Marina visitor space

[CaptainCava]

In the last few years, finding overnight space in a marina for a visiting boat has become a serious problem on the Solent. Listening to channel 80 at weekends, it would seem that if you haven't booked in advance, you have to be tucked up on your pontoon by early afternoon! Some marinas don't even take bookings (last year this included Bucklers Hard, Ocean Village and Bembridge) and the logic behind that is hard to fathom, especially as they could quite easily take credit card numbers to protect themselves against any lost revenue caused by non-arrivals. I would be interested to hear from any offending marina operators the reason for this unhelpful behaviour.

Does anyone know if the situation is as difficult in France? I am planning a summer holiday in North Brittany and it would be nice to be able to sail all day, rather than just in the mornings. My last experience over there was that harbours & marinas tended to ignore any radio calls in broken French, but maybe they accept advance bookings. Does anyone have any information?

In case anyone says 'why not anchor?', we do that as well, but it's nicer to do it by choice, rather than have no option because a harbour master shouts 'fool' at you. (I think they usually mean 'full'.....mmm but maybe not!)

 

[JeremyF]

I too dont understand why marina's dont take advanced bookings with credit card. Bizzare really. However, congrats to MDL, Mercury. I phoned them on the mobile from Osbourne Bay during RTI, asked for a berth that night. No probs. No credit card. Well done MDL!

Jeremy Flynn

 

[rich]

just think, all the emty berths becos you booked,and stayed at home,you got no chance,in france.first in.get real!! do us all a faver,and stay at home,,,,,,,,,,,

rich ) Why pay, when you can do it yourself?<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by rich on 06/07/2002 23:37 (server time).</FONT></P>

 

[LadyInBed]

Re: Credit Cards

Card Numbers over the VHF or for that matter via mobile phone. I think not!

 

[rogerroger]

Simple. Money, as usual.

Demand for permanent berths in Solent marinas is so great that visitors berths are converted into permanent ones. You can understand this from the marina's pont of view - a one off payment and once-a-year admin, rather than berths dedicated for visitors.

Short sited I say, if you can't get a berth elsewhere, are we all to be restricted to day sailing as we can only get a berth at our permanent mooring.

I know some marinas are making a concerted effort to encourage their permanent berth holders to inform them when they are away so their berth can be used but I agree with you, the visitors berth is soon becoming a thing of the past.

However, that said, look at Yarmouth - almost entirely "visitors only" but try getting in after 4 pm on a hot summer Saturday. It's down to simple over crowding.

In Cherbourg, there are several pontoons exculsively for visitors, all clearly marked so you just turn up and grab a space.

When I sailed around North Brittany we took advantage of the long days and sailed to 9 / 10 pm before heading in - no probs with a berth, didn't need to call on the VHF, someone would spot you, come out in a launch, and direct you to a berth.



Roger Holden
www.first-magnitude.co.uk

 

[Rabbie]

This topic really gets my goat!. Whats the big deal about marinas anyway. OK,OK - I know what your answers will be!. I have sailed from Chichester to most Solent venues most weekends in the season for the past 15 years and have NEVER found the need to use a marina. Never used anything bigger than 22 ft. Maybe thats why I call myself a SAILOR!. Struth, where would some of you be without your toy phones, credit cards, pontoons, etc?. Rant finished - but, really!!!!!!.

To quote another - Why pay,? etc.

 

[CaptainCava]

Thanks for the advice. My advice to you, is to do US all a favour and learn to spell.

 

[CaptainCava]

Re: Credit Cards

Absolutely agree about VHF....but mobile phone??!!
Wow...what a cautious chap you must be.

 

[CaptainCava]

Gosh!!
Do you get that angry about everything that you personally don't want to do?
Chill out...a heart attack might be just round the corner.

 

[CaptainCava]

Absolutely agree. Well done MDL!

 

[CaptainCava]

Thanks for the sensible reply.

