Teammac said:
So if the majority of charterers started anchoring instead of paying the mooring ball fees, what would happen to the mooring ball fee? I say boycott mooring balls! Use your anchor until they bring the fees back down! There is no justification for raising those fees other than greed per the rule of supply and demand.
Moorings are a good thing. They help prevent bottom damage and offer less experienced sailors easy access to some anchorages. They offer all sailors access to some anchorages that would otherwise be impractical for more then a couple of boats to spend the night. They also come with a cost to maintain. I think however the cost has not risen quite as fast as what is being charged.
The other issue is its always bad practice to anchor in a mooring field. In some BVI anchorages the fields have grown so large there is no option to anchor.
G
