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Doesn’t take Uber, airplanes or stay in hotels! That is the way of the world. Boating is just catching up.

Apparently the balls are very different, bright orange and clearly marked RESERVATION ONLY. The usual first come, first serve white balls have not changed.

Do I understand the reservation is ‘day of’, therefore need to stay up to midnight in order to get first shot at reservations?

This is a wonderful idea. We will be there in June and I can’t wait to use Boatyball!

You do have to stay up until midnight. I would prefer they use 9pm as most of the time I am not up that late.
G

If reserved ball is not available when I am drinking my morning coffee, I will plan differently.I will not be staying up to midnight to fight for a reservation.

Never used Uber. A mooring ball is like parking. Parking prices (that I'm aware of anyway) don't change by demand - they may change based on weekend or weekday but that is due to businesses causing more weekday traffic. So I guess if it was like parking, perhaps they'd have a busy season/low season. Although hopefully they don't go too far, since there is a very good reason to have mooring balls - to keep people from having to anchor. Better for the seabed to have mooring balls then anchoring. If pricing goes too crazy or changes too frequently, it will likely prompt more to just anchor in the places it is possible.

I think its also important to note that this is done in other areas. Dockwa for example. And while prices can vary, I don't believe they change on demand. There are set prices for days/times - maybe higher prices for holidays..etc. but a price for a specific date today will be the same the day prior too.

Overall, I like the idea - hopefully it remains as it is now with minor adjustments and they don't get greedy.. that's my only concern.

Another incident of a boat taking a reserved ball. It was at Leverick bay and was again a crewed boat. The crewed boat refused to vacate the ball this time.
G

I think the problem is who will enforce and what is the penalty for using a reserved mooring? If there is no penalty and no one enforces it, that will be a problem.

GeorgeC1,

More information would help us understand. What time did crewed yacht(I assume charter) arrive? All other balls taken? What company was crewed yacht(And was it same crewed yacht as before?)?
What time did rightful boat arrive? How was issue settled?

I think matrix hit the nail on the head. A reservation that you have to enforce yourself isn’t a reservation. If I have a reservation, I expect the ball to be empty and I pick it up hassle free when I arrive. I’ll throw it out there to say that if I have to pay a premium for a reservation which is enforced by an agent, then I am willing to do so. That allows me to spend more time sailing my charter vessel for which I have already paid $$$$.

If the ultimate goal is to provide a cashless option, without having an attendant, then instructions with a web address on the ball will be sufficient. However, I hope the reservation idea succeeds and if it takes a premium rate to make it happen, then I’m supportive of that too. What I am not on board with is having to enforce my own reservation.

Details from the person involved at Leverick.

Well, beware of the details of the reservation process and implementation..
I just arrived in Leverick Bay where a snooty, dismissive captain on Excelsior (5800) informed me that he bypassed the reservation I had for tonight on Mooring Ball #1 by talking with the Dockmaster (who was unreachable by telephone on my arrival.) Instead of having the pre-paid Boatyball mooring, I was informed to “find another mooring” on my arrival – a rather unprofessional response by the Captain, in my opinion. The dockmaster could not be reached through Leverick Bay by telephone. Despite having my phone number in the reservation, I was never notified of the change of my reservation.

George C1

That Sucks.

Begs the question of whether or not DockMaster told Excelsior captain could have mooring ball #1.

If so, there needs to be education of dock master. If not, then we have crewed captains who need to be educated (Or disciplined by their employer if they are not going to follow the rules.). So first issue with DYC crew. This one by The Moorings crew.

I agree that we as customers should not be the ones enforcing our reservation.

Also disheartening to see the "professionals" disregarding the rules... but I have to admit I have seen these "professionals" violating rules of other balls (such as commercial dive boat moorings).

Just to be clear I was not the person involved. The report came from a private forum and I reposted it with permission here. Boatyball responded already to correct the issue and the response has been sent to the person involved.
G

George

Thank you for the posting a scenario of what can happen on the Boatyball reservations. Please update us on what the ultimate outcome was this evening.

Sunny

The snooty Capt is an accurate description of the guy.

