Author Archives: admiral

Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Pageant, Sat 4 June

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Tiller & Wheel CIC have been commissioned to produce a grand river pageant on the River Medway to celebrate the Queen’s Jubilee on Saturday 4 June. If you are a vessel owner and are interested in attending, there will be an open online meeting this Thursday, where we will introduce the event outline and opportunities to get involved.

Topic: Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, Medway River Pageant – open meeting for river users

Time: Thursday 27 January, 19:00

Join Zoom Meeting here: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86195185941…

Meeting ID: 861 9518 5941 Passcode: 941919

MSBA prompts Peel Ports rethink on charges

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Following a protest by the MSBA to the notified 8.5% increase in charges for moorings and conservancy licences, Peel Ports have reduced this increase to 6%, being the RPI figure for the 12 months to October 2021. We have been told that refunds have now been issued to those who have already paid their 2022 invoices. A meeting is being arranged to discuss the basis for these charges going forward.

Consultation on “discontinuation” of navigation marks

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Peel Ports London Medway is planning to discontinue the following navigation marks:
• The Cant – ‘D’ Beacon (unlit) approximately 1nm South of MAC buoys 5/6
• Sheerness Harbour – Grain Light (QW) just South of Grain outfall channel
• Sharfleet Creek (East & Western ends) – Beacons 7&8 (unlit) ex Admiralty beacons
• Loden Hope – West Point Beacon (unlit)
• Swale – Long Reach – Codds Creek Beacon
• Bee Ness Buoy (Fl G 5s).

The above-mentioned proposal will be subject to a consultation period that will run until 7th February 2022.

Comments and queries should be sent to: AllMedwayMarineManagers@peelports.com

Notice to Mariners 13 of 2022 refers. Following the consultation period all comments received will be assessed, the Port of Sheerness (as the Local Lighthouse Authority) will make its decision and any proposed change will be promulgated by a further Notice to Mariners.

Medway Queen homecoming

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Photo Mark Colyer

On Thursday the veteran paddle steamer Medway Queen, was towed from Ramsgate to the Medway by the tug Christine. At night she was temporarily moored at the Bullnose Lock at Chatham Docks (see photo) and was moved to her home berth at Gillingham Pier on Friday afternoon.

The MQ is now safely on her berth. There’s a video (by Mark Colyer) of her docking on the MSBA Facebook page.

Here are more photos by Brian Corbett:

Monty to lose masts by June 2022

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Photo Margaret Flo McEwan, Maunsell Forts Appreciation Group

The Royal Navy has been brought in to help Briggs Marine with their £5m contract to remove the SS Richard Montgomery’s corroded masts after surveys warned that they could collapse onto the fragile deck and set off the 1400 tons (TNT equivalent) of explosives remaining on board.

Please note there have been many seriously inaccurate reports of this project, even in the quality press. The ship itself is not being touched, just the masts. However these have become a sight to see and their loss will affect the local tourism trade.

More information…

CA Winter Warmer talk, Thu 13 Jan 2022, 7pm

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Mandy Bruce from Magellan Yacht Surveys will be talking on the role of the Yacht Surveyor.

Mandy is professionally trained through the International Boatbuilding Training Centre at Lowestoft, with a background of racing and cruising yachts in the Solent, on the North Kent Coast and in the Mediterranean. She is an accredited member of the Yacht Designers and Surveyors Association (YDSA) and a full member of the MSA (Marine Surveyor Associates). This is a group of professionally trained surveyors communicating via a live forum, sharing knowledge and experience on a daily basis. She is a sailor as well as a surveyor and currently owns a Westerly Fulmar which she races around the Swale and has been Racing Commodore at Conyer Cruising Club for the last five years and helps with the Swale Regatta.

These talks start at 7pm and it’s wise to log in a few minutes earlier. Click on this link to join the webinar: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_-8M2x9pySeGLw97mqxfrTw

Peel Ports announce “outrageous” increase in charges for 2022

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Peel Ports have announced an 8.5% price hike in charges (see notice).

The MSBA has previously objected to their massive annual increases in charges and we have made the point more than once that such price hikes jeopardise the viability of some of our clubs. We obtained an undertaking that the process would be transparent and we would be consulted but this has not taken place.

The MSBA has asked for a detailed breakdown of the justification of this figure and will be pursuing this matter with Peel Ports.

Weather, Tides and Webcams updated for 2022

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Happy New Year! Click “Weather” on the menu to see our updated weather, tides and webcam links. This now has 2022 tide tables from the PLA and Peel Ports (Sheerness and Chatham). You can also check real time tides, wind and weather at each of several stations in the Medway from the approach channel to Strood. Also we now include a link to the superb weather station and webcam (updated every 10 minutes) at Lower Halstow Yacht Club.