Bosun Higgs
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Its a municipal marina run on the same basis as a municipal car park. But then thats all marinas are - car parks for boats
Rant: Ramsgate - the worst marina in the UK?
- Thread starter wragges
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Its a municipal marina run on the same basis as a municipal car park. But then thats all marinas are - car parks for boats
Koeketiene
Well-Known Member
And that's all I expect - a safe place to park the boat.
Taking the car park analogy a bit further: can't see what the big deal is regarding berth allocation. When you enter a car park, there's usually no-one around to show you where the vacant spaces are.
Deal with it people - it really isn't such a big deal.
RogerMayne
Well-Known Member
Not as easy as you make out, entering in the dark for the first time.
Koeketiene
Well-Known Member
We've all been there - going somewhere for the first time.
If we didn't, we'd never go anywhere.
But, I know what you mean - try to think of it as a learning experience instead of an inconvenience.
FullCircle
Well-Known Member
And just like a car park, you will collect trolley gouges......especially if you try and follow the HM direction into a berth less than 6ft wide.
Of course, everyone has a boat that spins on a sixpence, has no windage or propwash, and are total experts in boat handling. Err,not.
Of course, everyone has a boat that spins on a sixpence, has no windage or propwash, and are total experts in boat handling. Err,not.
Lucky Duck
Well-Known Member
Plus fending off boats as another one tries to force its way into adjacent berth which is too small for it becomes tedious after a while
Toutvabien
Well-Known Member
Very few marinas have staff on at night that will be able to allocate berths, ( and far fewer who can sort out births), I would normally just tie up somewhere sheltered and expect to be moved, possibly early in the morning.
Ramsgate is no different and the marina is a very busy place, on a summer weekend boats are coming and going from all over the place with amazing regularity. It is very popular with a lot of regular visitors from Belgium, Holland and France who often come in quite large numbers. We had our boat there for several years and most of the staff there where really great, helpful and humorous and well used to dealing with the vagaries of us amateur sailors. They could not stop seagulls crapping though, and the East pontoons are to be avoided in any sort of breeze. The council could do more to sort that sort of stuff out but it is not a deal breaker in my book, it is a very convenient location whether you are going N, S, E or W, without it passage making around the Estuary would be much more challenging.
I found some aspects of the customer care variable though, as there did seem to be an odd mechanism for the allocation of long term berths and the issue of 18 foot power boats in locations more suited to somewhat larger vessels was never addressed, there were also a large number of wrecks blocking pontoon spaces that never went out and made the marina look like a nautical graveyard.
I like the place a lot, you can get most things fixed or supplied at reasonable cost and there are lots of folk around the marina who can help solve quite complex problems.
Ramsgate is no different and the marina is a very busy place, on a summer weekend boats are coming and going from all over the place with amazing regularity. It is very popular with a lot of regular visitors from Belgium, Holland and France who often come in quite large numbers. We had our boat there for several years and most of the staff there where really great, helpful and humorous and well used to dealing with the vagaries of us amateur sailors. They could not stop seagulls crapping though, and the East pontoons are to be avoided in any sort of breeze. The council could do more to sort that sort of stuff out but it is not a deal breaker in my book, it is a very convenient location whether you are going N, S, E or W, without it passage making around the Estuary would be much more challenging.
I found some aspects of the customer care variable though, as there did seem to be an odd mechanism for the allocation of long term berths and the issue of 18 foot power boats in locations more suited to somewhat larger vessels was never addressed, there were also a large number of wrecks blocking pontoon spaces that never went out and made the marina look like a nautical graveyard.
I like the place a lot, you can get most things fixed or supplied at reasonable cost and there are lots of folk around the marina who can help solve quite complex problems.
Sybarite
Well-Known Member
When things get really tight in some French marinas you are asked to partially nose in between two boats already on the fingers and tie up as best you can with the stern sitting out.
Koeketiene
Well-Known Member
Cantata
Well-Known Member
I visit Ramsgate several times most years and while it might not be the most squeaky clean marina on the planet, it ain't the most expensive either. Always found the staff friendly and helpful. The 'find your own berth' thing is irritating at times, it's a legacy of the previous HM with whom I discussed it several times, with no positive response at all; the new one who has stepped up and responded on this thread is a switched-on bloke who I'm sure will strive to do his best for his customers within the inevitable constraints imposed on him, inevitable when a marina is owned by a local authority.
