Annual Leisure Craft Conservacy Charges

Posted on 5th December 2018 by admiral

Peel Ports Medway have made some alterations to the season for the collection of Annual Leisure Craft Conservancy and Yacht Mooring charges. Historically the Annual Leisure Craft Conservancy and Yacht Mooring Charges have been charged for the season 1^st April – 31^st March yearly.

In the future, as from April 2019, the Annual Leisure Craft Conservancy and Yacht Mooring charges will be charged for the period 1^st January – 31^st December yearly. Therefore the 2019 charges will be pro-rated to reflect this change and the charge will show a nine months pro-rated charge from 1^st April 2019- 31^st December 2019.

The new rates also include an increase of 3.3% as per the RPI guidelines. Therefore the 9 months pro-rata charges 1^st Apr-31^st Dec 2019 are as follows:

Yacht Club Leisure Craft Conservancy charge = £ 52.07 (VAT Inc.)
Yacht Club Yacht Mooring charge = £73.81 (VAT EX)

Going forward the charges shall be levied on the 1st January each year for the season starting 1^st January 2020- 31^st December 2020. If you need further assistance in the explanation of the new changes of the Medway tariff please do not hesitate to contact pauline.pardoe@peelports.com or telephone 01795 596444.

Are you going to Push the Boat Out?

Posted on 3rd December 2018 by admiral

The RYA’s Push the Boat Out programme is a great way to introduce people to boating and get new club members. If any RYA affiliated clubs/centres on the Medway are considering offering Push the Boat Out events in May next year, they can sign up their initial interest via the link below. More details will then be requested early in 2019 so that PTBO resources can be printed for them and despatched in time.

CA Winter Warmer Talk, 13 December

Posted on 2nd December 2018 by admiral

James Collier from RATS (Regulations and Technical Services) who work on behalf of Cruising Association members to advise and campaign on subjects affecting cruising. Their research and knowledge of technical and regulatory subjects is unique in the world of boating and they will liaise with both local and national government on behalf of members. Regulations and ‘red tape’ varies between countries and is constantly changing. RATS keeps our members up to date with the latest changes in legislation on issues such as red diesel, taxes and visas

This Festive Special will include mince pies and mulled wine – it is always well attended!

Other forthcoming Kent Cruising Association “Winter Warmer” talks:

10 January: Des Crampton, trip to Svalbard
14 February: Roy Brooks, Scotline
14 March: Chris Jeckells, Jeckells the Sailmakers
11 April: Dick Holness, East Coast Pilot

More information on the CA Kent Winter Warmer 2018 – 2019 programme…

We are all invited to these excellent talks, which are held at 8pm at the Dog and Bear, Lenham, near Maidstone. It’s a good idea to book a meal (by 5pm please) on 01622 858219 for 7pm before the talk. A special CA 7-choice menu is available for £9.95.

Queenborough Harbour reopened

Posted on 30th November 2018 by admiral

Geoff Reed of Queenborough Harbour Trust announced today that the bridge is back in place and the harbour is open for business as usual.

Brian sails again in Winifred

Posted on 29th November 2018 by admiral

Here’s Brian Corbett, MSBA Chairman, sailing Winifred, his classic Herreshoff Half-rater, at Cowes. What a lovely boat and does she go!

MSBA AGM, Tues 27 Nov 2018

Posted on 21st November 2018 by admiral

Dear members, partners and friends,

The Medway and Swale Boating Association annual general meeting will take place next Tuesday 27 November 2018 at 19.00hrs at the Kent Boat and Ski Club, Cuxton. This meeting will be followed by the quarterly business meeting.

We request that your organisation is represented at our meetings. Everyone is most welcome. Snacks will be provided in the interlude between meetings and there is a well-stocked bar.

The agendas for both meetings and minutes from the 2017 AGM and the September business meeting can be found via this LINK

If anyone would like to stand for the executive committee, please send nominations to the secretary before the meeting.

Optimist Winter Training 2018/19

Posted on 20th November 2018 by admiral

Medway Queen and the Smithsonian

Posted on 17th November 2018 by admiral

Medway Queen features in the online version of the Smithsonian Magazine. A contact out of the blue requesting information on MQ’s part in Operation Dynamo was responded to in quick time to meet a tight timescale and the article appeared online last week. Going from first contact to “in print” within just 3 days!

The article contains details of Medway Queen’s part in the operation with many links to other information including the MQPS website. Appearances in magazines such as this are always very welcome as they put the MQPS before a new audience that may not already be familiar with the ship, her story and our efforts to restore her.

Read the article in Smithsonian Magazine…

Police miss golden opportunity to catch suspected people smugglers

Posted on 16th November 2018 by admiral

David Metcalfe, Commodore of Lower Halstow Yacht Club, has confirmed that the burned out red boat which seriously damaged their jetty was the coaching launch stolen earlier in the day from Medway Towns Rowing Club. Here is his account of what happened yesterday:

Sadly yesterday evening around 17.00 one of our committee members was alerted to our jetty being on fire. The blaze was attacked with buckets of water and finally extinguished with the club’s long hose pipe. A red dinghy was found to be the cause resting on the lower landing stage. The fire brigade attended with 3 appliances and pulled the remains of the boat off and placed it alongside the slip.

Separately, the Gransden family reported intruders, possible illegal immigrants on their sailing smack, Thistle, off Shoregate Wharf. It was also reported that a red dinghy/rib was alongside Thistle. The Coast Guard attended, but with no enforcement powers and the tide out were unable to do anything. Kent Police decided it didn’t require an attendance.

Had Kent Police shown an interest in the possible illegal immigrants and intercepted them as the tide came in, that issue could have been resolved and MTRC’s stolen launch could have been recovered.

Instead, due to Kent Police’s ineffectual response, the launch was driven to our jetty and set alight, completely destroying the launch and causing serious damage to our jetty.

Did you see this boat yesterday?

Posted on 16th November 2018 by admiral

One of the Medway Town Rowing Club’s coaching launches was stolen from Rochester yesterday morning at about 5am (high water). The boat is a Fun-Zac Secu 12 and the engine is a Tohatsu Model MFS 98 A3, engine serial number 027905. As you can see in the photo, it is a very distinctive colour!

The theft may have been connected with incidents at Lower Halstow later in the day resulting in a red boat being set on fire causing damage to the Lower Halstow Yacht Club jetty. A group of suspicious people were seen during much of the day on moored boats belonging to members of Shoregate Wharf Sailing Club but the suspects had gone by the time police arrived in the evening. Several items had been stolen from a smack and foil blankets had been abandoned.

If you saw a boat like the one in the photo yesterday or witnessed what was going on at Lower Halstow please call Kent Police on 101 quoting reference 15-1509