MBM Cruising Club

[Piers]

Having been on so many of MBM's cruises, I would like to know what people think of the club.

So, for those who have been on one or more cruises, what could be done to improve them?

For those that haven't, why not?

Piers

Piers du Pre
MBM Cruising Club enthusiast

 

[Guest]

Because they are in the north sea and all cold. Yerknow that bit on the back of the boat - thats the swim platform, that is. And the sunpad? For sunbathing. It's true! What you do is run off the sunpad, leap in the sea. Cept in the channel, in which case if anyone does this you call the coastguard.

 

[duncan]

Difficulty getting on the South coast ones is the main barrier Piers. It really is a 'Club' for those events and the window for joining is normally well gone by the time others get their boating year organised!
I was on a trail boat one for a week in Plymouth a couple of years ago and was very impressed by attitude, organisation and a sense of understanding what people wanted (even if at times they hadn't realised it themselves!)

regards

 

[hlb]

Re:Why Not!!

Well cos there nearly always held from the Solent and we'd
have to go on a mini cruise just to get there.
We've not been consulted about the starting date, so the timings out.
We dictate cruises and length to coinside with weather conditions and not by Errr its Australia 3 June, back 8 June no argueing.
And lastly, wots the point of having the fredom of the sea and trailing a load of w--kers around with us!!

Haydn

 

[byron]

I just don't like cruising in company. I do my own thing, go where and when I want.

©2001
www.education-jobs.co.uk
www.alexander-advertising.co.uk

 

[david_steward]

Re: My two penn\'orth

I've been on several, and I enjoy them very much indeed. We go on them for a variety of reasons. Mostly to eat and drink ourselves stupid with a variety of like minded consenting adults. But also as it takes some of the strain away from planning where to go, when, for how long, can we get in when we get there? etc.

Would like to see a bit more apres sea organised, otherwise it seems that small cliques appear to form.

Presently wondering about next years plans, as nobody seems to be saying very much.

And lastly as a major improvement I would ban the wearing of stripey shirts

Dave S

 

[byron]

Re: My two penn\'orth

You can talk, last time I saw you I had to wear sunglasses because of your shirt. Even you admitted that it "took a lot of bottle" to wear it ;-)

©2001
www.education-jobs.co.uk
www.alexander-advertising.co.uk

 

[DepSol]

I've never been on one mainly because I live in Guernsey and I've only aquired a 26' boat in August 2000. As you know I spent a short time drinking with you guys when you were in Guernsey and attended your Vin d'honour and had a good laugh for the time I was involved. If it is like that for the whole time I think it would be great to join in, pity you couldn't include the channel islanders half way through!

The atmosphere seems good throughout and Tom does an excellent job of organising everybody.

Hope to see you next year for a few jars and this time I should be able to take time off work to go on the hair raising round Island tour with Buzz leading the way.

Dom

 

[longjohnsilver]

Cissy!!! NM

.

 

[MikeBrazier]

Because I dont have a boat at the moment

are you the guy who put diesel in the water filler then LOL

 

[Scubadoo]

Not been on one, mainly because MBM are not interested with boats under 25ft - as they say insurance reasons!. My boat is just under 25ft (24'8) and like many of us we are excluded.

MBM may offer local cruising - like Southampton water to Cowes and I for one are not interested.

RM.

 

[Guest]

Outrageous Piers, absolutely outrageous.

We did our first CIC this year (Zeeland Cruise)and had a great time and if allowed back again, especially after what follows, will certainly repeat the experience. Big plus point for us was the "safety in numbers attitude", knowing that somewone would be around if something went wrong was reassuring. We would never have done this on our own, but we did feel a bit forgotten on the trip back

Agree with Dave re a bit cliquey. And also agree about his shirts, they should carry a Govt health warning.

Now for a bit of "constructive criticism".

Numbers participating. i can understand limiting to 25ish boats but if the cruise is sold out in the first few days of announcing it, why not do several to the same destination? For example, I understand for the Dutch cruise there was in excess of 100 applicants. So why not do 4 or 5 or more cruises a week or so apart overlapping with each other? Yes it would mean a bit of logisitc jiggling, but not insurmountable. Use Tom and Kim (sorry to volunteer you for this, but example only OK?) just for the X chaneel getting there and back then others (Hiswa would help? or Dutch mag equivalent?) as in-country leaders. You could hire a Dutch "party organiser" for not a lot of money to organise all the berthing, parties etc. A brief write up on each town, what's there, supermarkets, good bars, restaurants, entertainment, street map etc. More apres boating events as a group, not just pontoon piss ups but what about nice meals out, sightseeing coach tours, or walking guided tours round towns or day out cycling round the countryside, quad biking, water skiing etc. Yes this would add to the cost, so up the prices. Perhaps quite a bit. Not too many people who own the type of boat that are likely to be attracted to the event are exactly short of a few quid and you can always just give it as an option at booking time and see what the take up is. Involve the cruisers more. More destinations, less time wasted spending 3 days in one place etc. What about treasure hunts or some kind of daily spotters quiz or other activities for the kiddies? Discos for the teenagers? Tea dances for your age group? Local interest groups or museums or whatever to come and give us a chat.

Do you want any more or shall I shut up now?

 

[Piers]

Come on Matt - to the North Sea? Is this really so? I'm only aware of one such cruise in the history of the club. Otherwise it's all off to hot and sunny climates. The only crossing of the North Sea is to get to gorgeous Holland, and that should really be called a channel crossing....

