In tests 4 out of 10 yachtsmen...

J

jonjo

Joined
27 May 2002
Messages
11,172
Visit site
... try to leave Yarmouth Harbour IOW in the morning before paying.

On Sunday morning I had a ringside seat in Yarmouth and watched as roughly 40% of departing yachts were accosted by the multiple HM dorys at the entrance and belatedly handed over payment for their overnight stay.

Strange but true!
 
I must be too bloody honest then!

The one time I left without paying was after a late arrival and an early start, both outside of HM opening times.... I called afterwards to offer payment, and they sounded genuinely shocked (and let me off without paying!)
 
That's terrible :( but on par with what we saw in Guernsey this year. Little French yachts regularly tied up to us late at night and gone by first light in the morning. Didn't even wake the dog.

Pete
 
Last edited:
me too .. I left ST MAry's early but asked SWMBO to go round and pay when the office opened, apparently the guy nearly fainted.

Perhaps if everyone was honest then overnight fees would be 60% of what they currently are?
 
Morgana said:
I must be too bloody honest then!

The one time I left without paying was after a late arrival and an early start, both outside of HM opening times.... I called afterwards to offer payment, and they sounded genuinely shocked (and let me off without paying!)
Click to expand...


I also left (back in 1998), without paying, I arrived late in the evening and left at 4.30 in the morning. Got caught even at that time..... I normally do pay at the office.
 
Morgana said:
I must be too bloody honest then!

The one time I left without paying was after a late arrival and an early start, both outside of HM opening times.... I called afterwards to offer payment, and they sounded genuinely shocked (and let me off without paying!)
Click to expand...

Times change. The skipper and crew of Two J's left Yarmouth early in the morning, after their return from the Cherbourg trip last September. The skipper was obviously too honest for his own good because he called up the Harbourmaster's Office before we cast off, to ask if there was anyone around to pay the mooring fees to. I've never seen a Dory move so fast...... :D

I've left without paying on a couple of occasions in the past (all perfectly innocent) and have posted them the money afterwards, in the hope that it will keep the overall costs down :)
 
It does have to be said though; I've tried to pay in the office in past years (more than once), and been told, "Don't worry the dory will get you before you leave".
I did however pay in the office last week.
 
We used to regularly pay as we were leaving. Often when we had the kids on board we wouldn't go ashore on the town side at all during a visit to Yarmouth, taking the kids to the beach instead. And often we didn't know how many nights we were staying until we woke up and the weather was fair. The staff in the dories seem to treat it as a normal method of payment.
I think it's a harsh to assume that 40% of the visitors were trying to get out without paying.
 
DJE said:
We used to regularly pay as we were leaving. Often when we had the kids on board we wouldn't go ashore on the town side at all during a visit to Yarmouth, taking the kids to the beach instead. And often we didn't know how many nights we were staying until we woke up and the weather was fair. The staff in the dories seem to treat it as a normal method of payment.
I think it's a harsh to assume that 40% of the visitors were trying to get out without paying.
Click to expand...


David, I think that is a fair assumtion, so the 40% figure is as you say, probably totally misleading.
 
I really don't like paying at most anchorages but a marina is a lot different. It is set up to provide facilities and I reckon Yarmouth is not too bad generally. They have also given much lower prices during weekdays this summer, to attract people in and to help keep the harbour and town full during the recession.
I reckon an extra charge is due to those caught sneaking out :-)
 
On the ditch

On the ditch, Henley town council have installed "pay and display" meters with a notice claiming a £2000 fine for non compliance.

In some ways it's kind of annoying (there are no facilities to pay for or maintain, just a cash cow for the town council, particularly during Henley regatta when they charge £50 per night!!!), but I think it largely prevents any non-payment

R
 
Scotty_Twister said:
I really don't like paying at most anchorages but a marina is a lot different. It is set up to provide facilities and I reckon Yarmouth is not too bad generally. They have also given much lower prices during weekdays this summer, to attract people in and to help keep the harbour and town full during the recession.
I reckon an extra charge is due to those caught sneaking out :-)
Click to expand...
I like the idea of charging a good lump extra for 'late payment'. For late/early arrivals where out of hours payment is difficult, it could be easily dealt with via a drop box for a simple form or note with the appropriate details collected.

Perhaps a triple rate for non payment?
 
Morgana said:
I like the idea of charging a good lump extra for 'late payment'. For late/early arrivals where out of hours payment is difficult, it could be easily dealt with via a drop box for a simple form or note with the appropriate details collected.

Perhaps a triple rate for non payment?
Click to expand...

Do you work for local government???;)

If they're not there to take my money they don't get it. If I get in at 23:00 and expect to leave at 05:00 why should I traipse across loads of boats to peer myopically at the charges (no reduction for being umpteenth boat in the raft) displayed on a faded notice.

If I'm in at 16:00 with the whole evening ahead of me, of course I'll pay.
 
michael_w said:
If they're not there to take my money they don't get it.
Click to expand...
That is my policy when I go foreign e.g. France, Poole or Devon but at Yarmouth I play a straight game since I don't want a black mark at my favourite local port.

As to the morality of the game? Since municipal harbour charges no longer bare any relation to the cost of provision I don't volunteer payment. These days harbour masters run regional job schemes that employ office staff to surf the internet. The worst example has to be Poole Harbour Commissioners which employs legions of loafers with no demonstrable skill in maritime matters or boat handling.
 
The Dutch, masters in all things commercial, have the answer - machines that dispense sticky tickets that you place on your boat where they can be seen by a patrol. At Enkhuisen, can you believe it, the machine also tells you which slots are free - so you don't have to fear a knock on the hatch late in the evening to move out of someone's berth.

Dashed clever these folks - but of course there are a thousand reasons why we have dories rushing about with clipboards and tin boxes - it's the British way!

Hoorah for the 19th century - we like it there!

PWG
 
I always pay at marinas though I admit that the boat length suffers a little shrinkage at the expensive ones. But I would always leave an anchorage without paying if I can do so. After all, there is nothing to pay for.
 
I tend to agree with Peter Gibbs..... if you arrive at the dead of night and get away before anyone is about without paying, then fair do's I reckon..... I have done same at Yarmouth when midweek the starboard pontoons, as you go in, were completely empty and the stars were my only companion. But to stay overnight and use the facilities whether it simply be the help of a Berthing Master or the use of the jetty and general security of the harbour.... then it's a bit underhand not to pay.
Besides, I've now got the name of my boat plastered on the dodgers so i may get caught! :-)
 
jonjo said:
... try to leave Yarmouth Harbour IOW in the morning before paying.

On Sunday morning I had a ringside seat in Yarmouth and watched as roughly 40% of departing yachts were accosted by the multiple HM dorys at the entrance and belatedly handed over payment for their overnight stay.

Strange but true!
Click to expand...

Cant be true, 100% on here reckon they pay eventually.................. the one thing that does grate a bit at Yarmouth is £3 for the electric and extra for the showers.
 
On a post above it was mentioned that you have to pay to anchor???

Where is that? I think unless I had absolutely no option I'd avoid somewhere like that.
 
NDH said:
one thing that does grate a bit at Yarmouth is £3 for the electric and extra for the showers.
Click to expand...
Yes indeed, £31 for a 35 footer on the walk ashore pontoons, plus say £5 in shower tokens.

But I will keep paying, we had another perfect weekend at Yarmouth. One night on the harbour wall £16 within stumbling distance of Saltys, then on the Sunday a 4 mile hike along the estuary and nature walk to Freshwater Bay, 3 hours on the beach concluding with dinner at the Red Lion.

I cannot think of anywhere else in the UK that can provide all that.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top