No dredging progress at Watchet?

[Birdseye]

I think that the Marine Group are also into property development, and a prime site around a harbour has a great attraction in the long run for major profits when developed, acquiring the harbour and surrounding area is an easy long term goal for a developer, and if it means occasionally dredging a harbour (usually rather in efficiently) and providing a few baiting facilities , then that’s just one of the initial costs that will be recovered eventually.

True. That was the basis of Swansea and of Portishead and of Penarth. But then if you bear in mind the scale of costs of harbour wall and lock gate maintenance let alone dredging, a few boats paying £2kpa will never be enough revenue. God knows what will happen in Cardiff when the barrage facilities become old enough to need serious maintenance / refurb.

Watchet is another example of the same issue. No way can mooring fees for the few boats in there cover the cost of staff plus the regular dredging that is needed, let alone a profit for the operator.

 

[Megaboat]

What is the situation now with the dredging at Watchet? We are thinking of popping down for a couple of days soon.
Thanks

 

[graham]

Some progress has been made since last year. Very few berths are completely floating but some now leave you in 2 or 3 ft of water at low tide which is fine if you dont mind your keel resting in a bit of soft mud.

Last weekend was a very small neap tide we managed to leave the marina 2 hours before hw watchet. We have 1.1 meters draft. On a bigger tide we would have left earlier.

The good news is they have just aquired a larger water injection dredger which proved very effective on the first trial run .

I love visiting Watchet and Matt and his hard working team do everything they can to make your stay a good one.

 

[Megaboat]

Many thanks, we draw 0.9 M so sounds fine. Hope to give it a go soon

 

[chrislaw1968]

I would be interested in any feedback from a representative of the Watchet Harbour Group regarding The Marine Group.
They have done little for Port Dinorwic since their take-over 5 years ago. No maintenance dredging for over 5 years. Badly leaking dock gates are now berth holders major concerns.
Most local marinas have been dredged once or twice during this period.

i actually dredged the upper part of that several years ago for a couple of days , i was there a couple of months ago doing my PB 2 and they said they were looking to have it dredged but were having issues getting a licence to dump .they did talk to our company afterwards but that's the last i heard .

 

[david_bagshaw]

The big dredger was very much in evidence and working earlier this month

 

[graham]

Watchets new larger Dredger
Proving very effective apparently.

 

[pessimist]

Stopped to have a quick look yesterday. Marina seemed to be a complete sea of mud Dredger was still there though.

 

[Praxinoscope]

There seem to be stories in the local newspaper about problems at Aberystwyth marina, including staff being unpaid, and at Burry Port, which suggests that the Marine Group may have ‘temporary‘ financial problems,

 

[38mess]

There seem to be stories in the local newspaper about problems at Aberystwyth marina, including staff being unpaid, and at Burry Port, which suggests that the Marine Group may have ‘temporary‘ financial problems,

Cardiff marina have a lot of staff that have ' Moved on' and not replaced.hope it's a just glitch and the new year will bring more stability.

 

[Allan]

The Marine Group have arranged for one of their directors to be in the Esplanade club on Monday, between 3pm and 4pm. The cynic in me can't resist asking if they are worried about not keeping their promises. I really hope Watchet doesn't go down hill the way Burry port has!
Allan

 

[SaltIre]

Thread about unpaid staff at Port Dinorwic here:
Port Dinorwic in trouble?

 

[Allan]

Thread about unpaid staff at Port Dinorwic here:
Port Dinorwic in trouble?

By coincidence, I've just cut and copied exactly the same thing!
Port Dinorwic in trouble?
Doesn't look too good.
Allan

 

[Seastoke]

By coincidence, I've just cut and copied exactly the same thing!
Port Dinorwic in trouble?
Doesn't look too good.
Allan

Is there any room for development in the port.

 

[TSB240]

Direct from Watchet.

Sign the Petition.

DO All Berth Holders in Wales and Somerset have the same problem with the common marina group?

 

[TSB240]

Stopped to have a quick look yesterday. Marina seemed to be a complete sea of mud Dredger was still there though.

That was in Port Dinorwic in July. They had all the diesel from the marina never to be replaced since.
Now the gas bottles have been removed by the local supplier and the toilet loo rolls and soap dispensers have been removed by the contract cleaner.

I could reveal far more but not on a public forum.

 

[38mess]

I'm not sure if I'm going to pay my fees upfront this year, despite an email last week assuring berth holders all will be well financially in the forthcoming tax year.

 

[Praxinoscope]

I'm not sure if I'm going to pay my fees upfront this year, despite an email last week assuring berth holders all will be well financially in the forthcoming tax year.

This would seem to be a sensible option, gives you chance to watch and see what happens over the next few weeks.
Judging by the comments from Watchet, and Port Dinorwic, added to the newspaper articles concernig Aberystwyth, if I kept my boat in one of these harbours I would be cautious about paying too far in advance.
For interest, photo of Burry Port taken 3 hours after HW. Saturday 14th Jan, the sill is not working, and there seems to be a remarkable level of silt around the pontoons. My boat is not at Burry Port (fortunately) I would be very unhappy paying , marina berthing fees for what is a drying mud berth.

 

[TSB240]

Big news issue coming out of Watchet and others.

https://m.facebook.com/groups/1061290657402946/permalink/2022218127976856/

 

[Praxinoscope]

Have just heard that bailiffs have seized tractor and a trailer with slings from Aberystwyth Marina.