'New Look' Ostend
- Thread starter Koeketiene
- Start date
wingdiver
Well-Known Member
So, in not so many words, the Belgians don't care if we come over......You overestimate the importance of trade from UK yachtsman.
Contrary to popular belief this side of the Channel, UK sailors are not big spenders when going abroad.
Many prefer to eat on board (Fray Bentos, etc...) while swilling down whatever pint of beer they got for less than £1 in Tesco.
Bars and restaurants along the Belgian coast aren't really all that cheap and well, the food just looks too foreign.
Not so long ago, substantially more UK yachts visited Belgium. This was for one reason and one reason only: to stock up on duty-free fags and booze. General Stores employed 5 people and delivered to all marinas along the Belgian coast - from Nieuwpoort to Zeebrugge.
Then HMRC boarded and fined a couple of yachts off Harwich returning from an Ostend rally and trade dried up virtually overnight.
General Stores is now a one-man band and delivers to Ostend only. Even the East Coast's most well-known 'smuggler' now shops at Delhaize.
So, UK yachts stopped visiting Belgium in any great number long before this whole red diesel thing kicked off.
And the Dutch and the Germans seem to have taken up the slack. Mostly because more of them tend to avoid the UK as they risk being fined for having red diesel in their tanks when returning to their own countries.
This picture was taken in Ostend last year, in mid 'red diesel scare'. The place does not look empty to me.
I think you are. That amnesty was never 'official' (as in written) - just a claim made by the organisers. It did not carry any more or less weight than my report from Robert.
And again, UK participants are just a drop in the ocean. They never make double digits.
When you check the Oostende Voor Anker website/Facebook page, for the 2013 edition there are currently 154 entrants - only 6 of them British. Given the fact that the festival is massively oversubscribed each year, I doubt that there would be one empty berth if the 6 UK entrants did not show up.
sailorman
Well-Known Member
Koeketiene
Well-Known Member
That would be too strong a term. 'Not overly concerned' would be more appropriate.
Since UK trade dropped drastically after the HMRC 'booze cruise raid' in 2006 or 2007, they have adapted.
Now, if the Dutch or the Germans were to stop coming...
When it comes to the whole red diesel scare thing, I think the UK has probably lost more trade from Belgian visitors than the other way round.
I also understand the UK yotties point of view: now that the duty free booze and fags incentive has disappeared...
Let's face it, Belgium is not really the most attractive cruising destination.
- Bars and restaurants are not exactly cheap. Understandable when you consider that trade is very seasonal: they have to earn their years living in 4 months.
- Coastline: not exactly a thing of beauty, is it?
- And to top it all, navigation is a bit akin to sailing up and down The Wallet a couple of times: not everyone's idea of fun.
If it wasn't for the fact that I still have a lot of friends living in and around Ostend, I probably wouldn't visit as often as I do.
wingdiver
Well-Known Member
Although several people seem to avoid it, we have usually started and ended our trips with a stop at Blankenberge.
Maybe it's because it was the first place we stopped at on the 'other side' but we have always liked it there. Several yacht clubs, town pretty close (unless you moor on the stbd side in the main marina), sandy beach if it's sunny enough, market, Kust Tram to elsewhere on the coast, easy rail link to Bruges and Brussels.
It's also about 90nm door to door (or should that be pontoon to pontoon) so is easy to cover in daylight in the longer daylight days (or 'summer' as we used to call it).
Now we can cover more miles in a day, places in Holland come into the equation as a first stop instead but we have still popped in there.
Itching to head back that way but can't as things stand.
Severely annoyed that we can't as well......
Maybe it's because it was the first place we stopped at on the 'other side' but we have always liked it there. Several yacht clubs, town pretty close (unless you moor on the stbd side in the main marina), sandy beach if it's sunny enough, market, Kust Tram to elsewhere on the coast, easy rail link to Bruges and Brussels.
It's also about 90nm door to door (or should that be pontoon to pontoon) so is easy to cover in daylight in the longer daylight days (or 'summer' as we used to call it).
Now we can cover more miles in a day, places in Holland come into the equation as a first stop instead but we have still popped in there.
