TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums British Virgin Islands Boatyball

Unforgiving and salty? Well, I've been called worse over the journey!

But to be clear, the official unforgiving and salty terminology (or UST for short) is 'sharp hook thing at the pointy end'.

Pointy end - bow
Sharp hook thing - anchor
Blunt end - stern
Anti-scratch balloons - fenders
Nautical pitchfork - thing for hooking hideous 'Boatyball'
String - stuff to attach boat to hideous 'Boatyball'

No I will be in Culebra on my anchor having cheap lobster at the Dinghy Dock.

Jay

💤💤💤

I agree Jay, Culebra is still pretty much unspoiled

It's all about supply and demand. Would I pay $100 for a boatyball at Norman? No, and that's why they don't operate there. Cooper? Yes, especially if it meant I could show up at 3:00pm instead of 11:00am. If I didn't want to pay the $100, then I would either skip the destination or arrive early enough to ensure a FCFS ball. The premium charge over a FCFS ball pays for the service (attendant, harbor manager) to enforce the reservation.

Unless I'm missing something, folks who don't want to use the system, and who are comfortable anchoring, shouldn't be impacted at all. So I don't understand the negative energy for a business that is trying to provide a service that I would gladly use on my next trip.

But it seems the one with the fastest internet connection wins, not the most money.

Are they really that hideous haha? Maybe you just need to spend a little more time with them

Your quote:
Unless I'm missing something, folks who don't want to use the system, and who are comfortable anchoring, shouldn't be impacted at all. So I don't understand the negative energy for a business that is trying to provide a service that I would gladly use on my next trip.

Anchoring is very limited due to the fact the the anchorage is full of mooring balls.
Sure there’s going to be some negative energy towards Boatyball because they’re taking some of the first come first serve existing balls, and raising the prices.

In time, I expect that some anchorages will have no fcfs balls

Have sailed in several regions and will be back to the BVI this June. I signed up for Boaty Ball and have been monitoring availability. This winter reservations secured the 7am balls, but there have been balls available even in the afternoon. Cancellations maybe?

I fine departing early if needed to grab a first come ball. I am comfortable with my skills anchoring, but a ball provides a much better night sleep.

I plan to use Boaty Ball to secure a ball at Cooper and Anegada. Will allow for a casual departure. If at 7am a ball reservation isn't available, then no worries and go to Plan B or C.

It's the same number of boats using the same number of balls. To reserve or not is a personal choice.

As boating is a huge part of BVI tourism, it seems the real answer is to install more balls, and it's in the best interest of the BVI's to make it happen.

This will probably be a unpopular opinion but the real answer is a limit on the number of charterboat permits granted. Places like Cooper really don’t have room for additional balls. Popular anchorages are simply maxed out at peak times.
G

George, there is no limit to the number of cruise ship people or charter boats the BVI can accommodate, just ask the politicians and tourist board. If the Baths and White Bay get a little busy, just redirect folks to the mural on the ridge or the cultural stroll through Long Look.

Maybe when Saba and Bitter End get back to operating, it will take some pressure off the balls at Cooper. Also Willy T back at Norman would bring boats back to the Bight. West End not really operating, Trellis and Marina seem to be not as popular and the slips at Scrub now used by DYC.

It seems from trip reports itineraries go like this: Cooper, JVD, Leverick, Anegada.

I didn't think I would ever consider a land based trip to BVI but it is now becoming something I am seriously considering.

Reserved one on Cooper no problem this morning BUT Navigare's "Stella" was sitting on it at ~2:00 PM. We waited, circling for half an hour until they had the courtesy to come back from shore.

Got a Boatyball at Leverick last week. Got in about 3:30. All of the moorings were full except for two boatyballs - one of them mine. A boat came in shortly after us and took the second ball. I suspected they were not the reservation - something about how they drove through the mooring field. About an hour later a boat came out from Leverick and checked the balls and names on the boats. Chased off the squatter. Atleast at Leverick on that particular evening it appears they were out enforcing the reservations. Good job!

When Leverick is filled at 3:30pm the mooring ball situation has hit a tough level.

When Leverick is filled at 3:30pm the mooring ball situation has hit a tough level.

How late do you think you can arrive with a reservation without someone assuming you are not coming? I really don’t like the idea of having to get on my phone at 7:00 am to reserve a ball. If I were to do it, it would be because we planned to arrive pretty late (eg. after 5:30 pm).

Steve74,

If YOU arrive at dark, and I (having reserved and paid for ball) arrive 15 minutes later, would you feel the need to vacate, or declare "Squatter's rights"?

You do realize that most (all?) charter companies have it in your contract that you must be moored X hours before sunset.

Private boats can legally sail/move after dark and technically could be arriving at ball well after dark (Not a suggestion of a good plan, but....)

If the ball is paid for no one has the right to use it and if someone does they should vacate.

Many of us dive at night and arrive quite late to pick up a ball. That is the one advantage I see with Boatyball.
G

If you arrive and find a squatter with nobody aboard. What about digging some lines out, chucking out some fenders and rafting alongside, then tie to the ball.

When they come back, they can then FOQ. You may find they return a little quicker...

I recognise that the balls are not supposed to have more than a single 60ft yacht on. But assuming it's not blowing old boots...and it's for a short period of time...and you remain aboard until the offender returns...plus what is the actual load limit on the balls? An ocean going yacht like a Hallberg Rassy 55 weighs roughly twice what a Jeanneau 54 does...so if it can safely take one of the former, it can certainly take two of the latter.

*this post doesn't change my 100% negative view on BB btw!

