run for
berth holders by berth holders
Members’
Newsletter Edition No. 11
www.shbha.co.uk September 2007
Premier
Takes Control
On 6th July 2007 Premier Marinas
took over the control of Sovereign Harbour. The company, which has been
operating since 1994, own, manage, and develop marinas and adjoining real
estate. They pride themselves on offering exceptional facilities and ideal
berthing conditions, coupled with an efficient responsive service and aim to
create the right environment for their customers to ensure they can relax and
enjoy their time boating.
Their
experience comes from across the group by managing
v
Approximately 5900 berths
v
About
23 facility blocks
v
9
launderettes
v
At
least 7 CCTV systems
v
5
pump-out stations
v
Hoists
in every marina
v
Around
5 cranes
v
A
wealth of recycling opportunities (including premier turquoise bags in some
places!)
v
And
liaising with six Berth-Holder Associations
They
actively seek feedback from their customers as part of their continual drive to
improve their products and services as it helps them to pay particular
attention to the key areas important to their berth holders.
SHBHA look
forward to building a productive, working relationship with the new owners as
the Marina develops in the next few years.
Page 2
Meet the People-Dave Needham,
Assistant Marina Manager
After working on the railways, for
13 years, Dave decided to dip his toe in the water and applied to work at the
harbour as a seasonal employee. Initially he worked the two jobs for a month
until he was sure that it was what he wanted to do but then took the plunge and
eventually became a lock keeper…the job he had originally wanted.
Dave likes
working outside and enjoys the positive attitude of most of the people he meets
around the harbour. He feels privileged to work in such an environment whilst
also enjoying the boating aspect of his job.
Since that
first summer in 1999 Dave has attended a wide variety of training courses
including first aid, using the hoist and, to help with his post as he accepted
more responsibility, intermediate marina management. Later this year he is
looking forward to completing the advanced part of this qualification. Prior to
joining the staff he was trained in the more seamanship type courses through
his work with the lifeboat team.
As part of his day to day work Dave
deals with any emergencies that crop up such as a boat sinking in their berth
after a sea cock has sprung a leak. Keeping very busy he also manages the fuel
supplies, several new projects and is line manager for some of the staff. He
completes an 8.00-5.00 weekday and one in four weekends work pattern and, even
though Dave is also on 24 hour call out duty for one week each month, he
wouldn’t be without his mobile phone. Being a trouble shooter this saves him
quite a lot of leg work as he can go from one part of the marina to the other
without having to go back to the office to find out where he needs to go next.
He also thinks that seasonal staff are very helpful and support him when
responding to problems as they crop up.
Although
he is one of the lucky people who enjoy going to work Dave hates having to tell
people bad news. This usually happens when something drastic has happened such
as one boat hitting another causing damage.
Dave
judges success by the good feedback that he receives but would like more
communication with boat owners. If he doesn’t know about a problem, he can’t
fix it! He is pleased that the new marina owners, Premier, encourage their
staff to go out and about as this will help him achieve his aims. Watching us
enjoy our boats, he would love to swap places occasionally.
Page 3
As mentioned earlier Dave has to
deal with a variety of tasks and never knows from one day to the next what he
will be faced with. Last year he was involved in using the workboat to shepherd
a 6-7ft long seal out of the North harbour and back through the locks. Over the
last two weeks he has dealt with two swimming foxes and has, over time, seen a
great deal of unusual wildlife including a terrapin and a seahorse.
You may
well have seen Dave in the press as he always seems to be on duty when the
cameras are rolling. He has starred in the DVD and other promotional materials
about the marina and is a regular in the year book. His RNLI work also means he
is often photographed either receiving fundraising cheques or after missions.
Dave’s family life is very busy as,
in addition to working at Sovereign Harbour, he is senior helmsman on the
inshore lifeboat. He acknowledges that his wife is really important to him as
she is always there and has to put up with a lot. Being so active means that he
has little time to relax and it can take him up to two years to read a book! He
still listens to Radio One and has recently enjoyed a couple of sailing trips
with his colleagues. Ideally though, being an adrenalin junkie, he dreams of
adventures. Having already partaken in white water rafting, abseiling, rock
climbing, caving and canoeing he would really like to swim with sharks or carry
out a parachute jump.
In spite
of all his adventuring and lifeboat training Dave knows what it is like to
become a victim. Using the workboat to give a hip tow to a disabled yacht he
accidentally slipped down the gap between the two. His presence of mind,
experience, and the help of colleagues helped him survive but he remembers
thinking just how clear the water was. Afterwards, he also remembers the
embarrassment of trudging back to the office to change with everyone wondering
how he had got in such a state. It just goes to show you can never be too
careful!
