Gibraltar. Small boats not welcome?

[basic]

I chatted to a single hander in Camaret earlier this week. He mentioned that he had been in Gibraltar and that he had not been welcome on the pontoons. Reason; his boat was too small and they would rather have the income from a bigger boat. (His boat was about 9m). Has anyone had a similar experience anywhere else?

 

[doug748]

As I was coming up to Lesconil a large French boat was hammering up behind and seemed determined to reach the harbour entrance at exactly the same time as me. I veered away and let him go in first. Sure enough he got the last pontoon berth and I had to go alongside the fish dock. I was hit three times with bird shyte in the first 5 minutes.

However,
there was a bit of a ruck on the pontoon, with the harbourmaster, and the boat had to leave, I assume it was too big for the berth. Result, natural justice.
I was in like Flynn, even reversed, secured alongside and put the kettle on. Two minutes later the harbourmaster materialized and said the berth was for bigger boats so off I had to go.

So a bit of a Goldilocks at Lesconil. Still no idea what it was all about.

 

[GrahamM376]

I chatted to a single hander in Camaret earlier this week. He mentioned that he had been in Gibraltar and that he had not been welcome on the pontoons. Reason; his boat was too small and they would rather have the income from a bigger boat. (His boat was about 9m). Has anyone had a similar experience anywhere else?

Where in Gib? Marina Bay or Queensway? We go into Marina Bay most years, sometimes in company with a <10m boat and have never heard of any problems and staff always very welcoming.

 

[basic]

Where in Gib? Marina Bay or Queensway? We go into Marina Bay most years, sometimes in company with a <10m boat and have never heard of any problems and staff always very welcoming.

Sorry but I didn't think to ask as I was just leaving and I was late to catch the tide.

 

[[10753]]

I moored in Marina Bay this year. Staff really friendly, really helpful. Seemed to be no issues. All peeps seemed welcome. Only thing you had to do was book in advance.

 

[NOHOH]

Got turned away from Queensway in 2011... They said that we (at less than 12m) were too small and 50 feet was the smallest they would accept............What a bunch of knobs

 

[landlockedpirate]

Got turned away from Queensway in 2011... They said that we (at less than 12m) were too small and 50 feet was the smallest they would accept............What a bunch of knobs

TBH Queensway doesnt really like viiting boats at all, regardless of size. Sometimes it even feels like they would rather the resident boats dont go out sailing either, especially if you go into a Spanish marina for lunch But its a nice quiet place to keep your boat, with excellent security and even a forum member or 2 watching the marina from his house.

Marina bay and Ocean Village are much better set up for visitors, MB especially have a decent number of smaller moorings round the back (near the big yellow dive cat).

 

[viago]

i dont think they're over keen on big grey spanish boats either.

 

[capnsensible]

i dont think they're over keen on big grey spanish boats either.

Hiya V nice to see you here. The grey ones are not frequent, its the green and white ones most days. All they got to do is ask. Its a bit like an armed Spanish policeman walking round Plymouth every day, being asked to leave but no one does anything about it. Still, most other Spanish people are OK though.

 

[bjl]

Queensway was not interested in any visitors at all in September last year. Marina Bay took visitors at the same time of year but there was no security of tenure: they said that they were waiting for their preferred customers who were long term visitors. Marina Bay is in a great location but was generally untidy at the time, eg a few rolled up and rotting carpets on the pontoons, used to prevent chafe on the paserelles of long term liveaboards. I was able to receive tax free imports there, delivered directly from the airport to the boat. Had a good time there. La Linea, on the other hand, was excellent.