If I get poor service anywhere for anything I tend to make my feelings known at the time, and that surely applies to this situation too. If folk are unhappy when they go there, then it's far more constructive to say so when they are there, or get in touch soon afterwards if that's more convenient.
If I get poor service anywhere for anything I tend to make my feelings known at the time, and that surely applies to this situation too. If folk are unhappy when they go there, then it's far more constructive to say so when they are there, or get in touch soon afterwards if that's more convenient.
Koeketiene
Well-Known Member
Not half as irritating as being directed to a berth blatantly too narrow for your boat (Brighton, SYH, Dieppe) or with not enough water despite telling the marina staff that you draw 7' (Brighton again).
Habebty
Well-Known Member
Yep, had that at Brighton. Was parked on the bottom at low water this summer but I see from an earlier post they've done some dredging.
I like Ramsgate despite waiting 2 hours for diesel because they sent the guy on a course and had to call someone in.
I like to stop at Dover SW bound and Ramsgate when N bound
bromleybysea
Well-Known Member
I too have had some less than ideal experiences in Ramsgate, but I also tend to make my displeasure known at the time. I had a set-too with the duty harbour master when arriving a few minutes before he was due to clock-off after a hairy sail across the estuary, but told him what I thought, left early the following day with no one to pay and felt happy at the result. It is a bit rough and ready, but the town is a delight and most of the time the marina staff are helpful and certainly to be preferred to the snotty Ruperts I encountered later infesting the Hamble and Cowes.
aquaholic
Well-Known Member
Visited 5 or 6 times this year, I love Ramsgate in the summer especially when its busy, yea its a pain sometimes getting a berth or maybe rafting but there's always something interesting to watch, so many boats coming and going. Now its all been dredged its all a bit easier, although I had to leave the boat for a week and I opted for Dover as it was £40 cheaper and a bit safer in the Granville Dock.
3 good things about Ramsgate....
Coastal walk to Broadstairs, Royal Temple, The Belgian Cafe (a must)
3 good things about Ramsgate....
Coastal walk to Broadstairs, Royal Temple, The Belgian Cafe (a must)
Lucky Duck
Well-Known Member
Two other places to add to that list;
Pete's Fish Factory and the Albion Cafe (for superb cooked breakfasts)
Nostrodamus
Well-Known Member
I agree totally with the O.P about Ramsgate and it is expensive.
To see some photos and my review please click on the link below but it is not very PC. It is called the Great Escape which should giveyou a clue.
To anyone from Ramsgate we are currently sailing around the coasts of Somalia.
http://www.cygnus3.com/index.php?p=1_26
To see some photos and my review please click on the link below but it is not very PC. It is called the Great Escape which should giveyou a clue.
To anyone from Ramsgate we are currently sailing around the coasts of Somalia.
http://www.cygnus3.com/index.php?p=1_26
Koeketiene
Well-Known Member
Nostrodamus
Well-Known Member
In a fortnight from Concarneau to Somalia - pretty good going
We were being chased bythe good folk of Ramsgate, all three of them
Victoria Sponge
Well-Known Member
We've always enjoyed Ramsgate and never had any problems there. Marinas that we have had problems with are:
Neptune, where they give you a berth that is impossible to get into and charge you a fortune
Tidemill, where they gave us a berth that was occupied, then a berth with a cat on one side and room for a canoe on the other, finally saying just go where you see a space!
Titchmarsh, where the berths are tiny, water is scarce and they give you a berth that requires you to use several bars of soap on either side of the boat to get in.
None of the above mentioned have staff that have ever put in an appearance to give any assistance.
Neptune, where they give you a berth that is impossible to get into and charge you a fortune
Tidemill, where they gave us a berth that was occupied, then a berth with a cat on one side and room for a canoe on the other, finally saying just go where you see a space!
Titchmarsh, where the berths are tiny, water is scarce and they give you a berth that requires you to use several bars of soap on either side of the boat to get in.
None of the above mentioned have staff that have ever put in an appearance to give any assistance.
Lucky Duck
Well-Known Member
I have always found the HM @ Tidemill helpful and don't recall any problems with being given an inappropriate berth. When I last visited the HM was on hand (without being asked) to give a hand berthing and then when departing the following day.
Agreed regarding Titchmarsh, some of the berths can be quite a challenge to get into if there is any wind blowing and having hoops rather than cleats on the pontoons adds another dimension to the experience.