 

[Rabbie]

No need to 'chill out' Captain!. Nor is there any suggestion that I am against marinas per se. Your post suggested that 'finding a space on a marina berth in the Solent for an overnight visiting boat is becoming a serious problem'. Why serious?. Why a problem?. First come, first served - end of 'problem'. If you cant get in, its not the end of the world. The mobile phone user calling from Osborne Bay, by booking a berth has immediately denied the use of that berth to others who may arrive before them. Maybe thats why you think its a problem Captain - youve been beaten to your berth by a mobile user!.
Oh yes, and is this the first time MDL has been congratulated on this medium?.

 

[charles_reed]

Nearly all the French marinas on the W coast have dedicated visitor-berth pontoons - however during July and August you may find the marinas totally full.

The further North you are the greater likelihood you are to find free berths - by the time you get to Re the problem is as bad as the Solent - St Martin de Re is nearly as expensive as the Solent, which makes it VERY expensive for France.

Generally speaking you'll not get any response to a vhf call, though la Foret Fouesnant is an honourable exception.

 

[JeremyF]

Could well be a first - praise for MDL, but hey, there is a definite attempt at improving service, even if the prices remain sky high, and the price leader in the industry.

Rabbie, you assume that all people sail like you. In my case, its often young family and dog. Hence the importance of a marina berth!

Jeremy Flynn

 

[LadyInBed]

Let those who want to use marina's do so. If its just for a night in calm conditions I prefer to anchor. If I am staying for 3 or 4+ nights then to be able to walk on/off has its advantages.
Maybe Solent sailors should expand their horizons. Lots of places outside the sanctum centorum with safe anchorages and pontoon space, and if its that important to be in a marina you can shell out all your hard earned ackers in Poole!!

 

[Guest]

A few further thoughts!!!

The Solent has a large number of charter fleets in operation and they btend to sail from marina to marina.

The number of Rallys seems to have increased greatly over the past few years.

My own marina in Gosport does not take booking on the grounds that when they used to take bookings they had a large number of no shows and also first come first served seems fairer to them.

Pete

 

[tcm]

I would say that the situation in Northern France is far, far less pressured. The south coast of England is under huge pressures in terms of the numbers of marina berths. There seems to be far less pressure in Brittany and indeed all along the North French coast.

A few years a agoi I planed a trip to Deauville - newish marina, slap bang next to a huge beach, like an upmarket version of Weymouth, I though that the place would be booked solid. I faxed a reservation. I confirmed a week beforehand. I called a few days before setting off, and again on the day. I arrived to a near-empty marina.

To any french marina, there are all sorts of calls thoughout the day, but you have to remeber that all these calls come around the afternoon, when brits have to "home for tea" or later when the french have to be "home for dinner". They tail off at 7ish, and stop suddenly at 8 - as most of the marina staff have gone home. At 8:05 you can go in to almost any marina, find a space, and stay the night. If you plan to be gone by 7am, there may be nobody to take your money, but have it ready.

So, if arriving at (say) Cherbourg after 8 ish, just go in and tie up. Don't do all this calling on channel whatever, cos they hardly VHF at the best of times, let alone during mealtimes 1-2 and 8pm onwards.

Incidentally, the same applies to lots of small airfields in France too! You just land the plane. The brits get in a state and circle sevral times, whilst the french are resolutely having lunch and can't be disturbed under any circumstances.

 

[jwatson]

Thanks for the exchanges. We ARE trying to improve!!!
John Watson
MD
MDL

 

[Guest]

John I think its very good that you monitor these boards and that you value the input. Your post has inpired me to turn from "lurker" to poster.

I have a berth with MDL in the Hamble and shall be away for five weeks over the summer. Why is there no incentive whatsoever (from MDL) to tell your staff that my berth will be free? I understand that Lymington offer to share the visitor fees with the bertholder but can see that this could be difficult to administer. Surely though there is a way of offering some form of incentive? My berth free for a month in peak season ought to be worth a one month extension when it comes to renewal time in March (when half the boats are still on the hard) or some extra vouchers to be used at other MDL facilities.

I look forward to your views.

 

[SimonD]

I have to say that with the children on board, I prefer the security and convenience of a marina. However, given the shortage of visitors berths (I notice no-one has disagreed with this observation!) I'd be happy to try anchoring. It would be helpful if anchoring buffs could post a list of Solent anchorages, holding, shelter etc.