St Helier Boat Owners Association Photo credit Jason Masterman - Elizabeth Marina D pontoon.

About Us

The St Helier Boat Owner's Association was formed in 1990, triggered by a letter from Roy Bullen, the Harbour Master, to Mike Stevens, expressing his difficulty in acting on issues raised by individual owners.

Since St Helier Yacht Club, the logical 'voice' for owners using the harbours and marinas in St Helier, was conflicted by being a tenant of the then Harbours and Airport Committee, a group of members set about formulating the concept of an association of boat owners.

An inaugural meeting was held on 11^th July 1990 at which a steering committee was formed under the chairmanship of Don Filleul and 98 owners applied for membership at a proposed annual subscription of £5.00*. The first AGM in October of that year approved a Constitution, ratified the subscription and elected the steering committee, with one addition, as the first officers and committee of the new Association, which by then had 148 paid up members.

Amongst the matters of concern raised at those early meetings were the untidy state of the harbours & quays; obstruction of the South Pier steps by moored boats; disrepair of the dinghy pontoon; fishing pot-markers in the Small Roads; the perceived unfair management of mooring allocation; and the need for statutory 3^rd party insurance for all boats – some still all too familiar almost 20 years on! Other campaigns in the early years included the introduction of contracts for marina berths; improved car parking and drop-off arrangements at Elizabeth marina; and an unsuccessful proposal to introduce 'profit-sharing' when visitors use vacant contract berths.

Membership of the Association peaked at 601 in January 2010 and is currently 364 (Aug. 2020).

* The £5.00 subscription remained unchanged for 27 years until 1st December 2017, when it was increased to £10. Click below to download an application form.