What's the RYA's response to British boats being BANNED from Belgium?

[sailorman]

I'd much rather the excellent Belgian cuisine and beer in Oostende over Ramsgate's greasy kebab and pint of Carlingberg. OK, don't drink the Stella - all Belgians know it's the worst beer in Belgium.

In all seriousness, Oostende -- which is known as being a tacky town in Belgium -- is still nicer than most port towns on the UK south coast - Ramsgate, Dover, Eastbourne, Newhaven...

i have had countless visits since 1970 & intend Vor Anker this year.
i will be filling with white as best i can with receipts as well.
i cant see trouble arising for attending a very large maritime festival. we will see

 

[sailorman]

The battle of the Bulge would have been over way quicker if the Belgians had confiscated all the Kraut's diesel.

go away.
to East Coasters this is a real problem

 

[GlennG]

Stop criticising the wrong target and start lobbying marinas to clean out their tanks and switch to unmarked fuel.

I just wish that pure leisure marinas would just change the damn stuff over. Thinking of Chatham, Ramsgate, Shotley, Levington, Bradwell, Eastbourne, Brighton... Commercial people can get their red diesel at commercial ports - Dover, Felixtowe, Shoreham, Newhaven, etc.

The more I read about this, the bigger mess it appears to be.

 

[GlennG]

i have had countless visits since 1970 & intend Vor Anker this year.
i will be filling with white as best i can with receipts as well.
i cant see trouble arising for attending a very large maritime festival. we will see

I suppose we can get Robert to shout at them!

 

[Lucky Duck]

I think it would be difficult to describe Ramsgit and Eastbourne as pure leisure marinas....

 

[toad_oftoadhall]

The battle of the Bulge would have been over way quicker if the Belgians had confiscated all the Kraut's diesel.

go away.
to East Coasters this is a real problem

Sorry, post removed.

(If you remove your's I'll remove this and noboby need be bored by my witticism, such as it is.)

 

[sailorman]

I suppose we can get Robert to shout at them!

Put the fear of Christ up em.
he is on our side & does what he can to "protect his flock"

 

[GlennG]

I think it would be difficult to describe Ramsgit and Eastbourne as pure leisure marinas....

Hmm, maybe I'd concede Ramsgate, but not Eastbourne. OK, there's a couple of fishing boats there, but they could quite easily bunker at Newhaven.

I suppose it will be inconvenient for some people, but in the case of Eastbourne, it was dug out as a leisure marina and a few fishermen took up residence - I know of the Royal Sovereign fishing vessel, but haven't seen many others there.

In the end it's a balance. The "vast majority of users" in Eastbourne are leisure, so they should flog white diesel. Newhaven on the other hand has a majority of fishing boats (very little diesel's sold to leisure boaters), so red should stay there.

I'd just like a choice!

 

[Habebty]

I'd much rather the excellent Belgian cuisine and beer in Oostende over Ramsgate's greasy kebab and pint of Carlingberg. OK, don't drink the Stella - all Belgians know it's the worst beer in Belgium.

In all seriousness, Oostende -- which is known as being a tacky town in Belgium -- is still nicer than most port towns on the UK south coast - Ramsgate, Dover, Eastbourne, Newhaven...

Have you tried the superb Belgian Bar in Ramsgate?

 

[GlennG]

I did. It closed:-(

(That was the one on the roundabout just outside of the marina)

Was a great restaurant, now replaced with an average pub/bar thing which looked too trendy and unappealing to bother trying.

 

[timbartlett]

So, I go to Belgium. Belgian customs officer sees my red flag, asks to see papers (as is normal for pretty much every visit to Oostende), then asks to see my engine/tanks/whatever. I know he has a right to inspect the boat.

He then sees the red/pink stained filter and decides to fine me.

Then what? Do please let us know.

FWIW and with the usual proviso that I am not a lawyer:
if you include a copy of the letter from the EC to the RYA in amongst your papers, then he will see that what you are doing is not illegal, but what he is attempting to do is. If he is wise, he will back off.