Keep Safe……….Four Steps to Avoid
Collision
- Keep a good lookout at all
times by sight, by hearing and other available means
- Choose a speed from which the boat
can safely be stopped within the distance which is visible from the helm
- By taking bearings (and using
radar if fitted), continually assess whether a risk of collision with
other vessels exists
- Do not delay any changes of
speed and/or course to avoid collision and make alterations large enough
to be obvious to other vessels
Page 4
Lifejackets
Whether
they’re training or out on a shout, RNLI crew members always wear lifejackets. It’s a rule informed by years of
experience. They know that, whatever the weather, the sea’s extremely
unpredictable – and can turn at a moment’s notice. They see people caught out
all the time. The fact is, a lifejacket will buy you vital time in the water –
and could even save your life…………. but
only if you’re wearing it!
For advice
on choosing a lifejacket and how to wear it correctly, call RNLI on 0800
3280600 or visit the website at
www.rnli.org.uk/seasafety/lifejackets
As this
summer’s boating season nears its last few weeks, it is a good idea to ensure
that the boats lifejackets are not left aboard during the colder months of the
year. The RNLI publish a free Sea Safety card called ‘Caring for your
Lifejackets’. In addition the comprehensive booklet ’Sea Safety, the Complete
Guide’ presented upon the completion of a RNLI Sea Check, contains an excellent
chapter on lifejackets and their care. Both publications are available from the
RNLI whose contact details are as follows;
e-mail: seasafety@rnli.org.uk
web site: www.lifeboats.org.uk
telephone: 01202 663 000
fax: 01202663355
There will
also be future opportunities for you to be shown how to check your own
lifejacket/s by the Eastbourne RNLI Sea Safety Team lead by Terry Colbran.
Terry will also be happy to arrange for you to have a free, confidential RNLI
Sea Check aboard your boat and at your convenience. He can be contacted on 07860 362367
Ring him today!
Page 5
The Perfect Boat
A short
while ago, I thought about keeping my boat elsewhere for a season or two. After
I got over the shock of the mooring fees at other marinas, I decided to stay
put. It wasn’t a hard decision and belt tightening at Eastbourne is far
preferable to starvation on the Hamble.
“It’s much
cheaper here,” said my colleague. “No,” I quickly corrected him,” it’s less
expensive.”
There has
been a definite policy in some boating circles over recent years, to try and
manage an image portraying sailing as an affordable activity in order to
broaden and increase its appeal and of course one of the main reasons why
boating has risen in popularity is because there is a bit more money around.
Where this money comes from is often subject to discussion, there is a lot of
difference between the earnt pound and, for example the property pound, but
that’s another story.
Sailing is
of course different from yachting and is presented as such. The former
describing smaller boats, dinghies etc., the latter up to 100 feet plus.
However the price of a 26/28ft. sailing cruiser, a size more adequate for a
small family, is within the reach of most people being similar in value to that
of family car. The main obstacle to ownership is not the initial purchase but
the running costs afterwards. These costs very much depend on where you live
and where you keep your boat. For instance, an estuary drying mooring costs a
lot less than deep water pontoons.
Small boat
sailing demands cheaper and simpler logistics. The provision of a slipway,
sadly lacking in Sovereign Harbour, would permit small, trailable boats to
launch and retrieve, for a fee of course, without the large expense of a
pontoon mooring. The half inch gouge that appeared in my port bow last season,
testament to the unequal relationship between large and small boats in confined
space. In the locks, size does matter!
Sailing Today
The
facilities provided by a modern marina, 24 hour access, somewhere secure to
keep a boat, nice showers etc., are obviously a major factor in the growth of
boating as an activity and not just because the existence of Sovereign Harbour
provides people with the opportunity to go sailing from Eastbourne, something
which did not exist previously, but facilities which people are largely beginning
to expect and look out for, in fact regard as the norm.
Page 6
Anchoring
! What is that ?
Proposals
for marina developments at virtually every sea-side town along the South coast
have been put forward and I am sure some will eventually go ahead. Excellent, I
hear you remark and I must admit a redeveloped Folkstone and/or Bognor would
make a convenient additional stopover.
So what
does the growth in marina development really mean for the boating enthusiast.
More choice, more competition ? Not necessarily. There are many rivers,
estuaries and harbours where boating people have anchored, moored and
maintained their craft for hundreds of years, but now they have to pay. Why ?
Lots of very good reasons are put forward but the real reason is that leisure
marine activities are now regarded as cash generative. Hence all the proposed
developments.
I recently had a conversation with
a chap who told me wonderful stories from a lifetime’s sailing. “It’s all very
different now,” he said. “Once upon a time, you could go virtually anywhere and
anchor or tie up and no-one used to bother you at all. Now it seems wherever
you go some-one comes up with their hand out ! I’m just a floating pound note
!” Well I don’t know about that but fifty years ago it would have been very
different.
