portoshead

Sneds

Sneds

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What is happening at Portishead?
Queueong for a lock on today and people just pushing in never used to be like that at Portishead.
Come on lock control
Tale control
 
I've not had any problem.

For practical reasons, it's not really possible form an orderly queue, but that doesn't mean that people are trying to push in. When we locked in yesterday, there were several small fishing boats and three mid-sized yachts waiting in the hole. The little fishing mobos don't seem to have a problem with staying still, but the NNE wind was pushing the yachts around so we just circled. I don't suppose for one moment that we went into the lock in the order we arrived, but everyone got in.
 
A very good point, but when boats are waiting, circling etc IMHO it is totally out of order to motor through the lot of them and go straight into the lock.
The culprit was a small (mobo) boat who could have placed himself anywhere in the lock to facilitate better loading of the lock.
Perhaps its just me being over sensitive to ignorance and bad manners.
 
Not wishing to sound miserable, but my understanding of green white green is that you should only be going into the lock after being instructed to enter the lock. Hence anyone who is pushing into the lock is not only being rude, but also incompetent as they can't understand the IPTS signals.

I've never had any problems myself in the lock.
 
Yes you should wait for the green white green, but they don't call boats in individually. I prefer the traditional form an orderly queue, but some people are just plain rude. Don't think there is much the marina can do about it though.
 
I'm sorry, I disagree with you White Mischief.

The Portishead marina yearbook (page 9: locking procedure) states that green white green means "vessels may proceed on instruction from marina control".

The IPTS section of Reeds states that green white green means "A vessel may proceed only when she has received specific orders to do so".

My understanding is that you should only be entering the lock if you have asked marina control whether you can do so. If they had instead meant that you could go into the lock without asking them, they would have shown the IPTS lights green green green - and they don't do this.

Marina control have called me up individually when the lock is busy.
 
I always call them on VHF when the lights are green white green. Last week I was the only boat waiting and had already called them about 200m off the end of the pier requesting a lock in. They replied that they were lowering the lock now and would open the gates after a few minutes. I waited patiently outside the lock for what seemed like ages (minutes) whilst the lock was on GWG, when I did call them on VHF they said "oh yes, please proceed" ............ I think they sometimes forget to put the lights on GGG to be honest.
I can't stand people who push in, and can't wait for someone to try it infront of me ........... reverse with a folding prop is useless, so they'd better have plenty of fenders on their stern !
 
I've never seen them go GGG. Regardless of what is stated in the hand book here is what usually happens: you call the marina on 80 and ask when the next lock is, they say 16:15 or whenever, they usually then say something like head in to the lock when you see the GWG. Sometimes they forget to even go GWG, I usually call up and check if that happens. I've only heard them calling boats individually once and that was on that big race day recently when we all queued for several locks to get in. Other than that I've never them call you once they go to GWG
 
Perhaps a reminder of good manners and etiquette (?) could be sent out by the marina?
Maybe a poster in the lobby of the toilet/shower block, a mention on Steph's weekly e-mail or a curt reminder on the VHF every now and then.
 
A reminder on E-Quay sounds like a good idea. Will you contact Steph?

The other idea would be for the berthing master to tell each boat, "You are X in the queue," when they radio in. The only time I have known them control the order of the boats was when I was asked to wait until a big long-keel sailing barge went in first. Naturally I was happy to stand back and stay out of the firing line. ;)
 
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Maybe send a link to this post?
I am not having a major moan, more of an observation. It would be a shame if what I experienced became the norm rather than the exception.
 
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