Just curious why you’re so admantly against BoatyBall? Have you ever tried the service? And I believe the tonnage and rafting limits are set by the mooring company not BoatyBall. Most of the moorings there were designed to handle 60ft monohulls but in the current cruising scene where Cats around that size are the predominant charter boat in the BVI the swing is a little less generous than it used to be. Sure you could probably get away with rafting two monohulls, but trying that with catamarans is a terrible idea. At the least you’re breaking the rules, and at the worst you’re going to end up with two beached boats and no insurnace from the mooring company.

We were there last Monday. As I indicated our arrival was about 3:30. After us I think there were probably 30 more boats that arrived and sniffed for a mooring. Really need the moorings working at Bitter End and Saba. I don't really understand why they have not been checked and made available. Thirty bucks per mooring seems like a pretty nice income stream for doing nothing more than collecting it.

For all the reasons previously stated by myself and plenty of others...but here it is again.

The issue is not enough balls for current level of charter traffic...caused in no small part by the huge post-irma reduction of supply in places like North Sound. Boatyball doesnt solve the problem, it simply means that the early bird no longer gets the ball...the person with the better internet connection at 7am does. Plus of course all the agro that squatters are causing, which is frequently mentioned on here (doesnt happen with FCFS). If they were adding more balls then great, it would be helping to resolve the issue, I personally still wouldnt use it, but at least it wouldn't be negatively impacting me by taking away the FCFS moorings.

My previous comment was as a monohull sailor. I don't sail cats and my post didnt mention cats. It was quite specific on that point! If, as a monohull sailor, i'd booked and paid for a ball and someone was on it when I arrived, I would not motor around for hours while they finish their lunch/drinks, i'd raft, provided it was safe to do so. Then as skipper I would stay aboard until they return and FOQ. Meanwhile, my crew will be enjoying themselves snorkeling, exploring ashore etc, rather than having precious time wasted doing loops around the bay for hours waiting for some cretin who doesn't think the rules apply to him/her. Time in the BVI is too precious to be wasted.

As an aside, we have frequently seen cats rafted at Cooper and other places for most of the day until the fee collector comes around late afternoon and tells them to move. In every case these were idiots trying to save cash on the mooring fees.

I have on many occasions watched as Cooper Island gladly allowed rafting as long as both boats pay the Mooring fee.
G

I can understand why it might be the option of last resort upon late arrival. I've never done it, but admit, if my friends are on a mooring ball, and no balls available, and in calm conditions, I'd probably do it. I know I'd get a 'snake-eye' from the neighbors, and would certainly apologize for my predicament. I would not recommend it, just commenting if in a situation where my options were limited at the time. For sure, I'd take beers to the neighbors.

Pretty sure the Moor Seacure slip we all sign contains a prohibition against rafting up...

CHRISTO: Exactly why I like BoatyBall. My crew can enjoy coffee and breakfast and enjoy BVI without having to rush to next destination to be assured of getting a ball.

Alec-

Why dont you improve your app? As an example instead of clicking on a specific mooring ball why dont you let users pick a mooring site and then you can assign a ball?

That is not necessarily an improvement.

Warren-

Absent being able to choose your own ball I would be curious as to why you dont think that would be improvement...

That’s more or less how the app functions already. Once you pick the mooring site you’re able to see which moorings are available there and select which one you want to reserve.

I’ve been locked out of a ball as someone else clicked on the same one I did. It was available when I clicked it. And then by the time you pick another ball they are all gone. An option like “give me any free ball” makes a lot of sense.

I used Boatyball last week for one night at Leverick. While it worked for me it was a bit of a struggle as I lost my internet connection at 7:00 and by the time I got it back two minutes later there was one mooring still available which I snagged. In reality I think this process is a bit of a "lottery" to get a mooring. That being the case I wonder if that shouldn't just be embraced which would make the whole process easier. Here is what I think I would do if I ran the zoo:
* Don't allow user's to pick individual moorings. Only which bay.
* Allow users to submit a reservation request at any time. Even days ahead of time.
* 9pm the night before: If there are fewer signed up for a bay than available moorings just assign them. If there are more signed up than available then randomly select the "winners". Notify all of the outcome.
* If there are more moorings available after the lottery at 9pm the previous evening then of course people can keep signing up during the day until it's full (i.e., how it work now).

Advantages to this are:
* It's already random. Who has the fastest finger and the fastest internet is what we have now. And that's going to depend on where you are located and how fast your finger can twitch. So no real downside in my opinion to embrace the "lottery".
* You would know at 9:00 the previous evening if you have a reservation or not. And you can then make some plans with your crew what you might do the next day instead of the next morning.
* No need to be up and running at 7:00 in the morning

same issue exactly...

agrimsrud - I like your ideas. All make a lot of sense.

Is there a potential issue though with not being able to select a specific ball in terms of depth? Anegada for example...not all balls have enough depth for the larger monohulls...

I inquired to BoatyBall about this depth thing a couple of months ago.

To Ty at BoatyBall
On Jan 17, 2019, at 9:51 AM, Chuck wrote:
Hello,
Another suggestion... In areas where depth might be an issue (Anegada). You might list the MLW Mean Low Water depth when you select a ball to reserve.

From Ty at BoatyBall

Chuck,
That is a great idea and would be really helpful at Anegada. We will look into ways that we could potentially gather the information and make it available. Thanks, Ty

Some ball might be favoured for depth (anegada) or shelter from wind etc.

If I was to use boatyball I would like the ability to choose from available balls.

There may be other reasons too. Swing room is not necessarily the same for all balls. There is at least 1 ball at Cooper to close to fcfs balls.

In my view, the problem is not enough mooring balls. The problem was never the need for a reservation system that merely introduces new problems