Rogue marina bosses are using ‘unfair’ tactics to charge yachtsmen who are selling their boats privately, reports the British Marine Federation. The only redress the sailor has is to take the marina to court, a course that most people only take as the last resort. Even this will not stop the marina continuing to use the same unfair conditions because County Court judgements do not constitute case law so each case must be taken to court separately even though the circumstances are very similar.

Now yachtsmen, and anyone interested in fair trade, can make their views known to the Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, through an online petition on the official site of the Prime Minister’s Office at http://www.number10.gov.uk/

The petition reads: ‘We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to refer the question of marina terms and conditions that restrict the sale of boats to the Director General of Fair Trading.’