Dickies deserted

[Major Catastrophe]

I wend down to Dickies in Bangor on Sunday to see if there were any bargains left in their pre-moving sale. Not much was left worth having, but I still managed to spend £13 on bits of tat that will live for several years in a drawer.

I went round the back and there were only five boats left in the main yard, so I wonder where they all went to.

I then went over to the new site at Port Penrhyn and assume the new Dickies will be in the large shed that is being refurbished.

I haven't worked out how they are going to launch and recover boats, unless they use a proper crane.

 

[SAB]

I was there on Saturday - spent £54! All seemed a bit sad really. I'm probably being too sentimental.

 

[Philiz]

I managed to spend £45 on saturday. They seem busier than ever, boaters like a bargain too!

 

[Kawasaki]

The land was sold over 2 years ago
Then leased back to Dickies
Although locals nicknamed the place 'Harrods' the facility will be missed
The area at Port Penrhyn will only accomodate about a third of the hard standing.
So other Marinas in the area could benefit.
The usual practice for launching and recovering has been by crane.
Multi operations to make it most economical
There will be some workshop facilities and a token chandlery, compared to what we are used to.
That corner of Bangor will never be the same again!

 

[hlb]

I bought two pieces of string and a pair of crocs which I resented. £8.

 

[Major Catastrophe]

The usual practice for launching and recovering has been by crane.

Not a crane, they had that blue lift thing that straddled the dock.

Unless they build something, it won't work in the new location.

So, if Dickies doesn't a proper chandlers, then it's ABC or Dulas for for those bits. That's a long drive for that Snurble Grip-Thribley you forgot.

 

[Philiz]

That's a long drive for that Snurble Grip-Thribley you forgot.

I've got a spare one, you can have it for £40

 

[Kawasaki]

Dunno what the blue lift thing is called either
Anyway, last time I saw it 'lifting' it didn't!
It kinda made grumbling noises and the boat didn't move
So yep, it looks like crany gadgetts will be the norm for a while.
Don't know of any plans for a slip or owt.
Must admit, been using Dulas quite a bit of late
Can't complain about their Snurble Grip-Thribley stocks!
OK for us small mobo users
Saily boys? well that's another story.

 

[Kawasaki]

I've got a spare one, you can have it for £40

Hang onto it
You need a few if you get a saily boat

 

[Searush]

Kwaka's right. Dickies is the ONLY place for miles that does any saily boat stuff. Everybody & his dog has bits & bobs for the little MoBos that trail to the caravan sites & beaches all around, but no other beggar does raggie bits. No way I'm going to Puff Welly so t'Interweb thingy is likely to get well used.

 

[Philiz]

Kwaka's right. Dickies is the ONLY place for miles that does any saily boat stuff. Everybody & his dog has bits & bobs for the little MoBos that trail to the caravan sites & beaches all around, but no other beggar does raggie bits. No way I'm going to Puff Welly so t'Interweb thingy is likely to get well used.

Praps Dickies will keep an 'under the counter' stock for us raggies

 

[SAB]

I was told it will be in three 40' Portakabins for the chandlery to start with ... until they get a building erected. I was also told of longer term plans to put a cill gate in to create a marina

 

[catalac08]

I think Dickies Wall will be missed by many, much more than the chandlers itself. I wonder what sort of a building site can cope with being flooded to one ft on the high springs?

 

[colvic987]

I think Dickies Wall will be missed by many, much more than the chandlers itself. I wonder what sort of a building site can cope with being flooded to one ft on the high springs?

Too right it will, always easier to go in by boat when passing as its not to far from mooring so could just pop in with a couple of hours either side of hw, just wondering what the plans are going to be for it, will it stay for a couple of penthouse owners, or will it be filled in with all the junk aggregate from the building site , when leveled out.

The only decent chandlers where you could have a good wander around, but that doesnt sell bits does it.
mailspeed now webbased, its all becoming quite a sad place in the way chandlery is going up in the north west.
Next nearest decent chandlery is at holyhead, good selection and layout.
ABC good for the vetus bits.

whats the conway one like now.

 

[Searush]

I think Dickies Wall will be missed by many, much more than the chandlers itself. I wonder what sort of a building site can cope with being flooded to one ft on the high springs?

Linda says she's glad she's seen the last of "that bloody wall". She can climb up the sheer 25' concrete using the set in ladder that doesn't reach the top & she can roll over the top without handholds & has no trouble walking the 3' wide top with sheer drop either side & only one flimsy rail. But she cannot for the life of her hang over the edge backwards groping for an invisible ladder without any useable handholds to get down it again.

Watkin-Jones will just build up the boat park a few feet more before he builds all the houses/ shops/ hotel & other nonsense like he ruined Caernarfon with.

 

[colvic987]

Praps Dickies will keep an 'under the counter' stock for us raggies

Slip of the toungue there, philiz.

 

[colvic987]

Watkin-Jones will just build up the boat park a few feet more before he builds all the houses/ shops/ hotel & other nonsense like he ruined Caernarfon with.

Wondered who bought it, but really who else owns everything around that area.?????

Better get back to scuttlebutt, before i get a name for myself fraternising with the mobo's. nice being here.

 

[savageseadog]

I think Dickies Wall will be missed by many, much more than the chandlers itself. I wonder what sort of a building site can cope with being flooded to one ft on the high springs?

I didn't know it flooded there.

I went to Dickies at weekend with a fiver that I managed not to spend. I don't have fond memories of the place as I always thought that they were a bit snotty. The loss of the yard is a fairly serious issue as there is a shortage of reasonable cost yard space these days.

 

[Kawasaki]

I always thought that they were a bit snotty. The loss of the yard is a fairly serious issue as there is a shortage of reasonable cost yard space these days.

Yes some staff were a bit 'above' themselves
I bought two boats from Dickies in the past
I literally had to 'buy them', like wrench the vessels from them
No sales help at all.
Obviously mobos (like who wants a saily boat) , they had no idea about what they were selling
I dunno about saily stuff, maybe the Sales 'persons' involved in that discipline knew what was what.
Certainly no idea about the mobos on offer.

I agree and as I mentioned ref yard space
There is an issue here that will have an impact I,m sure

Now I will say
There were some expert 'menders, 'riggers' etc who had skills that are dying in the yard.
It is sad that some of these craftsmen may be lossed to other areas, or lost forever
Plus there were some really nice an helpfull staff too.
The Dickies family had a long connection with Bangor and the Strait
They were really active in the 2nd World War era, biggest suppliers to the Admiralty in North Wales
Bigger than the Saunders Roe factory in Friars Bay
A lot of History has passed.
The 'Dickies' era started in Scotland.
It's funny how things change
In the eighties
A Plan was tendered/ put forward to develope the area about the yard
Between the current owner and Peter Dickie
A developement that would see all sorts of stuff plus a Marina in Hirael Bay
The local residents were up in arms!
'Save Hirael Bay'
The plan was scotched I believe
Well, as we all know it didn't happen
'Save Hirael Bay'?
From what?
Mud an sh%tehawks!

 

[Searush]

Hirael Bay? Dredged to death twice a day at high tide by the Mussel men.

Can't be any natural life left there now. Why the protest about a marina that will enhance wildlife (see increase in Seahorses & Oysters in S coast marinas) and none about destructive bottom trawling for mussel farming?

Yer right Kwaka, some of the blokes at Dickies were gentlemen, but one of them stole my big 3-blade bronze prop & s/s shaft when my engine was replaced - and I only managed to keep the old engine by jumping up & down & demanding it back!