Ramsgate Royal Harbour

Fair point, but not alays true. Southwold and Brightlingsea IIRC are both local council owned and staffed - they don't seem to suffer from this syndrome.
Brightlingsea Harbour is a Trust Port managed by Brightlingsea Harbour Commissioners. I don't think the local council has anything to do with it.
 
When you say you can find a finger at your own leisure... how do you know if it's available and you won't get kicked out by a returning bertholder?

I've always ended up rafting on the end somewhere...
 
Rows E and F (IIRC) are intended for visiting yachts so provided you find a berth there you will be Ok. Although I would suggest that boats above 11m might find it rather tight for space.

Unfortunately the last time I visited they didn't appear to operate a system so empty permenantly berths could be allocated to visitors. This is rather disappointing if the place is packed and you are struggling to find a suitable berth.
 
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In 2012 we went into Ramsgate it was £27 ish in 2013 it had gone up to £32 ish that's about 20% we went into Dover on the way back ! prefer Ramsgate but hate to be fleeced
 
In 2012 we went into Ramsgate it was £27 ish in 2013 it had gone up to £32 ish that's about 20% we went into Dover on the way back ! prefer Ramsgate but hate to be fleeced

We always moor on the very end of the western breakwater (on the inside).
The blokes from the council never wander down there.
As the prices go up - our boat gets shorter.
At one time we used to be 44' - think we're down to 40' now. :rolleyes:
 
Does anyone know what happened to Dominique... I got the impression he was stitched up, booted out, then took thie Council to tribunal and got a substantial settlement?

I do know that whe I enquired about Capt Grey, his old staff said "he has gone as far away as it is possible to get" :encouragement:
 
Last summer we anchored for free in Dover harbour, jolly nice it was. Stopped a night at Ramsgate on the way there cos we'd stuffed up our passage plan. We've stayed at Ramsgate many times and never felt they would have noticed or cared if we'd not paid.
 
You get a sort of 'parking ticket' through the post if you've been before and are on their system and overstay your paid period.

I can confirm this happens....
 
I got let off a night, I was intending to depart, and paid for my stay, then changed my mind and waited another night. I went to pay for the extra night and he said, don't worry about it! It was the well spoken younger guy, not the grumpy old scrote who's usually there.
 
Allegedly the port control log each boat in and out, however I am aware of some people who have managed the odd free night without any nasty surprises in the post.
They usually do, a pal of mine forgot (yes he did) to pay and was challenged on the port control radio channel when he asked permission to leave. Scuttled back to his berth a bit pink round the gills.
I don't recognise all these reports about grumpy staff etc, I've always found them pleasant and helpful enough. I have quite a bit to do with the HM's office staff and they are a nice crowd. There's just a slight difference in attitude out on the pontoons compared with a privately owned marina, and I put that down as mentioned before to the way people seem to feel when they are employed by a town council. They don't tend to budge out of their standard instructions comfort zone and you just have to exercise your influencing skills if need be.
 
We lived there for about ten years. Mist of the front line staff were very helpful. Some, notably the crain driver we simply bloody awkward.
Captain Grey was another matter. He was a professional petty minded official. He would do nothing to help anyone. His idea was to impose regulations on everything and restrict everything to the minimum. The Fishermeni hated him. He imposed regulations on the lifeboat parking and insisted the crew did not park outside the station when on a shout.... Indeed the fruit of his labour can be seen with the blanket parking prohibition, and the wall of regulations saying don't do this, don't do that on the marina gate and the and of the shed opposite the harbour office. Indeed Dylan Winter commented on it in his peice about Ramsgate.

However, to be fair. One needs to know exactly how much freedon the harbour captain is given by the Council members. Does he have to propose a committee report and get every little detail signed off by the politicians?
 
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