"Smart" Buoys in 5 Croatian bays

[kas_1611]

There are a series of new "smart" buoys that have been installed in 5 bays around the Croatian islands that use technology to detect when you pick them up and when you depart. The idea is that you then use IT to pay for the buoy.

Whilst I have no problem with mooring buoys, in some bays they are the only option, and for the most part they offer the locals a source of income and are reasonably priced (around 15 to 20kuna per meter) these new ones are a step in the wrong direction.

Having discovered them a quick bit of research finds that they are stinging users for 350kuna in one location. This is for 24hrs but not based on specific boat length. So if you have a 10m boat or a 20m boat you pay the same price. Given that you can pay less tied up to a town wall; with power, water and toilets, I find this excessive.

Not only that if you fail to pay online and their 'representative" comes out you will be charged a whopping 50% extra!!

So be aware. If you find a mooring buoy operated by Adria Bove these are the ones. Can't miss them as they are big and white with the company name on the side.

Keiron

[senormechanico]

That sounds like a replay of the "Blue Pay Phones" in Mexico back in the early '90's. They would charge a bunch from the minute you picked up the phone, you waited forever for the connection which usually got disconnected.
Also, the operators were nasty and would disconnect you in an instant if you complained about the service.

[kas_1611]

I doubt it will be that bad, well time will tell I guess.

I do fear that this is the thin edge of a wedge that could see concessions moving from small, locally run operations to faceless corporations based miles from the region.

At present the money from the mooring buoys goes directly into the local economy from the concessionaire to the diver checking the lines to the guys making the 2 tonne concrete blocks to the local council running the concessions. This new company seem to be based in the capital which is several hundred miles inland so how much money is going to be lost to the local economy?

By way of a comparison to the fee charged at the top of Zut island of 350kuna (£44) for a 12m boat (actually up to 20m) we were charged 150kuna (£18.75) for our 12m boat at the southern end of Zirje island. Personally I think 150kn is cheap and 200kn is the average for our size of boat so 350kn is a rip off. We were charge 300kn for a night tied to the pier in Molat with electricity and decent showers!!

I'm all for technology but normally paying online gets you a discount not robbed