Meeting 18 October 2006

Swanage Bay Users Association
Minutes of meeting
Held on Wednesday 18th October at Swanage Sailing Club.



Apologies for absence: Sue & David Chalcroft, Mike Marsh, Terry Warren, Tom Greasty, Adam, Jeremy & Simon Wylie.

Present: Roger Marsh, Mike Hadley, Mark Rowley, John Lucas, Steve Turner. Martin Slater, Sarah Broadway, Anthony Burgess, Amanda Rowley, Will Gibson, Yasmin Marsh, Pete Williams, Pat Collins, Christopher Rabson. Martin Jones

Opening: Chairman, Roger Marsh opened the meeting & read a letter he had sent to the Beach management committee

Appointments: The members appointed Mark Rowley as Treasurer, John Lucas as Deputy Chairman & Amanda Rowley as secretary. Pete Williams & Pat Collins were voted onto the committee.

Web site: Mike Hadley reported that there is now a Swanage Bay Users Association web site up and running in the form of a blog spot where visitors can post their comments about any related issues. www.swanagebayuserassociation.blogspot.com

Contacts: All members were asked to update the records of contact details to include email addresses.

Constitution: the members approved the draft constitution for the Association unanimously


Issues raised:

Condor Swell: to contact beach inspectors for their opinions on issue. Martin & Roger have kept logs of particularly high swells.

Moorings: The Sailing Club and commercial operators as particularly keen to have clearer guidelines, prompt leases renewals and accurate positions for moorings in the bay. Roger Marsh explained the different areas of the bay and which Associations are responsible for moorings in these areas. Action: Letter to be sent to Moorings Associations for clarification of procedures for leases on moorings.

Unmarked buoyant nets: The issue was raised of the visibility and the dangerous nature of buoyant nets that are left in the bay. Members would like to know where they stand in the event of an accident or damage to their craft by running into one of these nets. Action: Letter to Fisherman’s Association requesting more visible markings of nets and to log the Associations concerns.

Slipway: It was expressed that the standards of maintenance of the slipway are not always consistent and at Spring tides the slipway can be covered in rocks, which are not moved promptly by the council and makes launching difficult especially when fee is paid to launch. Action: Letter to council expressing concern.

Slipway: Idea for council to introduce a park & launch scheme. Members noted that it is not always easy to find a parking space for their towing vehicle after they have launched. Therefore their launched craft can be left tied to the slipway wall for a long time and therefore blocking other users whilst they try & find a parking space. Action: Recommend to council allocating spaces in car park, Boat Park or fishermen’s spaces for towing vehicles of boats that have paid to launch at the Boat Park.

Signage: Numerous issues were raised about inadequate signage around the bay & the boat park as both informative for visiting craft to area and for safety, including an explanation of diver marker flags at slipway.

Divers markers: Pat & Pete to supply details of the meanings of the flags which will be posted on web site.

Security: Concerns were raised over the security at the Boat Park especially from the peir onwards to the sheds. Pat / Pete to look into cameras

Fundraising: John Lucas suggested fundraising both on behalf of the Association such as approaching the Carnival committee and as the Association on behalf of local charities

Five knot Buoys: The members felt that the buoys were not visible enough, the position of the buoys is not standard each year with members expressing concern that the buoys seem to be creeping further down to Sheps Hollow.

(Minutes: Amanda Rowley)