Ban yachts from Seil waters ?

[longshanks]

Why?
1. Because they get in the way of legitimate (for a living) users.
2. Because they are a form of visual pollution over our beautiful sea and landscape.
3. Because they pollute our pristine water when they empty their toilets and then allow their shite etc. to float around.
4. Because of the above our waters are periodically deemed unfit for the sale of shellfish thus affecting local livelihoods - the last instance being in April (unsurprisingly coincidental with the return of the yachts to their moorings in the bay and the sound) when our shellfish grounds were closed for two weeks due to feocal matter registered in the waters.
5. Because yachties tend to be self obsessed and of less than average height and wit.
Fair enough?

[moonraker]

so tell me then whats the difference between them
and our fishing dudes
not much i say
bring on the national parks
lets face it what they take from the sea is all free
p.s that jet bike cost me a fortune and it is insured through the post office balvicar

[longshanks]

Good on ya Moonie - out of the closet at last eh !

[spiderman]

Can Nick B resist this ludicrous wind-up....?! We'll be amazed if he can............

[longshanks]

Actually eightshanks its not meant to wind up NickBee on anyone else (though, I grant, it might).
My thoughts were prompted by the report (published in most paoers) by a group of scientists a few weeks back that obese people contribute more to global warming than slim (and to the world food shortage so they said). I don't think that's a problem on Seil because, by my reckoning, there are only six fatties on the island.
BUT
Their report went on to say that the combined water displacement of all non-essential boats (ie yachts) in the world equates to just under two centimetres. Thus, if all yachts were to be removed from the waters of our oceans (perhaps recycled into some kind of biofuel?) then global sea levels will drop by up to 2cm giving us a little leeway for the future predicted rises.
Just a thought.

[Pentlandpirate]

But aren't wind propelled yachts 'greener' than diesel or petrol fuelled fishing boats, motor boats, ferries and jetskis?

And fatties are often healthier than skinnies, don't you agree?

[moonraker]

not sure about the fatties on the island
but as long as there is buy one get one free
you will always get them
anyway whats wrong with chunky people
they are built for comfort as you might be aware of
p.s leave the yacht dudes alone they are the greens of the sea
the big one in cuan sound is the greenest it never moves

is canu a fattie

[longshanks]

My point is, Pentland, that ferries and fishing boats are essential whereas yachts most certainly are not - they provide neither service nor benefit to the world.
As to yachts being the "greens of the sea" Moonie consider the following:
1. They use a considerable amount of oil based products and burn fuel much of the time (manouvering in harbour and when the wind is not blowing - a few years ago I 'sailed' to Tobermory with a local yachtie who had his motor on nearly all the way.
2. They dump their rubbish overboard.
3. Wander down Polladabhrain in the summer and see the trash on the shoreline. One yachtie, earlier this year, placed a bin liner, full, on the shorel obviously thinking that the council make weekly collections from the bay. I carried it back to the bins at the TnT.
4. They discharge their raw sewage into our pristine waters (thus affecting the livelihoods of local shellfish farmers as in April this year).
5. They cause sea levels to rise unecessarily due to their displacement (think eureka!).
6. They are elitist and class-biased: when did you last see an ethnic, working class yachtie? Yachties round here tend to be white, middleclass and English (or English who, for some reason, claim to be Scottish). Nothing wrong at all with any of those classifications: just an observation.
Finally, Spidey, this is not an attempt to wind up NickSwarm - my posts are hidden to him as he put me under his "ignore" button some time ago.

[Pentlandpirate]

Longshanks, wasn't this thread in retaliation for the 'ban the jetski' comments? So both yachts and jetskis are supposedly both pleasure craft, but you suggest yachts are driven by white middle class, elitist English........... What's the inference? Is it that we suggest jetskis must be used by a sub-class of working class hooligans with a chip on their shoulder? I don't think so.

And aren't there many working class individuals who have come by a few bob (probably mugged a grannie or conned some pensioners) who have chosen to spend their hard earned pennies who like to impress their friends by serving G&T's on the flying bridge?

