Henley festival - last year of the booms?

[rosssavage]

Cooks piling have this year numbered all the piles and photographed which boat is tied to which boom. When I asked why, he told me I would be liable for any damage caused and the photo was to prove which pile I was attached too. Leaving that aside, it appears that HRR have told Cooks they're fed up with the cost of damage caused to the booms during festival week, as HRR have to pick up the cost of repairs.

Consequently, the Cooks piling chap I was talking to said HRR intend to remove the booms immediately after the rowing finishes next year, so there will be no booms for the festival.

Rumour - possibly....

But, what if we paid? I'd happily pay £50 per night IF I could book a spot on the booms and my place was reserved.

With all the boats here, not only would it (collectively) pay for any damage but it could offset the cost of putting the booms in altogether. Would HRR go for that?

Any comments?

Would you pay for a guaranteed spot?

 

[Blackfeather]

I would happily pay for a guaranteed spot.

 

[Chill]

What damage is caused to the booms?

 

[Chris_d]

Victim of its own success I guess, I suppose we are all really freeloading on somebody else's structures. Just hope it something can be worked out that doesn't involve charging.

 

[Outinthedinghy]

What damage is caused to the booms?

A lot of nails but that's from smaller boats mainly I think. There is of course the flood risk and it isn't a mooring structure.. Interesting point about potentially letting people stop on a fee basis that would make sense but I bet elfin Safety's insurance policy would not allow it.

 

[teddington_lock]

We used to just thread the mooring lines under the booms when we were doing it.

Quite a lot of the booms got pulled free , so it's probably damage to the mounting points where they join the piles rather than the booms themselves.

 

[Terry@cookpiling]

Firstly don't shoot me I only work for the company! But please feel free to ask away anything you may like to know. I am not able to talk about money of any description only because I don't have that kind of information. Tia terry

 

[apollo]

So the organisation that has made millions over the last decades without paying a penny to EA is bleating over a few running repairs....My heart bleeds for them.

Let them remove them, then we can put out anchor and kedge instead.

Just saying..

 

[Brayman]

If they are going to charge for mooring on the booms then the least they should do is fit a large screen to rear of the floating stage so the paying boaters (and those Phyllis Court members!) can see what they are listening to.

The Festival organisers would be sorry to see the loss of the backdrop of well ordered boats behind the stage I'm sure.

 

[rosssavage]

Hi Terry, great to have you here!! I'm moored up next to pile G19 if you fancy a chat at some point this week? Boat is L'Chaim.

So far it's only a rumour, so it would be great to get your take on it....

In terms of damage (help me here Terry!) there have been occasions when booms have come free, and I understand if a pile breaks Terry and his team have to charge more to remove the stump from the river bed.

Cast your mind back a few months and there was the Sunseeker that was successfully prosecuted for speeding off at 20+kts last year - hard to believe he didn't break something doing that...

I do understand HRR's point of view - they pay for the booms for their event, and we get to use them for free the week after with HRR picking up the tab.

However, if they were at all community spirited I'd hope they would understand the benefit to the town and the Festival's charities by allowing us to use the booms for the festival.

Brayman - yes the festival organisers will lose out, but don't forget the booms are organised by HRR, not the festival.

 

[rosssavage]

Oh, and I should make clear there has been no mention of charges being levied yet. I was merely interested if people would be willing to pay.

If HRR do decide to remove them early on a purely cost basis, would people be willing to pay to keep the booms for festival week to influence HRR to keep them for festival week?

I would.

 

[Thamesmariner]

We are also moored on the booms a few boats behind L,Chaim and agree that we also would be willing to pay for a reserved position, as Ross suggested, £50 per day is not unreasonable considering the entertainment, fun and pleasure we enjoy every year and we think it is better value than staying in St Katherine Dock where we pay over £70 per night.

 

[mlines]

Is there a small business opportunity here. Why not ask the boom supplier how much it would be to keep them in position including the repair costs (fixed price deal) and then charge people to moor. You could even patrol up and down in a light green boat at speed and demand the fees

 

[apollo]

Is there a small business opportunity here. Why not ask the boom supplier how much it would be to keep them in position including the repair costs (fixed price deal) and then charge people to moor. You could even patrol up and down in a light green boat at speed and demand the fees

Ha ha hahah

 

[Outinthedinghy]

Steve will have thought of it and it will have been done by now if Rupert at hrr allowed it

 

[bumperdump]

Allright Terry, can you make sure your work boat licences are up to date.
Remember all that once the festival has finished SRB will charge you if you moor/or even tickle the booms with a rope, right bee in his bonnet last year.