory, to insult. Not very us, is it?

 

[Cobra]

DK - I will pass your comments on to Ian when we use his service this weekend.

BTW and it is none of my business, thinking back to when both Jon Brett and Kevin Gooch before him, had the water taxi, they too both had a fair number of fenders over the side...are you going to call their boathandling skills into question as well? I think it is probably just that Ian has put new shiny white fenders on the taxi this season and they are a bit errr obvious!! Also...would you rather that a working boat (which face it is what a water taxi is) nudges up alongside your nice shiny topsides with a battered wooden rubbing strake or that it be properly fendered?

Each to their own I guess, but a gentle reminder if you are going to use your dinghy, please moor up on the INSIDE of the hammer head!

As FC has said, I guess that this thread has now run it's useful course!!

 

[Fire99]

Personally I'd be pleased to see lots of fenders. The way I see it, i'd rather have a ton of fenders and never use them rather than not have any and just once, as I bump into someone's boat, wish I had 'em so I think moving on from 'fender-gate' might be an idea.

Maybe the guys who aren't too chuffed with the service may have some resolve by giving the guy a ring and perhaps resolving it. Bit of direct communication doesn't do any harm.

I think talking through an intermediary on a forum is destined for a bit of a row methinks.

 

[Marmalade]

speaking as I find... have had no probs with Ian this year, as I said earlier. No other negative comments from Marconi sailors that I'm aware of (and we're in and out of Brightlingsea most weekends in some shape or form).

 

[OLLIE45]

Can't for the life of me think why anybody would want to take on that job. Antisocial hours, out in all weathers, impossible to please all of the people all of the time and i don't spose he will ever make a shed load of money from it. Still its a good job that someone wants to do it.
I doff my cap to him and wish him well.

 

[Dazedkipper]

As I suspected I've stirred up a bit of a hornet's nest.

However, in resect of commets posted on behalf of the BWT by 'Cobra', and the observation made by 'Fullcircle', after due consideration I have to agree that the views expressed by the BWT are inflamatory and not representative of the level expected of the forum.

In respect to my comments about boat handling skills, I had hoped to avoid specifics by making allusion to fenders but this was obviously too obscure, therefore, call me pedantic if you will, but comming alongside the pontoon so hard that standing passengers are thrown over; approaching with the tide; mooring bows to and expecting passengers to disembark over the bow are not expample of what I call good seamanship! It matters not one jot what one sails, a Westerly, a Hallberg or a tin bath, it is how one handles it that counts.

In an attempt to get the last word, (if that is possible) I agree with 'Cobra' and others that this has outrun it's usefulness and we should call a halt.

 

[FullCircle]

As I suspected I've stirred up a bit of a hornet's nest.

However, in resect of commets posted on behalf of the BWT by 'Cobra', and the observation made by 'Fullcircle', after due consideration I have to agree that the views expressed by the BWT are inflamatory and not representative of the level expected of the forum.

In respect to my comments about boat handling skills, I had hoped to avoid specifics by making allusion to fenders but this was obviously too obscure, therefore, call me pedantic if you will, but comming alongside the pontoon so hard that standing passengers are thrown over; approaching with the tide; mooring bows to and expecting passengers to disembark over the bow are not expample of what I call good seamanship! It matters not one jot what one sails, a Westerly, a Hallberg or a tin bath, it is how one handles it that counts.

In an attempt to get the last word, (if that is possible) I agree with 'Cobra' and others that this has outrun it's usefulness and we should call a halt.