Surely we could expect better from the RYA......

JamesS

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Has anyone else’s holiday been spoilt by the powerboat cruise that is currently touring Northern France?

As each of the craft made a point of hoisting huge RYA flags once in port, can I assume that this cruise was organised by the RYA itself?

The flotilla of over 20 craft are currently cruising the Contenin Peninsular and Bay de Seine inflicting their loud and unseemly behaviour on anyone within earshot.

We first encountered them in Cherbourg last Sunday July 25th. Loud music (and I mean loud) was being played well into the night.

Monday was the turn of St Vaast to host the rabble. Fortunately the flotilla was split up by the harbourmaster so the noise was relatively muted.

Wednesday saw the peace of Carentan disturbed as the flotilla descended on this delightful port. Requests by other boats to keep the noise down went unheeded. On Thursday the drinking, shouting and the music started just after lunch and proceeded all afternoon. It was also seemed necessary to have engines constantly running.

Only on Friday morning was peace restored to the port after the lock was monopolised for two hours by the departing flotilla.

I understand that Ouestream was the next port to be hit.

My apologies to what I am sure was the silent majority of the flotilla whose behaviour was exemplary and were no doubt embarrassed by the behaviour of the minority.

If this was organised by the RYA,quite what they expected to gain from such an undertaking is not clear. If it was to spread the good name of the RYA abroad then it was a miserable failure. As a local of St Vaast said once the flotilla had left, ‘Thank goodness the RYA have gone’.

Certainly the organising body cannot vet everyone who signs up to these expeditions but we do expect then to take action against those who insist on spoiling the enjoyment of everyone else.

Cheers

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maxi

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Couldn't agree more. Have met with this rally twice in preceding years, only to be ashamed of Brit boat handling & behaviour - high speed (& high wash) through Cherbourg Marina etc.
Also begs the question as to where the resource to fund the support boats etc. comes from - if it's from subscriptions then it is a gross abuse of RYA members.

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duncan

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If you are under any flag then they have a responsibility, as you do to that flag - ensign, forum burgee or RYA cruise. At the very least the RYA representatives should have withdrawn their flags!

The one bit I don't understand is how you kept following them around from port to port if you weren't enjoying their company?/forums/images/icons/smile.gif

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AIDY

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Shssss...... It wasn't a MBM cruise was it ?

Seriously there is no excuss for it. They may be having a good time but you should not inflict on the rest of the marina.

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Col

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I was in Cherbourg at the same time. They were allocated their own pontoon near the fuel jetty, well away from the visiters pontoons (where I was) I never heard a peep out of them

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duncan

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that can't be true surely Col - how far is it to the fuel pontoon from the visitors ones there? LOUD music will travel over water and would have disturbed you ?
Where where you berthed James?

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This sort of response.....

urinates me off. Sorry.

A bloke tells you what his own senses experienced.

He was on the spot and (presumably) isn't mentally disfunctional.

He WASN'T disturbed, he didn't hear any noise - He said so.

But someone then posts and tells him that "it can't be true". In effect that either he is lying or that his senses deceived him.

Again sorry but I find this sort of response, very common recently and arrogant in the extreme.

Steve Cronin



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duncan

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Re: This sort of response.....

Firstly - Sorry you are sorry; and reading the post I think I can perceive the gerneral why but do not understand the specific.

I did not question the original post as I had no basis to, in line with the principle of you concern I believe. I was mildly surprised that the posted appeared to be in the same place as the flotilla so many days and I raised this gently but got no response.

We then have a new post (not mine) suggesting a somewhat different picture - this post would in fact seem to fall foul of your specific point rather than mine.

I then enquire about the geography that would enable both experiences to be possible.

I don't believe that I have indicated any preference whatsoever as to belief or otherwise of either poster.

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Re: This sort of response.....

I'm sure that you intended no malice but maybe " are you sure" might have been a better approach?

Steve Cronin



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duncan

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Re: This sort of response.....

I did use 'surely' Steve..../forums/images/icons/smile.gif but as I said I agree your general point.
Let's leave it to Col and JamesS.

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Planty

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I was actually on that cruise and except for your comment re Cherbourg, where I too was embarassed by the volume of music, the general tone was exemplary. Indeed in all ports the capitainerie were very obliging and helpful. In Caen the Deputy Mayor held a civic reception for the fleet and visited again the following day to attend a small celebration within the fleet, I would suggest evidence of a well ordered gathering?.

As for monopolising locks etc. I would observe that the opposite was true and site the exit from Honfleur as an example where we split the fleet and were actually thanked for holding back, contrary to the locals and yotties, whilst they recovered an injured man from the water in the lock and a fishing vessel with nets around its props, as one example of many.

You are quite right the majority were skippered by very talented seamen & women, in fact I would say all, with courtesy and charm on most occasions. Yes some were a little loud, on one occasion (Cherbourg) but otherwise no worse than I have experienced, truly much better than other rallies we have witnessed all over the South Coast.

I was a sceptic about the RYA's commitment to Mobos before this trip however would commend this activity to all on here as an informative and very well organised event. Paul




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Mike21

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Since many motorboaters are members of the RYA as well, I would have thought that motorboaters had as much right to expect members funds to be used to support motorboating events and not just for sailing events.
Since it now seems even starting a motorboat engines at times seems to be enough to elixit a barrage of complains from some sections of the sailing community, and having witnessed the behavouir of sailing flotillas, I sometimes wonder if the slow pace of sailing vessels leave some people with too much time on their hands/forums/images/icons/wink.gif

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Jools_of_Top_Cat

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Just re read this and maybe naively, but I don't see how this was a knocking MOBO thread. Think you are being just a little paranoid. The UK boaters in questions where in powered vessels, no one said that this was 'why' there was a problem.

I am sure if it had been raggies it would have had the same response. In fact read any archives on here from sunsail type regattas and you will see.



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Mike21

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No, not paranoid, bit tired and grumpy maybe/forums/images/icons/smile.gif
Maybe being little sensitive, but felt the post was having a bit of a go and suggestions that RYA shouldn't be spending members money on a mobo cruise made it a bit borderline imo.

PS can,t find any archives on sunsail type regattas, probably asking wrong question/forums/images/icons/crazy.gif

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