Things
change and that is exactly my point. The other day I read that the number of
people taking up sailing was reducing. Unfortunately the writer failed to
confirm whether this was because of a preference for power or a more general
downturn. Well even if it is down to a preference for power we all know how
long that is going to last when the soon to arrive hike in fuel arrives.
See what I
mean, things change.
At last
year’s SHBHA AGM, I remember the horror that met my suggestion that the SHBHA
had a duty to concern itself with the matter of how much it costs to run a boat
at Sovereign Harbour and that all boat-owners should actively concern
themselves with the matter of keeping costs down.
Perhaps
the coming imposition of a higher fuel duty will now do it all for us.
Both contributed by Steve Collett
Yacht ‘Ruby Tuesday’
The Control Log Keeper’s Letters.
FWMMAS, FOHSB, OTASH,
TSTTC, NATTCUFN.
The answer
to last month’s letter puzzle is as follows:
Finished
with main motors and steering, Fall out harbour stations below,
Open the
accommodation space hatch, Trot sentry to the casing, No access to the casing
until further notice.
Did you manage to work it out? Of
course you did! ED.
Page 7
Gourmet Galley
The late
Summer and approaching Autumn should see the large shoals of mackerel remain
inshore for a few weeks yet. The gourmet galley recipe for this edition of the
SHBHA Newsletter reflects that availability of the mackerel.
Devilled Mackerel
You need
4 large
mackerel, (the fresher the better), 50 grms or 2 ounces of butter,
1 teaspoon
of curry paste or powder, 2 teaspoons of Worcestershire Sauce, a few drops of Tabasco sauce salt and
pepper and 2 tablespoons of chopped parsley.
Fillet the
mackerel and remove the pin bones if you prefer.
Cream the
butter with salt, pepper, curry paste or powder, the sauces and parsley.
Spread the
flavoured butter over each mackerel fillet and place under a pre-heated grill.
Allow 2 minutes either side under a high heat then lower the heat until cooked
through.
This dish
can be served hot or cold.
Safety Group Evenings
2007/08
The popular sea safety evenings will once again be held on
Friday evenings during the Autumn and Winter in the lifeboat centre, adjacent
to the locks, where Mark Sawyer, Coxswain of the Eastbourne Lifeboat will give
help and advice, tips and ideas on going afloat safely with your family and
friends.
Topics that will be covered include passage planning, life
jackets and life rafts, essential and recommended equipment, rescue by lifeboat
and or helicopter, understanding charts and buoyage and much more. Further
details will be posted on the notice boards around the harbour, on the lifeboat
centre’s window and on the website at the end of September or contact Pete and
Carol on 01424 893326.
Page 8
Navigation. So, which way is North?
The most
obvious way to find direction is with a compass. However it’s not the sort of
thing we have in our pockets every day but we can create one with just a piece
of iron wire. A sewing needle is perfect.
Stroke the
needle in one direction against silk or silk-like material and the needle will
become magnetized. Suspend the needle on a piece of thread and it will point
North. You could also float the needle on piece of wine bottle cork and place
it in a small plastic container such as a jam pot lid with a little water.
Another
method is to use a watch with hands. The watch must be adjusted to have the
correct local time. In the Northern Hemisphere, hold the watch horizontally
then point the hour hand of your watch at the sun and bisect the angle between
the hour hand and 12 to give you a North-South line.
In the
Southern Hemisphere point the 12 at the sun and the midpoint between 12 and the
hour hand will produce a North-South line as.
Obviously
using the sun to find your bearings at night is hopeless, which is where the
stars come in. A cloud free evening is also helpful.
The
simplest way to judge your whereabouts is to find North and to do this you need
to find Polaris, the Pole Star for the Northern Hemisphere.
First find
that distinctive star group known as the Big Dipper or the Plough.
Now
mentally draw a line through the stars Dubhe and Merak, extend it upwards by
five times its length and you’ll reach Polaris. It’s probably the first bright
star you come to.
There are
other indicators in the night sky which can be used.
The rising
of the moon gives a rough East- West reference. If it rises before the sun sets
the illuminated side will be West. If it rises after midnight the illuminated
side will be East.
Page 9
Bits and Pieces
Books and magazines in good
condition are always welcome in the exchange
boxes in the Main and West Harbour facilities blocks. If you can’t get there
yourselves, I am sure that your harbour representatives will be happy to take
them for you.
Contributions for possible
inclusion in future editions of the SHBHA Newsletter will be thankfully received by the
Editor. Go on! Give it a go!
It is
hoped to reinstate a Coxswain’s Corner
article in future editions.
Recent harbour activity
included the rescue of a 2 foxes
found swimming in the main harbour. The most recent swimmer was rescued and set
free with the aid of a net and seemed none the worse for such a venture. Perhaps
he/she had been investigating the reports of newly hatched ducklings aboard the tender to Aleutian Sea
Bear!
