St. Peter port at it agin

[Powersalt]

Just spent a couple of noughts in Victoria marina guernsey.

Bearing in mind all the bad publicity they got last year I was hopeful of better things.
Well first I arrived to find all the hoses have been removed from the jetties and when I enquries I was told its for health and safety reasons. Since I travel on low water tanks I asked could I borrow one just to fill up and then return. It would appear they can't even lend them out. Oh well.

But the real thing that has got me going is the charges. For my boat the cost has gone by a uk pound, so say circa 3 percent but when I looked at my receipt the thieving b.......ds have added a credit card surcharge. When I queried this I was told its a change by them .. No debut charge cost but a surcharge for credit cards. Certainly not one impressed customer.

 

[Talulah]

I was looking at the Guernsey Harbour Web Site yesterday because I may be there this weekend.
I noticed the changes. Wasn't surprised.
http://www.guernseyharbours.gov.gg/article/101616/Visiting-Yachtsmen

 

[gjgm]

Just spent a couple of noughts in Victoria marina guernsey.

Bearing in mind all the bad publicity they got last year I was hopeful of better things.
Well first I arrived to find all the hoses have been removed from the jetties and when I enquries I was told its for health and safety reasons. Since I travel on low water tanks I asked could I borrow one just to fill up and then return. It would appear they can't even lend them out. Oh well.

But the real thing that has got me going is the charges. For my boat the cost has gone by a uk pound, so say circa 3 percent but when I looked at my receipt the thieving b.......ds have added a credit card surcharge. When I queried this I was told its a change by them .. No debut charge cost but a surcharge for credit cards. Certainly not one impressed customer.

Well, I dont think the hose rules are the making of the HM. On the web site, the card fee is 2pct. Hmm a few pence per night surely?

 

[jrudge]

Lets be a bit realistic...

You seem to have a Princess 42. Boats are not cheap, and no one ever suggested it would be a cheap hobby. A marina has put up its fees by £1 and they get panned on a public forum. I assume you spent considerably more than that on Diesel getting there.

Guernsey is a nice place and the fuel cheap. , if they put £10 on the mooring fees their trade is not likely to drop off.

Hoses. Health and Safety is a bit flimsy I suppose, but I am med based and cant recall ever seeing a marina hose other than the chap next door to me who happens to leave his out. The majority of boats I would imagine carry their own.

I am not for rip of britain, but moaning about a pound does not really seem fair on the marina.

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

I am not for rip of britain, but moaning about a pound does not really seem fair on the marina.

Agreed. Many Med marinas are far worse, arbitrarily ramping up charges for the high season when they feel like it and charging a huge amount extra for water and leccy which always niggles me. Not only that, in some of them, you have to pass the head marinero a few quid even to get in the place. In comparison, UK marinas are models of rectitude

 

[Powersalt]

Sorry perhaps I did not make myself clear on what I was thinking. I have been going to guernsey for over ten years including winter months and yes it's a great place. I was just upset that I had a price increase and then a credit card surcharge without even being told. They have not surcharged before and so it was a surprise. Staff are not happy and would like yachtsmen to write in and complain.

I'm over it now and will not write in, and of course will visit again but I think thus time will use a debit card as I do with easy jet!!

 

[djefabs]

Just spent a couple of noughts in Victoria marina guernsey.

Bearing in mind all the bad publicity they got last year I was hopeful of better things.
Well first I arrived to find all the hoses have been removed from the jetties and when I enquries I was told its for health and safety reasons. Since I travel on low water tanks I asked could I borrow one just to fill up and then return. It would appear they can't even lend them out. Oh well.


But the real thing that has got me going is the charges. For my boat the cost has gone by a uk pound, so say circa 3 percent but when I looked at my receipt the thieving b.......ds have added a credit card surcharge. When I queried this I was told its a change by them .. No debut charge cost but a surcharge for credit cards. Certainly not one impressed customer.

Really can't agree with this. We have just spent a brilliant week in St Peter Port and was absoulutly centre stage for the liberation celebrations..all for £41 per night for a 60 footer. Very helpful staff who invited me into the Marina (bearing in mind they have a maximum of 45 foot I think). The hose situation was known and we always carry our own lay flat hose for just this reason. With the saving made in filling up with cheaper fuel I think it's a brilliant place to visit. On the subject of credit card surcharge, I fully understand why they need to make this charge, your argument should be with the credit card company's not the Marina. I for one am looking forward to returning.

 

[l'escargot]

...I think thus time will use a debit card as I do with easy jet!!

Easy solution, now buy a hose and you're sorted :encouragement:

 

[henryf]

A number of marinas don't have hoses. When questioned the answer seems to centre around bacteria growing in the hoses and then passing to boat tanks. It is easy to see how a boat owner gets sick, has tanks tested positive for some nasty then swears blind all was well until they filled up at a particular marina.

The answer is simple enough, carry a hose. Something you really should have if you travel reasonable distances.

As for the charges, how would they have told you? Does the website outline charges levied?

As a retailer myself I know only too well the charges made by the card companies. The marina won't be making a profit. The alternative is to charge everyone more money, at least this way you have a choice.

As has been said, compared to the mediteranian we are very fortunate.

