Kevin Pyne, of Lake Street, Dartmouth, writes:

It would help if the Dart ­harbour board could sense what the rivers users need and are happy with, as we seem to have a great swathe of river over which we have little or no say, despite paying to have our boats on it.

Far too much with regard to this river is decided by far too few.

For example, since the silting up of the north and south embankments over recent years, it was obvious that there would be problems for any ­vessel that was left alongside.

And yet the loss of the French trawler recently tragically ­happened and has no winners save for the anti-pollution experts, who must have cost a fortune and kept us from using our quay, which was left filthy, for weeks.

Perhaps if they had tended to the river’s needs, such as by dredging etc, it might not have happened; or maybe if they had looked out for the river users and listened to them they wouldn’t get so disgruntled. The witch hunt against the harbour master and others, though, has gone far to far – it has been nasty and wicked and was brought about as much by those who were disgruntled and who had personal gripes as anything else – they were, as they say, just biding their time.

The harbour master has now resigned, the owner of the French trawler lost his boat and his crew their jobs, and no doubt we harbour users will all pay more in dues to put it all to rights, if ever that is possible .

Generally the harbour staff are truly excellent, extremely helpful and friendly, and we all of us consider them to be our friends, and when they leave it concerns us as to why. It seems a shame that the harbour board does not ask why as well.

The water taxi staff could slow down a bit, mind, as the wash can be irritatingly excessive.

I think the board members might consider resigning, or a least have a rethink as to what they are about, because the truth is that you are about us and you have seemingly failed us .

Moreover, they need to take out a mortgage so as while in their employ the harbour ­master or mistress lives in a property in sight of the harbour that they are in charge of. It would be a good investment, if nothing else.

It is a long time since I was a ferryman on a stormy night, when the senior figure within the port turned up and said: ‘How’s it all going’ – and it ­really needs to start again.