It's always a scream to see what you write Longshanks, and I'll bet you anything Nick B wouldn't dare put his 'ignore'button on you. I'll bet he's trying to stifle his laughter, but in his own elitist way trying to make out he has nothing to do with your type!

[NickB]

.

. . . he has nothing to do with your type!

Is Longshanks a type? I was rather hoping he was a one-off.

NickB

[Seventhseil]

I would only ban one type of yacht.....maybe 47 foot long ones made of GRP, they are my least favourite!!!

As for that eastenders chap wandering about in his sunglasses looking Pissed off all the time, one would think his parentage had been called into question or something......

[Jones]

Whether or not Longshanks is a "type", I happen to agree with much of what he says. However, rather than criticise the yachties, perhaps we should be thinking of ways to improve things. Banning them just aint gonna happen. Maybe the new marine bill could be a way forward.

[canUsmellthat]

Perhaps banning the bigger yachts from the north end of the Seil Sound would help lessen the pollution there. Big yachts in this locale are also hazardous to mussel and tourist boats trying to get by...

[Minimum]

Should sh1t be spewed out by any boat? Fishermen, yachties, cargo boats...? Anywhere?

[NickB]

rather than criticise the yachties, perhaps we should be thinking of ways to improve things

Jones, just what problems exactly do you think 'yachties' are causing around Seil, and what needs improving? There have been no reports of any conflicts with fishing interests apart from Longhank's own prolific red herring fishery. On a positive note, yachts are of course bringing valuable trade to at least two businesses on the island, and in terms of visual impact most people - our non-sailing tourists included - regard yachts under sail as an enhancement to the seascape.

As for the other issue - yacht toilets have nothing to do with the pollution in the sound and its effect on the mussel beds. Longshanks is just winding people up . . . most of the sh*t in our waters is coming from the shore, and will hopefully be fixed by the new sewage scheme. The yachts moored in the bay and up the sound are by and large on their home moorings, usually with no-one on board. I would estimate that the number of times sh*t is discharged from a boat into the sound or the bay it is maybe a couple of dozen a year tops. Puilladobhrain is another matter . . . I might be reluctant to eat mussels from there, but there aren't any mussel beds there AFAIK. As an environmental issue yacht toilets are literally a drop in the ocean.

Why not get upset about the people who don't pick up their dogs' crap? That can make children go blind . . . rather more important if you find sh*t a pressing issue I would have thought - there are more dogs than yachts around after all.

- NickB

[spiderman]

Aha, Nick, we knew you wouldn't resist the wind-up for long!!

[longshanks]

NickB (shame he won't read this due to his use of the ignore button)makes the point;
"dogs' crap? That can make children go blind "
Only if they eat it and I for one never let my children eat it.
My mate, Onan, told me about something far more shocking which makes little boys go blind. Could be true judging by the number of men who wear glasses round here. NickSwarm thinks this applies to Longshanks as he hopes that Shankers is a "one-off" (the wrist presumably)
Actually - quite grateful for the "ignore" button - that one could have got me another yellow card!

[Pentlandpirate]

Longshanks...............admit it. Which are you? A man who is prepared to risk going blind or a liar?

[longshanks]

All three pantman

[DonnieC]

4. Because of the above our waters are periodically deemed unfit for the sale of shellfish thus affecting local livelihoods - the last instance being in April (unsurprisingly coincidental with the return of the yachts to their moorings in the bay and the sound) when our shellfish grounds were closed for two weeks due to feocal matter registered in the waters.



Just a correction to the above , the closure was not due to feocal contamination but to a positve test for DSP. That and other toxins, including ASP and PSP, are tested on a weekly basis.

The above are naturally occuring at any time of the year, more usually in the summer - but not always.

E coli is tested for once a month.

A selection of sites - one of which covers Seil Sound - has water sampling done once a week looking at phytoplankton.

Viral testing is also carried out every three months.

Hope the above is helpful,

DonnieC