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Boaty Ball update from previous post #212590
12/31/2019 08:36 AM
12/31/2019 08:36 AM
Joined: Dec 2019
Posts: 5
S
Sailor-ATL Offline OP
Traveler
Sailor-ATL  Offline OP
Traveler
S
Joined: Dec 2019
Posts: 5
I am happy to report we have had a better experience with Boaty Ball over the past 2 days and have successfully secured a ball in Leverick Bay. Of course, we’ve had to have our trigger fingers ready at exactly 7:00am. We checked the status of the other balls in the field immediately after and they were all reserved in nanoseconds.

Still on the fence whether this is the right program for the BVI’s. The pros are having the ability of securing a ball in advance, obviously, and that the mooring balls are well maintained. The cons are: there are limited number of balls which creates a feeding frenzy for the available balls to reserve in advance. It may be better for Boaty Ball to invest in laying more balls in the locations they serve. Who knows.

Looking forward to testing our luck at some of the other hot spots.

Last edited by Sailor-ATL; 12/31/2019 08:36 AM.
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Re: Boaty Ball update from previous post [Re: Sailor-ATL] #212592
12/31/2019 09:19 AM
12/31/2019 09:19 AM
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 207
East Tennessee
Annoddddd Offline
Traveler
Annoddddd  Offline
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Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 207
East Tennessee
Congrats! It does provide a bit of excitement in the mornings doesn’t it? 😃

It’s my understanding Boaty Ball doesn’t own the Balls, they just provide the service for the owners to allow us to reserve and pay by credit card. I assume the owners need to work with the government to have replacement balls or new balls put in place and we know how challenging that can be.

Until more balls are added, BEYC and Saba reopen, it will be challenging because the demand outweighs the supply of balls. This week is especially challenging due to the number of charters for the holidays.

We do like Boaty Ball because it provides us the time to enjoy our entire day and know we have a ball at night.

Yes, we can anchor (and do anchor) but prefer not to while on vacation because we’d rather sleep at night than be on anchor watch. Even with anchor alarms we prefer a good nights sleep.

We also like the comfort of knowing the balls are really maintained properly.

The convenience of paying with a credit card is nice too.

We see BB as an option. People can get a BB, FCFS or anchor.

Options are nice.

Re: Boaty Ball update from previous post [Re: Sailor-ATL] #212594
12/31/2019 09:27 AM
12/31/2019 09:27 AM
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 938
Georgia & South Carolina
D
Deepcut Offline
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Deepcut  Offline
Traveler
D
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 938
Georgia & South Carolina
Agree with the benefits above, primarily being able to be sailing as long as desired before reaching destination for the night.

Sailor-ATL, another helpful hint to improving likelihood of getting a BB or a FCFS ball, is to try to get off sequence from the majority of the charters. If you begin a charter on Tuesday or Wednesday, you are out of sync with most who typically begin/end charter on the weekends... The mob is generally most clustered on their first night out and last night before returning to base. (Other benefits of this is base staff is less hurried/ less stressed).


Wes
s/v Sea Tiger (2022 Lagoon 46)
www.BareBoatBVI.com

Re: Boaty Ball update from previous post [Re: Sailor-ATL] #212807
01/02/2020 12:44 PM
01/02/2020 12:44 PM
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 296
K
Kryssa Offline
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Kryssa  Offline
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K
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 296
We enjoyed having Boatyball as an option when we went in November. It was especially good for us as divers because you know you're going to be at the rendezvous point without having to arrive super early to get a FCFS ball and it allows us to get to our next destination late but with a reserved ball because usually we don't push off til around 2 pm after diving.

Re: Boaty Ball update from previous post [Re: Annoddddd] #212815
01/02/2020 04:46 PM
01/02/2020 04:46 PM
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 770
Kansas
captmoby Offline
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captmoby  Offline
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Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 770
Kansas

Originally Posted by Annoddddd
Congrats! It does provide a bit of excitement in the mornings doesn’t it? 😃

It’s my understanding Boaty Ball doesn’t own the Balls, they just provide the service for the owners to allow us to reserve and pay by credit card. I assume the owners need to work with the government to have replacement balls or new balls put in place and we know how challenging that can be.