Itching to head back that way but can't as things stand.
Severely annoyed that we can't as well......
sailorman
Well-Known Member
why not urge Gus Lewis to pull his finger out
benw
Well-Known Member
We have enjoyed Blankenberge as our stop off point en route to Holland. In fact my daughters refuse to accept the Summer Holiday cruise has started until we land at Blankenberge despite a 13 hr crossing from Harwich to Belgium. The landfall visit has gradually extended from a couple of days to five days as they love the beach and independence they have driving the dinghy in the safe marina, grabbing some shopping time in the centre and having any number of moules frites options on the door step.
As reported in 2011 we were boarded by the Douanes in Blankenberge who were not at all interested in our fuel - we had filled up from the fuel pontoon mind you. They wanted to check safety eqpt, sailing qualifications etc
We are hoping to visit again this year but the only caution we have is our new 2m keel given the chart datum for the marinas!
As reported in 2011 we were boarded by the Douanes in Blankenberge who were not at all interested in our fuel - we had filled up from the fuel pontoon mind you. They wanted to check safety eqpt, sailing qualifications etc
We are hoping to visit again this year but the only caution we have is our new 2m keel given the chart datum for the marinas!
sailorman
Well-Known Member
Try Oostende, a nice safe beach there now
Lucky Duck
Well-Known Member
Ben,
I'm a bit concerned if they are checking sailing qualifications as I know that I'm not the only person on the ECF without any!
I'm a bit concerned if they are checking sailing qualifications as I know that I'm not the only person on the ECF without any!
sailorman
Well-Known Member
Just box ticking to prove they have been out & about.
i bet i have less quals than you
benw
Well-Known Member
I think the best qualification is that you are tied up alongside! Says more than any piece of paper I know!
BTW Simon noticed you were pointed upstream at RHYC as we ghosted by after new year. Are you in the dock for the winter?
BTW Simon noticed you were pointed upstream at RHYC as we ghosted by after new year. Are you in the dock for the winter?
Lucky Duck
Well-Known Member
Ben,
Upsteam at RHYC is my winter berth
I was up at the Haven last Friday on my way to West Mersea for the weekend (bit foggy when coming back on Sunday) but sadly should be on the hard standing at SYH by now.
First job tomorrow is to sand down the anti-foul, living the dream!
Upsteam at RHYC is my winter berth
I was up at the Haven last Friday on my way to West Mersea for the weekend (bit foggy when coming back on Sunday) but sadly should be on the hard standing at SYH by now.First job tomorrow is to sand down the anti-foul, living the dream!
benw
Well-Known Member
Simon, All sounds good. Would appreciate some spinnaker input on our new vessel as the pole is the size of our main boom on the Sadler!
Ben
Ben
Lucky Duck
Well-Known Member
Just box ticking to prove they have been out & about.
i bet i have less quals than you
VHF restricted ops and something for having complete a couple of months worth of (winter) race training back in the early 1990s. Nothing else.
sailorman
Well-Known Member
Daydream believer
Well-Known Member
Years ago i was arrested in Ostend for not having passport& ICC. It is not much fun being dragged off the boat & having a machine gun stuck up your nostril
I have now been there 56 times & regularly get inspected by customs & police
I have even been threatened with a fine because boats name was not on the stern. That was inspite of being on first name terms with some customs officers
Yet on another PBO thread some chap suggests the I CC or equivalent is not necessary. Believe me it is.
My last 2 trips i had white fuel but no inspection
I will be spending 3-4 weeks there this year & knowing my luck i will be boarded
So -- no red fuel & make sure all shipsapers are up to date & flares in date
benw
Well-Known Member
I would think no passports trumps no ICC any day!
sailorman
Well-Known Member
Koeketiene
Well-Known Member
ICC is NOT necessary - unless you go into the canals.
In which case you don't just need the ICC but also the CEVNI bit.
It's not even compulsory for Belgian registered boats to have any qualifications bar the appropriate radio operator ones, so why would they even ask foreign registered boats?
OTOH, showing up without a passport tends to make officials anywhere jumpy.
sailorman
Well-Known Member
Trouble seem to follow some folk