Cost of water sports on Somerset coast to rise by four per cent
The council’s harbour management advisory committee met in Taunton on November 3 to discuss the fees and charges for the coming financial year
The cost of sailing, kayaking and paddle-boarding off the west Somerset coast will rise by four per cent across the board.
Somerset Council is responsible for managing Minehead and Watchet’s harbour, along with the commercial port of Bridgwater – which includes setting fees for boats mooring or vessels being launched from slipways.
The council’s harbour management advisory committee met in Taunton on November 3 to discuss the fees and charges for the coming financial year, taking into account the current rate of inflation.
The committee recommended a four per cent increase in all charges across all three ports, which will come into force in April 2026 if the council’s executive committee votes in favour.
For people wishing to launch vessels from either Minehead or Watchet’s slipways, the daily cost to do so will rise from £16.50 to £17.20.
The weekly cost will increase from £56 to £58.30, while the annual cost will rise from £204 to £212.20.
For kayakers or paddle-boarders, the daily cost of launching will rise from £10.50 to £11, with the weekly cost increasing from £41.50 to £43.20.
The annual cost of launching a paddle-board or kayak will increase from £124 to £129 for adults, and from £93 to £96.80 for under-16s.
For members of the Minehead Sailing Club, the cost of launching unmotorised vehicles from the town’s slipway will rise from £400 to £416.
For visitors wishing to moor in Minehead or Watchet for leisure purposes, the cost of doing so for half a day will rise from £22 to £22.90, and for a full day from £14.50 to £15.10.
Those wishing to moor their vessels at either location more permanently will see their weekly rates rise from £22 to £22.90 per metre.
Anyone wishing to moor permanently will pay £64.50 per metre, or £137.30 per metre if they want a designated storage area.
Dave Coles, the council’s head of community regulatory services, said in his written report: “In recent years, we have continued to invest in the harbours at an increased cost to the taxpayer.
“The goal should be for the harbours to be self-financing; however, the
increase in moorings fees required to achieve this would be unsustainable.
“The proposed fees and charges for the harbours have been increased by four per cent to take account of inflation and to contribute to the costs of operating the harbours.
“This is a standard inflationary rise in charges and no changes to the fees and charge’s structure has occurred.”