Until more balls are added, BEYC and Saba reopen, it will be challenging because the demand outweighs the supply of balls. This week is especially challenging due to the number of charters for the holidays.

We do like Boaty Ball because it provides us the time to enjoy our entire day and know we have a ball at night.

Yes, we can anchor (and do anchor) but prefer not to while on vacation because we’d rather sleep at night than be on anchor watch. Even with anchor alarms we prefer a good nights sleep.

We also like the comfort of knowing the balls are really maintained properly.

The convenience of paying with a credit card is nice too.

We see BB as an option. People can get a BB, FCFS or anchor.

Options are nice.



Can anybody show me evidence the the BB are maintained better than the FCFS balls?


Jim
Sailmoby II
Re: Boaty Ball update from previous post [Re: Kryssa] #212817
01/02/2020 05:08 PM
01/02/2020 05:08 PM
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 7,023
GA/NC
GeorgeC1 Online content
Traveler
GeorgeC1  Online Content
Traveler
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 7,023
GA/NC
Originally Posted by Kryssa
We enjoyed having Boatyball as an option when we went in November. It was especially good for us as divers because you know you're going to be at the rendezvous point without having to arrive super early to get a FCFS ball and it allows us to get to our next destination late but with a reserved ball because usually we don't push off til around 2 pm after diving.


The problem is you have to be off the boatyball by noon. That means if Rendezvous diving someone has to be on the boat to vacate the ball at noon. Typically you won’t get back to your boat until 1 to 2 PM.

Re: Boaty Ball update from previous post [Re: captmoby] #212823
01/02/2020 06:07 PM
01/02/2020 06:07 PM
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 3,003
S
sail445 Offline
Traveler
sail445  Offline
Traveler
S
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 3,003
Originally Posted by captmoby

Originally Posted by Annoddddd
Congrats! It does provide a bit of excitement in the mornings doesn’t it? 😃

It’s my understanding Boaty Ball doesn’t own the Balls, they just provide the service for the owners to allow us to reserve and pay by credit card. I assume the owners need to work with the government to have replacement balls or new balls put in place and we know how challenging that can be.

Until more balls are added, BEYC and Saba reopen, it will be challenging because the demand outweighs the supply of balls. This week is especially challenging due to the number of charters for the holidays.

We do like Boaty Ball because it provides us the time to enjoy our entire day and know we have a ball at night.

Yes, we can anchor (and do anchor) but prefer not to while on vacation because we’d rather sleep at night than be on anchor watch. Even with anchor alarms we prefer a good nights sleep.

We also like the comfort of knowing the balls are really maintained properly.

The convenience of paying with a credit card is nice too.

We see BB as an option. People can get a BB, FCFS or anchor.

Options are nice.



Can anybody show me evidence the the BB are maintained better than the FCFS balls?


A few months back BB said they maintained their moorings and then they took back that statement and said it was maintained by the owners of the moorings.
BB is just another car wreck to chartering. They will probably succeed due to the Sensitive people who are in denial👻

Re: Boaty Ball update from previous post [Re: Sailor-ATL] #212829
01/02/2020 07:45 PM
01/02/2020 07:45 PM
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 2,152
Ontario, Canada
warren460 Offline
Traveler
warren460  Offline
Traveler
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 2,152
Ontario, Canada
I understand that Wonky Dog has more robust mooring balls and related hardware.


Warren S/V Scuba Doo
Lagoon 50 (winner of best crewed yacht under 55 feet at the St. Thomas crewed yacht boat show).

https://www.cyabrochure.com/ebn/2307/pdyrX/6642/4///
Re: Boaty Ball update from previous post [Re: Sailor-ATL] #212830
01/02/2020 07:51 PM
01/02/2020 07:51 PM
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 17,035
Tortola/ Sonoma, California
Manpot Offline
Traveler
Manpot  Offline
Traveler
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 17,035
Tortola/ Sonoma, California
Grab a good ball..then have a good ball...at The Wonky..


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