Piers

Piers du Pre
MBM Cruising Club enthusiast

 

[Piers]

Yes, Mike, I am. And what a plonker I felt - I saw red in three ways. Diesal, anger and embarrassement. Quite apart from seeing a huge bill.

And all I was doing was trying to negotiate a discount with Falmouth Fuel Barge for the MBM Cruise Fleet fleet - I was the guy in the front.

And being wrapped up with this, I simply didn't see I was using the wrong filler-cap....

However, what I can report is that the water tank is now 100% given the ideas Berthon had, and the horrific chemicals they used. Mind you, my skin has changed colour, I have a dreadful twitch, and my hair has fallen out....


Piers du Pre
MBM Cruising Club enthusiast

 

[Piers]

Hey, Dom,

You certainly can join the party (sorry, cruise) part way through a cruise. Nothing to stop you doing that at all. But I can't comment on the boat size - I am told it's an insurance thing, but even that may be up for change...keep in touch and watch this space.

Piers du Pre
MBM Cruising Club enthusiast

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Piers, we did several a few years back but dont anymore for a number of reasons. Firstly, MBM keep going back to the same old places and I understand the reasons for this especially given the support each cruise still gets. Secondly the cruises are not very kid friendly - most of them are outside school holidays and there's no specific activities for kids . Thirdly, as another poster has already said, some of the cruises get a bit cliquey and, if you dont know anyone, it can get boring
Otherwise, the MBM cruises are very well organised, certainly way better than the shambolic RYA ones.
Some ideas:
West of Scotland (maybe with some organised trucking for S Coast boats)
A summer half term kids special - eg: Weymouth/Torquay with some activities arranged
Morbihan (probably have to limit numbers and sift out inexperienced)
E. Coast and Broads

 

[Guest]

Re: Hot and sunny?

In that case, I'm not sure that you know what hot and sunny actually is. Brief extracts from the only two reported MBM cruises:

"Once we checked the latest weather there were other worries too, namely the great collection of low-pressure systems located around us like Indian warriors at Custer's last stand. At this stage we haven't much of a clue when we can get the fleet home"

"Tonight we gathered the remainder of those who are holding on for the promised weather window tomorrow. The yacht club was the scene of our third farewell dinner in as many evenings"

"..when waking up at 0430 again, a dollop of rainwater flew through the porthole and the masts of surrounding yachts screamed - it was a pretty big clue that all was not going our way"


When I say Northsea, I mean the associated waters - channel s coast, uk. The cold bits. Whereas nice warm med is where you don't need long trousers except to get into a two- or three-star restaurant, and nobody has got a jumper or a rainproof in July or August. That "camper hood" on your boat is to keep the sun off- not the rain.

Now, they do sound fun. But they sound good fun *considering* the weather - not good fun enhanced a hundredfold by the weather. So, any chance of one in the med? Or any MBY one in the med? Dunno. Looks like it's be a blimmin freezing channel islands or solent job. Umbrellas to the ready...

 

[andrewbarker]

I haven't been and it's a bit catch 22. It seems a bit cliquey - but then if the same regulars go & others don't, it's bound to! However I would like to see an awareness that some of us avid boaters (and MBM readers) have incomes below £100,000 p.a.

I'd also like to see the Cruising Club scope extended a bit for more inclusion. For example, I'd love to do Channel Islands, Cherbourg, Le Havre etc. Now there may only be one Channel Islands run each year. If the dates are wrong then - that's it. I can't go. Can't you do more than one? Also the dates are probably great if you're retired etc but can't you do some extra shorter trips? I can do X channel in a long weekend & that would be great.

So: more trips please and how about a run Solent - Ramsgate calling at some of the less - used channel harbours. Nice & easy - just off the coast & then you could allow smaller vessels along. Nicer for some more reluctant crew as well.

Good luck with the Club

 

[Guest]

Re: Business opportunity?

Well, it would seem so. Four times as many want to go as there are spaces, and everyone seems ok about paying a bit more.

 

[kimhollamby]

Would like to register a few points here...MBM cruises have attracted boats of all ages, of all prices ranges, of all speed ranges and people of all abilities. So they have not at all been exclusive in that sense. Check out the participant list for the latest Zeeland cruise if you don't believe me.

They have excluded boats under 25ft loa for the longer range trips because our liability insurance (and yes, despite individual boat policies, we do require that) has made that a long-standing condition of cover. Even if it didn't, I would be concerned from experience that all participant boats should have the ability to carry a defined level of safety kit and should be able to undertake all legs of a cruise without refuelling from cans en-route.

No doubt the new team at MBM have their own feeling for which way things should go in the future. I was always very flattered by the increasingly high level of repeat participants (the fact that regulars got on so regularly only happened because they knew to book within a day of the booking form's release) but there is no doubt that we were always also looking for fresh faces.

We did manage to break out of the south coast and lower east coast circuit last year by running a cruise out of Hull with 18 boats and I would have wanted to see that trend continue, if I was still running the show. Less successfully, local cruises and cruises organised for smaller craft had struggled to attract significant interest in recent days. Perhaps because we were not doing those events well enough, but also I think because the market has skewed the numbers of likely participants for such things.

On the first MBM cruise I ran in 1988, the largest boat was a Moonraker 36, the next largest a Fjord 31 and the next ones after that a Princess 286 and a Sealine 285. Now an MBM cruise typically deals with a spread of brand new and 20+ year-old craft between 25ft and 55ft. Amongst other things, makes the berthing arrangements interesting at times! And people generally want to get out of England and across the Channel to, well, anywhere that is across the Channel really.

Bottom line with the Cruising Club is it had got to the point at least three years ago where we had run out of weeks in the summer!