Emergency Meeting Of Kangaroo Court !!

[hlb]

I have just recieved a letter from Yacht Haven,it reads as follows.

On updating our records for all our customers, we have realised that the details we have for some vessels are incorect. We have therefore measured the length overall of the boats berthed on the marina including bowsprits, davits, bathing platforms and other protrubing attatchments.

Your vessel " Meekatharra" has been measured and is 1.8m longer than the length stated on your berthing agreement.

The cost for additional meterage per annum is £363.78 therefore an invoice will be raised shortly.

If you disagree with the above and would like us to re-measure your vessel please contact us without delay.

Cheaky buggers. And they have a bloody big three foot wide pole stuck out the water. About five foot down my berth. So even more boat stuck out in fairway. And rusty iron cleats that have worn through hundreds of pounds worth of rope.

Haydn

 

[Guest]

Re: Legal Advice

Hell. There's only one thing to do in situations like this. I suggest an urgent letter as follows.


Dear Yacht Haven

Please find enclosed cheque for £363.78.

Yours sincerely

H.

 

[ChrisP]

Guilty as charged

what was the charge???????

£200 per meter/ year

Bit steep

 

[Guest]

Can help with angle grinder, if necessary...

 

[hlb]

Re: Legal Advice

The point is. In all the years of boating. And yes I know they all say overall length. But even very bureaucratic councils or harbour masters and even posh marinas. Just look on the side of the boat and it says Princess 35. So thats the length they put down.
Must decline offer of angle grinder. Got one of those but also a styl saw. But have yet to decide which bits to remove

Haydn

 

[jfm]

Court throws out retrospective increase

Haydn, you need to be quite clear that they measured your boat, you did not tell them its length. Got that? I'm sure you rememebr it like it was yesterday, whereas they change staff so often they couldn't remember something from last week let alone a few yrs ago. In which case, here's reply. Add swearing as you see fit........

"Dear Haven
Thank you for your letter bla bla.

When I first came to your marina in [1934] the dockmaster came out and measured my boat and calculated the mooring fees, and I have paid the fees you have invoiced ever since. You say now that there has been a mistake with the measuring and you wish to increase the charges. That is fine, but you cannot retrospectively alter the agreement we have had between us up till now. I will therefore pay you the additional £363.78 when I renew in [April 2002] for next season, but I insist that the fees for this season are already agreed between us and cannot now be changed by you.

Yours etc
The boy Haydn"

 

[Guest]

Haydn , I presume youre moored in Plymouth Haven, owned by the same man where I am moored at Lymington, the reason for the increase is quite simple, come down to Lymington and look at the house he is having built, by the waterside about same size as Buck Pallace, he must of run out of readies and I don;t think he can squeeze anymore from us lot so Plymouth is next on his hit list.

All those in Largs better wait for the hike!.

Paul js.

 

[Guest]

Ah but they've been very unreasonable doing this at this time of year. What with the boat sitting in relatively warm water and hence expanding, and the tape measure being relatively much colder, it's obviously contracted from when they first measured it (co-efficient of thermal expansion and contraction and all that) and hence their measuring technique is totally inaccurate. They're not really being fair and indeed to your mind this reeks of sharp practice or even fraud and is to be reported to Weights and Measures at the local Trading Standards office.. Suggest you tell 'em that unless they withdraw this threatening, objectionable and rude letter immediately, you'll have no alternative but to move the boat to Accrington, or even worse, Swansea.

If that doesn;'t work threaten them with the Rottweiler. Or if all else fails send them a cheque.

 

[longjohnsilver]

Or you could explain that a pair of davits have appeared on the boat which were only due to be fitted at the start of next season. Express great surprise and go overboard with praise for company giving such great service, unlike PYH!

Remove said davits and ask for a remeasure. Alternatively look for a mooring! (I just happen to know an excellent one on the Exe for a 45' boat and very reasonably priced!!!) Also much closer to Northern towns!

 

[byron]

I guess you called this Kangaroo Court because you are HOPPING with anger and I bet the letter made you JUMP when you got it.

ô¿ô
www.education-jobs.co.uk
www.alexander-advertising.co.uk

 

[DepSol]

In Guernsey if you disagree with there measurement you have to pay 4 a marine surveyor to measure the boat and prove they are wrong. If not tough doo doo mate!

 

[lyc]

In this high court it has been decided that as Meekatherra does not use the berth when she is on her holidays and at weekends (or less she is a gin palace) the following applies: - 5 weeks x 7 days main holidays = 35 days plus 30 weekends not on mooring = total of 95 days of no boat at moorings.
I therefore command that you send Yacht Haven an invoice for these days of non-use. Perhaps when you have worked it out you will let me know how much. But it might be easier just to pay up.

 

[adrianm]

Glad I'm not there!

The boys at Brighton have a lot better attitude. Earlier this year I had viral meningitis which left my hand-eye co-ordination out of whack for a few months.

I asked Brighton Marina if I could move to an alongside berth rather than my stern-to berth due to my difficulties. Not only did they allocate me a new berth within about ten minutes of asking they have only charged me for the size of the boat even though I'm taking up a berth five meters bigger.

MInd you, now that I'm fully recovered I've got so attached to the new berth that I've made sure the new boat is bg enough to fill it so they can't take it away!

 

[boatone]

Re: Legal Advice

Several of the upper thames marinas I looked at have clauses in their contracts which specifically allocate extra length for davits (with or without dinghies), outdrives, bathing platforms etc and also state very specifically that extreme measurements of projection of bowsprits or pulpits etc apply in calculating overall length for charging.
Actually, I think they're being generous. If it was my marina I'd be measuring you from pontoon cleat to pontoon cleat for your mooring lines and I'd require your mooring lines to lead ahead and astern at least 10% of vessel length at each end to prevent ranging.
Go on ....pay up!

boatone@boatsonthethames.co.uk

 

[hlb]

Ah but.
They've credited £4-50 for hire of bearth over the year!

Haydn

 

[lyc]

£4.50?? What did they put in the mooring? Someones Fender?

 

[ChrisP]

Re: Legal Advice

Don't remember seeing much ranging on a floating pontoon. But I've no doubt they would try if they thought they could get away with it.

 

[paulineb]

The thing that pisses me off is that a small boat pays less and gets a finger pontoon which runs the whole length of the boat, but if you have a bigger boat you pay more and the finger pontoon finishes half-way along the length of your boat. So what are they charging for? The pontoons, which they own?? or the water, which they don't ??

Pauline B

 

[adarcy]

Re: Charging systems

Dear Pauline,

Big head me, I know, but can I point you to my reply to Haydn under the
"Come on something or other " thread rather than retyping it.

Anthony

 

[markc]

Re: Charging systems

I don't mean to be picky, but I have known MrsB for years - this is a discussion we have had many times, so she is not 'copying' your post....sorry to dissapoint, but the lady can think (well, sometimes anyway!!)

M