Boat-owners outraged at Harbour plans
Tuesday 15th December 2009, 2:56PM GMT.
Jersey Harbours technical services manager Roy Hine explains the new plans for St Helier marina facilities to the meeting Picture: JON GUEGAN (00853386)
PLANS for a multi-million-pound redevelopment of the Harbour got a rough ride last night as hundreds voiced fears that it could mark the death of affordable boating in St Helier for ordinary Islanders.
Around 300 people packed into the Albert Pier terminal to hear senior Harbour civil servants outline their vision for the first £1.8 million phase of a total £17 million transformation of the Harbour.
Harbours said that the ‘master plan’ proposals would upgrade the facilities in St Helier, increase the number of moorings for local boat-owners and improve the quality of facilities for visiting crews.
However, boat-owners said that the plans would squeeze them out and that the new commercialism being espoused by Harbours would severely damage the generations-old tradition of ordinary Islanders being able to afford motor and yacht ownership.
They also expressed fear that the cost of a mooring or berth would rise massively because of the planned development.
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Yet another example of you are not wanted – but we don’t quite know how to tell you to bog off!!!
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JUst listen to what the local boatowners say “THIS WILL NOT WORK” please stop now before it’s too late.
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What looks good on plans and paper probably won’t work in reality. Yes you can get another 50 odd boatsd in St Helier Marina, but they won’t be able to maneouvre without difficulty. Perhaps someone with local knowledge should be consulted. As a matter of interest I wonder if Mrs Shacklady helms a boat and realises the difficulties involved in a restricted space.
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What next, ugly security railings all the way along the quayside at Commercial Buildings? Will they never stop until they’ve destroyed the charm of the whole island?
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A good 40% of the boats in the old harbour have not moved in a long time. They are an eyesore and probably not sea-worthy.
There is a waiting list for available berths as long as your arm. Get rid of the abandoned vessels and let’s have some ‘active’ boat owners in and make the old harbour a thriving, attractive harbour we can be proud of.
Yes there are some flaws in the masterplan, but nothing that can’t be ironed out through public consultation.
There are harbours in every country on every continent across the globe. The Jersey boat-owner is not the only one who knows how to manoeuvre a boat or understand tides. So can we have some respect and less childish insulting remarks please.
There comes in time in one’s life when it really is not appropriate to throw tantrums when something does not please you. (Age 6+).
The masterplan for the harbour area is long overdue and a much needed alternative source of income for the island. Because we desperately need it. Tourism is as good as dead. Finance is under fire. What else do we have?
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Harbours are constantly trying to abstract more money from boat owners within the next couple of years permit parking for marinas is going up 300% I guess because there are not enough spaces this is to force people who can’t afford the rise out. It is interesting to see that senior retired harbour staff still have permits to park in the marina car park despite not having boats.Perhaps this should be addressed to free up spaces.
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Westerly
A good 40% of the boats in the old harbour have not moved in a long time. They are an eyesore and probably not sea-worthy.
There is a waiting list for available berths as long as your arm. Get rid of the abandoned vessels and let’s have some ‘active’ boat owners in and make the old harbour a thriving, attractive harbour we can be proud of.
YOU TOOK THE WORDS OUT OF MY MOUTH
ST AUBIN IS EVEN WORSE.
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try backing a 52 foot motor sailer down to the drying block opposite the old harbour office.( a mate of mine did it) not easy.
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“Westerly
A good 40% of the boats in the old harbour have not moved in a long time. They are an eyesore and probably not sea-worthy.”
St Aubin’s was always the place for the old stagers to end their days.
Classics like “Aphrodite” when there was nobody left alive from the gang who used to load her to the gunwhales with alcoholic beverages and prawning nets for a week at the Ecrehous.
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St Aubin’s is indeed a graveyard for all the old vessels.
In my view St Aubin’s is one of the most beautiful spots anywhere in the world. And yet the harbour is full with rotting vessels that have been placed there to dissolve into the mud. How on earth Harbours get away with letting this happen is beyond me.
Get rid of all the abandoned boats in the Old Harbour and all the rotting junks in St Aubin’s Harbour and you have plenty of low cost drying moorings to meet the demand.
There would then be enough space for Harbours to create much needed mid ranged moorings and the waiting lists could be reduced by 80%.
For this too happen we would need someone in charge with broad shoulders and a decent set of man berries.
Yeah I know… Highly unlikely.
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Totally agree with other comments re people leaving boats to rot in the old harbour and St Aubins. I think the plans are a triumph for people who actually want to sail.
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Some of the Westerlys must be knocking on a bit by now. They must have been amongst the first generation of GRP cruisers.
Time for a berth in St Aubin, or, is there life in the old girl yet?
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R B B
What model vessel won the 250 mile Capita Offshore Race last year, beating the entire Jersey fleet?
A westerly!! Not mine, but a Westerly all the same. Most vessels will outlive their owners due to the build to Llyods standards.
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That’s interesting, Westerly.
You will realise that I’m not Knocking them. Several friends have owned them.
I go back to the wooden era so I remember Westerlys coming on the scene.
It might sound nerdy but as a kid I knew just about every boat in the island and quite a few regular visitors. Nobody could do that now.
That’s how I noticed the inevitable move of many of them to St Aubin!
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Boatowners have long got away with leaving their old junk lying around.
Just imagine an area where people could leave their old cars to rot ! The authorities would soon get the area cleared up !
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What a fantastic idea – pontoons rather than cradles at the back of La Folie, access for maintenance and repairs will be so improved, if I have to pay a bit extra then c’est la vie, there’s a cheaper mud option further North anyway or have I missed the point.
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Harbours need the money, to pay for their duplicated finance dept, so along with their policy of charging £50 per parking ticket (town hall charge £30) we will see a wacking great rise to harbour dues to justify their existence.
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