Boat Jumble for Berth-Holders
The next
boat jumble for berth-holders will take place on Saturday 29th
September 10.00 until 12.30. It will be held in the area adjacent to the lock control
building. Tea and coffee will be
available from the RNLI station and
they will also have a fundraising stall selling Christmas cards
and other
bits and pieces.
New to
this event is the opportunity for members to sell single items via the
Association stand. Committee members will take instructions on price and try to
sell it for you. All items for sale in this way should be delivered to the boat
jumble on the day and collected between 12.00 and 12.30.
Of course
if you have more than one item members can always set up free of charge and
sell all those boating bits and bobs that they have collected and now no longer
use. Last year one family turned up with only three items, sold from a coffee
table and did very well. Why not search around….after all your unwanted bits
might be just the bobs someone is looking for!
Last time
one gent was desperate for a danbuoy but none were on sale!
Have you
got one too many?
Page 10
Dear Boat-owners,
I am one
of group of sea swimmers who swim in the sea from April through to November,
I'm not talking a paddle between a few groins but long stretches from The
Redoubt to Holywell. Some of us are training to swim The English Channel
as a relay team. We always stay shore side of the end of the pier and
closer to shore than the end of the pier; unfortunately many motor boats
and jet skis don't remain seaward of the pier and often come in at speed
perilously close to us as we are swimming. On behalf of my fellow
swimmers would these boats please drop their speed and look out for
swimmers if they must come in so close to shore. Sailors may not expect
swimmers to be doing such swims and in water as cold as April and November but
we are there.
Let’s keep
the sea safe and enjoyable for all who use her.
Jane Thomas
Addition to SHBHA Discount List
Mr. Martin
Smith, berth-holder and owner of ‘Cottontail’ has written to offer members of
the SHBHA a 5% discount on sales of chandlery from,
‘
Malthouse Marine Chandlery and Fitting’. They can be found on-line at www.malthouse-marine.com and by phone on 01843 825 825.
Members
placing orders should quote, ’SHBHA ’.
So, What is a Log?
A log, in the year 1800, was a bit
of wood attached to a long piece of string knotted every 47 foot 3 inches. The
heaver of the log dropped the piece of wood overboard and allowed the string to
run from a reel counting the knots as they ran though his fingers for 28
seconds. This was measured by a small sand glass. The number of knots that
passed between his fingers was equivalent to the ship’s speed through the water
in nautical miles per hour.
‘Shamrock’ Avoids International
Incident
On the
Saturday of the Easter weekend, Dave and Fred of “Shamrock” fame were returning
from a days fishing when they came across a long, grey submarine running with
its decks awash in the West bound shipping lane. The vessel was very quiet and
could well have been nuclear powered. There were no visible ensigns being
displayed. As the two vessels came closer, the submarine radioed to ‘Shamrock’
to stay clear of its Port bow. ‘Shamrock’s’ helmsman made the necessary change
of course and both vessels continued on their respective ways.
Page 11
What’s Been Going On
As you are
aware, since the last time I reported, Premier has taken over the marina. They
are currently prioritising how to spend money to improve Sovereign Harbour and
there will be a period of substantial investment over the next few years. This
can only benefit berth-holders as the marina had been in a state of limbo for
some time under Carillion and things promised were not being carried out.
We are
pleased that Premier have planned a full H&S audit of the site and will
action any findings. This will include fire evacuation routines which we have
been requesting for some time now
Harbour reps
keep a keen eye out and report items and areas of concern which are then
discussed with the management and we are pleased to say that this will
continue. You are, of course, able to liaise directly with the staff to resolve
any issues but collective voices add weight to any debate.
Very
recently the poor state of cleaning in the facilities blocks came under
discussion and as a response various levels of monitoring were put in place.
There was an immediate, noticeable improvement in most areas and our concerns
are still currently under close scrutiny, and will continue to be so, until
satisfactory standards are demonstrated on a long term basis.
Difficulties
with parking at busy times and problems with the roller shutter door have also
been discussed. The former should be fully resolved soon as the builders move
out and resident spots are accessed via a different route. Builders overriding
systems and children launching themselves at the roller shutter have also
caused problems and the Management and the police are trying very hard to
resolve the troubles.
On a
positive note, following our requests, we are pleased to report that Channel 17
returned (for this season at least!), more bins have been placed in certain
areas, trailing cables are being addressed, more efficient use of the hoist is
being actioned and more security items have been installed.
A pontoon
washer has been purchased and will make regular sweeps of the marina. If a
pontoon near you needs a pressure wash call the office!
Due to some
inconsiderate parking, particularly by the Waterfront, clamping is now taking
place. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!
Nick, our
Chairman should be back from his travels soon so look forward to his report in
the next edition.