Dear Student,

Did you run the survey past your tutor before posting? I'm concerned that some of your questions are poorly put or indeed, (mis)leading. The final question, in particular, very much 'puts words into the mouths' of those of us (perhaps) taking part.

This is a serious problem for us, especially those of us with big-ish motor boats. A cruise which would have run to a few hundred quid in fuel bills could cost a couple of thousand, if we're 'unlucky'. Selling the boat won't be an option, because the bottom will drop out of the used boat market in the UK, and we'll just be left with value-less assets which we can't afford to put to sea. Your question about selling the boat misses that point.

The 'areas of budget' question assumes that we have some form of budget, whereas boating, by its very nature, cannot be budgeted. The costs are incurred largely out of our control, and must be met. Why should this only affect our 'boating' budgets? Will it not impact at home, on the car, other holidays, etc?

'Using illegal fuel' is likely not to be an option. Where are we going to get our supplies? Why won't we be caught? Even the Spanish have got their commercial diesel supplies tied up tight!

And remember, this is not an 'EU policy decision'... It's the blind acceptance of EC 'policy' by our elected Government, without the kind of robust defense of custom that makes the French so happy to pick at the European legislative smorgasbord.

Some of us might think that in the same way that this Government has ensured that every Englishman's home is no longer his Castle, we must no longer be a proud nation of seafarers.

(My private opinion... Don't forget they're Labour, and as such, they can't help wanting to screw the rich).

Sorry, but you really could (and should) do better if you intend to 'research' this topic.

Yours (in occasional academia),

CP.