watchet marina

[bootleg]

we arrived at watchet on sunday afternoon tried to contact the marina staff by vhf and on the two telephone numbers provided no responce very bad service really as it was a bank holiday and the cill is only down for a short period on each tide we had to wait over an hour before we managed to get hold of someone to get a fob to enable us to come and go from the pontoons and use the facilities and then the temperature and strength of the showers were at best poor in my humble opinion they really need to think about the service they offer visiting yachtsmen considering how expensive they are. by comparison the night before we called into portishead marina who were not only cheaper but the toilets and showers were excellent and the staff ( dont get big headed damo) were excellent and very helpfull and attentive towards visiting yachtsman .

 

[zlod]

Watchet marina seems to be a smaller operation than Portishead and Penarth marinas. I guess they don't have the money to have someone on duty 24/7 (like at Portishead). I think Watchet is definitely worth putting up with any little foibles (and to me they are little foibles).

As for the cost, I was paying something like £20 / night in the winter and this was substantially cheaper than any of the marinas that I visited on the south coast (Solent etc.). So I find Watchet to be reasonable value. It's certainly more expensive than Penarth (with my 50% discount being an annual bertholder at Portishead), but I think it is worth paying the money to get further afield (though Penarth is nice too).

 

[Allan]

I think Watchet is a joy to visit, The Star and other pubs take some beating. The local walks are great. As I have said before, the marina is the only thing that stops me from visiting more often. £26 for me is too much! Swansea on Friday was £18 Bristol last night was £18. I dont mind the fact they dont have 24/7 cover but they should sort out keys ect.
Allan

 

[bootleg]

i think watchet is a beautiful town and i wont be put off visiting but i hope the owners of the marina can iron out the rough edges, to be honest i for one would happilly pay a little more if it meant they could improve facitlities for visiting yachtsmen

 

[ribdriver]

Interesting.... I know that, as previous people have mentioned, they can't really justify having 24/7 cover due to the size of the marina. I know they kept the office open late on the Friday and Saturday, and the manager himself was out on the pontoons with the owner in the office, as I went and spoke to them. They did say that it was busier than expected as the weather was so good. What the manager did say was that whilst he or the staff were not there on the Sunday evening, they were 2 mins away and he actually had the VHF and phone on him. So I hate to say it but I find it hard to believe it took them an hour to get to you?
I rather feel sorry for them as it seems they can't win really - they have lowered visitor berthing costs this year and are making lots of effort to improve the marina as they are aware that standards had slipped in previous years. But this all takes time and money, and I dread to think what they have to spend out on dredging the place each year!
And if you're wondering...no I don't work for them but I do know some of the background.
Which boat were you on?

 

[ribdriver]

On another note...how do you sort out the key problem without staffing 24hrs? I thought the system they had was ok?

 

[bootleg]

well sorry to burst your bubble but the system does not work we arrived about ten minutes after the cill opened so you would expect someone to have been around on the asumption that as the weather was so good they would be having some visiting boats we managed to get off the pontoons but as the office was shut we could not use the toilet block or wose still not get back down onto the boat until another bertholder came by and let us in . three numbers were displayed on the window of the office and we had no answer from any of them left a message and it was over an hour before we had a reply its not rocket science to tell that when the sill opens on a sunny bank holiday that you may be having a few visitors turn up and to make sure there is someone available to greet them so im sorry but the service we recived was worse than poor

 

[Alcyone]

We are new to sailing. When we visited a few weeks back, we called and called on the radio, and left messages on the office phone and mobile. No response. I was really concerned, as it was getting dark, and I had no idea whether we would have a berth or not. It was Saturday afternoon, about 17:00 or so. We couldn't pay, either, on Sunday morning as there was nobody about before the gate closed and we had to leave.

I was contacted on Monday about not paying (presumably they did eventually get the messages we left) and happily settled up on the phone.

Now that I know it's no problem to do that, I guess that's ok, but as I say, I was concerned when I couldn't get an answer.

I don't really have enough experience to say whether this is much better or worse than anywhere else, although it is more expensive than Swansea, Bristol or portishead.