Henry

 

[Piers]

So why not try Beaucette, just a few miles north of St Peter Port? Hoses in abundance, excellent restaurant, reasonable mooring fees, no credit card charges, and the list goes on. And if you do come in, come and say Hi to us on Play deau!

www.beaucettemarina.com

 

[Solitaire]

So why not try Beaucette, just a few miles north of St Peter Port? Hoses in abundance, excellent restaurant, reasonable mooring fees, no credit card charges, and the list goes on. And if you do come in, come and say Hi to us on Play deau!

www.beaucettemarina.com

+1. My favourite marina for pure pleasure. Love it!

 

[sailorman]

So why not try Beaucette, just a few miles north of St Peter Port? Hoses in abundance, excellent restaurant, reasonable mooring fees, no credit card charges, and the list goes on. And if you do come in, come and say Hi to us on Play deau!

www.beaucettemarina.com

Not to mention its 1/2 price via the Transeurope deal

http://www.transeuropemarinas.com/beaucette-marina/

 

[l'escargot]

A number of marinas don't have hoses. When questioned the answer seems to centre around bacteria growing in the hoses and then passing to boat tanks. It is easy to see how a boat owner gets sick, has tanks tested positive for some nasty then swears blind all was well until they filled up at a particular marina...

It is to do with back siphoning contaminating the mains water supply. Commercial properties have to install upgraded siphon break systems (at their own cost) to meet the regulations or they can remove the hoses (at no cost). There have been a number of threads on here over the past couple of years.

 

[davids0865]

It is to do with back siphoning contaminating the mains water supply. Commercial properties have to install upgraded siphon break systems (at their own cost) to meet the regulations or they can remove the hoses (at no cost). There have been a number of threads on here over the past couple of years.

How does removing the hose help? Presumably people are still connecting hoses to fill tanks!! Has no-one heard of double check valves?

 

[Piers]

It is to do with back siphoning contaminating the mains water supply. Commercial properties have to install upgraded siphon break systems (at their own cost) to meet the regulations or they can remove the hoses (at no cost). There have been a number of threads on here over the past couple of years.

There was quite an uproar (for Guernsey) when the hoses were removed from St Peter Port. The reason given was potential bugs lurking in the hoses waiting to pounce and terminally infect mankind (bit of poetic licence here...)

The waterboard inspector in Guernsey didn't agree with that reason for removal saying boaters own hoses were far more likely to contain nasty bugs since they are used so infrequently....

The H&S guy that looks after Beaucette says there's no reason for Beaucette to remove its hoses. No problems with them at all.

 

[Bandit]

Hose removal is a pain.

Double check valves are fitted and how you could back siphon from the lowest point in the system is beyond me.

Everyone knows hoses are not as pure as driven snow, and I bet the one I have on my boat that spends weeks between uses in a hot locker is as bad as any of them.

I have only every heard of one person "claiming" to have become ill drinking water from a tank that was filled by a hose.

Use your loaf , let the hose run na bit first and use a tank treatment.

Getting a hose out rigging it up and putting it away every time is a right pain.

The States of Guernsey has a bee in its bonnet about credit card charges and wherever possible will charge it to the customer at cost, any other business on minor charges is happy to get the transaction undertaken as swiftly and promptly as possible and are only too happy to avoid like the plague their staff handling large ammounts of cash especially outside the ofice and the inherent risks and temptations thereof.

The reality is though that 3% of say £40 is £1.20 and most UK boaters people carry loose readies anyway.

As a matter of fact we keep the value of the Guernsey pound down to parity with inferior English ones and at a push we will even accept the brass washers instead of proper green pound notes.

 

[RogerRat]

Agreed. Many Med marinas are far worse,

Not only that, in some of them, you have to pass the head marinero a few quid even to get in the place.

In comparison, UK marinas are models of rectitude

Have to agree, love the use of this word too.





Can you imagine what OP would be saying if these two characters were in charge?




I also can't really agree with the Bugs in hoses arguments, a private hose is used far less and would be more likely to be contaminated. If the boats used regularly, sterilisers in use if not and the hoses flushed before use, there should never be a problem. I'm with 'Piers' here.

If it were proven, it would be illegal to have hoses anywhere!

My guess is with reducing costs as the main motive. Long hoses, drums and end fittings all cost money and maintaining this is almost a full time job for at least par of the season. Also, when things go wrong with them it's another source for complaint from visitors or even berth holders. :encouragement:


RR

 

[Piers]

My guess is with reducing costs as the main motive. Long hoses, drums and end fittings all cost money and maintaining this is almost a full time job for at least par of the season. Also, when things go wrong with them it's another source for complaint from visitors or even berth holders. :encouragement:

RR

I think you've just guessed the real reason....either that or someone has shares in hose supplies in Guernsey.

 

[Greg2]

There is a theoretical risk of unpleasant bugs being present in hoses but it is a very low one IMHO. The yacht club where we moored our last boat did a similar thing and removed all the hoses that were part of the electic stantions. Caused uproar and was a wholly unnecessary interpretation of health and safety. We eventually had new portable hoses and reels provided, which weren't a patch on the original ones.

 

[longjohnsilver]

I think you've just guessed the real reason....either that or someone has shares in hose supplies in Guernsey.

Sounds like the removal of hoses could be a real pain, particularly on the outside pontoons in SPP which were particularly long so they could service the whole pontoon. Can't remember if there was more than one tap on each pontoon, if not then those moored right at the far end would need a very long hose to reach their boat, longer than a standard hose on a reel.

Another pointless move by the powers that be controlling SPP harbour. No power, no access ashore without your own tender, and potentially no access to water. Beaucette was always more attractive, even more so now.