RCC Burgee

December 2010 Newsheet

 21 members attended the AGM. Thank you all for coming. 
Saturday January 22nd 2011 Club Planning Meeting for 2011

Meet at 12.00 for lunch, planning meeting after. Please think of what you would like to do with The Club. Come and put your ideas forward! Something new and quirky would be great! Meet at 'The Black Bear' Wareham at 12.00 for lunch. We will have the meeting at 14.00hrs.At present, I am arranging to individually order your meals as you arrive - so orders complete by 12.30 please - for serving together as soon as they are cooked.

  

PHC and Harbour News

For those who moor in Holes Bay, we hear that the bridge building is going to plan. The bored piling to the three piers is now complete, so that the barges and cranes will reduce. Work will now start on the reinforced concrete construction; this will continue into next year. The demolition work on the West Abutment is complete allowing the installation of sheet metal work around this abutment. Concrete pouring in this reinforced area will start and again continue into next year. The Bridge Operating Board is looking at best operating systems.

PHC have removed all the old pile moorings near the channel and new ones have been installed with new pontoons ready for boats.

The Commodore of North Haven YC has been accepted as a Harbour Commissioner. This will help to look after the interests of leisure sailors.

The Marine Conservation Society is drumming up support to stop anchoring in much of Studland Bay. I have voted against! Sorry not to have told all members, but we only got a few hours notice and I had to go out! Information from the meeting suggests that this pressure group has little scientific backing for their views, but had a financial interest! Currently, sailors appear to hold the biggest lobby, but we cannot be complacent!

Local Notice to Mariners has been published on the IALA light system for controlling the bridge openings. These were programmed to be in place by now. A new bye law is in preparation: this means that PHC can then fine you up to £1000 for jumping these lights! Copies can be download from the www.phc.co.uk site. (look for 'recent notices')

Report from the Harbour Public Meeting.

Following a presentation at the PHC Public meeting on the proposed offshore wind farm, it became clear that something between 180 and 300 turbines were expected somewhere between 'The Isle of Wight and Portland', with completion by 2018.(There will almost certainly be slippage!) The nearest to Poole is likely to be at least 8m from Durlston Head. Poole could well be the 'operations port' i.e. for day-to-day maintenance type operations. The wind farm will be built with private finance - but without subsidies will not be viable. An exclusion limit of only 50metres is likely to be around each turbine when operating (20m is the closest the blade tips come to the sea)

Harbour Charges. Comparison charges were given - for a 10m boat: Poole ~£98, Cowes ~£165, Weymouth ~£156, Christchurch ~£190 and Dartmouth ~£173, so Poole looked good value!

Confidence is building that the 'Barfleur' - and hence £2.5M - will return to Poole next year. Bulk cargo through the harbour is up ~43% this year on 2009.

Some 59 berths, able to accept 12-15m boats, are planned to be available in the RoRo1 marina. This is expected to be operational next year, indeed, it seems that 25% of the berths have already been let. People were concerned about the viability as the marina is exposed to SE winds. A new car/personnel access through the restricted port area will be made.

The Port Master Plan envisages a new marina with 800 berths. Progress however, depends on negotiations with PYC.

From PYA

The HRO is now expected to be signed 'early next year'. The RYA has fought against this on our behalf and have used it as a 'national test' for other harbours. (They have chosen to 'fight' Poole because of the good relations with PHC!)

More info on the speeding jet-ski's. Fines totalling £775, £850, £850 and £1415 for a second offence have been handed out by magistrates! A programme of education is being pursued.

Mooring receipts are down in the harbour this year. The Commissioners are likely to look at charging visitors who anchor in the harbour. e.g. South Deep.

The PHC Board has approved an increase in Recreational Charges from April 1st 2011 - Harbour Dues up 6.5% from 2010, Mooring Licence fees by 5%, Crown Estate fees up by 4.6% to the nearest £1. Following the loss of the Barfleur, (and £2.5M) the structure of the harbour staff has been changed to reflect this (staff losses!). Ferry passengers are now 1/3 of the high 90's. Barfleur could return next year as port charges go up elsewhere.

PHC have prepared a 'master plan' for the next 30years. This includes ambitions to build a 'Marine Centre' with workshop, an education centre and marina on the existing PYC Site (PYC to be re-sited). This is some 5+ years away. Permission has been granted to build a small marina on the old RoRo1 site; this is expected to be operational by next Spring. Up to 40 Cruise Ships are expected next year - these will berth alongside - the existing rail link may come back in use.

A Marine Conservation Zone is proposed to cover most of Poole Bay from Durlston Head to Dolphin Sand (off Christchurch) is proposed and although the RYA are closely involved, this will mainly involve fisherman and protection of the sea bed. Existing activities such as anchoring in Studland and dredging channels will be allowed to continue.

From the RYA.

The RYA recommend that, if you are in foreign waters and hear or need to send a 'Mayday' but replies are only on a foreign language, respond by asking for the message in English, as this is the common maritime language. (sometimes they forget!)

Falling in when the water temperature is below 15oC can be lethal. The RYA therefore recommend that:-

The RYA confirm that they are fully behind the Studland Seahorse Study Group (which includes The Crown Estate, Natural England, PYA, the RYA, Studland Parish Council, The Wildlife Trust and Studland Residents Association); this is due to report in ~2012! The Maritime Conservation Society - referred to above, is a small pressure group fighting their own ends looking for a total ban on anyone using Studland except seahorses. Please be aware. The next NS will be in February after our planning meeting, with full details of our proposed programme for 2011. Until then,

A Merry Christmas and a Happy and New Year

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