 

[Allan]

On one of my visits last year I found all the sockets near my allocated berth were being used. I could not move as the berth was so silted up. In the office they offered to sell me another lead for over twice the price I paid for a longer one. When I asked them why the price for a berth was so high, they told me it was because of the expense of dredging and that electricity was included!! Not the thing to say after my experience!!! One of the guys who works there told me that they had very few motorboats visiting last year and less yachts than normal.
Allan

 

[graham]

I love visiting Watchet. The staff are allways friendly and showers toilets etc are adequate but it is a pain in the ar$e if you arrive and theres noone on duty.

I just paid less for two nights in Bristol ( £18 for 7.5 meters 48 hour stay ) than one night in Watchet .

Portishead charges me about the same as Watchet as Portishead charge a minimum 10 meters.Watchet charges us only for the 7.5m.

 

[Sneds]

Portishead, 10M min?

We pay £16.50..........is that the minimum?

I understand its £25 per night in Watchet and that does put me off visiting.

Whats the score at Mermaid Quay at the moment?

 

[graham]

Watchet is £2.54 /meterper night electricity free.

Portishead is £1.65/ meter per night minimum 10 meters charged for electricity extras.

For us at 7.5 meters it works out about the same in either marina.

Mermaid Quay is £1 per hour but minimum charge of two hours.There are power outlets but I havent used them /dont know if there free or not.

 

[ribdriver]

Watchet now £2.05 a metre per night

 

[ribdriver]

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion....I just have to disagree with you. The marina manager was clearly around as he had the VHF with him - I saw him talking on it and he clearly was helping out some boats that had come in! Anyway it's silly arguing over this.....I mentioned this post to him and he is concerned that anyone should feel this way and will look into it. I am adamant though that he was around with a VHF and mobile...tell you what...I'll ask him about the voicemail you said you left?

 

[Allan]

My boat is 10m.
Portishead £16
Watchet 2009 £25.40
Watchet 2008 £26.10?
Marina said reduction due to VAT changes.
Brighton £22.50
Chichester £24.50
Southsea £19.60
Swanwick £28.90 My brother is there tonight for free because he keeps his boat at Southsea.
Allan

 

[donm]

Watchet is a great little stop for us - an easy quick trip from Barry for a weekend. It is expensive by comparison with some other spots but still is worth it for me. Clearly there are dredging problems which are costing the owners and this is reflected in the cost that the users pay, but it is still reasonable value given the very few alternatives that we have, and if we boycott the marina we are only adding to the problems. We have a mutual interest here and if the owners are genuinely concerned (and I cannot see why they would not be) should we not be more interested in helping them to improve in a more collaboratve manner? For example, from a user's view it is reasonable to expect that when the gate/cill is open, the marina is manned, and I imagine that this message will be understood.
I guess that they are aware that they need to improve to solve their problems; our job if we want to keep this facility open is to provide them with the constructive feedback that will enable them to re-act positively.

 

[graham]

[ QUOTE ]
Watchet now £2.05 a metre per night


[/ QUOTE ]

Perhaps we could all help promote Watchet by asking our clubs to publicise the price reduction in News letters etc. Also Watchet need to update their website tariff list.

 

[Alcyone]

[ QUOTE ]
Everyone is entitled to their own opinion....I just have to disagree with you. The marina manager was clearly around as he had the VHF with him - I saw him talking on it and he clearly was helping out some boats that had come in! Anyway it's silly arguing over this.....I mentioned this post to him and he is concerned that anyone should feel this way and will look into it. I am adamant though that he was around with a VHF and mobile...tell you what...I'll ask him about the voicemail you said you left?

[/ QUOTE ]

I actually think this is quite positive. Clearly a forum such as this is only a minority of customers, or potential customers, but might I suggest you point the manager at this forum - it's a small portion of feedback for him, good and bad?

 

[ribdriver]

I have mentioned it to him earlier this evening and he was concerned that people feel this way, and will deal with it. He's quite a young guy and from what little I have seen of the marina over the last few months, he is making changes as best he can.

He also said the website is being updated this evening.

 

[sb99]

In our limited time boating we have always had good experiences when staying in Watchet.

Didn’t manage to get over last year but this was purely down to missing the limited weather windows available to us at the time. We definitely intend using again as both us and the kids have really enjoyed each visit, just need the weather.

Can someone clarify whether we are permitted to enter the marina if we are unable to make contact with the marina staff. On previous occasions I have always radio’d from the outer harbour and sought permission to enter and on each occasion made contact. I haven’t yet been in the position of being unable to make contact and assume from some of the above that I would be clear to enter and then try to make contact once berthed.