Newton Creek and National Trust Donations

[DAKA]

We popped into Newton Creek yesterday for lunch, I didn't want to pay £12 to be on a white buoy so we dropped anchor.

It wasn't long before the National trust launch came along to disturb our lunch and crash into the side of us.
He wanted payment, I put up a bit of a fight but gave in to his demands for £4.

Alright it wasn't a lot but this morning I am polishing out the marks he left on our hull, they should be paying me £40 for a polish (done two days ago).

Now the story doesn't end here and the main reason for posting........

There was a boat on the white NT buoys in front of us and I was just wondering how much it would cost when the lady waived a card,

launch
' oh you are members are you"

Swingers

' No certainly not, this is a staff card '


Launch then did not collide with swingers, but instead held on to the rails to say hello and off he went.


My gripe if you have not spotted it already

Why should I need to make a charity 'donation' to get my boat scratched and to help towards a campaign to stop boats in studland bay and then someone who works for the 'charity' is not expected to contribute /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

Am I right or just in a bad mood after having to polish scratches out of my freshly polished hull !

If you do not want to pay then tell them from a distance before you have your hull damaged, if you do want to pay then take a catapult so you can hurl a few £1 coins from a distance.

 

[Firefly625]

I have got to say that I feel OK about making a donation, if you are members of NT then the mooring fee is reduced..... if you are staff then the NT must pay well.... but hey, we all get perks with our jobs somewhere along the line..

But I feel this post is more to do with the damage sustained by the clumsy operator of the launch... I have got to say, however "happy" I am about paying the NT for a stay at Newton, my sense of charity would have run out just as soon as the collision occurred!! So my answer to your question would be it was probably your bad mood.... however that is totally justified!!! If they had done the same to me I think I would have handed the chap some polish and a cloth and asked if he felt able to oblige.. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Geoffs]

Bit surprised about all that, Pete. Normally the man is very polite, and comes alongside gently. Explains that the donation is a donation, and never mentions an amount. Sometimes, I pluck up courage and say 'no', he goes away grecefully. I've know people just give £1 for a lunch stop over.

Maybe not the usual man, if he crashed into you, and demanded £4.

 

[mjf]

Blimey! You make the bloke sound as if hes become a Somali Pirate!


Both the boats they use are very well fendered and both NT guys are very charming indeed.

In fact on more than one occassion i have helped the duty guy in re anchoring boats that have dragged onto the wall of the oyster bed whilst the owner/crew were ashore. They would not do that if they didnt give two hoots........

 

[Coastgal]

Really sorry to hear about your extra polishing. But can't believe he would have been the usual NT guy. Did he give you a receipt?

Normally we pick up a mooring buoy there, but on Sun/Mon we decided to drop an anchor. A bit later, MR NT came alongside very gently (even though he was completely wrapped in fenders), explained that there was no fee to anchor and asked if we'd like to make a donation. Seemed so polite and friendly.

Hmm, actually, now I think about it, you're right, they're bloody rude, so we should all stop going there, then the place would be empty /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[Simonk]

Don't know how much you think would be good value for money,seems to me £4 worth of fuel would be gone just starting the engines up. Why don't you stay on your marina berth and admire your lovely gel coat and leave the rest of us to enjoy Newtown Creek.The fewer the better.

 

[Adrian]

we were there too, blue hulled Hanse anchored after the last white buoy, did you see us makng a cock up of anchoring? i'd never anchored there before so when asked for a "token" donation i asked "whats considered "token"?" and was told most people give £5, so thats what i did, he did bump us but i havent checked to see if there was any damage, I doubt it would be any more than i did the the night before in Cowes!

It did gripe me a bit to pay but its such a fantasic spot i didnt mind
Sunset

Sunrise (well almost!)

Please ignore the dodgy fenders and note the anchor ball!!

 

[henryf]

What the f$%k is that sticking out of the roof of you boat man?

Have you got some sort of CB aerial rigged up there, it looks far too big for VHF or are you running Newtown pirate FM ?