Of course, we have to face the possibility that he is stupid -- in which case I suggest that a call to the RYA legal department would be high on the list of priorities. This could be the test case that they are waiting for!

Also FWIW and IANAL: whether the UK government is infringing an EC Directive or not is irrelevant. That is an intergovernmental dispute. It not up to Belgian (or any other) officials to penalise or persecute innocent travellers for the perceived failings of the UK government.

 

[jordanbasset]

FWIW and with the usual proviso that I am not a lawyer:
if you include a copy of the letter from the EC to the RYA in amongst your papers, then he will see that what you are doing is not illegal, but what he is attempting to do is. If he is wise, he will back off.

Of course, we have to face the possibility that he is stupid -- in which case I suggest that a call to the RYA legal department would be high on the list of priorities. This could be the test case that they are waiting for!

Also FWIW and IANAL: whether the UK government is infringing an EC Directive or not is irrelevant. That is an intergovernmental dispute. It not up to Belgian (or any other) officials to penalise or persecute innocent travellers for the perceived failings of the UK government.

I agree, would also make a good story for Yachting Monthly

 

[sailorman]

I agree, would also make a good story for Yachting Monthly

Where is the YM Test boat when we really need it

 

[Koeketiene]

That is an intergovernmental dispute. It not up to Belgian (or any other) officials to penalise or persecute innocent travellers for the perceived failings of the UK government.

Bit like HMRC fining UK yachts for buying duty free fags & booze in Belgium

 

[sailorman]

Bit like HMRC fining UK yachts for buying duty free fags & booze in Belgium

Quite So
we have a short memory, well some of us

 

[Stork_III]

Bit like HMRC fining UK yachts for buying duty free fags & booze in Belgium

Not really. Belgium sells Duty Free for consumption outside the EU, not just outside Belgian waters. Take duty free into Dutch waters and see what the Customs have to say, just the same as HMRC. I suspect, but don't know, the French are the same.

 

[Tidewaiter2]

East Coast Pilot update?

Not really. Belgium sells Duty Free for consumption outside the EU, not just outside Belgian waters. Take duty free into Dutch waters and see what the Customs have to say, just the same as HMRC. I suspect, but don't know, the French are the same.

Is that Pub off liscence that does 'duty free'/ bonded for yotties down the road from Shotley Marina still going?

 

[Koeketiene]

Not really. Belgium sells Duty Free for consumption outside the EU, not just outside Belgian waters. Take duty free into Dutch waters and see what the Customs have to say, just the same as HMRC. I suspect, but don't know, the French are the same.

Not quiet.

Google translate from the Belgian Douane website

Yachts (Belgian or not Belgian) transiting from the Belgian territorial waters or from a Belgian marina to another EU (or not EU) Marina State are entitled to goods free of duty and to pay the Belgian VAT to purchase and this without any quantity limitation.

The stores may be delivered only to the Royal North Sea Yacht Club and to the Mercator Marina in Ostend.

The consumption of duty-free goods are ONLY permitted outside territorial waters.

In the harbor, the laws of the country where you destined are to be respected and no duty-free goods are consumed.

A yacht with excise goods on board, has to declare this, stating the type and quantity, 1 hour prior to entry into a Belgian port via e-mail to notify mik@minfin.fed.be.

We recommend that the duty-free goods to be delivered as short as possible before your departure on board and your next port of call may not be in Belgium, unless exceptional circumstances beyond your will.

 

[Stork_III]

Exactly the same as any EU country. Not for consumption in EU waters, must be bonded (sealed)

HPYC members obviously don't have bonded stores on board.

 

[Lucky Duck]

Bit like HMRC fining UK yachts for buying duty free fags & booze in Belgium

Maybe, but from a personal perspective the impact is rather different as I have little choice but to fill up with red fuel when in the UK but I can by my booze and fags from a variety of outlets when in Belgium.

I did once use the the duty free stores on my first visit, unfortunately they didn't have what I wanted and chose something more expensive instead on my behalf. IIRC the supermarket by Mercator Marina would have been cheaper.