So where are their so-called harbor "managers" who are supposed to be monitoring the reserved balls?

This needs to be corrected, otherwise the entire concept is at risk. If your "reservation" is actually only a "maybe", you better plan on getting there early, just as before Boatyball.
I own a boat in the Moorings program. I would have called the Moorings base and suggested that they call their captain and give him/her appropriate instructions.

Kevin

George, thank you for the update. This group is a great source of insight and information for us at BoatyBall. We contacted the owners at Leverick last night and they will be discussing the protocol with the guys on the dock. It is disappointing to hear about the behavior of the crew an Excelsior. This has been reported to the head of operations at The Moorings. We have found the charter companies to be very responsive when we contact them with concerns. If anyone in this group witnesses any issues and supports what we are trying to accomplish then please feel free to contact us directly at info@boatyball.com. It is really helpful if you can provide the boat name and charter company when reporting an issue.

Maybe you can somehow implement a fine of $500.00 for unauthorized use of the mooring.

These problems seem like growing pains. I think the reservation system is a great idea and will take hold. We are down January 26 and plan to use it.

I agree. It is also encouraging to see Boatyball take such an active approach and participate here as well. I at this early stage, people will see what they can get away with. If nothing happened, then they'd do it again. But if the charter companies address it with captains and discourage it, then they'll probably stop doing it. Hopefully they too just learn to use the app or anchor like the captained boats often do anyway.

First off, I like the concept but already there are two times of problems. Another issue I see could happen so I’m asking how would this be dealt with? You reserve a ball BUT someone else grabs it say at Leverick and leaves their boat, rents a Jeep, spends all day and evening ashore and doesn’t return to boat til dark. So there’s no one to even tell to move. As the person who reserved the ball and the place is full when you arrive,,, so then what? My question concerns at any place you reserve a ball, what happens when your ball has been taken and the guilty crew doesn’t return to their boat til dark? Banning them for life doesn’t get you a mooring ball that day. We’ve been coming down for 8 years now and I’ve seen too many nastycaptains either race for the last ball or drop anchor way too close to a moored boat and refuse to move. Til this system is fool proof, I’ll continue to arrive early enough to get a ball.

It’s like any new business, You plan it the best you can. You put it into operation and then you adjust it to fit the reality.

I think jagmansr raises a question that I’ve been wondering as well. How do you get violators to move their boat when they’re gone for the day/evening? It seems like the only sure way to ensure success of this program is to have the reserved balls monitored and checked/enforced when boaters arrive. I think Boatyball is a great idea and will see many reservations as long as it is found to be worth it and hassle-free. Why not create a few jobs for the locals and hire Boatyball attendants?

At what cost?

Boatyball have successfully identified an issue/problem for many sailors in the BVI, i.e. the fact that if you want to be guaranteed a mooring ball then you may have to adjust your end-of-day timings to be sure of getting one. Some sailors don’t want to adjust their timings…therefore problem.

Problem = opportunity & market

Problem + solution = profit

However, as I see it, they have not yet identified a genuine solution!

1.) As has been proven so far, there will always be an element that don’t follow the rules. So booking a ball doesn’t mean you get one. Come dusk…you may well be buggered if you don’t know how to use that sharp heavy thing attached to the chain at the pointy end.
a. Boat already on your ball won’t move…what next? Are you going to fight them?! So far it sounds like the ‘mooring managers’ are useless. On this thread alone (and we have seen it ourselves with other firms) it has been reported that Horizon Yacht Charter Captains will happily remain on national park moorings overnight…which is illegal and carries a fine. If that doesn’t stop them doing it…then what do Boatyball expect to do about them using their balls?
b. Boat on ball has gone ashore (maybe tactically timed) what next? Cut them loose?!

2.) Mooring balls have ALWAYS been first come first serve. Moorings with Boatyball are STILL first come first serve…the clock just begins at midnight the night before rather than mid-afternoon on the day. And that is assuming your reservation leads to you getting a ball…and some other Captain hasn’t snagged your ball / done a deal with the dockmaster / refuses to move.

3.) In the case of Anegada, some balls don’t have the depth for larger monohulls. Our experience is you choose a ball depending on what you can get to. When you get close to zero you hit reverse! What if you have reserved and pain for a ball you then find is too shallow for you?

4.) You arrive with a reservation into a nearly empty mooring field…the ball next to the one you have reserved and paid for is occupied by a 62 ft cat. Which clearly is too big for the mooring and may jeopardise the safety of your vessel in the night. What next? This thread alone has a report of such a vessel being on a Boatyball mooring. Does this mean they are not vetting which vessels are allowed to use them?

5.) You arrive with a reservation into a nearly empty mooring field…the ball next to the one you have reserved and paid for is occupied by a boat filled with fun-loving young hooligans playing loud music at all hours. You have no issue with them having their fun, but might otherwise have chosen a different ball…but, its already booked and paid for, so you’re stuck.

If the biggest aggro or hassle you encounter when sailing in the BVI is worrying about getting a ball at the end of the day, then you’re having a pretty good day. If however as a result of Boatyball your day begins at Midnight to reserve a ball and ends with a fight with some idiot captain who won’t vacate the ball you reserved then…suddenly you’re having a bad day.

This is the BVI, not London. We don’t need Uber, we don’t need a bigger runway, we don’t need more resorts, we don’t need more cruise-ships and we don’t need Boatyball.

And yes…this view stands in the way of capitalism and ‘progress’…but hell, that’s why we come to the BVI in the first place! To get away from all these things in our own frantic, hectic, over-developed, over-commercialised, over-cookied, non-stop lives!

...just our opinion!

Just exchanged text messages with a friend, who is at Cooper this evening with his crew. I had explained 'boatyball' to him several days ago and he opened an account. He signed-on at midnight last night while at the Bight on Norman, finding immediately four of the eight had beat him to the site. He reserved the fifth of the eight balls and arrived at Cooper this afternoon at about 3:00 pm. They found someone on the ball, although they were simply hoping nothing would happen (they did not have a reservation, and perhaps had no idea how to get one). They moved their boat without incident, once my friend explained they had a reservation for the ball.

You’re correct, the problem lies with and Ski mentality who disregard the rules

"And yes…this view stands in the way of capitalism and ‘progress’…but hell, that’s why we come to the BVI in the first place! To get away from all these things in our own frantic, hectic, over-developed, over-commercialised, over-cookied, non-stop lives!"

That's exactly how we feel! We like to turn our phones off and just enjoy the disconnect!!

I think the solution is genuine. Like anything though, it does take time before it will work without issue. Dockwa is used in the states and works well. The only significant difference that I'm aware of is that all the balls in the areas where dockwa is used are reservation only. And it also differs in that reservations are not just 24 hours in advance. I think once it is clear that the reserved balls will be enforced, the program will work well. Maybe all it will really take is a strong partnership with the charter companies so they can help ensure guests and captains don't use reserved balls without a reservation.

Main problem is there seems to be zero enforcement with anything in the BVI. Overnighting on NPT moorings..etc..etc.

I just don’t like the reserve after midnight thing. I see no reason why they can’t take reservations up to 30 days in advance. I can do that with most restaurants, why not Boatyball.

As for confrontations, man I am on vacation. I don’t want to argue with someone over a mooring ball. Hopefully time will fix issues. But as said earlier, how do you handle when the entire boat is ashore for the day?

All in all I like the concept. Just will require some tweaking over time.

BoatyBall

Thanks for being reactive to this group. I think many are just articulating circumstances they foresee/ have already seen. I believe many of these were anticipated by you and to what extent, we shall see.

I commend you for discussing with the various charter companies.

In regards to how long in advance reservations should be allowed, too far out and circumstances/weather may cause changes where balls are reserved but not used. I could also see those with no concern about $ reserving multiple balls in various anchorages.

Once reservations are made, can they be canceled/released?(especially if more than 24 hours reservation was allowed)

I have no plans to set alarm for midnight to be able to be first in line... If none available with my morning coffee, then I shall use FCFS. But if reservations opened at 6pm day before, I could foresee this altering dinner reservations and happy hours, and I don't think that would be good either.

Keep working on solutions! I think you are approaching this correctly.

While certainly as charter companies educating our guests will be helpful. But at the end of the day a small percentage of guests who are to good for the rules will be the problem children. In almost any part of the world with any kind of system for moorings with reservations there is ultimately a human being in charge of it. A harbormaster if you will.

Cooper will be an issue unless this is closely monitored. It is an increasingly popular spot with little to no room to safely anchor. The idea of being able to show up at four in the afternoon with a guaranteed spot is very appealing. Making an intoxicated absent captain vacate your reserved mooring will be difficult if not legally impossible. Cooper is unique because of the depth and bottom conditions. Frankly telling guests to pick up a ball by 2:00 in the afternoon has never set well withe me as it limits your sailing time. But in the busy season this is exactly the advice we give so the guests have time for plan B. It might actually be a better system if all of Coopers Moorings where run by a dock master/reservation. Either by the app or old school. Get in radio range call the harbor master give them the details and get assigned a ball. At least then you would know five or ten miles out if you have a spot. If not that gives you plenty of time to do something else.

Rules without enforcement are just recommendations.

Cooper was full before 2pm yesterday.

The threat to ban someone from boatieball is not much of a threat anyway.

Fines won't work, by what authority.

Given the number of balls at Cooper, Jay is spot on. A human has to run the harbor. Either fcfs or make the reservations knowing that there is human oversight

Actually instead of using the word “Fine” you could say it’s the price of an unreserved ball.

We’re sitting in Great Harbor Jost for the Old Year end party. We’ve watched a couple of locals “reserve” balls for boats using dinghys and sailboards, one had a board on it for 3 days. Don’t know if they were paying for the mooring or not. I’m not a fan of any reservation system but like even less that people that know people are able to do this.... especially since we don’t know anybody 🙂. So Boatyball is better than this.

We live aboard now and don’t spend that much time in the BVI and don’t pick up a mooring that often but I do hope they leave most balls at FCFS.

We appreciate boaters desire to disconnect while in the BVI. It is one of the reason we fell in love with it years ago. We know this is not a solution for everyone and we are not forcing it on anyone. We understand why boaters would not want to use the app. We also understand that for an experienced boater this might not have the same value as it would for a less experienced boater who is not comfortable anchoring. I would like to share some of the things we have learned in the last 10 days during this pilot.

1. There is a large number of boaters who want the ability to reserve mooring balls in the BVI.
2. Without enforcement at the local bay the system falls apart
3. The overwhelming majority of boaters have respected the rules
4. Charter companies support the program and will take action towards captains when made aware of bad behavior
5. The web based app is working as designed with no technical issues
6. The app has been intuitive for most users
7. Many boaters want a first come first serve option
8. The 11 am check out and 2 pm check in time has caused confusion
9. With same day reservations we have had limited requests for cancellations

I think I'd like the idea, if we all made reservations online. I'd much rather spend more time sailing and not have to worry about it as the sun starts sinking. Anyhoo, I took a look and it appears that, for every ball they have, you can only make same-day reservations. So, I guess now there's some kinda midnight scramble to make a reservation?

Either way, our first charter trip in the BVIs (we did a training trip there, once) is coming up next week and we are getting very excited!

I’m also thinking that a given mooring field, say Cooper, should be all Boatyball, no FCFS. That way, if there’s no room at the inn, you choose another location. It avoids the problem of people showing up, finding the unreserved balls full, and squatting on someone else’s reserved ball.

The balls at Cooper are used for many purposes. We often drop in for just lunch. We also go in and out several times a day swapping tanks. If they make all the balls reserved only they will not see my business.
On the subject of reservations. I do think it should be moved up to 9 PM the night before. No one wants to stay up till midnight. I don’t think it’s a good idea to make the reservations more than a day in advance. To many things can happen to cause no shows if booked well ahead. That will result in balls sitting empty.
The last thing that concerns me is priority given to specific companies. I really appreciate the effort the boatyball owners are putting into addressing issues. They have been extremely responsive except on this point even when I directly asked the question. Look for some charter companies to get priority in the not to distant future.
G