Very strange that /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Keep smiling

Henry /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[DAKA]

[ QUOTE ]
Blimey! You make the bloke sound as if hes become a Somali Pirate!

<span style="colorurple"> Felt like it at the time ! </span>
/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

Both the boats they use are very well fendered

<span style="colorurple"> Well fendered yes but the plastic skid marks have to be polished off, I needed to hose the salt off first and then use a water based polish that can be hosed off afterwards. In effect 2/3 of that side is now protected by short life water based polish that replaced the long term 3m applied the previous day. </span>

both NT guys are very charming indeed.

<span style="colorurple"> Most HMs I have come across are polite enough to charge other boats first until you have completed berthing or your meal, bit like a waiter asking for a tip during your starter </span>

In fact on more than one occasion i have helped the duty guy in re anchoring boats that have dragged onto the wall of the oyster bed whilst the owner/crew were ashore.

[/ QUOTE ]

<span style="colorurple"> Yes, as I am not a regular there and as I was East of Adrian with a marle bank close astern of me I thought I best cough up </span> /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif


<span style="colorurple"> The bit that wound me up was the fact that STAFF dont feel it necessary to donate to the 'charity', thats for suckers ! </span>


<span style="colorurple">Thanks for all replies, especially the £1 for a lunch stop over, I shall be ready next time </span> /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[Adrian]

might as well have been an aerial, no use for it all weekend, no bloody wind!

/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Geoffs]

I know luverly wern't it. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[DAKA]

Blowing an offshore hooley now, good job too as it is a bit warm /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[bvickers]

Incredible! – Whilst I totally sympathise with getting your boat scratched, are you really saying that you baulk at the idea of donating four or five quid to such a worthy cause? I understand that a donation is totally discretionary, but surely, to have lunch in such a great place is worth a fiver?

 

[DAKA]

That must be a wind up post /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

The NT trust dont own a tidal water or the seabed.
The national trust squander funds worse than any other charity on ridiculous projects including buying and renovating odd design buildings that they would never give permission to build on their own land so we have nothing to pass down from our ere.
They prevent far more enjoyment of the country side than they open up.

But that was not what my post was about, not sure who your question is addressed to but the point of the post is that a National Trust employee refused to donate to the 'charity' for mooring to the NT buoy.

Now if a National Trust employee feels the 'charity' is not worth a donation then just who am I to argue !


/forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif

 

[jhr]

[ QUOTE ]
I understand that a donation is totally discretionary, but surely, to have lunch in such a great place is worth a fiver?

[/ QUOTE ]

Not sure I agree. For years, the National Trust have approached people anchored in Newtown Creek and, without any authority to do so, have attempted to extract a fee that they had no legal right to levy. At a time when it is getting more and more difficult to drop the hook in places that have always been freely available as anchorages, we should resist any attempt to charge us for something that is ours, by right, freely.

The National Trust have a track-record of antipathy to boaters - for example, their ruling that no engine-powered boats, including dinghies with an outboard, can come ashore at Studland - and I don't think they should be encouraged to push the boundaries in any way.


All imho.

 

[mjf]

I have to agree with you about the Studland Bay issue that was highlighted by the bounder and law breaker Wiggo.

" for example, their ruling that no engine-powered boats, including dinghies with an outboard, can come ashore at Studland - and I don't think they should be encouraged to push the boundaries in any way"

I assume you will be ok if you do not venture beyond the MHWS line?

 

[benjenbav]

[ QUOTE ]
the skid marks have to be polished off

[/ QUOTE ]

I suggest you use the other side of your old pants as a polishing cloth next time. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[jhr]

[ QUOTE ]
I assume you will be ok if you do not venture beyond the MHWS line?

[/ QUOTE ] My answer to this would be "yes". However, given their views on Droit de Seigneur at Newtown, I suspect the NT response might be "no". In which case, my riposte would be "f*** off".

Either which way, Wiggo will burn in hell for his impertinence. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif